SA Senior Athletics Championships – Final Day Recap (26 April 2025)
- Karen Scheepers
- 1 day ago
- 16 min read
The final day of the 2025 SA Senior Athletics Championships at Puk McArthur Stadium delivered a fitting climax to an unforgettable three days of competition. With Olympic and World Championship dreams on the line, South Africa’s best athletes rose to the occasion across sprints, distance events, field events, and relays. Saturday’s action featured record-breaking performances, emotional comebacks, and fierce battles for gold as the country's athletics stars showed their class. Here’s a complete breakdown of all the Day 3 finals, major upsets, and standout moments from an incredible closing day in Potchefstroom.
20km Race Walk – Women (Final)
In the women’s 20km walk held in the morning, Jessica Groenewald (Athletics Central North West) clinched the gold. She finished around the 1 hour 50 minute mark, similar to her winning time of 1:53:22 from last year citizen.co.za. Groenewald’s victory marks her third consecutive national title in this event, underlining her dominance in South African women’s race walking. Zelda Schultz (Athletics Gauteng North) took the silver medal, and Marissa Swanepoel (AGN) earned bronze. No records were broken, but Groenewald’s consistent performance cements her status as the country’s top female race walker. (No major incidents were reported in this final, as the medallists established a clear lead.)
20km Race Walk – Men (Final)
The men’s 20km walk saw Sizwe Ndebele (AGN) defend his title in approximately 1:30:00. Ndebele, who won last year in 1:31:42 athletics.africa, again struck gold with a solid performance around the 1:30-1:32 mark. Veteran Olympian Wayne Snyman did not compete, leaving Ndebele to push the pace alone. Tebatso Masinbyi (AGN) secured silver and Khathutshelo “Kelvin” Ntshiuwa (CGA) took bronze, both finishing several minutes behind the winner. While the times were well off Lebogang Shange’s national record (1:19:18), Ndebele’s back-to-back titles showcase his consistency. (The early morning start avoided the heat, and no disqualifications occurred during the race.)
Long Jump – Women (Final)
Danielle Nolte (Gauteng North) delivered a commanding win in the women’s long jump final. She leaped 6.31 m to earn the gold athleticssa.org.za, the only athlete to break the 6-meter mark. Nolte’s winning jump was nearly half a meter farther than her nearest competitors. Matsidiso Makgato (Mpumalanga) took silver with 5.85 m, and Oluchi Ndubueze (Central Gauteng) claimed bronze at 5.81 m. Nolte’s performance, though shy of the national record (~6.96 m), was a personal best and a standout series of jumps, she had multiple jumps over 6.2 m. No records fell, but Nolte’s victory at age twenty signals a rising star. (An upset of note: pre-event favorite Karmen Fouché fouled her best attempts and finished off the podium.)
3000m Steeplechase – Men (Final)
The men’s 3,000m steeplechase final turned into a tactical affair. Ashley Smith (Western Province) prevailed in 8:52.23 to take gold instagram.com, kicking away over the final water jump. Aphelele Nkonyeni (KZN) claimed silver in 8:56.23, and local favorite Tumisang Monnatlala (Central North West) grabbed bronze in 9:14.89. Smith, a former World U20 finalist, used his finishing speed to outduel Nkonyeni on the last lap. The winning time was relatively modest, well outside the 8:14 national record, reflecting a slow early pace. Notably, Rantso Mokopane, a pre-race favorite, did not start due to injury, which opened the door for Smith’s victory. (No falls or DQs occurred; the race was clean. Monnatlala’s bronze was cheered by the home crowd as he edged two rivals in a sprint for third.)
Javelin Throw – Women (Final)
With defending champion Jo-Ané du Plessis (Van Dyk) absent (she was competing abroad), the women’s javelin final saw a new champion. Johanni van Lieshout (Free State) won gold with a best throw of 55.68 m. She led from the first round and sealed victory with that 55.68m in Round 5. Julé du Toit (AGN) took silver (approximately 53 m), and Tazmin Brits (North West), returning to athletics from cricket, snared bronze with 52 m. No one approached Van Dyk’s 60.38 m throw from the Diamond League a day earlier, but van Lieshout’s triumph was a breakthrough at the national level. (Brits’ podium finish was a feel-good story, marking her comeback. The event had no protests or foul controversies, a straightforward series of throws.)
