Sprinters stole the show on Thursday, closing out an explosive opening day in spectacular fashion at the ASA Age Group Championships at Germiston Athletics Stadium, Ekurhuleni.
In the Under-23 men's 100m race, Abduraghmaan Karrien won gold for Western Province Athletics (WPA) in 10.26 seconds, holding off a challenge from Tshepo Tyantini, representing host province Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA), who crossed the finish line in 10.32. Neo Binda grabbed bronze for Athletics Free State (AFS) in 10.44.
While Mukhethwa Tshifura of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) was in the hunt midway through the race, he grabbed the back of his leg and pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury.
Among the U23 women, former national senior champion Viwe Jingqi secured the title for Athletics Central North West (ACNW), completing the final in 11.48.
Kayla la Grange (CGA) earned the silver medal in 11.75 and Annestaysha George (AGN) was edged into third place in 11.77.
The standout performance of the day, however, belonged to U20 athlete Marko Ferreira, representing Eastern Province Athletics (EPA). Ferreira was superb in the semifinals, winning his race in 10.09 and climbing to fifth place in the all-time national junior 100m rankings despite competing on a wet track following a lengthy delay caused by a thunderstorm.
Later in the evening, in the final, Ferreira returned to win gold in 10.16. He had got off to a poor start but recovered well to chase down in-form AGN athlete Mukhona Manavhela who took the runner-up spot in 10.18.
In the Under-20 women's 100m final, Zoe Cilliers triumphed for Athletics Mpumalanga (AMPU) in 11.62, ahead of Hannah Hope Vermaak (AGN) who finished second in 11.72.
In the 5 000m finals, Musawenkosi Mnisi (AGN) won the men's U23 race in 14:10.56, while Katelynn Steenkamp
(ACNW) 18:26.59. Delivering an impressive performance, Selna van As went quicker than Steenkamp in the U20 women's 5000m event, taking gold in 17:49.03, and Melvin Mashishi won the U20 men's contest in 14:37.87.
The only other U23 final on day on the track, the men's 10 000m walk, saw Rivers Williams (AGN) taking the win in 44:41.05, building on his fine form after winning the national senior 21km title on the road in Tshwane in February.
In field events in the U23 age group, Samkelo Dlamini (AFS) secured victory in the men's long jump with a 7.20m leap and Adrienne Gallop won gold in the women's event with a 5.80m jump in the colours of Boland Athletics (BOLA).
Mignon la Grange (CGA) triumphed in the women's shot put with a 14.23m throw, and Righardt Stander (ACNW) won the men's discus throw with a best effort of 56.21m.