Latest news with #WA)RelayChampionships
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Young Koekemoer has a bright future ahead after helping South Africa to gold
Leendert Koekemoer's maturity that helped South Africa win the men's 4x400m gold medal at the World Athletics (WA) Relay Championships in China was replaced by a youthful exuberance when the national relay teams touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on May 14. The 400m sensation and his teammates were welcomed with fanfare after the men's 4×100 m and 4x400m clinched gold medals. The women's 4×400 m got a bronze, as South Africa ended the competition at the top of the medal standings. The 18-year-old will jet off to Tokyo for the WA Championships in September after the teams qualified for the competition. Koekemoer shone in the final with a blistering third leg. Botswana had a slight advantage over South Africa when he received the baton. He found his footing, running the second fastest split of 44.23 to finish strongly to give anchor, Zakithi Nene, the easy job of securing the gold. 'It was fantastic. I did not go to the relays to run a fast time. I just wanted to give the baton to Zakithi first. The time came by itself. I did not realise it until the end,' he said. Sharing his experience as the youngest member in the team, the Dalview resident thanked his seniors for taking him in and showing him the ropes. 'I had a wonderful experience. It was my first time out of the country. All the senior guys helped me. They invited me in. They helped me with this and that. It was a pleasant experience.' Koekemoer first showed glimpses of his potential two years ago when he won the national U18 400m title in 46.38. However, injuries affected his progress last year. He returned strong this year, starting with a blistering 45.96 at the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 in January, dipping under 46 seconds for the first time. He has since broken the 46-second barrier three more times, including breaking the SA U20 record when he ran 45.03 at the ASA senior track and field championships in Pochefstroom last month, smashing Riaan Dempers' 31-year-old record. Growing up in Brakpan, the Helpmekaar Kollege matriculant never envisaged he would enjoy so much success in the sport he loves this early in his career. 'I always wanted to run, but did not know I could run this well. If not for my parents, coach Lindi du Plessis and training partner Lythe Pillay, I would not be here. I want to keep my head in the game. The 400m is a very mental race. You must know the lactic will come at the end,' Koekemoer. Pillay, a former national 400m champion from Brentwood Park, is a role model for Koekemoer, who described Pillay's significant influence on his career. 'I started training with Lythe when I was in Grade Eight. I have been with him my whole career. I trained every 400m session with him. If not for him pushing me, I would not be here. He is a role model and someone you can look up to.' Also Read: Pillay on course to defend title at nationals Also Read: Pillay wins gold in one-lap dash at U20 World Championships At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Dalview teen helps power SA to gold at World Athletics relays
Leendert Koekemoer's maturity that helped South Africa win the men's 4x400m gold medal at the World Athletics (WA) Relay Championships in China was replaced by a youthful exuberance when the national relay teams touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on May 14. The 400m sensation and his teammates were welcomed with fanfare after the men's 4×100 m and 4x400m clinched gold medals. The women's 4×400 m got a bronze, as South Africa ended the competition at the top of the medal standings. The 18-year-old will jet off to Tokyo for the WA Championships in September after the teams qualified for the competition. Koekemoer shone in the final with a blistering third leg. Botswana had a slight advantage over South Africa when he received the baton. He found his footing, running the second fastest split of 44.23 to finish strongly to give anchor, Zakithi Nene, the easy job of securing the gold. 'It was fantastic. I did not go to the relays to run a fast time. I just wanted to give the baton to Zakithi first. The time came by itself. I did not realise it until the end,' he said. Sharing his experience as the youngest member in the team, the Dalview resident thanked his seniors for taking him in and showing him the ropes. 'I had a wonderful experience. It was my first time out of the country. All the senior guys helped me. They invited me in. They helped me with this and that. It was a pleasant experience.' Koekemoer first showed glimpses of his potential two years ago when he won the national U18 400m title in 46.38. However, injuries affected his progress last year. He returned strong this year, starting with a blistering 45.96 at the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 in January, dipping under 46 seconds for the first time. ALSO CHECK: Help fight hunger by supporting Rata food drive He has since broken the 46-second barrier three more times, including breaking the SA U20 record when he ran 45.03 at the ASA senior track and field championships in Pochefstroom last month, smashing Riaan Dempers' 31-year-old record. Growing up in Brakpan, the Helpmekaar Kollege matriculant never envisaged he would enjoy so much success in the sport he loves this early in his career. 'I always wanted to run, but did not know I could run this well. If not for my parents, coach Lindi du Plessis and training partner Lythe Pillay, I would not be here. I want to keep my head in the game. The 400m is a very mental race. You must know the lactic will come at the end,' Koekemoer. Pillay, a former national 400m champion from Brentwood Park, is a role model for Koekemoer, who described Pillay's significant influence on his career. 'I started training with Lythe when I was in Grade Eight. I have been with him my whole career. I trained every 400m session with him. If not for him pushing me, I would not be here. He is a role model and someone you can look up to.' ALSO CHECK: Verdwaalde hond vind na dae in die strate sy pad terug huis toe At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pillay and team earn gold at world relays
