Team SA captain Isaac Mboyaza led by example in claiming the 1Â 500m gold medal, while his athletics team-mates continued to build on the rainbow nation team’s healthy medal tally at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo, Australia on Thursday.
Johannesburg-based Mboyaza, 18, a bronze medalist from the World Youth Games held in Sherbrooke, Canada last year, took the 1Â 500m title in Bendigo in 3 min 58,60 secs, while fellow Johannesburg athlete, 400m rising star Amanda Kotze continued the flurry of gold medals for Team SA, in winning the one lapper in 56,16.
Port Elizabeth’s Ruaan Grobler made sure of his place on the medal podium by finishing second in the men’s 400m in 48,07, while on the field events scene, shot put star Marli Knoetze, from Levubu in Limpopo Province, powered her way to a silver medal with a best distance of 15,36.
SA Commonwealth Games chairperson Gideon Sam said that athletics has been a key medal provider for SA sport at international events over the years, adding that many more medals from the track and field arena could well end up on the Team SA tally before the Commonwealth Youth Games end on December 3.
Sam thanked Sport and Recreation SA and the National Lottery Fund for their financial support towards allowing Team SA’s 80-member unit the chance of participating at the Commonwealth Youth Games. – Sapa