At the annual triangular athletics meeting hosted by Queen’s College, a young runner from Dale College, Marcé Carlon May, captured the spotlight by breaking the 54-year-old 100m sprint record in the under-12 category.
The grade 6 pupil clocked an impressive 12.04 seconds on September 1, beating the 1970 mark of 12.60 seconds.
Crossing the finish line with arms raised, Marcé drew roaring cheers from the crowd at the Queens College track.
His triumph came during a challenging year. In January, he tore a groin muscle during the first interschool athletics meeting at De Vos Malan.
He resumed training just days before the triangular meeting, managing only two practice sessions, on August 28 and 30, during which he shaved his personal best from 13.50 to 12.95 seconds, hinting at the extraordinary performance to come.
“At first, I didn’t realise that I broke the record. I just went and enjoyed the race.
“Only after I heard from the commentator that I broke the record was I so shocked and at the same time excited and proud for my achievement,” Marcé said.
I always tell the boys to work hard, listen to the coach, put in all the effort, and have fun
His parents, Marlon and Cecilia, were overjoyed.
“Personally, I think this achievement came at the right time, bearing in mind the groin injury saga in January and how devastated Marcé was. Athletically, it has opened doors for him,” Marlon said.
He said sport was a cornerstone of their family.
Marcé’s coach, Romano Felix, praised the youngster for his determination.
“I always tell the boys to work hard, listen to the coach, put in all the effort, and have fun. Having fun is the most important part, because these are small primary school boys.
“I like to make the training sessions fun,” Felix said.
He recognised Marcé’s potential early on, believing he was ready to qualify for the Eastern Cape team and the nationals before the injury.
“I told him not to worry — we’ll go next year. All of these things happen for a reason. Now, he is reaping the rewards,” Felix said.
Marcé’s next challenge is the Eastern Province Athletics junior league in Gqeberha, starting on October 11.
He resumed training on September 8, with Felix aiming to secure him a spot on the Eastern Cape team for the nationals in 2026.
Despite his record-breaking feat, Marcé remains focused and humble.
“My goal is to keep working hard to break my own record and keep making my family proud,” he said.
Daily Dispatch
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