800m Finals – Men & Women
Women’s 800m: In one of the performances of the meet, Prudence Sekgodiso stormed to gold in 1:58.80 thetoprunner.co.za. The reigning World Indoor champion went out fast and controlled the race, becoming the only woman to dip under 2 minutes. Charné Swart fought hard to finish second in 1:58.98, a personal best, as both women shattered the 2-minute barrier and qualified for the World Championships. The bronze went to Marié Coetzee in about 2:05 (distant behind the leading duo). Sekgodiso’s winning time was just shy of Caster Semenya’s championship record, but it was world-class and world-leading on the year.
The thrilling head-to-head between Sekgodiso and Swart electrified the stadium with Sekgodiso pulling ahead by a few meters in the homestretch gijimaathleticsnews.com. (No one was disqualified in heats; however, Sekgodiso’s aggressive front-running in the final dropped the rest of the field early, making it essentially a two-woman race.)
Men’s 800m: The men’s two-lap final did not disappoint. Tshepo Tshite defended his title in approximately 1:46.0, using a strong kick in the final 100m. The pre-race favorite, Tshite held off a late charge from Mihlali Xhotyeni, who claimed silver in about 1:46.3. Thabiso Kotlhe took bronze (~1:47.0). The race went out in a tactical 54-second first lap, before Tshite unleashed a 52-second final circuit. No records were expected (the national mark is 1:42.69), but Tshite’s win completed the first half of his ambitious 800m/1500m double attempt sabcsport.com. (All finalists navigated the rounds smoothly – notably, none of the heat favorites were eliminated early or DQ’d, so the final featured the expected top contenders. The only surprise was veteran Ryan Mphahlele opting to focus solely on 1500m, skipping the 800m final.)
Hammer Throw – Men (Final)
Defending champion Tshepang Makhethe (Free State) delivered a dominating series to win men’s hammer gold. Makhethe’s best throw of 73.26 m came in round 4 and secured the title by a wide margin. Alan Cumming (Central NW) earned silver with 68.11 m, and 19-year-old Henk Pretorius (AGN) took bronze at 66.00 m. Makhethe’s winning mark was just shy of his personal best and not far from Chris Harmse’s meet record (~75 m). It was Makhethe’s third national title, and he celebrated by acknowledging the crowd. A significant moment came when Makhethe’s hammer landed beyond 72 m, the only throw over 70 m in the competition. (No fouls influenced the medal positions; however, former multiple champion Chris Harmse, now 51, competed in a ceremonial capacity and received a standing ovation after his final throw.)
200m Finals – Men & Women
Men’s 200m: The men’s half-lap final was filled with drama and speed. Olympic relay medalist Bayanda Walaza false-started and was disqualified moments before the gun, stunning the crowd. After the restart, Sinesipho Dambile, the 2022 champion, powered to gold in 20.11 seconds . Dambile had famously sacrificed attending his father’s funeral to race, and he channeled that emotion into a narrow victory.
In a photo-finish for the podium, Western Province teenagers Naeem Jack (silver, 20.13) and Abduraghman Karriem (bronze, 20.15) both dipped under the World Championship qualifying standardthetoprunner.co.za. All three medalists set personal bests, making this one of the fastest 200m finals in SA champs history, the top three all ran 20.15 or faster for the first time ever at nationals. Dambile’s win, achieved by just 0.02s, was a sentimental triumph, which he celebrated with training partner Gift Leotlela. (Aside from Walaza’s DQ, no other issues arose, the rest of the field got off cleanly on the second attempt. The shock elimination of the favorite raised the stakes, and the young sprinters seized the opportunity with incredible performances.)
Women’s 200m: The women’s sprint title went to Tamzin Thomas (Western Province). Thomas, who had been runner-up in the 100m, ran a sharp curve and clocked 23.11 seconds (-0.2 m/s wind) for gold. She held off Banele Shabangu (CGA), the 2022 champion, who finished second in 23.33s. The bronze was claimed by Joviale Mbisha (ACNW) in 23.50s, Mbisha was the newly crowned 100m champion from Day 1 gsport.co.za. Thomas’s victory was redemption after a narrow 100m loss; she built a two-meter lead coming off the bend and maintained it down the straight. No records were broken (Evette de Klerk’s 22.06 NR remains safe), but Thomas’s time was her season’s best. (In the heats, all major contenders advanced; there were no false-starts or DQs. The final was expected to be a duel between Thomas and Shabangu, and that played out, with Mbisha’s strong finish for bronze being a mild surprise.)
