The athletes from Langebaan Primary School participated in the Boland Primary Schools Athletics Championships at Dal Josaphat Stadium in Paarl on Saturday 22 February.
The best schools, from Vredendal on the West Coast to Worcester and Stellenbosch in the Boland, participated. Langebaan Primary’s athletes, once again, did not disappoint. Caydon Vraagom (boys u-10) in the 1 200 m started like a flash and narrowly missed out on the Boland title by finishing second in a time of 3:58.31.
Xavier Lewis (boys u-12) was in a class of his own by being crowned the Boland Primary Schools Champion in a new record time of 3:35.81. Angell Pholman (girls u-13) was at her best in the 800 m and 1 500 m. She was crowned the Boland Primary Schools Champion of both events in new records of 2:20.67 in the 800 m and 4:44.30 in the 1 500 m. Her times compare with the top three best times currently in South Africa. Joshwinn Cross (boys u-11), a keen athlete, had to dig deep in his three killer events with heats and finals. For his young age he acts like an experienced athlete and a great future is predicted for him. In his first year of “serious” athletics in 2024 Joshwinn was crowned South Africa’s second best in the 80 m, 100 m and long jump. He added a new event in 2025 namely the 70 mH and in only his first year of hurdles, he is also making headlines. Joshwinn was crowned the Boland Champion in the long jump with a new record of 5,05 m and the 100 m he finished in a time of 13.06. He won a silver medal in the 70 mH in a time of 11.73 (slower than his personal best of 11.18).
The coaches Christopher Rodgers and Dr Frans Venter, Langebaan Athletics Club, are very pleased with their athletes’ performances. According to Rodgers the club demands absolute discipline from their athletes and that they come to the training field with the right attitude to improve themselves. “Our motto is, there is no elevator to success you have to take the stairs, and always be the hardest worker in the room”
These athletes will represent Boland Primary Schools Athletics at the Western Cape Primary School Championships in Paarl on Saturday 8 March where the best athletes from Eden, Central Karoo, Western Province and Boland will compete.
Rodgers added that the coaches are also incredibly proud of Demeca Linnerd, Raquel Swarts and Damian Karolus. “It was their first time at such a big event and they finished in the top 10 athletes from Boland. They will come back stronger.”
