/ 6 November 2007

It’s a record — officially

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has ratified four new national records following a meeting of the ASA executive board last Saturday.

Louw Smith of Boland province clocked 13,73 seconds to set a new South Africa junior men’s 110m hurdles record. He achieved this landmark on April 13 during the South Africa Junior and Youth Championships in Tshwane. The previous mark of 13,83 seconds was held by Ruan de Vries.

Karen Mey of Athletics Gauteng North is the new South Africa long-jump record holder after her 6,93m leap in bad Langersalsa Germany on July 7. She improved on the 6,85m effort of Karen Botha in Johannesburg on March 24 1990.

Trudi Carstens of Western Province is the national women’s first 50km walk record holder after covering the distance in five hours, 42 minutes and 30 seconds. She achieved this at the national 50km championships in George on July 7.

Mariette Badenhorst of Athletics Free State bettered the South Africa youth girls’ hammer record when she won the event with a 47,4m effort on April 13 at the South Africa Junior and Youth Championships.

The previous record of 46,4m by Jolandi Boshoff was set on April 7. — Sapa