Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Leigh Julius and Poppy Mlambo have been included in the star-studded Team South Africa squad to the World Summer Student Games in Thailand from August 8 to 18.

The athletics team was announced at the weekend in Pretoria by Glen Bentley, president of the South African Student Sports Union (Sassu).

Julius is still in high spirits after winning a gold medal at the ninth All Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, two weeks ago in a 200m event.

The Port Elizabeth sprinter will be seeking a third consecutive gold medal in the same event at the World Summer Student Games in the capital Bangkok.

Mlambo, also known as the "Princess of Emndeni", will be making her second appearance at the tournament after finishing sixth in the 10000m in Turkey in 2005.

"We are excited that we have been able to assemble the strongest possible squad in athletics," said Bentley, a former cross-country athlete.

"What makes us even more happy is that the majority of athletes are in great shape after participating in the All Africa Games."

Bentley said the athletics team would be coached by Albert Badenhorst, who will be assisted by Michael "Sponge" Seme and Emmarie Fouche.

"We also have two top administrators in Roger Adams and Hermina van der Merwe, who were appointed joint managers of the team."

Also in the Bangkok-bound team is Tebogo Masehla, who finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase in Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Thai embassy in South Africa will host a sending-off function for Team South Africa to Bangkok at a leading hotel in Pretoria at 6pm today.

The rest of the athletes are: Mthobisi Baloyi (800m), Ramsay Carelse (high jump), Ockert Cilliers (400m hurdles), Willem de Beer (400m), Johannes Dreyer (100m), Tommie du Toit (javelin), Petrus Koekemoer (400m hurdles), Hennie Kotze (110m hurdles), Pieter Krone (100m), Lukhanyo Mabinza (3000m steeplechase), Isaac Mboyase (5000m), Stephen Mokoka (10000m), Marc Mundell (20km walk), Sibabalwe Mzazi (10000m), Roelof Potgieter (shotput), Snyman Prinsloo (200m), Jason Sewenyana, Tumelo Thagane (both triple jump), Juan van Deventer (1500m), Keenan Watson (long jump), Simone du Toit (shotput), Amanda Kotze (400m), Mapaseka Makhanya (800m), Christine Ras (100m hurdles, 200m), Anika Smit (high jump), Cindy Stewart (100m, 200m), Thandiwe Vilakazi (100m) and Sunette Viljoen (javelin).