The male sprinters of the TuksSport High School dominated during the Twizza Super School Series Grand Finale winning no less than five gold medals.
Their speedy performances helped TuksSport High School to finished fifth in the overall standings. It is quite a remarkable achievement as the school athletes basically only contested the sprints (100m, 200m and 400m), middle distance races (800m and 1 500m) and the jumps. It basically boiled down to the school's athletes getting a podium finish in most of the events they competed in.
It also proves that the vision of the Athletics Foundation Trust is starting to pay off. The Trust has set itself the goal of identifying aspiring, gifted young athletes from mostly disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure they receive a holistic education while at the same time being able to develop their athletic potential.
It means a lot to the athletes. As one athlete said: "At TuksSport High School we are surrounded by people who want to achieve. Often at home, people are so negative. All they want is money, to do drugs. It is very demotivating to go back. I don't want to be like them."
Another added: "I am training to become a World Champion. This is what is in my mind every day."
Hoërskool Menlopark, who scored 33 478 points, was the overall winners. Prestige College (31 961 points) was second and Helpmekaar third (31 298 points). TuksSport High School scored a total of 30 629 points.
Benjamin Richardson (TuksSport High School) seems to be a real prospect for the future. He won the boys under-17 100m-race in 10.56s and the 200m in 20.86s. His training partner Mbhoni Mabunda was third in both races clocking 21.56s in the 200m and 10.65s in the 100m.
As expected Thabang Hlohlo (TuksSport High School) continued where he left off last year. That is outsprinting everyone in his 100m-race. His winning time in the under-19 category was 10.51s. Samuel Gray from the same school was third in 10.65s.
Elviano Johnson (TuksSport High School) was the quickest in the boys under-19 200m-race clocking a time of 21.09s. In the 400 metres, he ran 47.07s to take silver.
Karabo Madonsela (TuksSport High School) also seems to be a real prospect for the future. He won the boys under-17 400 metres in 49.51s and was third in the 800 metres running 1:57.95. His training partner James Ncube finished second in the 800m running 1:57.77.
Abednico Choba (TuksSport High School) was third in the under-19 race over 1500m. He was clocked running 3:57.80. Siphesihle Khoza was second in the boy's under-17 race running 4:02.27.
Prudence Sekgodiso (TuksSport High School) was second in both the girls under-19 800m as well as 1 500m races. Her respective times were 2:10.33 and 4:33.55.
Asekho Jaxa (TuksSport High School) jumped 1.90m to finish second as the second-best under-17 high jumper.
Danielle Nolte (TuksSport High School) was brilliant. She won the girls under-19 long jump with a distance of 5.61m and the triple jump with an effort of 11.69m.
Azola Tembani (TuksSport High School) was victorious in the boys under-19 high jump. His best effort was 13.89m.
Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg
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