Tuesday night at a packed Coetzenburg Stadium in Stellenbosch, Globine Mayova showed her class as she won the women’s 100m final in 11,88 seconds, against a strong field that included current South African champion Carina Horn.
The young speedster from Grootfontein had to fight hard in a closely contested race to beat off competition from former South African champion Cindy Stewart and Samantha Pretorius who had excellent starts.
Horn finished second in 11,91, Pretorius third in 12,01 and Stewart fourth in 12,02. Another Namibian sprinter Merilyn Diamond came eighth in 12,45 as she made her first ever appearance in the Yellow Pages series.
Earlier In the heats, Horn beat Mayova into second place as they ran respective times of 11,96 and 12,07 seconds, while Diamond came fourth in her heat in 12,45.
“I am very happy with the win and especially because of the field that included South Africa’s top women sprinters. I am still just taking everything in my stride as I have improved very much since the All Africa Games, becoming Namibia’s national champion over the 100m and 200m, the World Indoors where I ran a new 60m national record and now the Yellow Pages. I will just keep on working hard, be disciplined and motived to reach my dreams,” an elated Mayova said after the race.
In the 400m, two-time All Africa Games bronze medalist Tjipekapora Herunga is slowly getting back to her usual best as she ran her third fasted time ever over 400m in 52,42. Despite her competitive time she had to be satisfied with second place as the race was won by Rorisang Rammonye in 51,98.
The two athletes took control of the race from the start and after the first 200m it was clearly just a two horse race with Rammonye entering the home straight a meter ahead of Herunga, a lead she maintained till the end despite a last push from Herunga.
However Herunga was very happy with her race as it brought her close to the B qualifying standard for the Olympics of 52,30 seconds.
“I feel that my preparations are on track and I felt really good during the race. For me the most important thing is to peak at the right time for the Olympics. Last year I was in the best shape of my life during the All Africa Games and that’s why I managed to bring home two medals, therefore this year I want to improve on that at the African Champs in Benin and the Olympics in London.”
Johannes Skrywer narrowly missed Reinholdt Iita’s 1 500m Namibian national record of 3:45.35 as he ran 3:46,07. Skrywer ran bravely with the leading pack that included Peter van der Westhuizen who won in 3:38,61.
In the men’s 800m, Namibian champion Daniel Nghipandulwa came third in 1:49.68 in a closely contested race. The first three athletes entered the home straight together in a race won by Rynardt van Rensberg in 1:48,70.
In the women’s 1 500m Lavinia Haitope came sixth in 4:29.20 with young Nangula Ekandjo finishing ninth in a personal best time of 4:39.32.
In the men’s 400m, Namibian national champion Basilius Karupu finished sixth in his best time of the season of 47,74 seconds, while Hitjivirue Kaanjuka came seventh in the 100m final in 10,68 seconds.
The Namibian contingent in Stellenbosch consisted of athletes from Vision 2016, Athletics Namibia and the Herman Davin Trust Fund. The next stop for the athletes will be this Saturday, March 24 when they compete in the Yellow Pages 2 Series in Potchefstroom.