Absa Series will kick-start new season
February 09, 2005 Edition 1
Iqbal Khan
Athletics in KwaZulu-Natal may have been a bit low key for a number of years, but it's on the way up in 2005.
Joyce Smith, chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, said her organisation has a number of top events lined up for 2005 and that the excitement starts next weekend with the Absa Series at King's Park on February 18.
"We've been awarded one of the Absa Series events and we are delighted to host the championship as it will bring into the city some of the country's top athletes," he said.
Smith said that she hoped for a huge local support for the Absa Series, and Hestrie Cloete, who performed outstandingly at the last Olympics is one of the major attractions .
"It's the only chance for the local athletics enthusiasts to see the world class performers on our doorstep. And there's no better opportunity than at the Absa Series," Smith said.
Some of the local athletes participating in the Absa Series are Nikki Kriel, whose best performance in the 100m is 12:33, Tyla Smith, Portia Ndlovu, Chantal Godfrey, Cindy Anderson in the women's section while Lee-Roy Newton, a star athlete in the 100m and 200m events, is the star attraction in the men's list.
Other leading men in the KZNA list are Sam September (100m and 200M0, Justin Green (100m, 200m), Warner Kruger (100m), Sihle Mhlangu (200m), Quinton de Vos 110H) and Gareth Brown (shot put).
And another major event on the calendar for the KZNAA is the South African Marathon Championships which takes place around the streets of the city on February 20.
"This is a big one for us," Smith said. "The marathon championships will see some of the country's best on our roads as the national team for the World Championships will be named after this event.
"We've put together a strong team."
Smith said the full list of runners for the South African Marathon Championships and the athletes for the Absa Series will be released later this week.
