Reigning Varsity Athletics javelin champion – and record holder – Chad Herman of UP-Tuks is looking to retain his title, and record, at the upcoming Varsity Athletics meeting in Stellenbosch.
Herman, who competed for NMMU-Madibaz in 2013 before switching allegiance to the Pretoria institution, has taken distance out his mind and is fully focused on keeping his nose – and maybe hairstyle – ahead of the pack.
“Preparation for the event is going really well but right now, my focus is on the Athletics South Africa Senior Track and Field Championships which is the weekend before the Varsity Athletics meeting. My aim for that event will be to throw in excess of 75.33 metres so that I qualify for the World Student Games.
“I know I am capable of throwing that distance but the further I throw, the better it is for me in terms of confidence going into future events,” he told varsitysportssa.com.
Herman currently has a season’s best 77.67 metres in the bag and if he replicates that in Stellenbosch, he will most probably lead the pack once again and keep his hairstyle ahead of the chasing pack – which includes the ever-threatening NWU-Pukke.
“There will definitely be some pressure on my shoulders and I think the biggest threat will come from Pukke. Traditionally, Potchefstroom has produced the best throwers in the country and if you are not from there, you would have trained there. They are known for having good throwers, so as long as I can beat their athletes, I am a happy man,” he added.
The 22-year-old Sports Science student is amazed by the concept of a fast-paced, exciting meet which does not allow the muscles to cool down and that, according to him, makes it a great event.
“The Varsity Sports concept is brilliant and the exposure we as athletes are getting is superb. The sport is definitely growing and the atmosphere is awesome. The nice part of the events is that it is fast-paced and it does not allow the muscles to get cold, so you don’t have to warm them up before you are about to throw,” he stated.
Adding to the excitement of the upcoming meeting is a cash bonus for anyone who is able to break a Varsity Athletics or National record and although Herman would like to break his own Varsity record, it is the furthest thing from his mind.
“Records are meant to be broken and it would be nice to break my own Varsity record, however, I am not focused on that. Retaining my title is the main objective. But in saying that, it will all come down to the conditions on the night and whether or not it is favourable,” he said.
