Curro Hazeldean’s Matodzi Ndou was the star peformer as he won the the boys Under-17 110m hurdles race at the at the Curro Podium North Athletics Meet at Pilditch Athletics Stadium in Tshwane on Wednesday.
Ndou won in a time of 12.94 seconds in a new South African record.
Ndou's time is not only the third fastest time ever run by a 17-year-old boy on planet Earth, but also the world-leading time for 2024.
“It feels great. It’s something that I’ve been planning, but I wasn’t really sure if I was going to run this fast. I’m still processing it all. It’s really amazing to run here with some of the best athletes,” said Ndou reflecting on a run that saw him become South Africa’s first Under-17 boy to dip under thirteen seconds for the event.
The crowd at OR Tambo Airport cheers for matric pupil and Olympic silver medalist Bayanda Walaza, who was one of the four sprinters who helped Team SA secure silver in the Men's 100 4x100 metre relay final.#Olympics2024 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/yIDt3kPSJf
— IOL News (@IOL) August 13, 2024
Maiden victory
For his efforts, Ndou was named best Senior Boys Track athlete of the meet for the second consecutive year - an accolade which was no doubt topped by the fact that his display also led the Curro Hazeldean Boys team to a maiden victory in the boys section after taking second place in 2023.
While praising the efforts of the group, Curro Sport Portfolio Manager, Cindy Van der Merwe emphasised the broader role that Curro Podium meetings play in unearthing the next generation of Olympians.
“What we have in mind when it comes to Curro Podium is to give athletes the opportunity to be exposed to a next level event. We see the bigger picture. We are already looking for the future Bayanda [Walaza] in Matodzi. And it would make our hearts warm if, at the next Olympics in Los Angeles, we have four to six athletes representing South Africa that ran at our Podiums.”
Two of those LA 2028 Olympians could well be Tukssport High School’s Selena Rocha who produced a scorching 11.69 in the girls Under-17 100m and 23.92 in the girls Under-17 200m to win the Best Senior Girls Track Athlete.
Hencu Lamberts also had a good day. The Afrikaans Hoër Seuns thrower who represented the country at the recent World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru, won the shotput in 18.40m and claimed second place in the discus (50.55) to finish the competition as the Best Senior Field Athlete.
The overall competition was won by Die Hoërskool Menlopark who placed third in both the girls and boys section, earning enough points to defend their title.
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