On Tuesday, runners and skaters took to Victoria street in Stellenbosch for the eighth annual Dagbreek Straatmylfees. The event provided an opportunity for participants to run or skate a dream mile (1 609m). In order to achieve the dream mile, participants needed to complete the mile in under four minutes.
The event consisted of six different races: junior boys & girls u18, a masters category (for runners over 50), open men & women, a skateboard race and the elite men’s race as a grand finale.
The Straatmyl has been held each year since 2011 in honour of former Dagbreek resident De Villiers Lamprecht, the first South African athlete to run a dream mile. Lamprecht ran the sub-4-minute mile on 13 November 1964 at Coetzenberg Stadium in Stellenbosch.
“We are running the street mile for section activity in our res. There is a lot of gees, because the best dressed team also stands a chance to win points for section activity”, said Jacques Burger (20), a Mechanical Engineering student and resident of Dagbreek.
Ashley Smith (21), an Economic Development student at the University of the Western Cape, clocked in the fastest time of the day with 4 minutes and 08 seconds. This is just eight seconds over the time required to qualify as a dream mile runner.
“My plan was to save myself for the last 600m, to finish strong, and my plan worked!” he said.
Smith also said that the race was preparation for the SA Champs to be held in Pretoria next week.
One of the events at the Straatmylfees that ensured a lot of excitement was the skateboard race, the only one of its kind in South Africa.
Ben Fish (20) glided over the finish line to win the skateboard race in a time of 3 minutes and 42 seconds. “The event was a clever idea to get skaters more involved in Stellenbosch,” he said.
Yandiswa Shange and Beetrice Themane (18), ETA college students, were both winners in their respective u18 and womens open categories. According to Shange, they were there to run for the experience and to have fun.
“I really liked the ambience of the race. It is different to my normal winter schedule,” said Luuk Wageneaar (23), Dutch athletic star.
Wagenaar travelled to South Africa for training during his winter schedule and came fifth in the elite race at the Straatmylfees.
“This event is important to promote athletics on campus and in schools,” said event manager Francois Fouche.
He added that the race serves as a significant reminder of past heroes such as Lamprecht and Roger Bannister, the first man to run the sub-4-minute mile in 1954.