Day One Results – 2025 SA Senior Athletics Championships (24 April 2025)
- Karen Scheepers
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Event Schedule (24 April 2025)
The following table outlines all events held on Day 1 of the championships, with their scheduled start times, event descriptions, gender, and round (heats, final, etc.)
Time (GMT+2) | Event | Gender | Round/Type |
09:00 | 100m Hurdles (Heptathlon) | Women | Heptathlon – Event 1 |
09:10 | 100m | Women | Heats |
09:40 | 100m | Men | Heats |
09:45 | High Jump (Heptathlon) | Women | Heptathlon – Event 2 |
10:10 | 400m | Women | Heats |
10:15 | Long Jump | Women | Qualifying Round |
10:40 | 400m | Men | Heats |
11:00 | Shot Put | Men | Final |
11:10 | 400m Hurdles | Men | Heats |
11:40 | 400m Hurdles | Women | Heats |
12:00 | High Jump | Men | Qualifying Round |
13:30 | Discus Throw | Women | Final |
13:30 | 100m | Women | Semifinals |
13:45 | 100m | Men | Semifinals |
14:00 | Long Jump | Men | Qualifying Round |
14:00 | Shot Put (Heptathlon) | Women | Heptathlon – Event 3 |
14:00 | 3000m Steeplechase | Men | Heats |
14:15 | Pole Vault | Men | Final |
14:20 | 800m | Women | Heats |
14:30 | 800m | Men | Heats |
15:00 | 5000m | Women | Final |
15:30 | Javelin Throw | Men | Final |
16:00 | 200m (Heptathlon) | Women | Heptathlon – Event 4 |
16:15 | 100m | Women | Final |
16:30 | 100m | Men | Final |
16:40 | 4 × 400m Relay (Mixed) | Mixed | Final |
Note: “Heptathlon” events are part of the women’s heptathlon competition (which continued into Day 2). All other events listed above took place as standalone disciplines. Finals held on Day 1 are marked in bold.
Men’s 100 m Final
Winner: Gift Leotlela – 9.99 seconds.
Top Three: 1. Gift Leotlela (Gauteng North) – 9.99; 2. Bayanda Walaza (Gauteng North) – 10.00; 3. Benjamin Richardson (North West) – 10.05 ofm.co.za.
In a thrilling photo-finish, 26-year-old Gift Leotlela stormed to victory in the men’s 100m final, dipping at the line to edge out teenage favorite Bayanda Walaza by just one-hundredth of a second. Leotlela’s winning time of 9.99 s earned him his first senior national title, marking a comeback after years of injury struggles.
Walaza took silver in 10.00 s, exactly the qualifying standard for the World Championship, meaning both he and Leotlela secured World Championship berths. Benjamin “Benji” Richardson claimed bronze in 10.05 s. Notably, this race saw two South Africans dip under 10 seconds (Leotlela and Walaza), highlighting the depth in the country’s sprinting ranks.
Women’s 100 m Final
Winner: Joviale Mbisha – 11.48 seconds.Top Three: 1. Joviale Mbisha (Central Gauteng) – 11.48; 2. Gabriella Marais (Free State) – 11.55; 3. Rumé Burger (Free State) – 11.58.
The women’s 100m final was won by Joviale Mbisha, who claimed her first senior national sprint title in a time of 11.48 s. Mbisha, originally from the Free State province, capitalized on a wide-open race after pre-event favorite Viwe Jingqi withdrew following the heats (as a precaution due to a minor niggle). Gabriella Marais took the silver medal in 11.55 s, and 17-year-old Rumé Burger earned bronze in 11.58 s citizen.co.za. All three podium finishers originally hail from Free State, showcasing that province’s sprinting prowess. Burger’s bronze came in her first-ever senior national final, an impressive feat for the young athlete ofm.co.za.
Women’s 5,000 m Final
Winner: Glenrose Xaba – 15:27.95.Top Three: 1. Glenrose Xaba (Gauteng North) – 15:27.95; 2. Karabo More (Gauteng North) – 16:10.40; 3. Zanthe Taljaard (AVT) – 16:39.24 backtrack.co.za.
Distance star Glenrose Xaba dominated the women’s 5,000m final, cruising to the gold in 15:27.95. This victory secured Xaba’s 10th national title on the track. It also completed a long-distance double for her, she had already won the national 10,000m title at a separate ASA event earlier in the month, making this the second year in a row she has swept both 5,000m and 10,000m national crowns citizen.co.za.
Xaba led from the front and won by a wide margin of over 40 seconds. Her Gauteng North teammate Karabo More finished a distant second in 16:10.40, and Zanthe Taljaard took third in 16:39.24backtrack.co.za. Xaba’s dominance underlines her status as South Africa’s premier long-distance female runner.
Men’s Shot Put Final
Winner: Aiden Smith – 20.31 m.Top Three: 1. Aiden Smith (Gauteng North) – 20.31 m; 2. Kyle Blignaut (Central Gauteng) – 20.07 m; 3. Hencu Lamberts (Gauteng North) – 17.89 m iol.co.za.
In the men’s shot put final, Aiden Smith unleashed a throw of 20.31 m to clinch the gold medal. Smith’s performance was a standout as he upset Olympic finalist Kyle Blignaut. Blignaut, the Tokyo 2020 Olympian, had to settle for silver with a best of 20.07 m. The two heavyweights were miles ahead of the rest of the field – their nearest competitor, Hencu Lamberts, managed 17.89 m for bronze.
