/ 29 July 1999

OKKERT BRITS TRAINING IN GERMANY

SOUTH African pole vaulter Okkert Brits Friday signed a contract at the ASV Cologne club to train for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney together with his friend Tim Lobinger. Brits, 25, has a personal best of 6,03 metres from 1995, but has been struggling with injuries in recent years. Lobinger is also among the elite group of vaulters who have cleared the magic 6-metre barrier.