30 May 2014

South Africa rounded up the last round of the African Youth Games cycling events with victory in both junior men and junior ladies cross country mountain bikes.

In an intriguing Junior Women 20.8kilometres four laps race Frances Du Toit did an impressive 53 minutes 21 seconds while her partner Relebohile Pebane came just seven minutes to collect gold and silver respectively.

Botswana’s Bakang Madisa could only arrive an hour and ten minutes before Leandra Bowden arrived a minute after. Kenya was crowned runners-up after Joyce Omondi clocked 59 minutes and 45 seconds while her partner Watende Sharon could only manage three laps in an hour and two minutes.

In the Junior Men’s race Botswana’s Collen Mosarwa failed to complete the six laps that covered an area of 30km.

He came just one hour and 10 minutes falling too short of the eventual winner South African Alan Harthley who completed the entire 6 laps just under one hour seven minutes.

It was a tough race for the South African rider as he arrived just a split second before Namibian top seeded rider Tristan Delange crossed the line. Delange’s countrymen Brandon Plaatjes and Pascal Margraff also did exceptionally well coming in a period of a minute apart to clain the third and forth spot respectively.

Botswana also fielded James Masimo and Mmoloki Motlamba for the Junior men race but could not make the grade in the top ten spots. ENDS