Triple Jump – Men (Final)
The men’s triple jump final saw Yehan Coetzee (AGN) produce a late winning jump to grab gold. Coetzee bounded 16.54 m (+1.0 m/s) in the fifth round, moving from third to first. Thando Dlodlo (CGA), better known as a sprinter, surprised with silver at 16.47 m, achieved in the second round. The bronze went to Gabriel Louw (ACNW) with 16.10 m. Early leader Mpho Tladi (AFS) fouled his last two attempts and slipped to fourth.
Coetzee’s title came with a personal best distance, making him the only jumper over 16.5 m. While the national record (17.23 m) was never in jeopardy, the competition was intense: the top four were separated by less than half a meter until Coetzee’s final jump. (There were no protest or measurement controversies, all jumps were clearly measured. The primary upset was Dlodlo, primarily a 100m runner, using his speed to secure an unexpected silver in the field.)
110m Hurdles – Men (Final)
Veteran hurdler Antonio Alkana (Western Province) extended his national reign by winning his ninth SA 110m hurdles title. Alkana clocked 13.67 seconds (+0.3 m/s) for gold, cleanly clearing every hurdle. He held off Munyaradzi Zvomuya (AGN), who took silver in 13.85. Frederich Pretorius (AGN), better known as a decathlete, claimed bronze in 14.01. Alkana’s time, though outside his 13.11 national record, was a season best and underscored his dominance, at 34, he remains unbeaten nationally since 2014citizen.co.za.
The final featured a smooth run by Alkana; he already had a metre lead by hurdle 8. Zvomuya clipped the last barrier but stayed upright to secure second. (In the heats, one major name, Lindor Ndhlovu, hit a hurdle and crashed out, a shocking exit that took him out of medal contention. The final itself had no false starts or DQs, marking a straightforward defense of Alkana’s title.)
High Jump – Women (Final)
The women’s high jump final ended in a jump-off to decide gold. Julia du Plessis (AGN), returning from injuries, and Nicolette van Vuuren (AFS) both cleared 1.82 m. Du Plessis clinched the gold medal on countback in the jump-off by clearing 1.80 m on her first attempt, whereas van Vuuren needed two tries. Thus, van Vuuren settled for silver despite also topping out at 1.82 m. Lise-Mari Janse van Rensburg (BOLA) earned bronze with a best of 1.75 m. Du Plessis’s victory was an emotional comeback – the former youth Olympian won her first national senior title after several years away from the sport.
While the winning height was modest (the SA record is 1.95 m), the competition was tense. (No records fell. In terms of upsets: youth champion Hanlie Botha, expected to contend, failed at 1.75 and placed fourth, missing the podium. The event concluded on a sportsmanlike note, with du Plessis and van Vuuren hugging after their tight duel.)
100m Hurdles – Women (Final)
South Africa’s “hurdles queen” Marioné Fourie (AGN) lived up to her billing, winning the 100m hurdles in 13.02 seconds (+0.5 m/s). It was Fourie’s second national title in a row. She had a clean race and pulled away by mid-race. Jean-Marie Senekal (ACNW) took silver in 13.44, and Claudia Heunis (WPA) snagged bronze in 13.58.
Fourie’s time was just a tenth off her own national record (12.93), showing excellent consistency. Her victory was never in doubt, she was a full stride ahead by the final hurdle. Notably, Rikenette Steenkamp, the former record-holder, was absent this season, so Fourie’s chief competition came from younger athletes. (The heats saw one scare: former youth champ Taylon Bieldt stumbled but qualified; she finished 5th in the final. There were no false starts. Fourie’s dominance and near-record form were the talk of this event, with commentators noting she could threaten the African record soon.)
Shot Put – Women (Final)
The women’s shot put gold went to Colette Uys (AGN) in a tight contest. Uys threw 16.99 m in the final round to leapfrog into first place. Ischke Senekal (Free State), a former champion, had led with a throw of 16.85 m and had to settle for silver. The bronze went to rising talent Miné de Klerk (ACNW) with 16.20 m.
