Closing out a superb campaign in spectacular fashion, the South African team bagged two more medals on the fifth and final day of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The national men’s 4x400m relay quartet earned silver and 400m hurdler Hannah van Niekerk bagged bronze, lifting the team’s overall tally to seven medals.
In the men’s 4x400m final, Bryan Katoo, Sihle Mahlangu, Nhjabulo Mbatha and Udeme Okon took second position in 3:05.22.
The United States won gold in 3:03.56 and Australia took bronze in 3:05.53.
“We came out here and showed our best, so we’re happy with our silver medal,” said Okon, who also won gold in the 400m final earlier in the week.
Van Niekerk, meanwhile, produced the best performance of her fledgling career, claiming third place in the women’s 400m hurdles final in a personal best of 56.98 seconds.
Up front, Meta Tumba won gold for host nation France in 55.59 and Wiktoria Gadajska of Poland finished second in 56.87.
In the men’s 400m hurdles final, Njabulo Mbatha put up a fight but was edged out in the battle for the podium.
Mbatha, who entered the race among the favourites, clocked 49.68 to take fourth position. He missed out on a medal by just 0.07.
Though he admitted he was disappointed with his result in his individual event, however, Mbatha was pleased to have formed part of the medal-winning 4x400m team.
“I feel very honoured and privileged to win a medal for my country on such a big stage, and the silver medal in the 4x400m relay really made up for the fourth place I had in the 400m hurdles final,” Mbatha said.
More results
Another medal contender, Juan Marais, also fell short of a medal, though he too put up a valiant fight.
Marais took fifth position in the men’s discus throw final with a best attempt of 61.69m, while his compatriot Michael Badenhorst settled for 11th place (58.18m).
Johannes Morepe, who was expected to compete in the men’s 1 500m final, withdrew before the start of the race.
The SA team finished sixth in the medals table with three gold, two silver and two bronze.
Aside from Van Niekerk and the 4x400m relay team, Bayanda Walaza won the men’s 100m/200m double, Udeme Okon secured the men’s 400m title, JL van Rensburg earned silver in the men’s shot put and Bradley Nkoana took bronze in the men’s 100m event.
