Picture: A Grade 6 athlete, Rueben Smit (12) at Laerskool Vastrap Rustenburg
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Rustenburg-based athlete, Rueben Smit said he is happy that he continues to excel in his craft. This comes after Smit (12) broke both 75m and 150m hurdles records that have since been there in 2011 and 2019 during the SA Championships respectively.
A Grade 6 learner at Laerskool Vastrap Rustenburg took part in the South African Primary School Track and Field Championships held at Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal on 20 and 21 March 2023.
Rueben’s father, Pieter Smit said: “We are very grateful for Ruben’s achievements. Indeed, he made us and the school proud with his accomplishment.
“It is not easy to break the South African record in both hurdles as well as receiving the trophy for best boy’s track athlete at the National Championship 2023.”
He said, Reubies as Rueben is affectionately known, started running hurdles at the age of nine. Pieter further said, Reubies has dedicated his time to his passion, which is athletics
“Through hard work and commitment his dream of becoming SA champion in the sport he loves so much, was finally greatly rewarded,” said Pieter.
Smit together with Jubileus Krya and Dene van der Merwe received the Victor/Victrix Lodorum for Gender, Track/Field Trophies for their outstanding performance during the event. Van der Merwe took home two out of four prestigious awards dedicated to four athletes per National championship.
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said: “We are happy that North West was amongst the best-performing provinces. We have secured five gold, six silver, and fifteen bronze medals, which in total resulted in 26.
“We have sent 102 primary school athletes from across the province to participate in both track and field event season that includes short and long-distance races. This also includes javelin and high jump amongst others. The athletes are the cohort that obtained position one and two at the provincial competitions, which were held at McArthur Field and Track Athletics Stadium in Potchefstroom earlier this month.”
Motsumi added that, normally, the first quarter of the year in the education sector is marked as athletics season. She said the elimination process for the best-performing athletes who represented the province at the national level started at school, cluster, sub-district, district, provincial, and to national levels.
“So, on behalf of the department, I wish to congratulate the entire team for representing our province with excellence. We are extremely proud as the province for the 26 medals won at the national championships.
“As the department, our responsibility is to expose talent, which our learners have from an early stage. We do not only prepare them for academic life, but those who have a talent in sport get a chance to express themselves,” said Motsumi.
She also took time to appreciate the efforts of the teachers and school enrichment officials, who started with this process from the school level until the national level. Motsumi said without their guidance and leadership, learners would not know the potential they possess.
“I want to emphasize that the province is on the right track regarding sports because the plan is to keep everyone active in schools. We are further looking forward to the High School Athletics Championship to be held in Germiston from 3–5 April 2023,” she said.
The Guardian 