Johannesburg, Monday, 5 July 2010 – African junior pole vault record holder Cheyne Rahme has withdrawn from the SA team to compete at the 13th IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada from July 19-25 due to a niggling gracilis muscle injury to his right leg.
Rahme, a 19-year-old BCom accounting student at the University of Johannesburg, holds the continental African junior record at 5.50 metres and was expected to be one of the SA team’s top medal contenders for the Canadian trip.
“ASA wishes Rahme a speedy recovery knowing that many more international athletics opportunities await this talented athlete,” said ASA Administrator Ray Mali.The SA team will fly to Toronto on July 15, which will be followed by a 6-hour bus trip across Canada to Moncton.
At a special ASA interim board meeting in Johannesburg on Sunday, national senior selection convenor Kaai Preller and junior selection head Raymond Julius re-motivated the selection of athletes to the national junior team, following last week’s team announcement.
This followed concerns from the public about athletes named in the provisional squad in April, who were not a part of the final national team. Athletes considered for the final team produced qualifying performances during the window period in June. The window period was put in place by ASA following the failure of athletes to produce best performances and medals at world championships in recent years.
“On behalf of ASA, I wish the SA junior team the best of luck and trust that they will bring pride to our sports-loving nation,” said Mali.
For further information, please contact:
Richard Stander
ASA Assistant Administrator: Athletes Affairs
Cellular: 072 347 8964
Paul Martin
ASA Assistant Administrator: Communications
Cellular: 082 780 1744
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