By GARY LEMKE in Swakopmund
When Taelyn Smith sailed over the bar at 2.16 metres, he let out a cry of “Y-E-S-S-S” and sprinted across to his father, Rudy, who was standing behind a high fence at the Ventura Stadium. When the 17-year-old cleared 2.20m at his third attempt, he bounced off the landing mat, slapped his chest and again raced over to where his father was standing.
The pair then high-fived from across the fence, although such was the momentum and adrenalin flowing that the younger Smith might well have cleared that 2m fence as well had he tried.
Such unbridled joy and youthful enthusiasm is what makes sport so fulfilling. Smith knew the significance of his 2.20m clearance. Not only did it secure him the gold medal on the final day of track and field action at the Region 5 Games, but it was the second highest mark recorded in the Under-18 high jump category in the world. And it was one centimetre off Breyton Poole’s Namibian all-comers record.
Smith had three unsuccessful attempts at 2.22m but came close with his final at of the Games. “My legs just nicked the bar. But this is my personal best and I’m so glad to be able to share it with my dad. He travels everywhere with me. I’m very excited for the future. I gave up rugby last year to concentrate on athletics,” said the Grade 11 athlete who wouldn’t look out of place in a provincial rugby side’s second row.
Smith’s gold was one of seven medals won by Team SA athletes on Thursday, which took their total for the three-day track and field programme to 30. Of those, 21 were gold, and including De Villiers Lamprecht’s 800m/1500m double. The Grey College learner had an anxious overnight wait to hear the outcome of an appeal against Gift Khumalo for interference in the latter stages of the 800m and finally the news came out that the Zimbabwean had been disqualified and Lamprecht and third-placed Andrew van Wyk had been promoted in the medals.
Khumalo pitched up at the javelin final and took the silver medal, with gold going to Hanro van den Berg with a distance of 53.88m.
It was in the field where Team SA was cleaning up. Johanna Lamprecht picked up her second gold of the week, in the shot put which meant that all 10 goals in the boys and girls javelin, discus, shot put, high jump and long jump were won by Team SA athletes.
There were also two golds won in the relays, with the girls taking out both the 4x100m and 4x400m, sparking more joyous scenes, while the boys secured the 4x100m silver.
The Team SA 4x400m girls clocked a time of 3min 51.14sec which meant that each athlete averaged a 57-something and the quartet included Anoxolo Mcetywa who had won the 3000m gold and finished fourth in the 1500m.
Davida Strong, the 400m gold medallist, brought Team SA home to whoops of joy and had put on a powerful last 200m to secure victory, just when it looked as though she’d have a fight on her hands. “I heard footsteps behind me with 200 metres to go, so I had to change gear!” she laughed afterwards as the girls celebrated in the modern way – selfies and smiles.
See our How They Fared service to see the results of all the finals.
Photo: ROGER SEDRES
