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Port Elizabeth - South African decathlete Willem Coertzen became the third local athlete to qualify for the London Olympic Games at the SA Senior Championships in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Coertzen improved his national record in his specialist event, contested over 10 disciplines, by amassing a total of 8 244 points and in the process reaching the Olympic standard of 8 200.
He joined one-lap hurdler Cornel Fredericks and South African javelin throw record holder Sunette Viljoen who had earlier in the day also booked their places for the global showpiece in July.
“I am absolutely ecstatic. I've worked so hard the last few years,” Coertzen said.
“I've been away from South Africa, training in London for the last five years, specifically for this.”
Earlier, Fredericks beat world championships bronze medallist LJ van Zyl to qualify for the Games.
Fredericks wrestled the title from Van Zyl for the second time in the last two years, clocking a time of 48.91 seconds to dip under the Olympic standard of 49.50.
He first went under the qualifying time at last year's global championships in Daegu, South Korea, when he finished fifth in the final in 49.12.
Van Zyl lagged behind and crossed the line in a pedestrian 51.00 for the silver medal.
“I was quite nervous before the race," Fredericks said.
"It is always tough running at the SA champs because guys like LJ van Zyl and PC Beneke are good competitors.
“I told myself to go out hard and keep on running faster and faster and I got the qualifying time.”
Van Zyl has struggled with a niggling leg injury since last week's inter-club meeting in Pretoria where he qualified for the London Games.
Earlier, speedster Simon Magakwe ran the fifth fastest time by a South African in the men's 100m event, equalling the 10.11 set by Tshakile Nzimande in 1988.
Magakwe was confident he would be able to break Johan Rossouw's 24-year-old national record of 10.06 this year.
He also became the first sprinter to win the 100m title four consecutive times, and went on to win the 200m crown for the first time later in the afternoon.
Viljoen reached the Olympic qualifying distance of 61 metres by the narrowest of margins with a heave of 61.15m.
She got over the qualifying distance with her second last throw of the competition.
Meanwhile, former world 800 metres champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi came close to recording his first qualifying time – SA athletes must set the standards twice in their events to book a place in the Olympic team –when he won the two-lap race in a time of 1:45.78..
While he did not reach the qualifying time, Mulaudzi was pleased with his performance.
“This is like my second race. I haven't been racing for so long [this season], and I've run 1:45 from the front,” Mulaudzi said.
“Not trying to follow somebody, who is pushing hard in front, is a very brave way to run.”
Caster Semenya also missed the Olympic qualifying time of 1:59.90 in the women's two-lap race, though she retained her national title in a time of 2:02.68.
“It was ok for me. I retained my title but the race was a bit disappointing because we were hoping for a qualifier,” Semenya said.
“Unfortunately I didn't make it but the time will come. I just need to be patient.”
Lebogang Moeng defended his crown in the men's 400m final, clocking 45.75.
Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius, who was not expecting to set a fast time, with his sights set on the European season, finished seventh in 47.28.
In the women's 400m hurdles, Wenda Theron narrowly missed the Olympic qualifying time of 55.50 seconds, clocking a personal best time of 55.79.
Theron recorded the fourth fastest time by a South African in her specialist event.
In the women's 400m, 18-year-old Justine Palframan lived up to expectations when she won the senior title in a personal best of 52.33 seconds.
In the men's 20km walk, Lebogang Shange set the third fastest time by a South African, finishing the race in one hour, 25 minutes, 48 seconds (1:25.48).
Results:
MEN:
100m:
1 Simon Magakwe 10.11,
2 Roscoe Engel 10.20,
3 Hannes Dreyer 10.42
200m:
1 Simon Magakwe 20.59,
2 Thuso Mpuang 20.60,
3 Sergio Mullins 21.09
400m:
1 Lebogang Moeng 45.75,
2 Shaun de Jager 46.16,
3 Ruan Greyling 46.32
800m:
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:45.78,
2 Andre Olivier 1:46.17,
3 Reinhardt van Rensburg 1:46.36
1 500m:
1 Johan Cronje 3:39.28,
2 Peter van der Westhuizen 3:39.48,
3 Olebogeng Masire 3:40.32
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Ruben Ramolefi 8:24.48,
2 Tumelo Motlagale 8:24.76,
3 Dean Brummer 8:33.75
110m hurdles:
1 Junior Mkhathini 13.96,
2 Antonio Alkana 14.10,
3 Werner Pretorius 14.14
