Oscar Pistorius, the sensational schoolboy sprinter, broke his world 200m record for double below-the-knee amputees in his first major race against able-bodied athletes at the opening Absa Series meeting in Potchefstroom on Friday night.
The matriculant from Pretoria Boys’ High surged to 21,83 seconds in ideal conditions to beat his 21,97-second world record he set for the gold medal at the Athens Paralympics last September.
”I’m surprised it was that fast,” said Pistorius after finishing fourth against clubmate Xandre Strydom (Rentmeester Tuks), who won in 21,25 seconds. ”It felt a lot slower because my strap came loose on my prosthetic and it was shaky going around the bend. I’m thrilled, though.
”Coming out here and competing in front of a crowd like this is very inspirational. I was very nervous.”
”It’s a privilege racing against Oscar,” said Sybrand van Dyk, who trailed the field in 22,69 seconds. ”We support him all the way. He’s a superb athlete.”
Ockert Cilliers booked an early place to the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki with his blistering 48,98-second victory in the 400m hurdles — an excellent time for this early in the season.
Ruan de Vries, competing in his first major senior race after matriculating at Overkruin last year, equalled his junior 110m hurdles record with 13,82 seconds in the absence of South African record holder Shaun Bownes.
”That was great,” said De Vries after eclipsing Boland hurdler Frikkie van Zyl (13,84) in an exciting dip-finish. ”I know we raced without Shaun, but it’s about who’s best on the day. It’s really lekker winning my first big senior race. The time’s a surprise so early in the season. My aim this year is to run 13,50 seconds.”
Van Zyl, who won the junior Commonwealth title last year, leaves for Europe shortly to compete in Finland.
Olympic sprinter Geraldine Pillay also shone in the perfect hot weather in which the flags hardly fluttered all evening. The Pretoria athlete from Rentmeester Tuks raced a mercurial 11,20 seconds that equalled her personal best, qualified her with A status for the IAAF world champs in Helsinki in August and set an Absa Series record.
”That was exciting,” she said. ”I’m not that surprised though, because my gym training and pre-season preparations have been my best. I knew I’d go fast, but not that fast.”
She was followed by Wendy Seegers (11,67) and 400m specialist Estie Wittstock (11,81).
Pillay went on to score a B-qualifier for Helsinki in August with a 22,99-second 200m victory.
Johan Cronje, priming himself for a good 1 500m season, showed good strength to win the 800m in 1:46,78 ahead of Charles Jantjes, Andrea Longo of Italy and former world champion Andre Bucher of Switzerland.
Khotso Mokoena was another high point of the meeting before the largest crowd to pack the track in decades with his 8,12m win in the long jump. Chris Harmse got his season off to a good start with his 76,74m win in the hammer throw.
Hendrick Ramaala, the New York City Marathon champion, was far too wily and had too much endurance for the young field in the 3 000m, and he enjoyed a strong sprint finish against Olympian Ruben Ramolefi for an 8:03,13 win. Ramolefi went to the front, but was overtaken with 50m to go and finished in 8:03,70.
A surprise was Lebogang Phalula’s 3 000m victory (9:33,96) against the gutsy little Poppy Mlambo (9:37,49). — Sapa