FIVE EVENTS TO WATCH: SA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The SA Senior Championships gets underway at Coetzenburg Stadium in Stellenbosch on Thursday.

We take a look at some of the expected highlights at the 2026 edition of the domestic track and field showpiece which concludes on Saturday.

A couple of elite stars will be missing from the line-up, including national record holder Akani Simbine (who will open his campaign later than usual this season) and rising star Bayanda Walaza (who is injured).

Even without them, however, the field is stacked, including the likes of defending champion Gift Leotlela, 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, as well as Bradley Nkoana, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Cheswill Johnson.

While Benjamin Richardson is in the process of switching allegiance to Ireland, he is still eligible to compete for his province, and he too will turn out in the short dash.

Title holder Zakithi Nene, who reached the World Championships final last year, will be absent from the one-lap event. Like Simbine, he is focusing on the international circuit this year.

As is the case in the 100m sprint, however, a great race is expected in the final, even without the country’s fastest man.

The title contenders include the likes of former world junior champions Lythe Pillay and Udeme Okon, as well as teenage sensation Leendert Koekemoer.

Ryan Mphahlele is not in the start lists while he reportedly recovers from injury, but there should still be a tight contest for the SA title.

National record holder Tshepo Tshite will turn out as the favourite for the gold medal, but he won’t have things all his own way.

In-form athlete Luan Munnik, who set a personal best of 3:34.66 at the Cape Milers meeting last week, will fancy his chances of putting up a fight.

National record holder Marione Fourie will be confident of securing the gold medal.

It will be interesting to see how the younger athletes do, however, with a handful of youth and junior stars lining up.

They include the likes of SA U20 record holder Tumi Ramokgopa, and in-form U18 athletes Megan Nieman and Megan Maree.

This will be an interesting contest, with some of the country’s most experienced jumpers looking to prove they can still dominate at domestic level.

Former Commonwealth Games medallist Jovan van Vuuren is the favourite, but former world champion Luvo Manyonga will be eager to reclaim the SA crown as he continues his comeback at elite level.

And Nikethemba Hani, who holds a personal best of 8.05 metres, will be hoping to upset the applecart.

Middle-distance runner Maxime Chaumeton (CGA), the SA 5km and 10km record holder on the road, will aim to retain his national 5 000m title on the track in the absence of US-based athlete Adriaan Wildschutt.

Among the women, former world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso (KZNA) will be tough to beat in the women’s 800m and 1 500m events, and Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis (Boland Athletics) is unlikely to be challenged in the javelin throw competition.
Versatile field events athlete Colette Uys (AGN) will be the favourite in the women’s shot put and discus throw disciplines.

* Featured image of Gift Leotlela by Nic Bothma/Matrix Images