during day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

Home » Wayde Van Niekerk Books World Champs 400m Final Spot in London

Wayde Van Niekerk Books World Champs 400m Final Spot in London

South Africa’s Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk did it again on Sunday as he booked his place in the World Championships 400-metre final in London. After running the ‘slowest’ time of the heat winners (and the only heat winner not to dip under the 45sec barrier) on Saturday, Van Niekerk won the second of three […]

By Guest Contributor
06-08-17 23:27
in Fab South African Stuff
during day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

South Africa’s Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk did it again on Sunday as he booked his place in the World Championships 400-metre final in London.

During day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Picture of Van Niekerk and Thebe courtesy of Michael Steele/Getty Images

After running the ‘slowest’ time of the heat winners (and the only heat winner not to dip under the 45sec barrier) on Saturday, Van Niekerk won the second of three semi-finals in a time of 44.22 seconds at the Olympic Stadium.

Only the first two finishers in each semi-final was guaranteed a place in the final and Van Niekerk made sure he did the absolute bare necessity.

He was made to run an honest race though by fellow African Baboloki Thebe though as the Botswana athlete hit the front going into the final straight.

But Van Niekerk took it all in his stride as he merely drew alongside and checked around to see where the rest of the field were.

In truth they were also-rans as Van Niekerk just edged ahead of Thebe by 0.10sec. Slowest time into the final was a 44.64sec!

Quickest? The impressive Steven Gardiner who won the first semi-final in 43.89, the first time he’s ever gone under 44sec and in a national record to boot. Will that prove to be the lanky Bahamian’s undoing in Tuesday night’s final… time will tell.

In other Sunday evening action South African record holder Antonio Alkana failed to break through to the final of the 110m hurdles. He was off in heat three and ended fourth in 13.59sec as Hungarian Balazs Baji won in 13.23.

Also going no further than the semi-final was 100m sprinter Carina Horn. With a personal best of 11.06 she would know that it was going to take a superhuman effort to make it into the final. She took sixth in 11.26.

Earlier South Africa’s two women’s marathoners were never in contention as Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo won in 2:27.11 from Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat (2:27.18) and Amy Cragg (2:27:18).

All three ran season’s best times and the South African duo of Mapaseka Makhanya and Jenna Challenor joined them with season’s best times of 2:40:15 (40th) and 2:47:22 (59th) respectively.

Southern Africa will be well represented in the 400m mens final on Tuesday night – with Van Niekerk, Isaac Makwala (Botswana) & Thebe all in the race…

Source: Sascoc.co.za

Last night South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga won hearts around the world with his irrepressible joy and ‘sand angel’ celebration, in London, after he won Gold in the long jump.

South Africa’s Akani Simbine came fifth last night, and was the only athlete from Africa who took part in Usain Bolt’s final and last ever 100m individual race.

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