Staff Reporter.
Danielle Verster has a plan and if perfect, will consist of two gold medals in the women’s 800m and 1 500m in front of her home crowd during the ASA U16, U18 (Youth), U20 (Junior) Track and Field Championships at the NWU McArthur Athletics Stadium which begins in Potchefstroom on Thursday.
The Championship which will begin on 30 March to Saturday 2 April, is now the next big challenge for the 18 year-old before she leaves for USA in August to expand her athletics adventures in New Mexico.
Oozing confidence, she enters as one of favourites after impressing with a win in the 800m in the first leg of the ASA Athletics Grand Prix Series at the Mangaung Athletics Stadium in the Free State on 16 March. She clocked 2:07:03 to bag the gold medal.
“My aim is to actually win both events. I use the 800m for speed, since my favourite is the 1 500m, so I hope I’ll run faster. I cannot wait to be cheered by my family and friends in Potch, “she said.
“After the juniors, I will also contest the ASA Senior T&F National Championships (20-23 April) at Green Point Athletics Stadium in Cape Town. I must say it felt good to win the 800m race in Mangaung and I was very happy with my time.
“It is cool and also tough to be coached by my father (Jean Verster) who is quite strict sometimes, but he helps me to become a better athlete. I enjoy working with him.”
Her father has coached Olympic stars Caster Semenya and Nigel Amos (Botswana) and currently coaches two-time Olympian, Elroy Gelant.