Nerves were jangling at the starts of both the women’s and men’s 100m finals on the opening day of the SA Athletics Championships at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, reports Karien Jonckheeree on supersport.com
Both races produced false starts with defending champion Reabetswe Moloi disqualified from the women’s race while Emile Erasmus missed out in the men’s event.
In Moloi’s absence it was Carina Horn who made a triumphant return from her two-year doping ban to reclaim the national title, winning in a time of 11.54 seconds. Phindile Kubheka was second in 11.61 and Tamzin Thomas came third in 11.69.
“I’m happy to be back. I’m happy to be injury-free and healthy. Three races in one day was quite tough so I’m just happy that I’m healthy,” said Horn after progressing through the heats, semi-final, and final all in one day.
“It’s a relief. I’m happy with the title, so all good.”
Speaking about Moloi’s disqualification, the 33-year-old added: “It’s unfortunate to have false starts. It would have been nice to have everybody in one race. It’s always good to have everyone so it’s unfortunate, but next time …”
Earlier in the day, 17-year-old sprint sensation Viwe Jingqi, who recently broke the SA junior 100m record, had to withdraw from the Championships after picking up a hamstring niggle. Also missing through injury, of course, was 2016 400m Olympic champion and world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk, who had been entered into the men’s 100m.
Olympic finalist Akani Simbine proved he still rules the roost in the men’s sprint. He powered to victory against his young challengers in a time of 10.31 seconds with 17-year-old Bradley Nkoana second in 10.34 and 18-year-old Neo Mosebi third.
“Getting to the final at SA champs is always intense and I’m just happy I came through and just proved everybody wrong,” said a defiant Simbine after claiming the title for a sixth time. “Everybody has been saying I’m washed, I’m gone, but today I came out and showed them I’m still in the game, and I’m still here to fight.
“It’s a mental game. It’s been tough getting all the flak but I trust in my coach and I trust in the team that I have behind me and the work that we’re doing. We have a big plan ahead for us and I’m just fully focused on that plan. The bigger the better.”
In the highly anticipated 5000m showdown between two-time 800m Olympic champion Mokgadi Caster Semenya and US-based Dominique Scott, it was the latter who emerged victorious.
The two-time Olympian broke away with just over two laps to go and opened up a considerable gap on her challengers, crossing the line in 15:28.10. Semenya, who is attempting to qualify for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games in the longer distance, was second in 15:31.50.
“This is my first time running in Cape Town since I was a teenager and that was on the old Green Point track, so I’m very grateful to be racing back home at sea level for a change, and very happy to get the win today,” said Scott after the race.
“I already have my qualifying times for World Championships and Commonwealth Games in both the 5k and the 10k, so I wasn’t overly concerned with making it a fast race, I just wanted to get the win.”
The men’s 10 000m final saw Mbuleli Mathanga storming to victory in 28:22.72 while two-time Olympian Elroy Gelant repeated his second spot from the Two Oceans half marathon last weekend, where Mathanga was fourth.
In other finals contested on Thursday, Shanese de Clerk took top honours in the high jump with a clearance of 1.78m, while Yolandi Stander took the discus title with a throw of 57.90m.
World junior champion Mire Reinstorf claimed pole vault gold with a clearance of 4m. Johann Grobler took men’s javelin gold with a distance of 75.93m, while Lleyton Davids took triple jump gold with a season’s best leap of 16.14m. – supersport.com
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