400m hurdles:
1 Cornel Fredericks 48.91,
2 LJ van Zyl 51.00,
3 Le Roux Hamman 51.34
Discus:
1 Victor Hogan 61.16,
2 Russel Tucker 56.90,
3 Dean Wattrus 56.46
Triple jump:
1 Tumelo Thagane 16.23,
2 Charles le Roux 15.87,
3 Roger Haitengi 15.83
High jump:
1 Willem Voigt 2.00,
2 Keagon Fourie 2.00,
3 Nthandazo Mtshengu 1.90
Decathlon:
1 Willem Coertzen 8 244 points,
2 Daniel Awde 7 645,
3 Zavion Kotze 7 145
20km Walk:
1 Lebogang Shange 1:5.48,
2 Pierre de Villiers 1:25.51,
3 Wayne Snyman 1:26.08
WOMEN:
100m:
1 Tsholofelo Thipe 11.56,
2 Cherese Jones 11.58,
3 Carina Horn 11.78
200m:
1 Sonja van der Merwe 23.60,
2 Tsholofelo Thipe 23.74,
3 Isabel le Roux 23.88
400m:
1 Justine Palframan 52.33,
2 Estie Wittstock 52.92,
3 Alet van Wyk 53.32
800m:
1 Caster Semenya 2:02.68,
2 Mandie Brandt 2:04,
3 Thato Makhafola 2:05.78
1 500m:
1 Mapaseka Makhanya 4:12.84,
2 Lebogang Phalula 4:15.22,
3 Monique Stander 4:16.45
20km Walk:
1 Jessica van Wyk 1:51.27,
2 Michelle Hopkins 1:52.30,
3 Suzanne Liebenberg 1:57.12
10 000m:
1 Mpho Mabuza 35:33.46,
2 Portia Ngwenya 36:13.84,
3 Anna Moeketsi 37:03.12
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Tebogo Masehla 10:12.12,
2 Myrette Filmater 10:14.50,
3 Nolene Conrad 10:15.87
100m hurdles:
1 Claudia Viljoen 13.67,
2 Ansulet Potgieter 13.69,
3 Janet Lawless 13.86
400m hurdles:
1 Wenda Theron 55.79,
2 Anneri Ebersohn 58.11,
3 Jana Theron 58.84
Javelin throw:
1 Sunette Viljoen 61.15,
2 Gerlize de Klerk 52.83,
3 Gezelle Bernard 49.89
Discus:
1 Elizna Naude 56.91,
2 Maryke Oberholzer 55.09,
3 Ischke Senekal 50.99
Triple jump:
1 Patience Ntshingila 13.55,
2 Charlene Potgieter 13.53,
3 Matsie Dikotla 13.12
High jump:
1 Anika Smit 1.90,
2 Mia Labuschagne 1.75,
3 Carina du Preez 1.70
Shot put:
1 Ischke Senekal 13.93,
2 Biancka van Rooyen 14.41,
3 Cecile Meyer 12.36
Heptathlon:
1 Bianca Erwee 5 432 points,
2 Sonnika Knoetze 4 478,
3 Marionette van der Merwe 4 356
Coertzen improved his national record in his specialist event, contested over 10 disciplines, by amassing a total of 8 244 points and in the process reaching the Olympic standard of 8 200.
He joined one-lap hurdler Cornel Fredericks and South African javelin throw record holder Sunette Viljoen who had earlier in the day also booked their places for the global showpiece in July.
“I am absolutely ecstatic. I've worked so hard the last few years,” Coertzen said.
“I've been away from South Africa, training in London for the last five years, specifically for this.”
Earlier, Fredericks beat world championships bronze medallist LJ van Zyl to qualify for the Games.
Fredericks wrestled the title from Van Zyl for the second time in the last two years, clocking a time of 48.91 seconds to dip under the Olympic standard of 49.50.
He first went under the qualifying time at last year's global championships in Daegu, South Korea, when he finished fifth in the final in 49.12.
Van Zyl lagged behind and crossed the line in a pedestrian 51.00 for the silver medal.
“I was quite nervous before the race," Fredericks said.
"It is always tough running at the SA champs because guys like LJ van Zyl and PC Beneke are good competitors.
“I told myself to go out hard and keep on running faster and faster and I got the qualifying time.”
Van Zyl has struggled with a niggling leg injury since last week's inter-club meeting in Pretoria where he qualified for the London Games.
Earlier, speedster Simon Magakwe ran the fifth fastest time by a South African in the men's 100m event, equalling the 10.11 set by Tshakile Nzimande in 1988.
Magakwe was confident he would be able to break Johan Rossouw's 24-year-old national record of 10.06 this year.
He also became the first sprinter to win the 100m title four consecutive times, and went on to win the 200m crown for the first time later in the afternoon.
Viljoen reached the Olympic qualifying distance of 61 metres by the narrowest of margins with a heave of 61.15m.
She got over the qualifying distance with her second last throw of the competition.
Meanwhile, former world 800 metres champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi came close to recording his first qualifying time – SA athletes must set the standards twice in their events to book a place in the Olympic team –when he won the two-lap race in a time of 1:45.78..
While he did not reach the qualifying time, Mulaudzi was pleased with his performance.
“This is like my second race. I haven't been racing for so long [this season], and I've run 1:45 from the front,” Mulaudzi said.
“Not trying to follow somebody, who is pushing hard in front, is a very brave way to run.”
Caster Semenya also missed the Olympic qualifying time of 1:59.90 in the women's two-lap race, though she retained her national title in a time of 2:02.68.
