Cillers Leads South African Race for Olympic 400H Selection

South Africa -along with Jamaica and of course the USA - is one of the few countries that have extremely close fought battles for selection for all three available places in the Men's 400m Hurdles at the major senior championships, despite the A standard for World and Olympic Championships having come down to 49.20 from 50.04 which was the requirement only as recently as the 1999 Seville World Championships.

This year looks to be no exception as Okert Cilliers improved his best by over half a second to set new figures of 48.02A, which only World champion Felix Sanchez exceeded last year, in winning at Pretoria. Behind Cillers 2001 World University Champion Alwyn Myburgh aslo ran strongly for 48.35, whilst in 3rd 18 year old Le Roux ran impresively with 49.45.

The South African lists always benfit from many quality competitions being held at altitude, but never the less, when you also consider that Olympic Bronze medallist Llewllyn Herbert the South African record holder with 47.81 and last years South African number 1 will also vie for Olympic selection along with Marnus Kritzinger 48.92 in 2003 and defending World Junior Champion Louis Van Zyl who has a best of 48.89, it must be recognised how tough the competition will be just to make the team for Athens.

Cilliers who was a semi finalist in last season's world championship in Paris, moves not only to second on the all time South African lists [in front of Myburgh's 48.09] but aslo to 7th on the all time Commonwealth list, though some way behind Samuel Matete's 47.10 African and Commonwealth Record.

24 February 2004