'We want them to enjoy themselves' - Talent in abundance at ASA Sub-Youth Championships

Rarely would you see a photo of a middle distance podium at an Athletics South Africa Championships event without Athletics Gauteng North (AGN), Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA), Kwa-Zulu Natal Athletics (KZNA) or Western Province Athletics (WPA) represented. But such is the abundance of primary school athletic talent that even though CGA dominated this weekend's ASA Sub-Youth Championships in Bloemfontein with 26 gold medals to 9 a piece from AGN and Athletics Free State, there were more than a few events where some or even all of the so-called big provinces were absent from the podium.

The Boys 11 1200m is one such example. Jonathan Matthew of the Athletics Free State won the gold medal in 3:39.11, with Athletics Vaal Triangle's Franna van der Westhuizen finishing in a close second (3:39.36), as Kaywen Human rounded out the podium (3:41.12) in the maroon of Athletics Mpumalanga.

"I'm very happy. I enjoyed it so much. I waited a long time for this race because I’ve been working towards this for two or three years. That's why. Love running. Even though the training is tough, I love the results like the medals that you get after putting in the hard work," said the 11-year-old from Truida Kessel Primary School in Bethlehem.

Matthew, van der Westhuizen and Human's results demonstrate a fundamental fact about athletics in the country; that talent is present across the country. It is only the resources available in Gauteng, KZN and the Western Cape that is responsible for the exodus of promising athletes in search of better opportunities in the high schools and universities situated in SA's big metropolitan areas.

ASA High Performance Manager Hezekiel Sepeng agrees. The Olympic silver medalist launch the World Athletics sponsored Kids Athletics programme at the Mangauang Athletics Stadium after the opening ceremony took place on Friday 6 December. Boasting 13 million participants worldwide drawn from 100 member federations, the initiative is all about making athletics more accessible to youngsters around the globe. Sepeng says with it's long-standing and well-developed school athletics programme, South Africa is in a good position to adopt the programme. All that must be done is to impact more children, especially in the rural and peri-urban areas.

"The main thing is for kids to enjoy it. You can do it anywhere, not necessarily on the track. It can be in the park, with the emphasis being on kids having fun. In other countries events like this (ASA Sub-Youth Champs) will form part of Kids Athletics. Coaching clinics will also fall under Kids Athletics. It doesn't need a track. So the goal is to go out to rural areas where we don’t have to worry that there is no track. All you need is equipment and that equipment simulates what happens in a more formal competition. The kids feel like they are playing, yet we are activating them for the future. It’s for everyone."

ASA President James Moloi agrees with the ethos of the Kids' Athletics programming saying that it aligns with what ASA is already doing. "We saw little kids who were focussed, who understood takeoff, lane discipline, hurdles, the throws and jumps. It's amazing how these kids at this very age are so competitive and how they show understanding of the spirit of athletics. We want them to make friends and enjoy themselves while performing in front of spectators."