Curro Podium – a thunderous triumph

10 October 2023

‘Every single school’s athletics organiser and head we've spoken to came to us saying this is the most prestigious athletics meeting of the year,’ declared Pierre le Roux, the Executive Head at Curro Hazeldean. He has been reflecting on the recent resounding success of Curro's Podium Athletics North event which unfolded on Wednesday, 27 September 2023 at the Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane to cheers and roars of encouragement.

In a spectacular display of youthful athleticism, over 1 600 young talents from 52 schools across the north of South Africa converged, competing fiercely and showcasing their skills (despite the persistent heavy rain that eventually led to the cancellation of the official prize-giving ceremony). Curro CEO, Cobus Loubser, set the tone for the event during an inspiring opening ceremony; however, Pierre, with palpable pride, noted, ‘In the athletics world, Curro Podium has, in a very short space of time, made a name for itself.’

Curro Hazeldean not only played host but also demonstrated a formidable performance on the track. Pierre acknowledged the transformative impact of the event on their athletes, stating, ‘As for Hazeldean, I think Curro Podium really made a massive difference to our athletes. Originally we wanted to put us on the map, performance-wise, and now I am proud to say our athletes are taking us places!’

Athletes from the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool in Pretoria seized victory in both the boys' and girls' team competitions. Curro Hazeldean High School also made its mark, with the boys' team securing a commendable second place and showcasing an exceptional improvement from the girls' team compared to their previous performance in February.

The athletics community mirrored Pierre’s enthusiasm, as he recounted, ‘The overall feedback from schools was so overwhelming in February this year that we made the call to let this grow even bigger.’ The event did indeed grow, not only in size but also in stature and impact, with the Curro Podium Athletics North competition earning the stamp of approval from Athletics SA (ASA) and receiving the full backing of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN).

The athletes and their parents were welcomed with more than just open arms. They were welcomed with a red carpet, symbolising the prestige and importance of the event, as Pierre continues, ‘So there was a very different feel to this one.’

The event was a testament to the athletes' resilience and determination but also to the organisational prowess of the Curro team. Pierre attributed the success of the event to Manus Hendriks, stating, ‘I think the success of this event lies with him, who gets to organise everything behind the scenes.’

Looking forward, the next leg of the Curro Podium Athletics competition is set to take place in the south of the country at Dal Josaphat Stadium in Paarl, Western Cape on Saturday, 28 October 2023, followed by the grand national finale early in 2024. The momentum from the north is sure to cascade down to the south, as Curro continues to nurture and celebrate the emerging sporting talent in South Africa.

The complete list of winners is included below:

Team winners:

School	Competition	Position	ASA points
Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool	Best boys’ team	1st	19 842
Curro Hazeldean High School	Best boys’ team	2nd	19 665
Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Best boys’ team	3rd	19 465
Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool	Best girls’ team	1st	20 180
Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Best girls’ team	2nd	19 895
Hoërskool Noordheuwel	Best girls’ team	3rd	18 911
Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Best combined team	1st	39 360
Curro Hazeldean High School	Best combined team	2nd	37 681
Hoërskool Noordheuwel	Best combined team	3rd	36 493

 

Individual trophy winners:

 

Athlete	Competition	School	Place	ASA points
Chris Swanepoel	Best jnr boy field athlete	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Discus	1 000
Merlé Janse van Rensburg	Best jnr girl field athlete	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	Discus	911
Phenyo Miyen	Best jnr boy track athlete	Tuks Sports School	100 m hurdles	936
Megan Nieman	Best jnr girl track athlete	Die Hoërskool Menlopark	300 m hurdles	1 000
Hencu Lamberts	Best snr boy field athlete	Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool	Shotput	1 000
Mignon la Grange	Best jnr girl field athlete	Hoërskool Randburg	Shotput	945
Matodz Ndou	Best snr boy track athlete	Curro Hazeldean High School	400 m hurdles	1 000
Tumi Ramokgopa	Best snr girl track athlete	Prestige College	100 m hurdles	953