Durban - The ASA announced on Friday that over R700 000 in prize money and and bonus incentives have been allocated for athletes participating in the 2010 Yellow Pages Series events.
The prize money will only be paid to athletes who participate in the 'A' events during the Yellow Pages Series. It has been proposed that a minimum of eight (8) participants be paid; and according to finishing positions the money breakdown is R5 000; R3 000; R1 000; R 750; R 500; R 400; R 300; and R 250.
"Only top ranked athletes will be considered for 'A' events so as not to compromise the quality of our races and fields of participants. Prize money will be paid to athletes as soon as doping results have been finalized and released. The allocation of these monies was prepared as per IAAF regulations," explained ASA Administrator, Ray Mali.
Athletes of the meet will be determined by the use of the IAAF scoring tables on points system. And athletes will only be eligible for these prizes, if they participate in their specialist event. Points attained will be made available as and when the competition progresses from the first right until the last event of the day. These will be announced at the subsequent meet, once they have been signed off by the competition director.
The second leg of the Yellow Pages Series that kicks off at Kings Park Athletics Stadium in Durban on Saturday also coincides with the closing date for qualifying for the IAAF World Indoor Championships due in Doha, Qatar, from 12 - 14 March 2010.
Athletes who have already qualified include Khotso Mokoena, Janice Josephs, Juan van Deventer, Rene Kalmer, Pieter van Westhuizen and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi.
ASA's final team will be announced after the Durban leg of the Yellow Pages Series.
"All eyes will be on the Durban Yellow Pages Series as athletes will battle it out to secure their places in the ASA indoor team," added Mali.
SA 400m specialist, Ofentse Magawane who showed fine form in PE event last weekend is adamant that he will qualify for the indoor team in Durban.
SA 100m Champion, Simon Magakwe, former SA Champ Hannes Dreyer and former World Students Champ Leigh Julius will also battle it out to secure the remaining two spots for the sprints.