Varsity Athletics has taken the country by storm since its inception in 2013. The explosive, exciting and fast-paced action has captured the attention of the public as well as South African athletics legends. Paul Gorries, Chris Harmse and Lebogang Shange share their thoughts on Varsity athletics with some words of encouragement as well.
The former World Junior Championship 200m gold medallist Paul Gorries believes that the Varsity Athletics competition is a good transition between junior and senior athletics.
“I think it’s a good platform for the up-coming youngsters who get the opportunity to compete against some of the more established athletes,” said Gorries. The legend, who has won many South African 400m titles, admits that sprinting in the country is in a good state; however, he also encourages the development in other areas of the sport.
“It is important to study so that you get a good foundation behind you and sport does not last forever,” said Gorries, who now coaches African Junior 100m champion Tamzin Thomas from the University of Western Cape. “So make the best of both when you are at university. You are student-athlete, not the other way around. Well, unless you are a Wayde van Niekerk,” he quipped, smiling.
“I am really excited about Varsity Athletics,” said the 20-time South African Hammer-Throw champion, Chris Harmse. “It has the potential to be something huge and I think it’ll be great if we could draw and bring together the whole of Africa.”
The six-times African gold medallist and three-time Commonwealth Games medallist believes that if a few Hammer-Throw athletes can get over the 70metre mark (men) and 65metre mark (women), then a great spectacle will be ensured.
“Study hard and get your qualification because then you can train hard without any pressure and you will walk around knowing that you have something to fall back on,” said Harmse, who will be trying to get over the 77metre mark to qualify for Rio at next week’s National Senior Athletics Championships at the Coetzenburg stadium.
The African race walk champion and holder of almost all the South African race walk records, Lebogang Shange, says that race walking should be re-instated into the program of the competition as the discipline is getting really exciting.
“Varsity Sport is doing a great job because family and friends are watching it on TV and I think ASA have to do what Varsity Sport is doing,” said Shange, who has broken more than three South African race walk records this year. The eleventh-position finisher at last year’s world athletics championships will go into the Olympic Games as a medal contender with his new personal best of 1h20m04sec in the 20km. “Believe in yourself and train hard,” added Shange.
Athletics in South Africa is on the rise and the bar has been set so high by Varsity Athletics that even the legends take note. We need more of this explosive and fast-paced action on the South African track & field scene!
By Reginald Hufkie