Smith’s victory, with a throw just shy of his personal best, is significant as it establishes him as a rising force in South African shot put. Blignaut’s 20.07 m, while just short of Smith’s mark on the day, showed that he is rounding into form as well. Their duel provided one of the exciting field event highlights of Day 1
Men’s Pole Vault Final
Winner: Valco van Wyk – 5.40 m.Top Three: 1. Valco van Wyk (North West) – 5.40 m; 2. Arend Pretorius (North West) – 4.90 m; 3. Bryce Putzier (Boland) – 4.80 m backtrack.co.za.
Valco van Wyk claimed the men’s pole vault title, clearing 5.40 m to secure the gold. Van Wyk was the only competitor to clear the 5.00 m height in the final, underscoring his dominance in the field. The silver medal went to Arend Pretorius, who vaulted 4.90 m, and Bryce Putzier took bronze with 4.80 m.
Van Wyk’s winning height of 5.40 m, while short of the national record, was a strong performance and set him well apart from his rivals. His consistency and clean jumps at the higher heights made the difference in a competition where others struggled as the bar rose. Pretorius and Putzier both secured their podium places with solid clearances, but neither could threaten Van Wyk on this day.
Women’s Discus Throw Final
Winner: Colette Uys – 57.94 m.Top Three: 1. Colette Uys (Gauteng North) – 57.94 m; 2. Alicia Khunou (Gauteng North) – 55.06 m; 3. Christe Loedolff (Gauteng North) – 53.04 m backtrack.co.za.
The women’s discus final saw Colette Uys defend her status as South Africa’s top discus thrower with a gold-medal throw of 57.94 m. Uys’s performance was dominant, as she led a Gauteng North sweep of the podium. Alicia Khunou finished second with a throw of 55.06 m. Notably, Khunou’s effort was a new South African Under-20 record for the discus, a standout achievement for the young athlete. The previous U20 mark was surpassed by her 55.06 m throw, highlighting her as a rising star in the event. Christe Loedolff took bronze with 53.04 m.
Men’s Javelin Throw Final
Winner: Douw Smit – 79.71 m.Top Three: 1. Douw Smit (North West) – 79.71 m; 2. Rocco van Rooyen (Western Province) – 77.40 m; 3. Ewald Janse van Rensburg (North West) – 76.22 m backtrack.co.za.
In the men’s javelin final, Douw Smit took top honors with a throw of 79.71 m. Smit, representing North West, managed to out-duel former national champion Rocco van Rooyen, who earned the silver with a best of 77.40 m. Ewald Jansen (Janse van Rensburg) claimed the bronze, throwing 76.22 m.
Smit’s winning throw was just shy of the 80 m mark, but it was enough to secure victory in a competitive field. Van Rooyen, a seasoned thrower and past 80m performer, was slightly off his top form but still produced a strong series to finish second. The javelin competition featured three athletes over 76 m, signaling good depth. Smit’s performance stood out as he achieved his best throw in the later rounds to seal the win, continuing a proud javelin tradition for the host province.
Mixed 4 × 400 m Relay Final
Winners: Athletics Central North West (ACNW) – 3:33.36.Top Three Teams: 1. ACNW – 3:33.36; 2. Central Gauteng (CGA) – 3:47.19; 3. Free State (AFS) – 3:50.70 backtrack.co.za.
The Day 1 program concluded with the mixed 4×400m relay, a relatively new event at the national championships. The host province team, Athletics Central North West (ACNW), delivered a victory on home soil, clocking 3:33.36 to take the gold. The ACNW quartet (Dean Muller, Jessica van Heerden, Juan du Plessis, and Carla Hattingh) combined for a smooth race and comfortable win. The Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) team finished second in 3:47.19, and Free State Athletics (AFS) took third in 3:50.70.
ACNW’s winning time set a high bar for this event, which mixes two men and two women on each team. Their 14-second margin of victory underscores their dominance. The inclusion of the mixed relay added excitement and diversity to the day’s schedule, and ACNW’s performance ensured the first mixed-relay gold went to the home team.
Other Standout Performances (Qualifying Rounds)
Luvo Manyonga’s comeback: In men’s long jump qualifying, 2017 world champion Luvo Manyonga made a notable return to competition. Manyonga, back after a four-year ban, soared to 7.80 m in the qualifying round, which was the best leap of the day. This jump put him at the top of the qualifiers heading into the Day 2 final and signaled that he is nearing his old form. Manyonga’s performance was a highlight in the preliminary rounds, drawing applause as the former world champion showcased flashes of the talent that once earned him Olympic silver and World Championship gold. His strong start set the stage for an anticipated battle in the final.
Notable heats: Middle-distance prodigy Prudence Sekgodiso (the reigning World Indoor Tour 800m champion) comfortably won her 800m heat in 2:06.85, the fastest qualifying time of the day iol.co.za. Last year’s champion, Charne Swart, won the other women’s 800m heat (2:07.15). Both are set to clash in the final in subsequent days. Additionally, teen sprint sensation Viwe Jingqi advanced through the 100m heats but withdrew before the semifinals due to a minor injury precaution, which opened up the field in the women’s 100m, a development that ultimately benefited Mbisha’s title run.
Each of these performances added context to Day 1 beyond the medal events, from Manyonga’s promising return in field events to Sekgodiso and Swart setting up an exciting middle-distance showdown. These highlights, along with the finals results, defined an action-packed opening day at Potchefstroom.
What’s Next?
Day Two (25 April) continues with more semifinals and finals including the women's 400m, men's and women's 400m hurdles, men’s long jump final, and the start of the men’s decathlon. Eyes will also be on Luvo Manyonga in the long jump final and Prudence Sekgodiso in the women's 800m.
Stay tuned for another action-packed day from Potchefstroom.
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