Heavy-handed ASA

put brake on athletes

PRETORIA -- South African athletics finally had something good to shout about at Pretoria's Pilditch stadium on Saturday . . . well, almost.

For the record they beat a watered down Russian team in the Engen Test by 185 points to 155 with the President's team ending with 129 points.

The stars of the show were shot-putter Burger Lambrechts, 24, and pole-vaulter Riaan Botha, although the day was spoilt by the news that Athletics South Africa look likely to stop Lambrechts and five others from taking advantage of their form 'Down Under' at the end of the month.

According to Lambrechts, ASA have told world javelin champion Marius Corbett, world 400m hurdler Llewellyn Herbert, discus-throwers Fritz and Karel Potgieter and Hendrik Mokganyetsi that they cannot go to two big money meetings 'Down Under' because it coincides with the provincial championships starting on February 20.

"As of last night we were told we couldn't go," Lambrechts said. "I can't understand why it should be a problem. It's not like it's some big sponsor. It's just provincial champs.

"It also means I'm going to miss out on a lot of money."

ASA secretary Banele Sindani maintained no decision had yet been made.

"The provincial champs form part of the ASA rules for qualification for the Commonwealth Games," was all Sindani would say. "I don't want to talk about individual athletes, but those are the rules."

Sindani would do well to remember that Rene Kalmer, Patrick Koatsane and Shadrack Hoff were given special permission to miss the Southern Regional championships in Namibia on February 22 -- a world championship qualifier -- to compete in a cross-country event in Kenya on the same day.

The dilemma comes just a day after pole-vaulter Okkert Brits managed to overturn ASA's decision to ban him from competing in Europe with a court interdict in Johannesburg on Friday. ASA had attempted to prevent Brits from competing because he refused to return home for Saturday's Test.

Despite the off-the-field controversies, Lambrechts was still delighted with his winning distance and new personal best of 20.23m -- an huge improvement on his previous best of 19.97.

Lambrechts' distance easily surpassed ASA's qualifying standard of 19.50m, as did talented junior Janus Robberts, who threw an impressive 19.93 -- just 40cm short of the world junior record -- to finish second behind Lambrechts.

Botha was equally as impressive in the pole-vault, clearing 5.85m -- the best outdoor and indoor height in the world this year.

Corbett then made it a clean sweep for South Africa in the field events with a impressive early season throw of 80.50m.

On the track, Marius van Heerden surprised the pre-race favourites, Olympic silver medalist Hezekiel Sepeng and the in-form Mokganyetsi, to win the much-vaunted 800m race in a tactical time of 1:46.92.

There were also impressive wins from rising star Adriaan Botha in the men's 400m and world championships silver medalist Herbert in the 400m hurdles. Despite suffering from a sinus problem, Herbert won in 48.87 -- well under the Commonwealth standard of 49.30.