Six new faces in team
2003-07-29 21:29
Cape Town - Twenty-four year old rising middle-distance star Graham Davidson is one of six new faces in the South African team for next month's World Athletics Championships in Paris.
The other five are sprinters Geraldine Pillay and Sherwin Vries, steeple-chase athlete Alexander Motone, Ockert Cilliers (400 hurdles) and Sunette Viljoen (javelin).
Cilliers has also been included in the 4x400 relay team with Alwyn Myburgh, Marcus la Grange, Paul Gorries and Llewellyn Herbert.
The medal contenders include Okkert Brits (pole vault), Hestrie Cloete (high jump), Jacques Freitag (high jump), Frantz Kruger (discus), Herbert (400 hurdles) and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (800 metres).
Middle-distance runner Hezekiel Sepeng (800 metres) was told that, strictly-speaking, he had not met all the conditions for qualifying, but was nevertheless included in the team, which has the potential to win the most medals yet at the World Championships for South Africa.
Davidson made fast progress this year, improving to 3 minutes 53.86 seconds in the mile and to 1:44.98 in the 800.
Sepeng was narrowly beaten into second place in the 800 metres in Seville in 1999, and it's hoped that Mulaudzi can this time win gold for his country in this event.
Pillay and Vries have got potential, but are somewhat fortunate to be in the team. They may be out of their depth at a higher level at this stage.
The SA team:
Men: Alexander Motone (3 000 steeple-chase), Alwyn Myburgh (400 h, 4x400 relay), Frantz Kruger (discus), Graham Davidson (800), Hezekiel Sepeng (800, 4x400), Jacques Freitag (high jump), Janus Robberts (shot-put), Llewellyn Herbert (400 h, 4x400), Marcus la Grange (400, 4x400), Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (800), Ockert Cilliers (400 h, 4x400), Okkert Brits (pole-vault), Paul Gorries (400, 4x400), Shaun Bownes (110 h), Sherwin Vries (100); Ezael Tlhobo (marathon), Gert Thys (marathon), Hendrick Ramaala (marathon), Ian Syster (marathon), Josiah Thugwane (marathon).
Women: Geraldine Pillay (100), Heide Quinn (400), Hestrie Cloete (high jump), Sunette Viljoen (javelin), Surita Febbraio (400 h).