World class athletes competing in field events have flocked to Stellenbosch in the build-up of tonight’s second leg of the exciting Varsity Athletics competition. National Indoor Long Jump record holder Ruswahl Samaai (UJ) will get tough competition from the in-shape Dylon Cotter from UJ, whilst Lynique Prinsloo (UJ) is set to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games in the women’s Long Jump.
Ruswahl Samaai and Dylon Cotter will be headlining the men’s Long Jump events whereas Lynique Prinsloo, Zinzi Chabangu and Samantha Pretorius will go head on in the women’s event. Samaai and Cotter have already broken the magical 8m barrier and will most certainly embark on repeating the same feat with the ‘gees’ that is expected at tonight’s competition.
The South African U23 Long Jump champion and versatile long jumper, Peter Makgato and Koketso Mogapi, will be hot on their heels as both of these stars are looking to get over the 8m barrier. Lynique Prinsloo, then again, is looking forward to qualify for the Games with a 6.8m jump she envies so much. Prinsloo has been getting closer and closer and tonight might just be her night, however, it seems like the former South African junior long and triple jump champion, Zinzi Chabangu, is back in shape and is most likely the one to compete against Prinsloo.
The ever-so-competitive jumper from Maties, Samantha Pretorius, should also be watched very keenly. A strong-willed star in the men’s Triple Jump event, Menzi Mthembu, has bounced back from injury and went on to win the U23 national title with a huge 16.43m leap. He is in a class of his own heading into tonight’s competition and the men’s Varsity Athletics triple jump record is on the cards.
The men’s Javelin Throw event will be a battle between Tuks’ Chad Herman and first leg winner from Pukke, Stephan Beukes. Both these athletes are in good shape and if weather conditions allow, they might just get over the 70m mark. Clyde Ruiters (UWC) and Jason van Rooyen (UJ) are back to win their first leg titles in the men’s High Jump and Shot-put events respectively. Ischke Senekal (Nmmu) will once again only compete against South African junior champion, Leandri Geel (UJ), in the women’s Discus event; an event which Senekal hopes to get over the 55m barrier.
As these stars battle it out in the circle, it seems that Julia du Plessis (Pukke) will have a tough time against Geraldine King (UWC) and Michelle Pretorius (Tuks) and Erikah Seyema (TUT) in the women’s High Jump final. The high jumpers did not perform well at this past weekend’s national championships, so fierce competition would be the talk of the town as everyone looks forward to up their game tonight.
And lastly, it seems like Tshepang Makhete and Stefanie Greyling from Pukke are in a league of their own heading into tonight’s showpiece. The tall and strong Makhete is set to break the Varsity Athletics record if he can get over the 70m barrier (which he has already done this year) whereas Greyling would surely hope to get over 60m in hopes to set a new Varsity Sport record as well.
By Reginald Hufkie
