A fantastic effort during the last quarter of the match in the 5-2 win over India on Wednesday ensured that Marsha Maresicia’s girls are through to the final of the Olympic Qualifier Tournament, which takes place at 4.30pm (SA time) in New Delhi, India on Saturday.

A superb Dirkie Chamberlain hat-trick and an impressive brace from fellow striker Sulette Damons was enough to douse the fire of a spirited India who had fought their way back to 2-2 midway through the second after trailing 2-1 at half-time.

The SA team’s talismanic striker, world record goalscorer Pietie Coetzee, did not play for the second match in a row. Coetzee (232 goals in 236 Test matches) is recovering from a viral infection that condemned her to bed-rest Monday morning.

“This one will go in the memory bank,” said Chamberlain. “We love having Pietie with us but as strikers it is the job of all of us to score goals. We have looked at our mistakes on video from previous games, have learnt from them and are now out to get goals.”

“I have been struggling to get goals and have been trying to force it but finally today I found the breakthrough and am so happy to be on the scoresheet. We miss Pietie as she is an inspiration but when she is not there it is up to us youngsters to stand up and be counted,” said an elated Damons.

“We are now one game away from qualifying for the Olympic Games and the team is in good spirits after scoring five beautiful goals,” said South Africa’s Dutch trainer Phil Estourgie.

“We haven’t thought about the Canada game yet but will look at it with the final on Saturday in mind.”

Wednesday’s 5-2 win over India means SA are on 10 points with Italy on eight and India seven.

In the last round of league competition, India and Italy meet at 2.30pm (SA time) Friday.

A draw will take Italy to the final against SA, but India must win to reach the final and knock Italy out of the reckoning at the same time.

SA, already on 10 points, meet Canada 10.30 am (SA time) Friday (live on SuperSport 6) and the result will have no bearing on the girls in green and gold taking their place in the gold medal match, the outcome of which will ensure the victor a berth at the London 2012 Olympic Games in July/August.

In the 13th minute Kate Woods’s third penalty corner attempt was a powerful straight shot at goalkeeper Yogita Bali and striker Chamberlain finished off the rebound for the opening goal (1-0).

India equalised in the 23rd minute from their third penalty, which was struck home by captain Asunta Lakra (1-1).
Tarryn Bright, last year’s SA Player of the Year, was in outstanding form as the attacking midfielder but it was captain Marsha Marescia’s pass to the incisive Shelley Russell that set up the second goal just three minutes from half-time when the superb Chamberlain knocked the rebound into the net (2-1).

Turning around 2-1 to the good, SA were hit by a series of Indian attacks and penalty corners including a cracking Rani Rampal shot from field play that cannoned into the post.

The pressure eventually had to tell and midway through the second half India equalised from their sixth penalty corner of the match when Lakra’s shot was eventually shovelled over the goalline by Soundarya Yendala (2-2).

At 2-2 and with 17 minutes left the tide was with India but the girls in green and gold went into overdrive and equalised from the re-start when Bernadette Coston cut in from the left for striker Damons to round off and put head coach Giles Bonnet’s team back in front (3-2).

The goal galvanised the South Africans and five minutes later a quick, accurate Nicolene Terblanche free-hit was met with the perfect deflection high into the net by hat-trick hero Chamberlain (4-2).

Not to be outdone, Chamberlain’s strike partnerDamons then netted her second goal after yet another superb assist from the hugely influential Kathleen Taylor (5-2).

Fourth in the 200-metre final at the Junior world track and field championships in Moncton, Canada two years ago with a personal best time of 21.02 at the time, the Free State sprinter  won the senior 200m title at last year’s national championships in Durban.

He set a new personal best of 20.57 during that race, a time which saw him ranked second junior in the world last year.

“It’s my hamstring again,” Van Niekerk told Road to London 2012 on Wednesday. “I felt it again at training on Tuesday. The physio says I must take two weeks off and we’ll work forward from there.

“I was feeling good but I guess that’s life.”

Van Niekerk, still 19 years old, said he had been planning to race at all of the Yellow Pages series but now has to rethink his planning.”I had actually planned on running Olympic A qualifying standards during the next two weeks and then work towards Olympics.

