Akani Simbine & Caster Semenya Named Among South African Team To Mauritius
The 22nd African Senior Athletics Championships (COCAAS22) will be held in Port-Louis, Mauritius, from 8 to 12 June 2022, and Athletics South Africa has named a huge 89-member squad to compete.
The 42-member men’s team is led by some of the country’s most experienced athletes, including defending African champions Akani Simbine (100m), Antonio Alkana (110m hurdles), and Victor Hogan (long jump) (Discus throw).
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Olympic shot throw finalist Kyle Blignaut, national 200m record holder Clarence Munyai, and SA 5000m record holder Elroy Gelant compete in the 10000m event to round out the national team.
Six athletes have also been included in a powerful 4x100m relay squad – Simbine, Munyai, Henricho Bruintjies, Emile Erasmus, Sinesipho Dambile and Benjamin Richardson – who will turn out in defence of their continental title.
The national women’s contingent of 47 athletes also features multiple medal contenders led by South African 100m record-holder Carina Horn and defending Shot put champion Ischke Senekal.
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Other athletes in the women’s team to watch include rising 800m star Prudence Sekgodiso and former world junior 400m hurdles champion Zeney van der Walt.
Three-time 800m world and Olympic champion, Caster Semenya, will also compete in Mauritius, after her selection for the women’s 5000m event.
The CAA African Senior Athletics Championships will be held for the first time since the 2018 edition in Asaba, Nigeria, after postponements and cancellations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
”This is our South African team going to Mauritius to compete and do battle against our sister countries,” announced James Moloi, the President of Athletics South Africa.
“The core of the team to the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, is expected to come from here.
“We congratulate all the athletes who have met the qualifying standards ad must now go and make the Rainbow Nation proud. Athletes, who have not made it here, are encouraged not to give up and keep pushing as the doors to Oregon remains open for another month.”
“We are all looking forward to the African Championships where the best of the continent will congregate to do battle to be the best in the continent,” he added.