South Africa's 10,000m and XC Champion Steven Mokoka and the Phalula twins are to spearhead the SA contingent to both the African Cross Country Championships in Cape Town on March 6 and the World Championships in Spain on March 20.
Mokoka comfortably won the SA title in September 2010 and was runner up behind Kgosi Tsosane at the SA trials held in Potchefstroom last month. The result was in fact a position reversal of the SA Championships.
Lebogang Phalula and Annerien van Schalkwyk had tight battles at both the Championships and the trials and will be the pick of the ladies team; in fact the ladies team will look to them to challenge in the team category.
Both Mokoka and the Phalula girls will be racing in the 1500m in the second Yellow Pages Meeting of the Series in Pretoria on Friday February 25.
'Sublime form'
Mokoka is in sublime form after winning the Best Med 10km (29:32) road race in Pretoria on Saturday morning on the February 19, then drove through to Potchefstroom to compete in the men's 3000m which he duly won - in a time of 7:55;92.
Only four times was the 8 minute mark beaten by a South African in 2010; all of those times were posted in Europe.
Mokoka did it in February in South Africa at altitude and he is fast becoming the man who will take over the mantle of South Africa's premier middle distance athlete over distances ranging from the 1500m to 10000m on the track.
With his 61:26 half marathon time and 2:08;33 Marathon time, Mokoka is a class athlete on any surface and he will be ignored at the rest of the continents peril come the Africa Cross Country Championships on 6 March in Cape Town.
Twin streak
The Phalula twins are also clearly in shape for the first ever Africa Cross Country event to be held in South Africa, particularly Lebogang.
The sisters competed in the European Cross Country season in December of last year and Janaury this year with Lebogang finishing runner up in Fuensalida, Spain behind Kenya's Eunice Jepkorir.
Her win at the trials showed she was the form athlete and the victory on Saturday February 19 in Potchefstroom at the Yellow Pages Meet over 3000m is good preparation for the Africa Cross Country Championships.
She and her sister, like Mokoka, will be racinfg the 1500m in Pretoria on Friday February 25 as final preparation for the Cross Country Championships.
The team
Senior Men:
- Kgosi Tsosane
- Steven Mokoka
- Lungiswa Mdedelwa
- Boy Soke
- Xolisa Tyali
- Tshamano Setone
Senior Women:
- Lebogana Phalula
- Annerien van Schalkwyk
- Lebo Phalula
- Mapaseka Makhanya
- Teboho Masehla
- Rene Kalmer
Junior Men:
- William Kaptain
- Merline Klaaste
- Jeromy Andreas
- Luyanda Qolo
- Luxolo Mdzanga
- Edwin Sesipi
Junior Women:
- Letitia Snyman
- Caroline Marandela
- Thato Makhafola
- Sylvia Tshetlanyane
- Thandeka Manzana
- Konzeni Gwegwe