Staff Reporter.
Photo Credit: Dan Vernon for World Athletics.
One of South Africa’s brightest track and field prospects, Mine de Klerk, proved she had adjusted quickly to her new environment when she opened her 2022 campaign over the weekend by breaking her own national U20 women’s shot put record.
Competing in her first collegiate season as a freshman at the University of Oregon, De Klerk produced a 54.22m* heave to win the discus throw competition at the Aztec Invitational meeting in San Diego, California on Saturday.
The 18 year-old rising star added nearly a metre to her own national junior mark of 53.50m which she had set when she bagged the silver medal at last year’s World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi.
De Klerk, the world junior shot put champion, again showed her versatility by winning the shot put contest at the Aztec Invitational with a 17.04m effort.
“This achievement does not come as a surprise at all,” said James Moloi, the President of Athletics South Africa. “She has clearly remained focus since her golden performances at the WA U20 Championships in Kenya.
“We congratulate her, coach and support staff for what has been achieved over the weekend. Her move to study in USA has not clouded her ambitions and we can only encourage her to keep her focus on targeting the world.”
* Mine’s national record is subject to standard ratification procedures.
Meanwhile South Africa’s top sub-youth, youth and junior athletes will get a chance to shine this week as they take centre stage at the ASA U16, U18 and U20 National Track and Field Championships, taking place at NWU McArthur Athletics Stadium in Potchefstroom starting on Thursday, 31 March to Saturday, 2 April 2022.
The 3-days packed schedule of competition will include track races, field events and race walks across all three age groups.
The first day of competition, between 8am and 6pm, opens with finals in the 10 000m walk and will close with a bang as the country’s most promising young sprinters battle for podium places in the 100m finals.
Day two, between 8am and 6pm, also opens with a 10 000m walk final and closes with more excitement on the track, as middle-distance athletes contest the 1 500m finals.
The third and final day, to be held between 8am and 5pm, is again expected to produce some thrilling action from start to finish, opening with 5 000m walk finals and closing with the medal races in the 200m sprint.