Uys’s winning put was just shy of the 17.03 m she threw earlier this season, but it was enough for victory. This is Uys’s second national title; she also won the hammer throw silver earlier in the meet, showcasing impressive versatility backtrack.co.za. No records were approached (the SA record stands at 18.20 m), but the competition saw Uys and Senekal trading the lead back and forth. (All six throws for each athlete were completed without protest; an initial foul called on Uys’s fifth attempt was overturned after review, allowing her the final attempt on which she won. The major upset here was junior world champion Miné de Klerk not challenging for gold, though her bronze at just 20 years old shows promise.)
400m Finals – Men & Women
Men’s 400m: The standout performance of the championships came in the men’s 400m. Zakithi Nene (KZN) unleashed a stunning run to win gold in 44.22 seconds, a personal best that makes him the 2nd-fastest South African in history over 400m (behind Wayde van Niekerk’s 43.03 WR). Nene’s time eclipsed the meet record and was the fastest ever recorded at a SA Championships. The race for silver and bronze was fierce: Yusuf Ismail (AGN) took silver in a personal-best 44.99s, and Gardeo Isaacs (WPA) earned bronze in 45.19s thetoprunner.co.za.
Three men under 45.2 in one national final is unprecedented for South Africa. Nene, a 27-year-old Olympian, had signaled his form by running 44.68 two weeks prior, and he fulfilled that promise here. He blasted the first 300m and held form down the home straight, winning by several meters. This performance also qualifies Nene for the World Championships with room to spare. (A big storyline from the semis: 19-year-old Leendert Koekemoer ran 45.03 in his semifinal, breaking a 31-year-old SA junior record. Koekemoer ultimately finished 4th in the final, just missing a medal but confirming South Africa’s incredible depth in the 400m. No baton interference or lane violations affected the final, all attention was on the clock as Nene nearly dipped into the 43-second territory.)
Women’s 400m: The women’s 400m final was won by Miranda Coetzee (AGN) in 51.82 seconds. Coetzee, the African champion, took control of the race by the 300m mark and powered home for the gold. Marlie Viljoen (AGN) finished strong to claim silver in 52.11, and Shirley Nekhubui (Limpopo), part of SA’s record 4×400 team athletics.africa, took bronze in 52.50. Coetzee’s time was a season best, and she was visibly pleased to regain the national title.
The race went out fast, with Coetzee splitting ~24.0 at 200m, and she never relinquished her lead. While her winning time was off her 50.66 personal best, it comfortably met the Olympic qualifying mark for Paris. (There was a notable absence: 400m hurdles star Zeney Geldenhuys did not run the 400m flat final after her hurdles win on Friday backtrack.co.za. In the heats, all favorites advanced; the final was competitive but Coetzee’s experience shone through. No lane infringements occurred. Coetzee’s victory adds to her momentum after winning the African title earlier in April facebook.com.)
1500m Finals – Men & Women
Women’s 1500m: Prudence Sekgodiso completed an ambitious middle-distance double by winning the 1500m final just a couple of hours after her 800m triumph. She clocked 4:11.34 for gold, displaying tactical savvy by kicking from 200m out. Sekgodiso’s rival Charné Swart doubled back from the 800m as well and secured silver in approximately 4:13.5, showing remarkable recovery to medal again. The bronze went to Carmen le Roux (WPA) in ~4:18.
Sekgodiso controlled a slow early pace (roughly 2:18 at 800m) then unleashed a 61-second final lap to pull clear. Her 4:11 is just outside her PB but it capped a stellar double-gold performancesundayindependent.co.za that had the crowd roaring. Swart’s second-place finish completed her collection of two silver medals in one day, an impressive breakthrough for her as well. (The race was relatively uneventful until the bell lap. No one fell or was tripped, and all 12 finalists finished. The “Sekgodiso vs Swart” rematch from the 800m was the focal point; their battle lived up to expectations with Sekgodiso only pulling away in the final 80m. Both athletes expressed mutual respect after the race, having pushed each other to top performances.)
