National team members Willie Smit and JC Nel claimed 4 medals in the Elite/u23 Individual Time Trial, which took place earlier today in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, as part of the 2013 African Continental Championships.
Image credit: Cycling SA
The two under-23 riders claimed their medals from their overall results in the Elite category, as well as their under-23 race results. Only two riders per country were permitted to compete in the ITT event.
Twenty one-year-old Smit, who races for Team Bonitas at home, fell just 32-seconds short of catching overall winner and Elite cyclist Daniel Teklehaimanot (25) from Eritrea. Teklehaimanot posted a winning time of 54 minutes and 30 seconds on the 42km course. Smit’s second place overall earned him a silver medal, as well as a gold medal for winning the under-23 category.
Nel (22) from the UCI World Cycling Centre Africa/MTN-Qhubeka Feeder Team, finished 3rd overall, 1 minute and 9 seconds off the pace, and claimed a bronze medal in the overall category and a silver medal in the under-23 category.
The medal tally for Team South Africa now stands at 6 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze.
The women will continue with their competition from tomorrow when the road racing commences for the junior and Elite categories.
Summary of Results – Elite Men ITT – Tuesday 3 December 2013
1 Daniel Teklehaimanot (ERI) 54:30
2 Willie Smit (RSA) +00:32
3 JC Nel (RSA) +01:09
Silver for Dan craven, doing his best amla impression