Middle-distance runners Tsepho Tshite and Prudence Sekgodiso were in record-breaking form on Thursday night, producing stellar performances at the World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting in Lievin, France.
While Tshite broke the 24-year-old national mark in the men’s short track mile, Sekgodiso equalled her own SA record over the 800m distance.
Records tumble in men’s mile
With Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen targeting a new world record in the mile (1 609m), Tshite took advantage of the fast pace.
The 28-year-old South African crossed the finish line in fifth place in 3:54.10, clipping 0.17 off the long-standing national record of 3:54.27 set by Clyde Colenso in Fayetteville in February 2001.
Up front, Ingebrigtsen achieved a new global mark of 3:45.14, taking more than a full second off the previous world record of 3:46.63 which had been set by American athlete Yared Nuguse in New York just five days earlier.
Tshite now holds two SA short track records after setting a national 1 500m mark of 3:35.06 in Torun in February last year.
Sekgodiso shines again
Meanwhile, Sekgodiso took the runner-up spot in the women’s 800m race in 1:59.88.
Sekgodiso took second position behind Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma (1:59.02), equalling the SA short track record she set in Karlsruhe last week.
* Feature image of Tshepo Tshite by Cecilia van Bers
