Asaba 2018 AAC: South Africa Unveils Strong Squad, Targets Dominance

South Africa have named a strong 127-member national preparation squad for the 2018 CAA African Senior Championships scheduled to hold in Asaba, Nigeria, from August 1 to 5.

The announcement followed the country’s impressive performance at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, as Athletics South Africa set its sights on another dominant continental outing.

The squad includes several athletes who won medals at the Commonwealth Games, among them sprinters Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies, as well as long jump stars Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaai.

Middle-distance star Caster Semenya, hurdler Wenda Nel and javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen were also included in the squad.

South Africa will arrive in Asaba as defending continental champions after topping the medal table at the 2016 African Senior Championships in Durban.

They finished that competition with 33 medals, including 16 gold, while Kenya placed second with 24 medals, eight of them gold.

Nigeria finished the 2016 championships with 16 medals, including four gold.

The Asaba championships are also expected to serve as an important part of South Africa’s preparations for future major competitions, including the IAAF World Championships in Doha and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Nigeria, as host nation, is also expected to field a large contingent, while other leading African athletics nations including Kenya, Algeria and Senegal are preparing strong teams for the competition.

The 2018 African Senior Athletics Championships will take place at the Asaba Township Stadium from August 1 to 5, with some of the continent’s leading athletes competing for medals and qualification opportunities ahead of major international events.