South Africa’s elite track and field stars produced a long list of impressive results on the international circuit over the last few days.
The weekend opened with a bang as Tshepo Tshite broke the South African 1 500m record at the Diamond League meeting in Paris on Friday night.
Tshite finished ninth in 3:31.35, taking more than half a second off the national mark of 3:31.93 held by former World Championships medallist Johan Cronje, which had stood for nearly 12 years.
Adriaan Wildschutt, the only other South African competing in Paris, settled for 14th position in the men’s 5 000m race in 13:28.67.
Mphahlele shines in Germany
The following day, at the Anhalt meeting in Germany, Ryan Mphahlele did well to take second place in the men’s 1 500m contest, setting a personal best of 3:32.27 and qualifying for the World Championships to be held in Tokyo later this year.
In other disciplines, Tsebo Matsoso also set a career best of 10.03 to take the runner-up spot in the men’s 100m final, after clocking 10.15 to win his first-round heat.
Gardeo Isaacs won the men’s 400m race in 45.47, and javelin thrower Douw Smit landed his spear at 82.53m to take second position in his event.
Among the SA women competing at the same meeting, Charne Swart finished second in the 800m race in 2:00.99, while Joviale Mbisha was sixth in her 100m heat in 11.84.
Richardson stands out in Switzerland
Also on Saturday, sprinter Benjamin Richardson stole the show at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
Richardson won the men’s 200m event in 19.79 seconds, though he had a +2.3m/s tailwind and his performance was not recorded as a personal best.
However, his training partner Bradley Nkoana did clock a career best, securing victory in the 200m B race in 20.21 with a legal tailwind of +1.0m/s.
Richardson also won the 100m contest in 10.06, with Nkoana taking the runner-up spot in 10.11.
Former SA champion Lindukuhle Gora was third in the men’s 400m hurdles B race in 50.48.
The standout performer among the SA women in Geneva was Zeney Geldenhuys, who was narrowly edged out in the 400m hurdles race.
Geldenhuys took second position in 54.25, crossing the line just 0.01 behind Emma Zapletalova of Slovakia who triumphed in 54.24.
Earlier in the programme, Rogail Joseph had won the 400m hurdles B race in 56.58.
In other disciplines, Danielle Nolte ended fourth in the long jump competition with a 6.39m leap, while Viwe Jingqi finished seventh in the 200m B race in 23.33, and Precious Molepo was seventh in the 400m B race in 53.92.
Van Niekerk leads the charge in France
Elsewhere, 20-year-old Hannah van Niekerk was the best of the South Africans in action at a meeting in Troyes, France.
Van Niekerk, who earned bronze at last year’s World U20 Championships, ended third in the women’s 400m hurdles contest in 56.47.
In the men’s 400m hurdles race, Wernich van Rensburg finished sixth in 51.33, and in the flat 400m sprint, Mthi Mthimkulu was seventh in 46.10.
* Featured image of Benjamin Richardson by Cecilia van Bers