“It’s the same hamstring that started cramping at the relay during seniors last year, then again at African champs and now yesterday but its in a slightly different area,” said the Grey College product, now studying at Free State University.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will spend over 24 hours on aeroplanes and at airports when they make their way from their training camp near Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, to Cyprus on Thursday, 23 February. The Cyprus Women’s Cup tournament starts on February 28.

“I remember how we all cried when we failed to make the final of the African Women Championship 2010 in Gauteng which meant we didn’t go to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany,” said Mndaweni, who received a bronze medal for Banyana Banyana’s effort at the African showpiece tournament.

“I remember equally as well, the smiles and excitement of our players when we held Ethiopia 1-1 away last September, to win the two-legged fixture 4-1 on aggregate to book our place at the Olympics. We have travelled a long road and we are very grateful to all those who were there with us every step of the way – our supporters, families, SAFA and sponsors Sasol – everyone played a huge role in their own special way to make sure we qualify.”

Capped 50 times for her country, Mndaweni has played a pivotal role in the Olympic dream. She saved a penalty and converted her spot kick in a tense penalty shoot-out which allowed the South Africans to see off Tunisia in an Olympic Qualifier in Tunis last year.

“My confidence has grown in leaps and bounds since the disappointment of the AWC 2010 tournament and SAFA has done well to keep the same group of girls together in order to build a successful team,” said Mndaweni, who hails from Vosloorus on the Gauteng East Rand.

At club level, the 30-year-old goalkeeper plays for Sasol League (Gauteng) side, University of Johannesburg, along with Banyana Banyana team-mates, national team captain Amanda ‘Toki’ Dlamini, Noko ‘Beep Beep’ Matlou and Zanele ‘Momo’ Sukazi.

“It’s a confidence game. I have full confidence in defenders like Janine ‘Booth’ van Wyk and Amanda ‘Amy’ Sister and they have full confidence in me too. I believe the hard work that has been put in by the players and technical staff during the three-week camp in Stellenbosch in January and the current three-match tour of Brazil, will be valuable when we compete in Cyprus,” said the goalkeeper, known as ‘TK’ by her team-mates.

In Brazil, Mndaweni has been hard at work in training under the watchful eye of goalkeeper coach, former Bloemfontein Celtic No 1 and also Bafana Bafana goal minder Simon Gopane.

She is working alongside fellow Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Roxanne Barker, who is based at the Pepperdine University, USA.

“If Banyana Banyana can do well in Cyprus, it will be a major boost for our girls as many of the teams participating there will also be in action at the Olympics in July,” said Mndaweni.

At the Cyprus tournament, Banyana Banyana will open their campaign against South Korea (28 February), New Zealand (1 March) and Northern Ireland (4 March).

One of South Africa’s rising road stars, All Africa Games time-trial champion Reinardt Janse van Rensburg already has two titles under his belt two months into 2012.

The Pretoria youngster, who rides for the MTN-Qhubeka outfit, had a breakthrough 2011 with a stage win in the Herald Sun Tour in Australia. He went on to end fourth on the General Classification (GC) and then placed second on the GC in the Tour of Hainan in China.

So far this year he’s won the Emperor’s Palace Classic and Berge en Dale events, both in the Gauteng area.

His Emperors Palace came despite him crashing to the tar with less than seven kilometres to ride while his most recent win was the Berge en Dale last weekend. “It was nice racing on Saturday for a change, it frees up the weekend a bit which gives us bit of time to socialise on Saturdays,” said Janse van Rensburg.

Raced over 100km, the event saw no one group of racers gaining any real advantage and with an uphill drag to the finish and a bunch sprint inevitable, Janse van Rensburg fancied his chances. “The attacks continued all the way, but no other move was able to get any advantage. Through the cradle the pace increased once again and on each hill the bunch would split and regroup as more and more guys were eliminated, but once again no-one could gain any real advantage and a bunch sprint was inevitable. To my surprise the bunch was still rather large (around 40-50 riders) as we approached the final drag up to the finish.

“The slight uphill claimed a lot of riders as the bunch completely disintegrated. My team did an excellent in controlling the attacks and Dennis van Niekerk did a good job as final lead-out man. The final was like a pure drag race as Herman Fouche (Bonitas) and I were neck and neck, but I managed to pip him in the final few metres.”