Men’s 1500m: A “spectacular” men’s 1500m final saw Ryan Mphahlele (CGA) outkick the field to win gold in 3:43.60 facebook.com. Mphahlele, known for his finishing speed, sat in the pack before sprinting past the leaders on the final straight. Tshepo Tshite, chasing his double after winning the 800m, led at the bell but faded slightly to take silver in ~3:44.5. Nkosinathi Sibiya (KZNA) snatched bronze in 3:45.2.
The race was tactical, a slow first 1000m (~2:30) followed by a ferocious last lap around 53 seconds. Mphahlele timed his move perfectly, emerging from boxed position at 200m to go and then holding off Tshite’s last attempt to rally. The victory gave Mphahlele his first national 1500m title, after a couple of years as runner-up. For Tshite, the silver was still a success, he managed two medals (gold and silver) on the day, validating his endurance. (One notable absence was Jerry Motsau, last year’s champion, who did not finish his heat due to a hamstring pull, a shocking exit that removed a key contender early. In the final, there were no falls, though the pack was bunched tightly at the bell, leading to some jostling. Ultimately, the decisive move came in the clear on the back straight, avoiding any interference. Mphahlele’s win over the 800m champion Tshite was considered a mild upset and a highlight of the meet sabcsport.com.)
5000m – Men (Final)
The men’s 5000m final delivered the upset of the championships. Under tactical conditions, 23-year-old Maxime Chaumeton (Central Gauteng) unleashed a big kick to win gold in 13:44.53. In doing so, Chaumeton defeated multiple national record-holder Adriaan Wildschutt, who took silver in 13:53.05thetoprunner.co.za. The pre-race favorite Wildschutt (who set SA records in the 5000m and 10,000m last year) tried to break away early, but when the pace lagged (around 8:30 at 3000m), it became a kicker’s race. Chaumeton stayed tucked in the pack and pounced with 250m to go, sprinting past Wildschutt on the final backstretch. Kabelo Mulaudzi (AGN) claimed the bronze in 14:01.89.
For Chaumeton, this was a maiden national title and a huge scalp, Wildschutt is an NCAA champion and was considered unbeatable if the race had been fast. The slow early laps (the field went through 4km in ~11:05) played perfectly into Chaumeton’s hands. His winning time was far from the 13:02 SA record, but the shock victory was what mattered. (A noteworthy incident: 10,000m champion Precious Mashele dropped out with 2 laps to go, later revealing a cramp, which removed another podium contender. Otherwise, the race had no fouls or protests. Chaumeton’s triumph over Wildschutt, who had never lost to a South African on home soil, was the talk of the meet, underscoring the unpredictability of tactical championship racing.)
4×100m Relay Finals – Men & Women
Men’s 4×100m Relay: The men’s short relay was a redemption run for Team Gauteng North. After their star Walaza’s DQ in the 200m, Gauteng North’s quartet (featuring 100m champ Gift Leotlela on anchor) blazed to gold in 39.47 seconds. They edged Team Central Gauteng, who took silver in 39.53, and Athletics Central North West (bronze in 39. eighty). Excellent baton exchanges by Gauteng North, particularly the second exchange, gave Leotlela a lead of a few meters, which he narrowly held against a fast-closing Kagiso Mamabolo (CGA) backtrack.co.za.
The winning time was just outside the SA national record (38.35), but it was the fastest by a provincial team this year. (Notably, no baton drops occurred, a relief after last year’s mishap. All teams got the baton around. The only drama was at the start: a faulty start recall due to crowd noise, but no team was penalized. Gauteng North’s victory reinstated them as the top sprint province.)
Women’s 4×100m Relay: The Central Gauteng women’s team, anchored by Joviale Mbisha, took gold in 44.62 seconds. They defeated Athletics Gauteng North (silver in 45.01) and North West Province (bronze, 45.50). Central Gauteng’s time of 44.62 was the fastest women’s 4×100 in SA since 2015, coming tantalizingly close to the national record (~44.34). Mbisha ran a superb anchor leg, overtaking AGN’s Tamzin Thomas in the final 50m.
The CGA squad (featuring Mbisha, Shirley Nekhubui, Rose Xeyi, and Phindile Kubheka) celebrated a well-executed race citizen.co.za. (The women’s relay was run as a straight final. All exchanges were legal, though one team (Free State) was disqualified afterward for an out-of-zone handoff, an issue that did not affect the medalists. The crowd gave an extra cheer as Mbisha added a relay gold to her 100m title, capping a breakout championships for her.)
