Menlopark’s Smith takes Curro Podium Grand Finale to new heights
Hoërskool Menlopark successfully defended their title as champions of the Curro Podium Grand Finale during the third edition of the prestigious meeting at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday. The Parkies are the undisputed champions for a third year running after their boys (21,146 points) and girls (21,747 points) came out on top.
The Curro Podium Grand Finale has once again produced some scintillating performances with South Africa’s best junior talent showcasing their talents in the Jacaranda City.
Prestige College’s Tumi Ramokgopa set the track alight in the 100m-hurdles as well as the 400m-hurdles for Girls u19. Her winning time of 57.78 seconds in the longer hurdles was the highlight of the day as it was the fastest time run so far this year by a junior athlete (u20).
It also brought her team a full set of 1,000 points. Her time was a full second clear of the previous best of 2025, which was set by Jamaica’s Aaliyah Mullings (58.78).
Ramokgopa won the hurdles’ sprint in 13.96 seconds, which was just slower than the world best of 13.72 seconds she ran earlier this year. Both of her performances also bettered the Curro Podium Grand Finale records.
Menlopark’s Taelyn Smith took the Curro Podium Grand Finale to new heights by clearing 2.15m in the high jump for Boys’ u17. Not only did he record a personal best, but he also emphatically bettered the meeting record of 2.00 metres, which had also stood beside his name.
Smith’s clearance of 2.11m earlier this year, during his school’s annual Menlopark Invitational, was the best in the world for the u17 age group. By adding another four centimetres to that mark, he has cemented his place on top of the world’s leading performances for 2025.
Lesibe Dikgala, of Curro Hazeldean, also produced some magic in the 110m hurdles, as well as in the 400m hurdles, for Boys’ u19. He was more impressive in the longer event, winning it in a new meeting record time of 50.54 seconds.
It also comfortably improved on his performance of 51.54 seconds during the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14, hosted by Curro Hazeldean earlier this year. His performance in the Wildeklawe TUT meeting had been the best in the world for the u19 age group in 2025, so Dikgala also managed to increase his lead in the world rankings.
He won the shorter hurdles in 14.70 seconds.
In the 100m and 200m sprints for Boys’ u17, the South African champion, Micah Africa, and Curro Hazeldean’s Mukona “Smiley” Manavhela engaged in a thrilling battle. Africa won the 100m sprint in a blistering 10.59 seconds, with Manavhela (10.69) crossing the finish line fractionally behind him.
Victory in the 200m went Manavhela’s way in a new meeting record time of 20.97 seconds. Africa picked up the bronze medal in 21.64 seconds, with Boland Landbou’s Jaeger Coetzee (21.40) crossing the finishing line just after Manavhela.
CURRO PODIUM FINAL RESULTS
Overall
1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (42,893); 2. Curro Hazeldean (40,744); 3. Noordheuwel (40,487); 4. Zwartkop (40,099); 5. Paarl Gimnasium (39,497); 6. Montana (39,047); 7. Helpmekaar Kollege (38,754); 8. Outeniqua (38,641); 9. Midstream College (38,539); 10. Garsfontein (37,720).
Boys
1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (21,146); 2. Curro Hazeldean (21,099); 3. Affies (21,017); 4. Zwartkop (19,862); 5. Outeniqua (19,661); 6. Paarl Gimnasium (19,523); 7. Paarl Boys’ High (19,492); 8. Montana (19,330); 9 Noordheuwel (19,214); 10. Garsfontein (19,090).
Girls
1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (21,747); 2. Noordheuwel (21,273); 3. Paarl Girls’ High (20,570); 4. Helpmekaar Kollege (20,541); 5. Zwartkop (20,237); 6 Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof (20,115); 7. Paarl Gimnasium (19,974); 8. La Rochelle (19,905); 9. Montana (19,717); 10. Curro Hazeldean (19,645).
CURRO PODIUM FINALE AWARDS
Senior Victor Ludorum | Track: Njabulo Mbatha (Tuks Sports School) | 400mH: 50.80 – 1,000 | 400m: 47.40 – 904 | 1,904 points
Senior Victor Ludorum | Field: Joshua Gerber (Menlopark) | Discus: 57.47 – 947 | Shot Put: 16.86 – 895 | 1,842 points
Senior Victrix Ludorum | Track: Tumi Ramokgopa (Prestige College) | 400mH: 57.78 – 1,000 | 100mH: 13.96 – 933 | 1,933 points
Senior Victrix Ludorum | Field: Alicia Khunou (Podium Invitational) | Shot Put: 14.75m – 973 | Discus: 46.81 – 959 | 1,932 points
Junior Victor Ludorum | Track: Tiisetso Malungane (Curro Hazeldean) | 1500m: 3:59.70 – 977 | 3000m: 8:50.11 – 953 | 1,930 points
Junior Victor Ludorum | Field: Darius Botha (Dr. Malan) | Discus: 64.30m – 1,000 | Shot Put: 17.99m – 971 | 1,971 points
Junior Victrix Ludorum | Track: Lara Stander (Paarl Girls’ High) | 800m: 2:10.74 – 980 | 1500m: 4:37.21 – 899 | 1,879 points
Junior Victrix Ludorum | Field: Annabelle Blignaut (Monument) | Discus: 39.53m – 921 | Shot Put: 13.03m – 884 | 1,805 points
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