The victory also brought fond memories for Janse van Rensburg. “Berge en Dale was my first race win as an elite, when I beat Daryll Impey to the line, riding for Barloworld in those days. It brought nice memories back to win it again.”

“My form is good right now” Janse van Rensburg told Road to London 2012 this week, “and yeah I am riding much stronger compared to the same time last year. I think the international results have given me a lot of depth and confidence.

Some of his MTN-Qhubeka team-mates are in faraway Malaysia, settling in ahead of the Tour of Langkawi but Janse van Rensburg is staying local for the moment.

“I’m going to national road championships [Nelspruit, Mpumalanga] from 1-4 March. Its quite important to me and I have a good chance in both the time trial and road race.”

London based Sanders is bidding for a spot on Team South Africa at the Olympic Games in London later this year and headed back to Africa to race last Sunday’s event at Blouberg, near Cape Town.

She ended up placing ninth, covering the 750 metre swim, 20km bike and 5km cycle in 62min 58sec, 1:37 behind winner Carlyn Fischer.

After having a great time training over the festive season, Sanders was planning to get the pre-season race under her belt as a manner of “waking up” her body to racing again.

But things were a bit rusty, despite having a fine swim and run leg.

Explained Sanders this week: “I had a great swim, was out the water fifth (with Carlyn and the Belgian girl Katrien Verstuyft) but then things went a bit downhill…..my wetsuit got stuck in transition around my one foot… I’m the only one to blame for that, lack of transition practice at this time of the year. So I missed the front pack of the bike (which Carlyn and the Belgian got on) and it was catch up from there onwards.

“I still had the fastest run split so there are positives to take away are that – my form is good and had it not been for that blasted transition…”

Sanders is not being overly hard on herself though and is looking at the broader picture. “Rather mess up in a small sprint race like that than a World Cup or something. I was feeling a bit bummed about the whole thing but am over it now, onwards and upwards, it wasn’t an Olympic points race so no point getting worked up.’

Next up for Sanders will be a pre-season race, the SA Champs/African Cup in Port Elizabeth. “Then my season kicks off proper with the first Olympic points race in Mauritius on 31 March.”

The men’s 1500-metre should be one of the highlights of the meeting. Steven Mokoka (GN), Tshamano Setone (CGA), Dean Brummer (ACNW) and Folavio Sehole (AMPU) look the favourites in this line up which also includes Rynhardt van Rensburg (FS), Marco Bucarizza (CGA) Abenigo Mashaba (AMPU) and William Mothosola (FS).

The two Free Staters could find the going a bit tough after being scheduled to race the 800m just two and a half hours before the 1500m. The rest of the field will be on fresh legs.

Mokoka’s best of 3:38:55 would earn him 1126 points on the IAAF point-scoring table, but the Gauteng North athlete has been clocking a lot of mileage lately in his preparations for the London Olympics where he has qualified for the marathon and he may not have sheer leg speed at this stage of the season.

Setone has a best of 3:38.29, run in 2009 and has raced sparingly over the 1500m, his focus being more on the 5000m. He is however a strong 1500m/mile athlete, testament to that being his unbeaten streak in the mile in the 2010 Yellow Pages Summer Series where he won in PE, Oudtshoorn (also the street mile) and in Stellenbosch.

Dean Brummer is fresh from his fifth place finish at the SA Cross Country trials in Potchefstroom last Saturday and boasts a best of 3:45.77, which he ran in Bellville in 2011.

The son of the famous Deon Brummer (a multiple sub four-minute miler in his day), Dean has shown his ability to be a fighter and will make the going tough on the day. Sehole boasts a best of 3:45.10 and his provincial teammate, Abenigo Mashaba’s best of 3:45.5 means that the two running together could pick up a number of points for their province, having the advantage of being two athletes in the race.

Amongst the entries in the men’s 800m are SA junior champion Van Rensburg (FS), front runner Tlou Seloba (CGA), Molefe Molefe (CGA) and Pieter van der Westhuizen (CGA) who, surprisingly, is not competing in the 1500m. Van Rensburg’s best of 1:48.87 run in Durban last year is worth 1061 points on the IAAF points table.