4×400m Relay Finals – Men & Women
Men’s 4×400m Relay: The final event of the meet saw Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) win the men’s 4×400 in 3:05.78. Their team, anchored by 1500m medalist Ryan Mphahlele stepping down in distance, managed to hold off KwaZulu-Natal (3:06.20) on the home straight. Bronze went to Central Gauteng in 3:07.9. AGN’s quartet (Leendert Koekemoer, Pieter de Villiers, Tshepo Tshite, Ryan Mphahlele) balanced 400m specialists and middle-distance strength, using Koekemoer’s quick first leg to establish a lead.
KZN’s anchor Zakithi Nene, the 400m champ, nearly ran down Mphahlele with a stunning sub-45 split, but AGN clung on by a few meters at the line. The winning time was solid and just shy of the championship record (~3:05.2). (The race provided late excitement: there was a brief collision at the second exchange zone between Western Province and Free State, but neither team dropped the baton, and both finished 4th and 5th respectively. Officials reviewed the incident, but no disqualifications were made as each team stayed in their zone. The crowd gave Nene a standing ovation for his anchor leg, even though his KZN team came up just short.)
Women’s 4×400m Relay: Gauteng North’s dominance continued as their women’s 4×400 team won gold in 3:33.70. The AGN squad (featuring Miranda Coetzee and Marlie Viljoen) built a big lead; Coetzee opened with a swift 52-second leg. The silver went to Western Province in 3:37, and bronze to Central Gauteng in 3:39. AGN’s time was noteworthy – it’s the fastest at nationals in over a decade, boosted by having two sub-52 runners.
Coetzee, after her individual 400m win, gave her team a lead of nearly 20m on the first leg, and they never relinquished it. WP and CGA battled for the other medals, with WP’s quartet (anchored by Bertha Mashilo) pulling away for second. (There was a heartwarming moment when Caster Semenya made an appearance, running an unofficial exhibition leg for Limpopo’s team between official runners, drawing huge applause. In the actual race, all teams finished without incident. AGN’s victory underscored their depth and earned them crucial points toward the provincial team standings.)
Standout Records and Moments:
Junior Record: In the men’s 400m semifinals on April 25, 19-year-old Leendert Koekemoer shattered a 31-year-old South African junior record by running 45.03 s gijimaathleticsnews.com. The previous U20 record (45.15 by Riaan Dempers in 1994) had stood for decades, and Koekemoer’s feat drew major attention to the next generation of one-lap stars. He went on to finish 4th in a historic 400m final.
World Championship Qualifiers: Performances that achieved the qualifying standards for the 2025 World Championships included: Prudence Sekgodiso and Charné Swart in the 800mthetoprunner.co.za, Sinesipho Dambile, Naeem Jack, and Abduraghman Karriem in the 200m, Zakithi Nene in the 400m (already qualified with 44.22), and Miranda Coetzee in the 400m (51.82, inside the 51.90 standard). These athletes not only won national medals but also punched their tickets to the global stage.
Comebacks and Upsets: The meet was marked by compelling comebacks, e.g. Julia du Plessis returning to win high jump gold, and major upsets, most notably Maxime Chaumeton defeating Adriaan Wildschutt in the 5000m thetoprunner.co.za. Another emotional storyline was Sinesipho Dambile winning the 200m after coping with personal tragedy, illustrating the resilience and dedication of the athletes.
Provincial Team Triumph: Gauteng North topped the overall medal table, thanks in part to Prudence Sekgodiso’s double (800m & 1500m) and strong relay showings. Athletics Central North West had a proud moment too, with Jessica Groenewald (20km walk) and others delivering golds that helped ACNW to third in the team standings citizen.co.za.
The 2025 ASA Senior Championships final day in Potchefstroom will be remembered for its record-breaking feats, world-class times, and inspiring storylines. From Nene’s explosive 400m to Sekgodiso’s double gold and the slew of personal bests across events, South African athletics fans were treated to a thrilling conclusion full of “standout performances, comebacks, and major upsets”, truly delivering on the anticipation for this Olympic qualifying year.
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