“It was ok for me. I retained my title but the race was a bit disappointing because we were hoping for a qualifier,” Semenya said.
“Unfortunately I didn't make it but the time will come. I just need to be patient.”
Lebogang Moeng defended his crown in the men's 400m final, clocking 45.75.
Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius, who was not expecting to set a fast time, with his sights set on the European season, finished seventh in 47.28.
In the women's 400m hurdles, Wenda Theron narrowly missed the Olympic qualifying time of 55.50 seconds, clocking a personal best time of 55.79.
Theron recorded the fourth fastest time by a South African in her specialist event.
In the women's 400m, 18-year-old Justine Palframan lived up to expectations when she won the senior title in a personal best of 52.33 seconds.
In the men's 20km walk, Lebogang Shange set the third fastest time by a South African, finishing the race in one hour, 25 minutes, 48 seconds (1:25.48).
Results:
MEN:
100m:
1 Simon Magakwe 10.11,
2 Roscoe Engel 10.20,
3 Hannes Dreyer 10.42
200m:
1 Simon Magakwe 20.59,
2 Thuso Mpuang 20.60,
3 Sergio Mullins 21.09
400m:
1 Lebogang Moeng 45.75,
2 Shaun de Jager 46.16,
3 Ruan Greyling 46.32
800m:
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:45.78,
2 Andre Olivier 1:46.17,
3 Reinhardt van Rensburg 1:46.36
1 500m:
1 Johan Cronje 3:39.28,
2 Peter van der Westhuizen 3:39.48,
3 Olebogeng Masire 3:40.32
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Ruben Ramolefi 8:24.48,
2 Tumelo Motlagale 8:24.76,
3 Dean Brummer 8:33.75
110m hurdles:
1 Junior Mkhathini 13.96,
2 Antonio Alkana 14.10,
3 Werner Pretorius 14.14
400m hurdles:
1 Cornel Fredericks 48.91,
2 LJ van Zyl 51.00,
3 Le Roux Hamman 51.34
Discus:
1 Victor Hogan 61.16,
2 Russel Tucker 56.90,
3 Dean Wattrus 56.46
Triple jump:
1 Tumelo Thagane 16.23,
2 Charles le Roux 15.87,
3 Roger Haitengi 15.83
High jump:
1 Willem Voigt 2.00,
2 Keagon Fourie 2.00,
3 Nthandazo Mtshengu 1.90
Decathlon:
1 Willem Coertzen 8 244 points,
2 Daniel Awde 7 645,
3 Zavion Kotze 7 145
20km Walk:
1 Lebogang Shange 1:5.48,
2 Pierre de Villiers 1:25.51,
3 Wayne Snyman 1:26.08
WOMEN:
100m:
1 Tsholofelo Thipe 11.56,
2 Cherese Jones 11.58,
3 Carina Horn 11.78
200m:
1 Sonja van der Merwe 23.60,
2 Tsholofelo Thipe 23.74,
3 Isabel le Roux 23.88
400m:
1 Justine Palframan 52.33,
2 Estie Wittstock 52.92,
3 Alet van Wyk 53.32
800m:
1 Caster Semenya 2:02.68,
2 Mandie Brandt 2:04,
3 Thato Makhafola 2:05.78
1 500m:
1 Mapaseka Makhanya 4:12.84,
2 Lebogang Phalula 4:15.22,
3 Monique Stander 4:16.45
20km Walk:
1 Jessica van Wyk 1:51.27,
2 Michelle Hopkins 1:52.30,
3 Suzanne Liebenberg 1:57.12
10 000m:
1 Mpho Mabuza 35:33.46,
2 Portia Ngwenya 36:13.84,
3 Anna Moeketsi 37:03.12
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Tebogo Masehla 10:12.12,
2 Myrette Filmater 10:14.50,
3 Nolene Conrad 10:15.87
100m hurdles:
1 Claudia Viljoen 13.67,
2 Ansulet Potgieter 13.69,
3 Janet Lawless 13.86
400m hurdles:
1 Wenda Theron 55.79,
2 Anneri Ebersohn 58.11,
3 Jana Theron 58.84
Javelin throw:
1 Sunette Viljoen 61.15,
2 Gerlize de Klerk 52.83,
3 Gezelle Bernard 49.89
Discus:
1 Elizna Naude 56.91,
2 Maryke Oberholzer 55.09,
3 Ischke Senekal 50.99
Triple jump:
1 Patience Ntshingila 13.55,
2 Charlene Potgieter 13.53,
3 Matsie Dikotla 13.12
High jump:
1 Anika Smit 1.90,
2 Mia Labuschagne 1.75,
3 Carina du Preez 1.70
Shot put:
1 Ischke Senekal 13.93,
2 Biancka van Rooyen 14.41,
3 Cecile Meyer 12.36
Heptathlon:
1 Bianca Erwee 5 432 points,
2 Sonnika Knoetze 4 478,
3 Marionette van der Merwe 4 356
