The inaugural Track+Field campaign started with a bang in Hartswater on Saturday, as Hoërskool Diamantveld emerged triumphant in both the boys and girls divisions at the first leg of the nationwide high schools athletics series.
Over 500 athletes from 30 schools participated in the Northern Cape leg of the series, and Hoërskool Diamantveld stood out as the best performing school in the region.
Competing on a cinder track in brutal conditions, with the temperatures soaring beyond 40 degrees, the athletes delivered in style, producing some impressive performances.
In the girls’ division, Diamantveld earned 447 points, finishing well clear of Concordia High School, who finished second in the final standings with 353 points.
Hoërskool Kalahari ended third with 303 points, also showcasing the talent of their learners.
Among the boys, Diamantveld earned 562 points, and they too finished well ahead of their opposition.
Curro Kathu ended second with 345 points, and host school Hoërskool Hartswater finished third with 269.5 points.
Diamantveld became the first school to book their place in the series final, with eight more events still to come, giving schools in every province an opportunity to battle it out for national honours.
Mathew Quinn, a former Olympian who is a co-founder of the Track+Field series, said the opening meet was a fantastic show of talent.
“What an incredible first leg of the Track+Field Series at Hartswater. We saw some of the best talent in the Northern Cape come out to compete for regional school honours.
“The conditions were tough, and it was an incredible effort by Diamantveld of Kimberley to come out tops in both the boys and girls events, and who have now become the first school to qualify for the national final, representing the Northern Cape region.”
The second leg of the Track+Field series – a joint venture between SuperSport, Athletics South Africa, and South African Schools Athletics – will be hosted by Hoërskool Ben Vorster in Limpopo on Tuesday, 18 February.
