Local athletes, including Anzaret Strauss and Mahlatse Mamonyane, qualified for the Primary Schools National Championships after earning their spots at the provincials at Boksburg Stadium on March 9. Strauss and Mamonyane impressed in their events but the rematch between fierce middle-distance rivals Chelsea van Dyk and Xantè Harris, in the 800m and 1 500m, stole the show.
The runners last raced each other in the final of the U12 girls’ 3km race during the national cross-country champs where Benonian Van Dyk dethroned Harris to land her first national title. This time around, however, Harris flipped the script, pipping Van Dyk to the gold in both events. Van Dyk had a bad race in the 800m after finishing fifth but redeemed herself in the 1 500m, clocking a PB of 05:10 for a bronze medal. Her coach, Michael van Aswegen, lauded the athlete for her ability to pick herself up after a bad race. He said, “You have great and bad races but as long as you are able to pick yourself up and identify the positives, you are on the road to success as an athlete