Curro Podium Athletics North - Curro Hazeldean

Curro Podium Athletics North. Photo: Matodzi Ndou stuns Pilditch crowd with a new SA Boys 17 110m hurdles record.

Matodzi Ndou’s star shone the brightest on the day when Curro Hazeldean announced themselves as a coming force in school athletics. Ndou was one of over 2 000 athletes representing 55 schools. The athletes descended on the Pilditch Athletics Stadium in Tshwane on Wednesday, 18 September 2024. They competed at the Curro Podium North Athletics Meet vying to be one of just 40 schools that will make the cut to take part in the Curro Grand Finale next February.

As Curro Hazeldean’s Olympic silver medalist Bayanda Walaza watched from the stands, the 17-year-old Curro Hazeldean Grade 11 learner also delivered a performance to remember. He defeated Tukssport High School’s Phenyo Myen to win the Boys U17 110m hurdles in 12.94. This was also a new South African record. Ndou’s time is the third fastest time ever run by a 17-year-old boy on planet Earth. This is also the world-leading time for 2024.

First U17 Boy to dip under thirteen seconds

“It feels great. It’s something that I’ve been planning, but I wasn’t really sure if I was going to run this fast. I’m still processing it all. It’s really amazing to run here with some of the best athletes,” said Ndou reflecting on a run that also saw him become South Africa’s very first U17 Boy to dip under thirteen seconds for the event.

For his superlative efforts, Ndou was also named best Senior Boys Track athlete of the meet for the second consecutive year. It is an accolade which was no doubt topped by the fact that his display also led the Curro Hazeldean Boys team to a maiden victory in the boys section after taking second place in 2023. While praising the efforts of the group, Curro Sport Portfolio Manager, Cindy Van der Merwe emphasised the broader role that Curro Podium meetings play in unearthing the next generation of Olympians.

Next Olympics in Los Angeles

“What we have in mind when it comes to Curro Podium is to give athletes the opportunity to be exposed to a next level event. We see the bigger picture. We are already looking for the future Bayanda in Matodzi. And it would make our hearts warm if, at the next Olympics in Los Angeles, we have four to six athletes representing South Africa that ran at our Podiums.”

Two of those #LA2028 Olympians will surely be Tukssport High School’s Selena Rocha who produced a scorching 11.69 in the Girls 17 100m and 23.92 in the Girls 17 200m to win the Best Senior Girls Track Athlete. Hencu Lamberts also had a good day. The Afrikaans Hoër Seuns thrower who represented the country at the recent World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru, also won the shotput in 18.40 and claimed second place in the discus (50.55) to finish the competition as the Best Senior Field Athlete. The overall competition was won by Die Hoërskool Menlopark who placed third in both the girls and boys section, earning enough points to defend their title. The complete list of winners is included below:

Team winners

Category	Position	School
Best Girls Team	1	Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool
	2	Noordheuwel Hoërskool
	3	Die Hoërskool Menlopark
Best Boys Team	1	Curro Hazeldean High School
	2	Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
	3	Die Hoërskool Menlopark
Best Team	1	Die Hoërskool Menlopark
	2	Curro Hazeldean High School
	3	Waterkloof Hoërskool

Individual trophy winners:

Award	Name	School	Discipline	ASA Points
Best Jnr Boy Field Athlete	Joshua Gerber	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Discus	1000
Best Jnr Girl Field Athlete	Daniella Fourie	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Discus	931
Best Jnr Boy Track Athlete	Emile Els	Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool	3000m	907
Best Jnr Girl Track Athlete	Megan Nieman	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	90m Hurdles	1000
Best Snr Boy Field Athlete	Hencu Lamberts	Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool	Shotput	958
Best Snr Girl Field Athlete	Christé Loedollf	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Discus	1000
Best Snr Boy Track Athlete	Matodzi Ndou	Curro Hazeldean High School	110m Hurdles	1000
Best Snr Girl Track Athlete	Selena Rocha	Tukssport High School	200m	989

The next leg of the Curro Podium Athletics competition will take place in the south of the country, at Dal Josaphat Stadium in Paarl, Western Cape. It takes place on Saturday, 19 October 2024, followed by the Grand Finale in February 2025.