King Davids makes it a triple jump hat-trick, but this one was by just 1cm

Lleyton Davids pulled out the longest leap of his career to secure a 1cm victory in the triple jump at the national championships in Potchefstroom on Friday, holding off two New Zealand brothers whose dad once held the SA record in this event.

In a tight competition where the top three were separated by just 7cm, Boland-based Davids, 21, floated to 16.92m on his first attempt to secure his third consecutive crown, a nose ahead of North West University student Welrè Olivier, 20, on 16.91.

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Olivier, in the colours of Vaal Triangle but who competed for the Kiwis at the world junior championships last year, ended third on 16.85.

Welrè, who was born in SA before moving with his family to New Zealand before he was a year old, broke the underwhelming 16.22m Kiwi record that had stood for 45 years when he went 16.48, also in Potchefstroom in February.

The two brothers, who grew up in Vereeniging after moving back to be closer to an ailing grandparent, plan to continue competing for New Zealand.

Their father Wikus set the 16.89 SA record in 1994, which stood for a decade until Khotso Mokoena broke it and then improved it to its current 17.35m in 2014.

All three jumpers on Friday were denied personal-best status because of strong wind assistance that brought a loud afternoon thunderstorm to the McArthur stadium that ended the day’s proceedings prematurely.

The only other medal event to be decided on the day was the decathlon, won by Fredriech Pretorius on 7,483 points to reclaim the title he last won in 2019. 

Earlier, the men’s 200m, supposed to be one of the highlights of the meet, suffered three major casualties.

Defending champion Sinesipho Dambile won his heat in the morning but scratched from the semifinals while Luxolo Adams crashed out of his semifinal, pulling up midway.

SA record-holder Clarence Munyai didn’t even line up because of injury. The final is scheduled for Saturday.

Prudence Sekgodiso cantered to victory in her women’s 800m heat in 2min 07.92sec to see off Charne Swart in 2:08.32.

Miranda Coetzee will attempt a rare 200m-400m double on Saturday, a feat achieved by only three local athletes this millennium, Justine Palframan, Heide Seyerling-Quinn and Marcus le Grange. 

The segment of programme held over from Friday will be completed on Saturday, although a final schedule of events has yet to be announced.