The quality of the performances of visiting schools from outside the Free State was of such a high standard at the recent Vrystaat Landbouprodukte and Jim Fouché High School invitational athletics meeting that Free State school’s athletes names appear only six times on the top-20 list of best performances of the meeting – this according to the Joba Athletics points system.
Athletes took part in the age groups they will partake in during 2013.
Two of the mentioned six performances belong to the speedster from the Louis Botha High School, Llewellyn Hein.
Hein won the 100m in a quick 10.3 (hand time) to leave Dave Williams (Hangklip, Queens Town, 10.8) way behind in second spot, whilst the bronze medal winner, Jonathan Amadi (Kingswood, 10.9) was left behind a good six meters.
Hein won the 200m in an excellent 21.45 with Amadi finishing second this time around in 22.34. Hendrik Maartens (Fichardtpark, 22.48) was third.
Bertus Engelbrecht (Hennenman) found himself among the top 20 best performers of the meeting with a good victory in the hammer throw for boys 16 years. He won with a throw of 47.20m and in the process got the better of the two Despatch boys, Roche Swanepoel (45.52) and Shaun Jansen (39.48).
Esmarie Coetzee (Welkom Gimnasium) made her mark as the top Free State girl on the top-20 list. She won the discus throw for girls u.15 handsomely with a meeting record of 35.46m. Bronwyn Leonard (Diamandveld, 32.60) could not counter Coetzee’s winning throw.
One expected the world junior championships semi-finalist, Fana Mofokeng (Louis Botha) to do well in the 100m (boys 19 years) and he did not disappoint – winning in a quick 10.65. He beat his schoolmate, Thabiso Ramaisa (Louis Botha, 11.18) convincingly and had even less problems with the third placed Ntsikila Kula (Queens College) who clocked 11.22.
What one did not expect was that Mofokeng would line up for the 400m event, which is totally out of his comfort zone. True to his fighting spirit, Mofokeng made a success winning in 48.9 (hand time). He beat Gomotso Seekoei (Louis Botha, 49.70) comfortably and Seekoei is a well respected South African youth (17 years) 400m athlete.
The host’s (Jim Fouché), Maryke de Bruyn was the only other Free State schools athlete among the top-20. She scored this distinction for her third place in the discus throw for girls u.15 (31.88m).