South Africa has a new world champion to take his place alongside the likes of Elana Meyer and Gert Thys: a 17-month-old cheetah named Nyana Spier, who last night "dethroned" 100m record-holder Donovan Bailey.

Watcheb by an enthusiastic crowd at the Cape Metropolitan Council's Festival of the Environment at the River Club in Observatory, the cheetah completed the 100m sprint in an astounding 6,9 seconds while chasing a radio-controlled lure.

The Canadian sprint star's world record time, set in February last year, is 9,84 seconds.

Last night's event was the start of the international "Cheetah Challenge". Three similar events will be held in Namibia and the United States as part of efforts to promote the conservation of the species.

Inspired by Nyana Spier's athletic prowess, several hundred people took part in the festival's 5km fun-run and 10km race.

The six-day festival, the first of its kind in South Africa and probably in Africa, began on Tuesday.

It is intended to heighten awareness of the complex environmental issues in the metropolitan area, and to draw public attention to the CMC's draft Integrated Environmental Policy document.

One of the highlights will be a public debate tomorrow hosted by Mr Justice Dennis Davis and called "Politics and the Environment: How sustainable are your policies?"

The festival will culminate in a workshop on Saturday at which the draft policy will be introduced.

- John Yeld,
Environment Writer