The 19-year-old recently competed in the Yellow Pages Summer Series where he clocked a personal best of 1:19.40 for the 600m in Parow. Van Rensburg’s team mate William Mothosola whose PB of 1:47 is worth 1113 points, should help him in the race to accumulate as many points as possible for Free State.

Central Gauteng will feel confident of maximizing points as they field Van der Westhuizen, Molefe and Thapelo Madiba. Van der Westhuizen is better known as a 1500m runner with a best of 3:35.33 run in New York in 2009 and the highest expectations will lie on the shoulders of Tlou Seloba who has become well known for his aggressive running style, taking the race to the field and then challenging them to hang on.

Seloba’s best is a 1:47;65 run in Durban in 2011. But the 26-year-old is confident he will open the season with a 1:46, which could see him earn around 1114 points for his province.

In the women’s middle-distance events, Central Gauteng’s Mapaseka Makhanya should line up as the favourite in the 800m. Makhanya is looking for a time of around 2min 03sec or 2:04 which would earn the province between 1083 and 1100 points. Makhanya has focused her season on qualifying for the Olympic Games and is unlikely to be troubled by the rest of the field, who average around 2:12.

Then in the 1500m, we’re likely to see a much closer affair although CGA will once again be fielding the strongest team.

Christine Kalmer, Nolene Conrad and Maxine Heine-Wacker come into the field with an average time of 4:32. Kalmer, younger sister of road ace and Olympic marathon qualifier Rene, has an entry time of 4:31.1. Conrad’s is 4:32.2 and Heine-Wacker 4:33.

It is by no means an open and shut race though as Gauteng North have entered Violet Raseboya who boasts a best of 4:16.12, which she ran in Durban in April in 2011.

Late on Tuesday night there was uncertainty whether superstar striker Coetzee would be available for the Investec national side in their 2.30pm (SA time) clash.

The match will be televised live on SuperSport (SS6) as will Marsha Marescia’s girls’ games against Canada on Friday and, hopefully, the final on Saturday.

SA head coach Giles Bonnet said Coetzee was suffering from a viral infection and expressed doubt whether Coetzee would play. SA dominated against Italy but were held to a 1-1 draw Tuesday and clearly missed Coetzee’s presence.

The Italian result came after South Africa had outplayed Poland and Ukraine, winning 2-1 and 2-0 respectively. Coetzee scored in both those games, including a remarkable goal against Ukraine which the Johannesburg-based sharpshooter described as one she has been dreaming about since she was 11 years old.

With two matches left for each team in the league phase, India and SA are on seven points. Italy have five points and Ukraine four points. The other teams, Poland and Canada, are out of contention.

Italy and Ukraine are still serious contenders for a berth in the last-chance final. The top two teams after Friday’s remaining league round meet in Saturday’s final (4.30pm SA time), the winner of which earns one of the last remaining berths in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Wednesday’s SA versus India match is vital for both teams. Italy play Ukraine at 6.30am (SA time) in a match that is of also massive importance to both teams as well as being of huge significance to India and SA.

On Friday, SA should beat Canada in their final pool while India have a tougher match against Italy and Ukraine should beat Poland.

So it’s very difficult to predict who will make the final at this stage. A awful amount depends on Wednesday’s SA versus India match and Ukraine’s clash with Italy.

Jon Cook writes that SA left out ace penalty corner drag-flicker Coetzee as a precaution, the superstar striker endeavouring to get over a cold.

As early as the fourth minute, the tournament’s leading goalscorer, Alessia Padalino scored from the first penalty corner to take her tally to five after three matches. But five minutes into the second half, Lauren Penny, Tarryn Bright and Kathleen Taylor combined in a slick move in the attacking third for Penny to net a well-deserved equaliser with a slap-shot from inside the six-yard box that bulged the net (1-1).

SA dominated the 70 minutes and earned 12 penalty corners to Italy’s eight, Kate Woods hitting the post once. Woods also “scored” twice but her PC strikes were too high from the first shot.

In the second quarter, SA peppered the Italian goal with shots at goal but somehow the Europeans weathered the storm.

