There is still a great deal of hope for Team South Africa in track and field to end their seven-year medal drought.
This comes after Miranda Coetzee secured her place in the semi-final of the women’s 400-metre race.
Coetzee ran her women’s 400m race and came out number two behind Gabby Scott of Puerto Rico, booking her semi-final spot as the fastest non-automatic qualifier in the Tuesday morning session.
In addition, she achieved her personal best time of 50.66.
She competes in the semi-finals of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Tuesday night alongside fellow countrymen Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph in the women’s 400-metre hurdles and Lythe Pillay and Zakithi Nene in the men’s 400-metre relay.
Benjamin Richardson, who was also scheduled to compete in the morning session, was unable to get started due to a hamstring strain sustained during his Monday 200-metre heat.
Simbine was close yet so far
Many hopes of South Africans had initially rested with 100-sprinter Akani Simbine and middle-distance runner Prudence Sekgodiso.
Simbine was close yet so far in medaling at an Olympic stage after he came out number four in the 100m final on Sunday night.
Young sensation Sekgodisa ran the 800-metre final on Monday night, where she started the race very well but ran out of steam in the turn towards the finish line, settling for eighth place.
So far, Team SA only has a total of four medals, which came from the men’s sevens rugby team (bronze), mountain biker Alan Hatherly (bronze), and 100m breaststroke Olympic champion Tatjana Smith, who snatched gold and silver in the 200m breaststroke.
Team SA is under pressure to deliver a medal on the track, with Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya being the last two athletes to stand on the podium at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
There will also be an opportunity for a medal in the men’s 4x100m relay later in the week, with Simbine expected to take part and lead Team SA.
