There were no records, but lots of excitement and drama at the Bank Windhoek Senior Athletics Track & Field Championships over the weekend.
In the men’s sprints Charley Matundu reigned supreme, winning gold in both 100m and 200m finals.
In the 100m he stormed to victory in an impressive time of 10.07 seconds, with Elton Hoeseb (10.22) just edging Silvano van Wyk (10.23) by a split second to take the silver medal.
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In the 200m Matundu once again beat the chasing pack to the line, winning gold in 20.57 seconds, while Hoeseb won silver in 20.77 and Elvis Gaseb bronze in 20.88.
Matundu received 1 180 international points for his 100m winning time, which was the best performance at the meet in terms of World Athletics’ international ranking points system.
The men’s 400m final was a humdinger, with Gaseb winning gold in 46.20, while Vetondouua Tjihumino came second in 46.49 and Tjimatjitjitua Kuhanga third in 47.08.
The 800m went down to the wire with David Dam (1:50.14) just beating Mathew Angula (1:50.16) with a late lunge to the line.
Asser Nalukaku won the men’s 1 500m in 3:48.42; Tomas Nikodemus won the men’s 5 000m in 15:27.62; and Andreas Dumeni won gold in the 10km race in 31:03.97.
Nicolis du Plessis won two gold medals in the men’s hurdles, winning the 110m final in 14.83 seconds and the 400m hurdles in 56.27.
In the men’s field events, Ryan Williams continued his good form of late with two gold medals in the discus and shot put category.
After winning the discus gold medal at the South African Championships last weekend with a throw of 55.62m, Williams improved on that distance with a throw of 56.43m, while he also won gold in the men’s shotput with 14.30m.
The men’s high jump was keenly contested with Hallelujah Kaulinge (2.05m) winning gold ahead of Karsten Diergaardt and Arno Bouwer, who both cleared 2.00m.
Onesmus Nekundi (6.79m) edged out Mathew Hawala (6.71m) in the men’s long jump, while Jasper Engelbrecht won the men’s javelin with a throw of 59.63m.
Jade Nangula reigned supreme in the women’s sprints, winning two gold medals.
She won the 100m final in 11.82 seconds, followed by Hanganeni Fikunawa (12.38) and Kim Mbaha (12.40), as well as the 200m final in 24.32, followed by Javarua Hakuria (25.30) and Napuumue Hengari (25.48).
Tuuliki Angala won two gold medals, finishing first in the 400m in 55.64, as well as the 800m in 2:14.10.
Maria Kanyanga also won two gold medals in the women’s long distance events after comfortably winning the 1 500m in 4:33.68 and the 5 000m in 17:26.44, while Frieda Marthin won the 10 000m in 38:53.29.
Lauren van Niekerk won the women’s 100m hurdles in 14.95, while Suzana Sambinga won the 400m hurdles in 1:10.03.
In the women’s field events, Marike Weitz won two gold medals in the discus (47.02m) and the shot put (14.81m), while Frieda Iithete won the long jump (5.72m), Alexandra Scheepers the high jump (1.78m), Ansune Smith the hammer throw (47.76m), and Marlene Coertzee the javelin (30.68m).