Immediately after half-time Penny won SA’s seventh PC and goalkeeper Roberta Lilliu, deservedly Player of the Match for keeping Italy in the game, made another fine save. Then Penny and Dirkie Chamberlain combined for a great chance but again the determined Italians survived.

On the markedly fewer occasions that Italy did threaten, Lenise Marais and captain Marsha Marescia made some crucial interventions in defence. Aldana Lovagnini had a good chance on the edge of the strike zone after Penny’s goal but struck wide of the far post. A fifth Italy PC came and went before SA twice came agonisingly close in the six-yard box with 15 minutes left.

Umpire Chieko Soma of Japan awarded SA’s eighth, ninth and 10th PCs in quick succession but goalkeeper Lilliu was in top form. Jade Mayne and Chamberlain’s shots were somehow repelled by the desperate Italian defence. SA won their 11th PC and Woods nailed it past the keeper but the shot cannoned off the post. A 12th PC followed but Mayne and Kim Hubach’s shots – against all odds – were unable to cross the goalline.

With 30 seconds left the most unlikely of victories became a possibility as Padalino won the Italians’ sixth PC, and the final hooter had sounded when the seventh and eighth hotly disputed penalty corners came the Europeans’ way. But SA keeper Mariette Rix was up to the challenge with a couple of excellent saves under huge pressure.

Ranked 12th in the world, South Africa now have seven points from three matches while Italy are on five. Ukraine, who beat Canada 5-1 in the earlier game, are on four points and Canada on one point. India (four points from two matches) tackle Poland (zero points) in Tuesday’s late game.

On Wednesday, South Africa face their biggest rivals, world No13 India in a match that both sides need to win.

After Thursday’s rest day, SA conclude the league phase on Friday when they tackle Canada. The two leading teams will then face-off  in Saturday’s final (2.30pm SA time) with the solitary and all important place at the London 2012 Olympic Games at stake.

The objective behind the Interprovincial is not only individual glory, but athletes are also chasing a prize of R100 000 awarded to the winning province at the end of the two meetings (the final being in Bellville, Cape Town on 3 March. Athletes are awarded points per performance based on the IAAF points tables.

Eastern Province, Western Province, Free State, Boland and Gauteng North are the five provinces expecting to cash in on points in the sprint events.

Here’s a look at what to expect in the sprint events.

MEN
Eastern Province will be relying on the likes of Leigh Julius, Sergio Mullins and Paul Gorries to bring home points. The WP team of Roscoe Engel and Brent Stevens is a formidable one, whilst Free State have four top sprinters in Wayde van Niekerk, Kagiso Kumbane, Gideon Trotter and Thuso Mpuang. Boland will be looking to Shaun de Jager and Sibusiso Sishi to grab points in the longer sprints, the 200m and 400m.

100m
Julius’ strength is the 100m, but he will face stiff competition from Brent Stevens (who beat Julius three times from three races in the Yellow Pages Summer Series in December) and Roscoe Engel who was dominant in the 150m and 300m at the Yellow Pages Summer Series meeting in Parow on 17 December. The Free State’s trio of Thuso Mpuang (fastest time in SA in 2011 – 10.16sec), Gideon Trotter and Wayde van Niekerk will not be easily beaten. Although not racing in the 200m, SA 100m champion, Simon Magakwe, could be hard to beat in the men’s 100m. Magakwe has proven, that when it comes to winning the big events, he has the mettle – since 2009 Magakwe has been unbeatable at the national championships.
Magakwe and Engel had a titanic duel in the men’s 100m semi-final at the national championships in Durban in 2011 as they clocked 10.18sec and 10.19sec respectively.

200m
The trio of Lebogang Moeng, Van Niekerk and Mpuang will be eyeing maximum points in the men’s 200m with Mullins (EP), Engel (WP) and De Jager (BOL) looking to break the Free State dominance. Engel’s 150m and 300m wins in the Yellow Pages Summer Series in Parow on 17 December, show he will be dangerous in the 200m and Mullins has always shown that he prefers the longer sprint, his success during the Summer Series over the 150m and 200m races clear evidence of that. De Jager, although more a 400m athlete has a good turn of speed and could potentially also be in the mix. The Free State trio hold the top three fastest times of 2011 with Mpuang just heading the list on 20.55sec, with Van Niekerk lying in second on 20.57sec. Moeng’s best time of 22.58sec came on this very track in April 2011 at the Yellow Pages SA Youth, Junior and Under-23 Championships.

