Roger Haitengi declares CGA Provincial Championships at UJ a success

The three-day competition served as an important selection platform for athletes targeting the upcoming junior championships at Germiston Stadium later this month, as well as the senior national championships scheduled for Stellenbosch in April.

Despite heavy rain earlier in the week, the weather cleared on Friday and Saturday, allowing the programme to run smoothly without major interruptions. 

Haitengi, who also coaches the long and triple jump disciplines, expressed satisfaction with how the event was delivered and believes the province is gradually strengthening its reputation for hosting top-class athletics meetings alongside Athletics Gauteng North.

"I'll just say it's been amazing. The event has been spectacular and I hope we will be the number one provincial championships for the week. There were fantastic performances, great organisation, everything was smooth and on time, and we were blessed with good weather too."

READ: Hezekiel Sepeng explains the idea behind his debut invitational meet in Potch

The Namibian long jump legend highlighted several standout performances across the championships. 

One of the biggest moments came from rising star Oluche Ndubeueza, who broke the South African under-18 women’s long jump record with an impressive 6.49m leap.

Another major highlight was produced by former national champion Lythe Pillay, the world under-20 400m champion, who stormed to victory with a world-leading 44.32 seconds in the one-lap race.

The championships also attracted several prominent athletes from across the region, including competitors from neighbouring Botswana led by Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo.

South African stars such as national women’s 100m champion Jovial Mbishe, Tsebo Matsoso, and Pillay were among the headline acts that added excitement to the provincial showcase. 

Haitengi believes the strong participation reflects the growing stature of athletics competitions in the province.

Haitengi, the former African Championships triple jump bronze medallist, added that the action at the UJ Athletics Stadium is far from over. 

Another meeting is scheduled for early April as the track continues to host major competitions in the build-up to the Hezekiel Sepeng Invitational in Potchefstroom.

"We're going to have another competition on the 4th of April, and we expect a full house and we're hoping to showcase good performances from the guys and give them the last preparation they need for SA's as well as Hezekiel Sepeng's event in Potchefstroom."