Elizna Naude, the Commonwealth, African and South African discus champion, started her 2007 campaign on an exciting note at Sasolburg on Saturday when she won her event at the Vaal Triangle Masters Athletics Championships with a throw of 60,1m.
It was a good opening effort and her best winning throw since winning the Commonwealth gold medal in Melbourne in March last year.
The 28-year-old Naude, a primary-school teacher at Sasolburg, will be moving to Pretoria shortly to take a post at the Pretoria University Athletics Club.
She said after her competition that she was satisfied with her throw and looking forward to the busy year ahead. She also had four more efforts over 57m.
Naude is a member of Athletics South Africa’s national squad currently attending a coaching course under the leadership of well-known German coach Eckard Arbeit at the High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria.
Johan Harmse, another Sasol athlete, also impressed with a winning distance of 59,65m in the hammer-throw competition for men. — Sapa