400m
There’s no LJ van Zyl in the men’s 400m (the 400m hurdles specialist ran his PB of 44.86sec in the 400m flat at the 2011 Yellow Pages Interprovincial) and also no Moeng who is the third fastest 400m athlete in 2011. Instead the likes of De Jager (BOL), Paul Gorries (EP) and World Championship 4x400m silver medalist Shane Victor (KZN) will be in the hunt for the spoils. Gorries, a former world junior 200m champion, has been battling with injuries and fitness for nigh on two years now, but in the Yellow Pages Summer Series he started to show glimpses of the athlete he was when he won the world junior title in 2000. Gorries was national champion in 2003 and 2007 before injuries prevented him from racing. De Jager ran PB’s in the 300m (33.43sec, PE) and 400m (46.24sec, Oudtshoorn) at the Yellow Pages Summer Series in December and in the process claimed the scalp of Victor (300m Stellenbosch). Victor though is a class athlete and to ignore him in Germiston on Saturday would be a huge mistake. The 22 year-old burst onto the scene in February 2011 when he finished second behind Jacob Ramakoka at the Yellow Pages meeting in Pretoria on 25 February. He then went on to be part of the bronze-medal winning team at the World Student Championships in Shenzen China in the 4x400m relay, before leading off the silver medal winning team at the World Championships a month later.

WOMEN
The dominant team in the women’s sprints is likely to be Gauteng North as they not only entered the numbers, but also have some class athletes in their line-up.

100m
Carina Horn, Isabelle le Roux and Cherese Jones are the ones to watch. It was Horn who ended Cindy Stewart’s (EP) unbeaten streak of over 12 months of domestic racing when she convincingly won the 100m at the Yellow Pages meeting in Pretoria on 25 February, 2011. Horn also won the national title in 2011. Stewart though is a wily campaigner and is likely to have a few tricks up her sleeve. She will need them against Horn.

200m
Le Roux made a welcome return to the track at the Yellow Pages Summer Series in Oudtshoorn after an an 18-month absence from the track due to study commitments and injury. Her 200m time of 22.69sec is amongst the top five in the country and although it is too early for her to be clocking those kind of times, she is a class athlete and will be a force to be reckoned with. The 200m in particular could be a titanic battle, as Le Roux chases her comeback (she will be focusing more on the 200/400m in the future), Sonja van der Merwe (WP) is developing into a class 200m/400m athlete and Carina Horn, if she does not tense up, could very decide the spoils amongst themselves. Van der Merwe, in particular, bears watching as she ran a 24.14sec into a strong headwind in Bellville at the Suzman Shield meeting on 15 February. Then there is the KZN athlete Justine Palframan who recently returned from a stint in Jamaica training alongside world 100m record holder and Olympic Champion, Usain Bolt. Palframan has a best of 23.78sec and is largely considered a better 400m athlete, but she too has a very good chance of finishing in the top three.

400m
The women’s 400m will be a tough race with Palframan probably the favourite on paper. Her 52.88 PB was the third fastest in SA in 2011 and is the fastest of the assembled field. Only Caster Semenya and Estie Wittstock went faster in 2011. Also, 400m hurdler Wenda Theron (GN) clocked a best of 53.93sec in 2011 whilst Sonja van der Merwe’s 54.13 saw her win the bronze medal at the national junior championships.

Our Investec Protea side drew 1-1 with Italy in their third match of the tournament, an event that they have to win if they are to be part of the South African team for London later this year.

Italy had opened the scoring through an Alessia Padalino penalty corner in the fourth minute, this after she had netted a hat-trick of goals against Poland at the weekend.

England-based Penny then equalised in the 40th minute of the match with a field goal.

South Africa left out world leading goalscorer Pietie Coetzee for this match. The Proteas next play arch-rivals India on Wednesday and their final pool match is against Canada on Friday.

Full report to follow