Baylor Track & Field Signs South African U-18 National Record Holder

[Coleman, Kellen]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – February 6, 2020

Baylor Track & Field Signs South African U-18 National Record Holder
Gontse Morake holds South Africa’s U-18 national records in both the triple jump and 400-meter hurdles.

For more information contact: Kellen Coleman, 254-749-6507, Kellen_Coleman at baylor.edu<mailto:Kellen_Coleman at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor track & field has signed Gontse Morake, the South African national U-18 record holder in both the triple jump and 400-meter hurdles, head coach Todd Harbour announced Thursday.

"We are very excited to welcome Gontse to the Baylor Family," Harbour said. "She is an outstanding young lady as well as an elite hurdler and jumper. She will be a great addition to our jumps and hurdles groups."

Morake comes to Baylor as a transfer from University of Johannesburg in South Africa. She recorded a time of 57.81 in the 400-meter hurdles and a mark of 13.10m (42’ 11 ¾”) in the triple jump to set South Africa’s U-18 national records.

"Gontse is a high-quality performer on and off the track, but most importantly she is a fantastic young person of high character," assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Benjamin Dalton said. "She will be a great fit with our team. As a two-event national record holder, Gontse is the best young athlete that South Africa has ever had. Her performances are already at the level to qualify for NCAA finals, and with that caliber in both events she will have a huge impact on winning team championships."

Morake has competed in the world youth championships, the African Championships and the Youth Olympic Games in the 400-meter hurdles and the African championships in the triple jump.

"Firstly, it is a great honor to have the opportunity to be part of Baylor University,” Morake said. “Having not had an up-front encounter yet, I've been given a warm welcome and already feel like I belong. It is an amazing school that offers beyond my expectations. I love how it was mentioned that they focus on building one as a human being first, which promises lifelong skills. I appreciate the fact that (Coach Dalton) reached out to me having seen potential. That alone is motivation to any athlete trying to make it somewhere. Thinking about joining the Baylor Bears makes me feel like I will be part of a family, and it is exciting to feel like you belong."

Morake will join the Bears in the fall of 2020. For continued updates on the Class of 2020 and the Baylor Track & Field team, follow the team's social media accounts all season long: @BaylorTrack.


__________________________________

Kellen Coleman | Associate Director of Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-4049 | C: 254-749-6507

 [/var/folders/pf/02zg9swd0fz7qy7f5nkl4mymsr0bxx/T/com.microsoft.Outlook/WebArchiveCopyPasteTempFiles/cidimage004.png at 01D50713.9CE40560] <http://baylorbears.com/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/bumedia/attachments/20200206/f9110d61/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 14096 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/bumedia/attachments/20200206/f9110d61/attachment-0001.png>