South Africa: Team SA Still Hunting for First Medal

24 August 2023
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Zukile Majova

Team SA is still hunting for its first medal after five days of competition in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

But the team remains hopeful that its run of bad luck will end on day six, Thursday, when Wayde van Niekerk competes in the 400m finals.

The world record holder is now among the favourites for a podium finish after the race favourite Steven Gardiner of Bahamas suffered a hamstring injury during the semis on Tuesday.

Day Five was also full of good news for Team SA, with Prudence Sekgodiso easily cruising in her heat to qualify for the 800m semifinals.

Sekgodiso is expected to reach the finals in this her second performance in the world champs after her first competition in Eugene ended in the semis.

On Wednesday, she finished second to Keely Hodgkinson, the European champion who proved her top form this season with a decisive victory during the London Diamond League meeting last month.

The Brit recorded 1:59.53 while Sekgodiso clocked 1:59.79.

Mzansi's three sprinters competing in the 200m - Luxolo Adams, Shaun Maswanganyi and Sinesipho Dambile - all qualified for the semis to be held on Thursday.

Race favourites - newly crowned 100m champion Noah Lyles, Canadian Andre de Grasse and US phenom Erriyon Knighton - all qualified with ease.

In the field events the 10th South African Jo-Ane van Dyk qualified for the final on Friday after a massive 60.09m throw.

No such luck for 100m hurdles specialist Marioné Fourie who was knocked out in the semis and Kyle Rademeyer who also bowed out of the men's pole vault.

 

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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