On a day which included some impressive performances in the early stages of the schools athletics season, 400m runner Leendert Koekemoer stole the show by breaking the 46-second barrier at the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday.
After clocking 46.38 seconds to win the national U18 title in 2023, at the age of 15, Koekemoer struggled with injuries last year which derailed most of his 2024 season.
He bounced back, however, to win the youth boys one-lap race at the NWU Top 30 meeting in Potchefstroom in October, crossing the line in 46.71.
And the 17-year-old sprinter made it clear on Wednesday that he was back to his best as he stormed around the Pilditch track in 45.96 in his first race in the U20 division.
Representing Helpmekaar College, he became the 10th South African junior athlete to run under 46 seconds in the 400m sprint, climbing to eighth place in the all-time national rankings.
All-time rankings, SA U20 men (400m)
1 – 45.15 Riaan Dempers (Secunda, 6 May 1994)
2 – 45.28 Lythe Pillay (Cali, 4 August 2022)
3 – 45.32 Antonie Matthys Nortje (Nairobi, 21 August 2021)
4 – 45.41 Udeme Okon (Potchefstroom, 11 May 2024)
5 – 45.86 Sokwakhana Zazini (Paarl, 7 April 2018)
6 – 45.88 Ian Small-Smith (Bloemfontein, 24 February 1986)
7 – 45.95 Mandla Nkosi (Pretoria, 21 April 2001)
8 – 45.96 Leendert Koekemoer (Pretoria, 29 January 2025)
9 – 45.97 Richard Sharpe (Chile, 20 October 2000)
9 – 45.97 Berend Koekemoer (Potchefstroom, 10 May 2014)
* Feature imaged of Leendert Koekemoer by Cecilia van Bers
