PAARL: School athletics reached unprecedented heights over the weekend with national champions delivering stellar performances at the Western Cape’s largest ever school athletics event.
The Curro Podium South meeting at Dal Josafat Athletics Stadium in Paarl marked a milestone with its first southern primary school athletics meeting.
They raised the bar even higher on Saturday with the high school edition confirmed as the largest scholastic athletics meeting ever held in the province, drawing over 1 400 of the country’s most promising young athletes, including several national champions, multiple African title holders, and record-breaking performers.
Primary School Success
The primary school edition gave budding athletes aged between 7 and 13 years old the opportunity to compete in various track and field events while competing for individual and team honours.
Durbanville Primary School, Gene Louw Primary School, and Courtrai Primary School achieved impressive results.
Outstanding individual achievements went to:
- Best Boy Field: Stefan Strydom – NAPSO
- Best Girl Field: Laliq Adams – Individual athlete
- Best Boy Track: Martus Schoeman – Durbanville Primary School
- Best Girl Track: Lisa Krige – Durbanville Primary School
Star Performances at High School Level
Jayden Fourie from Hoërskool Outeniqua came agonisingly close to rewriting the record books, jumping 7.62m in the u-17 long jump – falling just 2cm short of his personal best. The versatile athlete also impressed in the u-17 100m, clocking 10.53s in his heat.
“I’m coming for that 8-metre mark,” Fourie declared after his jump.
Michaela Spocter from Meridian Pinehurst came close to matching her personal best and Podium record of 1.81m. The u-17 high jump star and South African Championships silver medallist won the competition with a clearance of 1.75m.
Mila Ueckermann from Hoërskool Stellenbosch, the African champion, hurled 53.76m – eclipsing the 52.99m throw that earned her continental gold in Nigeria.
Miche van Staden from Curro Durbanville brought championship form to the track, fresh from claiming bronze in the 200m at the ASA Schools National Championships. The u-17 sprint star secured a double at Podium, clocking 12.51s in the 100m and 25.28s in the 200m.
Achievements
Team Awards:
- Best Boys’ Team: 1st Paarl Gimnasium | 2nd Hoërskool Outeniqua | 3rd Paarl Boys’ High School
- Best Girls’ Team: 1st Paarl Girls’ High School | 2nd La Rochelle Girls’ High School | 3rd Hoërskool Stellenbosch
- Best Combined Team: 1st Hoërskool Outeniqua | 2nd Paarl Gimnasium | 3rd Hoërskool Stellenbosch | 4th Hoërskool Durbanville | 5th Hoërskool Stellenberg
Individual Awards:
- Junior Track Athlete (Male): Jeno Jacobs, Paarl Boys’ High School, 931 ASA points
- Junior Track Athlete (Female): Liesa Kruger, Bethlehem Voortrekker Hoërskool, 952 ASA points
- Junior Field Athlete (Male): Ethan Bernado, Individual, 966 ASA points
- Junior Field Athlete (Female): Cara-Mia Nel, Paarl Gimnasium, 956 ASA points
- Senior Track Athlete (Male): Jayden Fourie, Hoërskool Outeniqua, 934 ASA points
- Senior Track Athlete (Female): Cubin Martinussen, La Rochelle Girls’ High School, 916 ASA points
- Senior Field Athlete (Male): Jayden Fourie, Hoërskool Outeniqua, 1000 ASA points
- Senior Field Athlete (Female): Mila Ueckermann, Hoërskool Stellenbosch, 1000 ASA points
Looking Ahead
The Curro Podium Athletics series has evolved into one of the largest high school athletics events in South Africa.
Cindy van der Merwe, portfolio manager for Curro Sport says they have created an environment where academics and sport push each other to greater heights. “Events like Curro Podium showcase this philosophy in action.”
“Every record broken, every personal best achieved, every young athlete pushing beyond their limits, this is why we do what we do. South Africa’s sporting future is bright, and it starts right here,” says van der Merwe. The Northern and Southern regional trials culminate in a Grand Finale scheduled for 13-14 February 2026 at Pilditch Stadium, Tshwane.
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