South African sweep in African Games

Courtesy of Miguel Ferreira

Tiaan Kannemeyer led a South African clean sweep of the medals at the All Africa Games cycling road race over 160km at the Expo Centre south of Johannesburg on Sunday, beating national champion Malcolm Lange in a time of three hours, 50 minutes, 42 seconds.

Behind Kannemeyer, Olympian Lange won the silver in 3:53:28 and Jacques Fullard the bronze in 3:56:20, outsprinting David Dickenson of Zimbabwe on the line.

"This has to be the highlight of my career. I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," said 20-year-old Kannemeyer, who is preparing for the World Championships at Verona, Italy, next month.

"I managed to break away after halfway and after that I just focused on the gold medal. With about 50km to go, I was still with this Egyptian rider (Walid Abass), but we had a lead of four minutes. That's when I attacked him and I knew I would win."

Kannemeyer's gold medal on Sunday was his second at the Games, after his silver behind compatriot James Perry in the time trial on Friday. Lange's silver medal on Sunday and Fullard's bronze meant South Africa won the maximum five out of six medals on offer in the two cycling events (only two riders per country were permitted in the time trial).

Kannemeyer broke from the main bunch at 75km, taking Abass of Egypt with him. The two riders managed to build up a substantial lead between them on the 14km circuit, until the South African attacked after two-and-a-half laps.

Ian Martin, the South African team manager, said the plan had worked to perfection. "Initially it was up to James Perry and Nicholas White to work together to help either Tiaan, Malcolm or Jacques to get away.

"Once Tiaan had a one-minute lead, Malcolm got away with about 30km to go, after some hard attacking. Then it was up to Jacques to just hold on until the sprint," said Martin.

Fullard's third position denied Dickenson his second medal of the Games, the Zimbabwean having finished third behind Perry and Kannemeyer in the time trial. Dickenson was followed home by White in fifth place and Abass in sixth. Perry finished in 10th position.

 

7th All Africa Games, CC Johannesburg, South Africa, September 17, 1999

Men's ITT 40 kms 	
1. James Perry, RSA			49.28.419
2. Tiaan Kannemeyer, RSA		49.53.755
3. David Dickson, Zimbabwe		51.22.629
4. Amr Elnady, Egypt			52.01.975
5. Ephrem Tewelde, Eritrea		52.32.996
6. Mannie Heymans, Namibia		52.43.113
7. Mohamed Abdelfattah, Egypt		52.56.344
8. Hedson Mathieu, Seychelles		53.58.571
9. Scnay Tsegay, Eritrea		54.09.013
10. Gareth Barry, Zimbabwe		54.21.368
11. David Kinja, Kenya			54.42.770
12. Cyril Larue, Seychelles		54.43.458
13. Jacques Celliers, Namibia		54.57.873								
14. Steward Pharmasse, Mauritius	55.25.776								
15. Justiniano Araujo, Angola		58.16.280								
16. Georg Onaye Ocien, Kenya		58.17.620								
17. Jean Pierre Giuseppin, Zambia	58.28.608								
18. Woldekidan Geremew, Ethiopia	58.33.863								
19. Luis Carvalho, Angola		59.04.489								
20. Alpoin Julies, Zambia		59.09.709								
21. Nicolas Mercier, Mauritius		59.16.589								
22. Desta Bisetegn, Ethiopia		59.43.458								
23. Djim Joukadar, Senegal		01.07.683								
24. N'Gatta Coulibaly, Cote d'Ivoire	01.25.480								
25. Abdoulaye Thiam, Sengal		01.31.546								
26. Nourgo Bamba, Cote d'Ivoire		01.47.049								
27. Rabakie Quedraogo, Burkina Faso	01.01.33.536								
28. Matinukina Lumingu, Dem Rep Congo	01.01.53.423								
29. Jean Gahemba, Rwanda		01.02.40.164								
30. Selenge Kimoto, Dem Rep Congo	01.03.54.706								
31. Serge Bondosseng, Gabon		01.04.07.908								
32. Stanislas Nollet, Gabon		01.04.29.597								
33. Jean Mugabu, Rwanda			01.06.20.049								
34. Seydou Sanfo, Burkina Faso		01.08.03.175								
35. Bakari Chikambo, Tanzania		01.08.25.765								
36. Saidi Mohamed, Tanzania		01.09.40.072								
Francois Andjitanga, CARep.		DNS								
Alexis-Pascal Takosso, CARep.		DNS


Mens Road Race, 160 kms	
1. Tiaan Kannemeyer, RSA		03.50.42
2. Malcolm Lange, RSA   		03.53.28
3. Jacques Fullard, RSA			03.56.20
4. David Dickson, Zimbabwe		03.57.07
5. Nicholas White, RSA  		03.57.07
6. Mahmoud Abbas, Egypt			03.57.07
7. David Mehari, Eritrea		03.59.23
8. Gareth Barry, Zimbabwe		03.59.23
9. Senay Tsegay, Eritrea		03.59.23
10. James Perry, RSA			03.59.23
11. Ephrem Tewelde, Eritrea		03.59.23
12. Mehari Duri, Ethiopia		03.59.23
13. Woldekidan Geremew, Ethiopia	03.59.23
14. Jacques Celliers, Namibia		03.59.23
15. Maurice Waweru, Kenya		03.59.23
16. Mannie Heymans, Namibia		03.59.23
17. Mohamed Kholafy, Egypt		03.59.23
18. Desta Bisetegn, Ethiopia		03.59.37
19. Mehreteab Kibreab, Eritrea		04.01.01
20. Even Zekarias, Eritrea		04.01.23
21. Amr Elnady, Egypt			04.01.23
22. Hedson Mathieu, Seychelles		4.01.23
23. Liam Somers, Zimbabwe		04.04.26
24. Walid Abass, Egypt			04.04.26
25. Frank Bombosch, Namibia		04.04.26
26. Carlos Lagarelhos, Angola		04.08.49
27. Matinukina Lumingu, Dem Rep Congo	04.08.49
28. Manuel Manuel, Angola		04.08.49
29. Steward Pharmasse, Mauritius	04.10.45
30. Djim Joukadar, Senegal		04.12.02
31. Brendon Stirling, Zimbabwe		04.16.08
32. Luis Carvalho, Angola		04.17.43
33. Paul Minnaar, RSA			04.17.43
34. Kiros Berhe, Ethiopia		04.17.43
35. Zenabu Aynemeshet, Ethiopia		04.17.43
36. Louis Ohanya, Tanzania		04.19.30
37. Pierre Knoetze, Namibia		04.20.27
38. Gebar L'Introuvable, Mauritius	04.20.27
39. Christable Gresle, Seychelles	04.21.57
40. Andrew Boniface, Seychelles		04.21.57
41. Alpoin Julies, Zambia		04.23.10
42. Jean Pierre Giuseppin, Zambia	04.26.06
43. Boubacar Camara, Senegal		04.31.11
44. Emad El Masry, Senegal		04.31.25
45. Abdoulaye Thiam, Senegal		04.31.25