Fredericks and Frank vie for double honours
IN the photograph are the usual suspects John September (SAAAB) and Owen Machelm (SASSSA) fighting it out in the men’s 5000m at the SA Board Track and Field Prestige meeting in Gelvindale, Port Elizabeth in 1990.
They did not always get the deserved press coverage as track athletes, but there was no denying that September, Machelm, Martin Saayman and Tobias Philander got deserved coverage when it came to cross country and road running races.
The cross country races were mainly held at Zeekoevlei in Cape Town. Road races were held in the community of Athlone, starting in Belgravia Road, Belgravia and the Caltex garage in Belgravia Road in Penlyn.
In the results box below will see the names of Derick Fredericks of SASSSA and Mark Frank of SAAAB.
They were involved in a titanic struggle in the 400m and 800m, with Fredericks, the junior men’s 400m record holder, winning the 400m in a time of 48,8 secs and the 800m in a time of 1 minute and 55 secs,3 on the slow cinder of the Gelvandale track.
Fredericks, an athlete of this distance and quality, went on to become a significant road runner!
When you go through the rest of the results you will see the names of sprint champion Odessa Krause (the mother of Wayde van Niekerk), Anita Witbooi (1500m), Valda Booysen (800m), Theo Desmore (800m and 1500m), Tobias Philander (steeplechase), Clint Cloete (men’s 400m), Daniel Orange and Graham Schaffers.
Schaffers, the younger brother of Battswood footballer Derek Schaffers, scored a notable win over Daniel Orange in the high jump with a height of 2,05m. Orange won the long jump.
SAAAB’s Bobang Phiri won the men’s 100m and 200m.
Dear Publisher, Your story about John Wippennar written by Clement du Plessis is very interesting and informative. l heard about Wippennaar from my older brother Vernon Brown. Vernie was at Spes Bona at the time Wippennar attended there. The story gave me insight into the challenges he had as he could not realise his dream of competing internationally. I believe he was very talented hence he could have achieved much more in athletics. My father also had to suffer the indignation of apartheid as a Coloured golfer. He played with the likes Papwa Sewgolum and Ismael Chowgli at the last South African Open at the Milnerton Golf Course in Cape Town. These golfers were not recognised for their talent and achievements. I would’ve loved to have seen Kenny Roman in action and Herman Gibbs. I had the privilege of seeing them on the baseball field; Kenny as a pitcher for Maitland Giants. Herman played for Dodgers. Maybe I can still meet John Wippenaar in Vancouver as I live in Toronto. Thanks for recording our history, Clement.