Nothing could have wiped off the smile on Lythe Pilly's face when he and his national relay teammates landed from a successful World Athletics (WA) Relay Championships held in China on May 10 and 11. Pillay and Team SA were welcomed at OR Tambo International Airport on May 14 by throngs of jubilant fans after SA won two gold medals and a bronze to finish the competition top of the medals table. SA was voted the best team at the event after the men's 4x100m and 4x400m clinched the gold, while the women's 4x400m received a bronze. The three teams, including the 4x400m mixed team, qualified for September's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The women's 4x400m set a new national record in the final on May 11 after Zeney van der Walt anchored the quartet to a new best of 03:24.48, capping off a successful championship for SA. Influence After anchoring SA to a silver medal with a blistering final leg at last year's relays champs in the Bahamas, Pillay highlighted the depth in the 400m in the country as a result of their success in China. 'We are in a healthy state where we aren't relying on one or two guys. We are at a point where we can swap an entire team in and out and not lose much in time and performance,' he said. The 22-year-old said the victory motivated him and his teammates, national 400m champion Zakithi Nene, training partner Leendert Koekemoer, Mthi Mthimkhulu, Udeme Okon and Gardeo Isaacs, who won the national 400m title in 2019. Also Read: Consistency is Pillay's priority this season 'With this depth, we can distribute it to the mixed relay team as well. For me, the chemistry is immaculate. The young guys and seniors coming together to kill it created a refreshing environment. It gives me more motivation to want to contribute to the team.' Having struggled for form last season, the former national 400m champ is back to his best. His influence as a senior on the team was crucial in guiding youngsters like Koekemoer, who ran a blistering third leg to give SA an advantage in the final. 'I've always seen what Leendert can do. Seeing him show the world what he's capable of on a platform like the world relays was inspiring. I had goosebumps seeing him in the final. 'He's still a junior, and being put in that hectic leg, he couldn't have run it better. He's only going to get better,' Pillay said. Tokyo Although Pillay will compete in the world championships with the relay team, he will attempt to qualify individually for the one-lap dash. He opened his season with a 44.97 at the FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix before attending two Diamond League meetings in China. He clocked 45.28 in Xiamen on April 26 and was seventh in Shaoxing/Keqiao in 45.39. He will compete in Rabat, Morocco, on May 25, and is adamant he will break the 44.85 set by the WA to qualify for the individual event. 'I'm hopeful things will come right. I have a lot of faith and patience at this point. It's all part of the journey.' Also Read: WATCH: Pillay on course to defend title at nationals At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pillay off to world relay champs in China
Pillay off to world relay champs in China Lythe Pillay will be part of the national squad representing the country at the World Athletics (WA) Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China, on May 10 and 11. The Brentwood Park resident is among 19 athletes to compete in four events – men's 4x100m, men's and women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m. Pillay, who won the national 400m title last year, was part of the men's 4x400m relay team that clinched a silver medal at the relay championships in the Bahamas. He ran a crucial final lap to propel South Africa to second place as he clocked the second-fastest lap in 44.42. South Africa was out of the podium positions when Pillay received the baton from Antonie Nortje for the last lap. The Arbor Primary alumnus stormed through from fifth to finish second, behind gold medallists Botswana in 03:00:75, chasing down Belgium, Japan and Italy. The recently crowned national 400m champion Zakithi Nene, world junior 400m champion Udeme Okon, Gardeo Isaacs, Tumisang Shezi and Mthi Mthimkulu will join Pillay in the team. Nene, Pillay and Isaacs formed part of the team of four athletes who earned silver in the Bahamas last season. The women's 4x400m relay team will be led by national one-lap champion Miranda Coetzee and joined by hurdles specialists Zeney Geldenhuys and Hannah van Niekerk, Shirley Nekhubui, Precious Molepo and Jada van Staden. Isaacs, Coetzee and Nekhubui will also turn out in the mixed 4x400m event, along with Brakpan resident, Leendert Koekemoer, who broke the SA U20 men's 400m record when he clocked 45.03 seconds at the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships in Potchefstroom. National 100m record holder Akani Simbine will anchor the men's 4x100m team. He will be joined by junior sensation Bayanda Walaza and fellow rising star Bradley Nkoana; both were with Simbine in the sprint relay team that earned South Africa a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. The team also includes national 200m champion Sinesipho Dambile, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Tsebo Matsoso. Also Read: WATCH: Pillay on course to defend title at nationals Also Read: Consistency is Pillay's priority this season At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
