Disciplines
Cross Country
Cross Country is a long-distance (1km to 10km) running event. Unlike a marathon race, cross-country races are usually not run along roads. Runners compete on a path over open or rough terrain. This popular discipline is both an individual and team sport. Runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Because men and women of all ages can compete in cross country, this makes it an ideal sport for amateur athletes as a means of keeping fit and developing stamina.
Some of Athletics Free State cross country stars include:
Pule Hlabahlaba
Represented South Africa at the world cross-country championships in 2007.
Kgosi Tsosane
Represented South Africa in the Senior men’s race at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships at Myślęcinek Park in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Moorosi Boy Soke
Took first place in the men’s 8km race at SA Cross Country Champs 2022. Represented SA at the 2005,07,08,09,2011 world championship
Kesa Molotsane
Took first place in the senior women’s race at ASA Cross Country Championships 2021. Represented SA at the 2023 World Championships
Cross Country Rules, Regulations and Selection Criteria
Watch this space for the latest info shared by ASA.
Race Walking
Race walking is a technical competitive sport that requires meticulous precision from the athlete. This long-distance (10km – 50km) road event takes the form of what looks like a fast walk while maintaining continuous foot contact with the ground and keeping the supporting leg straight. A team of judges carefully examine each athlete’s technique and can disqualify an athlete should all the rules not be met. You can read more about the IAAF’s rules here
Some of Athletics Free State race walking stars include:
Mthembi Chauque
One of South Africa’s foremost international race walkers.
Monique Weitz
Placed 4th for girls U15 in the 5000m walk at the 2019 SASA Primary School Championships.
Percy Gcuze
Participated at the ASA senior championship 2023 for 20km walk and finished under the top 10.
Laura Sheppard
Won a silver medal for 5km walk at the ASA Youth Track & Field Championships in 2023
Race walking Rules, Regulations and Selection Criteria
Watch this space for the latest info shared by ASA.
Track & Field
Competitive activities around running, jumping and throwing all fall under the umbrella term Track and field. Disciplines within Track and field can be split into track events, field events and even combined events.
Track events comprise running on a track over specified distances. In the case of hurdling and steeplechase events, athletes also need to overcome obstacles. Relay races are also included in track events. Official world championship track events include Sprints (60 – 400m), Middle-distance (800m – 3 000m), Long-distance (5 000m -10 000m) Hurdles and relays.
Field events include jumping and throwing. In jumping events, athletes are judged on the length or height of their jumps. These jumps are unaided expect for the pole vault event which makes use of a long and flexible pole. Throwing events include launching or throwing an implement. Athletes are judged on the distance the object is thrown. Official world championship field events include the long jump, Triple jump, High jump, Pole vault, Shot put, Discus throw, Hammer throw, and Javelin throw.
Combined events involve one athlete competing in several different track and field events. These include Pentathlon, Heptathlon and Decathlon.
Some of the Athletics Free State Track & Field stars include:
Miné de Klerk
Won gold in shot put at both the 2021 and 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships. She also added a silver medal for discus throw in 2021 and a bronze in 2022
Lucky Moleyane
Won the 100m and 200m at the 2022 African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games, Malawi.
He was also part of the SA boy’s relay team that set a world record of 38.51 in the 4x100m during the U20 Championships in Kenya in 2021.
Yolandi Stander
Won gold for her discus throw at the South African Championships in April 2022.
Aron Alvarez Aranda
Won gold in the Men’s U20 Discus final at the ASA Championship 2022 with a distance of 57.38m.
Louzanne Coetzee
Broke the 5000 m (women) world record in her disability class at the World University Cross Country Championships in Switzerland in 2018.
She won the silver medal in the 1500m final in a new African record of 4:40.96 and the bronze medal in the T12 women’s marathon in a new T11 world record time of 3:11:13 at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics.
Wayde van Niekerk
Made his Olympic debut at Rio 2016 and broke the 400m world record (43.03 seconds). In 2017 he made a historic performance in Ostrava in the 100m, 200m and 300m. He became the first athlete to break the 10-second (100m), 20-second (200m), 31-second (300m) as well as the 44-second (400m) barriers.
Tshepang Makhethe
Won the silver medal for Hammer Throw at the 2015 African Junior Championships followed by the bronze medal at the 2016 African Championships.
Elizna Pretorius
Represented South Africa as a discus thrower at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008.
Gideon Trotter
Won a gold medal in the 100m at the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships in Gaborone, Botswana
Rynhardt van Rensburg
Represented South Africa in the 800m during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Chris Harmse
Broken the African record seven times, and holds the championship record for both the African Championships and All-Africa Games. He won bronze medals at the 1998 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Tebogo Mokgalakgadi
Won gold medals in the 100m and 200m, events in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece as a category T35 athlete.
He also won a bronze medal in the 100m at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he won a silver medal in the 100m – T35.
Thuso Mpuang
Represented South Africa in 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Johan Cronje
Represented South Africa at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He is the current South African record holder in the 1500 metres (3:31.93).
Track & Field Rules, Regulations and Selection Criteria
Watch this space for the latest info shared by ASA
Road Running
Road running caters for people with long-distance aspirations. Ranging from 5km to 42.2km marathon, road running caters to athletes of all ages. Whether you have great stamina or if you are looking to join a fitness community, Athletics Free State can assist.
Join any of our running clubs and become part of AFS Road Running.
Some of the Athletics Free State Road Running stars include:
Godfrey Ramokone
He completed the Port Elizabeth Half Marathon Championships with a personal best of 1:05,30.
Ezael Thlobo
Became South Africa’s first-ever African half marathon champion in 1997. He was also part of the SA marathon team who won bronze medals in the marathon World Cup team in Parin in 2003.
Enoch Skhosana
His personal bests include a 10km in Port Elizabeth with a time of 28.21 and a half marathon in Cape Town with a time of 1:04,06. He is also the current road running commission member ASA
Xolile Yawa
He is best known as the winner of the 1993 Berlin Marathon. He also represented South Africa at the 1996 Summer Olympics, in Atlanta, USA. At the 1992 African Championships in Athletics, he won Bronze at 10 000 metres.
Road Running Rules, Regulations and Selection Criteria
Watch this space for the latest info shared by ASA.
Trail Running
Trail running is rapidly growing in popularity and is governed by ASA. It is a type of endurance running on off-road terrain in various kinds of outdoor environments. Unlike cross-country running, trail running is not registered by the IAAF but is overseen by the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) and also stretches over longer distances (up to 80km for ultra races). According to ITRA, a maximum of 20% paved road is acceptable, with the majority of the run taking place in a natural environment. According to ASA’s rules and regulations of trail running, the route should include at least 10% of the distance on footpaths, mountain bike single track or undeveloped jeep tracks.
Trail running Rules, Regulations and Selection Criteria
Watch this space for the latest info shared by ASA