Magakwe breaks ten second barrier

Magakwe breaks ten second barrier

April 12 2014 at 03:05pm
By Ockert de Villiers


Simon Magakwe became the first South African to break the sub-10-second barrier in the 100 metres.

Pretoria – Many have tried and failed – until Simon Magakwe became the first South African to break the sub-10-second barrier in the 100 metres at the SA Athletics Championships in Pretoria on Saturday.

Magakwe warned before the championships that history would be made in the Capital City and Friday's semi-final was a good indication that this would indeed happen.

The home-grown speedster claimed his sixth 100m title in style as he brought the crowd at the Tuks stadium to their feet when he stopped the track clock at 9.99 seconds.

By the time the official time of 9.98 seconds was announced, Magakwe was almost halfway around his victory lap while the appreciative crowd applauded the champion.

“From the start I was aggressive, I just wanted it so badly ...the last 30 metres I pushed so hard,” Magakwe said.

“What is exciting is my coach (Eugene Thipe) is from South Africa, and not from Jamaica. Everything we do, we do in South Africa.”

Not only did he break the magical barrier but he also smashed the old South African record of 10.06 seconds that he shared with Johan Rossouw.

That record had been part of South African sprinting since 1988

and has been the bane of many a athlete who tried and failed to break it.

It was also a special day for second-placed Akani Simbine, who also broke the national record in the process, in a time of 10.02

seconds. Emile Erasmus finished third in 10.23 seconds. – Sapa

That is absolutely great news. I remember the heyday of sa sprinters, Johan Rossouw and the dude with the high knee socks and Zakile Nzimande!!

SA does have a 100m olympic champ way back to the previous olympic to Chariots Of Fire. He was trained by the same guy who trained Abrahams in Chariots, an Italian/Arab Mussaminni I think.

(tu)

Not a South African but from Southern Africa,Namibia Frankie Fredericks was a favorite of mine who was quite a good sprinter. A bridesmaid with 4 Silver Medals at the Olympics. Michael Johnson being his nemesis in the 200m

naresh Wrote:

---

> Not a South African but from Southern
> Africa,Namibia Frankie Fredericks was a favorite
> of mine who was quite a good sprinter. A
> bridesmaid with 4 Silver Medals at the Olympics.
> Michael Johnson being his nemesis in the 200m

When Johnson smashed the Pietro Mennea's WR that had stood for a long time, Frankie Fredricks also went under the old record but Johnson had beaten the old mark by about 0,4s that nobody took notice nor gave Fredericks' achievement any thought...he also won silver in the 100m in that Olympics...

naresh Wrote:

---

> Not a South African but from Southern
> Africa,Namibia Frankie Fredericks was a favorite
> of mine who was quite a good sprinter. A
> bridesmaid with 4 Silver Medals at the Olympics.
> Michael Johnson being his nemesis in the 200m

Wessel Oosthuizen
Peter Ngobeni

Women's 100m (and 200m) record/s still standing for about 25 years now...Evette de Klerk...she would have run under 11 for 100m and under 22 for 200m if she had better opposition...that would have put her in world-class territory...

Magakwe's is a great achievement and he threatened it a few times (even tying once) and now breaking it...well done to him...X(

Sylvester Wrote:

---

> Wessel Oosthuizen
> Peter Ngobeni


Jannie Viljoen

JAMES BLOND Wrote:

>
> Jannie Viljoen


yes was a super young Talent. at one stage so close to the 200 world record of the time.

Sylvester Wrote:

---

> JAMES BLOND Wrote:
>
> >
> > Jannie Viljoen
>
>
> yes was a super young Talent. at one stage so
> close to the 200 world record of the time.

Just checked some stats...his 200m best was more than 1 sec slower than Pietro Mennea's world record...:S