ATHLETICS South Africa yesterday announced a final team of 25 men and six women for the IAAF World Championships to be held in Berlin, Germany, from August 15 to 23.

ATHLETICS South Africa yesterday announced a final team of 25 men and six women for the IAAF World Championships to be held in Berlin, Germany, from August 15 to 23.

"The team members attended a training camp in Potsdam, Germany, from July 17 to 26. They have been sharpening up at another venue in Neubrandenburg, Germany," said Molatelo Malehopo, ASA's general manager.

"ASA's efforts are bearing fruit, as can be seen in the performance of several team members during the past two weeks, which made them strong contenders for the finals and medal places at the IAAF World Championships."

Caster Semenya, who hails from Moletjie in Limpopo, stunned the world with her performance last week in the 800m at the African Junior Championships in Mauritius and she is currently the world's top woman runner in the 800m. She will join the group in Germany shortly.

Louis "LJ" van Zyl became the world's number one athlete this year in the 400m hurdles when he dipped under 48 seconds in Monaco.

Johan Cronje also moved among the world's top athletes when he came just short of Johan Landsman's SA record of 3:33,56.

Ruben Ramolefi is currently in 11th place on the world list in the 3000m steeplechase. Khotso "Crocodile" Mokoena continued his consistent form in the long jump and is currently rated third in the world, while Sunette Viljoen proved that she was in the right frame of mind for the championships with her distance of 63,51m in the javelin at Leverkusen.

Lehann Fourie, who is studying in the US, reached the B qualification standard at the World Universiade in Belgrade in the 110m hurdles, and is also included in the SA team.

Willem Coertzen, who has twice bettered the SA decathlon record this year, will represent the country in the decathlon in Berlin while three male marathon runners and one woman will also be in action. The athletes in the training camp will compete today at a meeting in Spandau to ascertain their fitness levels before the IAAF Championships.

The team comprises:

Men - Simon Magakwe, 100m and 4 x 100m (ACNW); Tshegofatso Meshoe, 200m and 4 x 100m (ANWN); Thuso Mpuang, 200m and 4 x 100m (AFS); Kagisho Kumbane, 4 x 100m (AFS); Hannes Dreyer, 4 x 100m (AGN); Leigh Julius, 4 x 100 (EPA); Lehann Fourie, 110m hurdles (AGN); Pieter Smith, 400m and 4 x 400m (AGN); Van Zyl, 400m hurdles and 4 x 400m (AGN); Ofentse Mogawane, 4 x 400m (AGN); Sibusiso Sishi, 4 x 400m (CGA); Jacob Ramokoka, 4 x 400m (ANWN); Paul Gorries, 4 x 400m (EPA); Mbuleni Mulaudzi, 800m (CGA); Samson Ngoepe, 800m (LIMA); Johan Cronje, 1500m (AFS); Peter van der Westhuizen, 1500m (CGA); Ruben Ramolefi, 3000m steeplechase (CGA); Mokoena, long jump (AGN); Willem Coertzen, decathlon (ACNW); Chris Harmse, hammer throw (AFS); Robert Oosthuizen, javelin (BOLA); Norman Dlomo, marathon (AVT); Coolboy Ngamole, marathon (CGA); Johannes Kekana, marathon (CGA).

Women - Isabel le Roux, 200m (AGN); Semenya, 800m (AGN); Janice Josephs, long jump (Bola); Sunette Viljoen, javelin (ACNW); Elizna Naude, discus (AFS) and Tanith Maxwell, marathon (KZNA).