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Dambile predicts big things as Jo-Ané keeps medal hopes alive

Roxanne MartinNewsLeave a Comment on Dambile predicts big things as Jo-Ané keeps medal hopes alive

Sinesipho Dambile predicted big things for next season after competing in his first World Athletics Championship final on Friday. The 23-year-old finished eighth in the 200m final in Tokyo in 20.23 seconds in a race won for the fourth time by American Noah Lyles in 19.52 seconds. By Karien Jonckheere

“I made a lot of mistakes in the final,” he said after struggling around the tight bend from lane 2. “But more than anything, I enjoyed the final. I enjoyed being in that field where it was just the top eight guys in the world in 200m and I’m looking forward to next season. It’s going to be a different Dambile going forward.”

The 200m national champion, who trains alongside fellow world champs finalist Gift Leotela and double world junior champion Bayanda Walaza, believes that with a bit more hard work, he can challenge the likes of Lyles.  

“I want to be better now. These guys are just like us. I just have to work a little bit harder and make sure next time I’m on that podium. I feel that I have all the physical gifts to do that. Just one more off-season and then I’ll be there,” he said.

Earlier in the evening, Jo-Ané du Plessis’s opening throw of 61.38m in qualification was enough to see her through to the javelin final. The distance saw the Olympic silver medallist finishing 10th overall in qualifying, with only 12 athletes making it through.

“I feel like there’s work to do… and hopefully we can correct what we did wrong tonight,” she said afterwards.

With the qualification round and final just one day apart, Du Plessis reckoned it will be the best-conditioned athletes who will perform on Saturday evening. The 27-year-old has enjoyed plenty of consistency this season, finishing on the podium in all but two of her competitions. 

“It definitely helped to get competition-ready because it’s going well in training but you have to be in charge of your emotions on the day on the field, so that’s what the competition is for – because if you’re relaxed you can do a lot of things with the javelin, but if you are a bit more stressed it’s a bit more difficult, so we’ll see.”

Wayde & Sinesipho sail into 200m semis as Tshepo savours first world champs final

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Both Wayde van Niekerk and Sinesipho Dambile booked their places in the 200m semifinals in Tokyo on Wednesday, while Tsepho Tshite finished ninth in his first-ever World Championship final. By Karien Jonckheere

The 1500m national record holder was delighted to be promoted to the final following Cole Hocker’s semifinal disqualification. And although Tshepo admitted he was unhappy with his early positioning, he relished the chance to line up again, going on to finish ninth in 3 minutes 35.50.

“This is a great booster because now I can believe that it’s possible for me to compete with these guys… The way I ran the heats and semis it shows that I’m on a level with them,” he said afterwards.

Earlier in the evening, Wayde had eased through his 200m heat, looking relaxed as he crossed the line in second place in 20.19 seconds. 

“It was comfortable. But I think there was a lot of rust that needed to come off today as well, so I think it was a strong start to the race and then just trying to see it through,” said the 400m world record holder who is only contesting the shorter sprint at these championships. 

“I think I’m really just trying to soak in the moment and just going off everything day by day and today was a positive one so regroup and get ready for tomorrow.”

After a nerve-racking start after narrowly avoiding disqualification for twitching in his blocks, Sinesipho booked his spot in the semifinals after finishing third in his heat in 20.27 seconds.

“I was calm because I knew it wasn’t a false start, I knew I didn’t move [my feet],” he explained.

“I think through the rounds I get better… I know I’m in great shape, so in the semifinal I’ve got to make sure that I unleash everything.”

Meanwhile, Zenéy van der Walt finished seventh in her 400m hurdles semifinal in a time she wasn’t pleased with after bumping into the athlete next to her twice during the race.

 “I’m not that happy [with the time], but I’m still blessed that I could represent South Africa in the semifinals at the world champs,” she said.

There was more disappointment for Team SA’s field athletes, with Douw Smit’s effort of 81.23m in javelin qualification not enough to see him through to the final.

Luxolo Adams determined to overcome “speed bumps” on road to Paris

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By Karien Jonckheere

Luxolo Adams is yet to get his track season underway. A grade 2 hamstring tear has kept him on the sidelines, but the 27-year-old sprinter is confident he can come back stronger than ever as he builds towards the Paris Olympics, with the opening ceremony now less than eight weeks away.

“We’ve had some speed humps on the road, but I’ve expanded my team in terms of my health side of things, so we are quite positive, everyone is working hard towards that,” he explained, adding that he has based himself in Johannesburg to get the treatment he needs.

“I should leave South Africa mid-June to go and start competing against the best in the world and then we take it from there.”

Adams made a name for himself by running a speedy 19.82 seconds on his way to victory in the 200m at the Paris Diamond League meet in 2022.

A month later he reached the 200m final at his first World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. But at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, after running 20.15 in the heats, he was involved in the bizarre collision between two golf carts transporting athletes from the warm-up track to the stadium and was badly shaken before his semifinal.

Fortunately for the Gqeberha sprinter, the quick time in those Budapest heats saw him qualifying for the Paris Olympics as he has not competed since then.

“I’m a seasonal athlete,” he explained. “I always come through at the end, and when I’m back I’m back. I think I’ve mastered that now in terms of knowing how to go back, and how to run fast after I’ve had an obstacle along the way,” added Adams, who has dealt with his fair share of obstacles during his career.

“I don’t let that thing put me off my talent. This is my food, this is how I live, this is what puts food on the table. So I’m not going to let anything small get into my head,” he reckoned.

“We don’t want to get too excited because we’ve got a big fish to fry, so we are taking each and every step with precautions. Obviously we want to get to the Olympic Games.”

As for the excellent form that has already been shown this season by other international sprinters, Adams added: “With everyone that has competed so far most of them are looking good… I’m happy for them that they are running fast times now, but I would be worried because it’s still early.

“The Olympic Games are only in August. We want to get to the final so we can’t impress early, we need to impress when it matters.”

Young gun Benjamin outshines Wayde van Niekerk on sizzling day at SA champs

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Benjamin Richardson produced the largest upset of the SA Athletics Championships so far by outgunning Wayde van Niekerk to win the 200m title in a steamy Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. By Karien Jonckheere, Picture Cecilia van Bers

Van Niekerk chose to focus his efforts on the 200m event in Maritzburg rather than the 400m, in which he won Olympic gold in 2016 in world record time. But Richardson produced a speedy 20.16-second performance to outshine the veteran and take the title while also securing an Olympic qualifying mark. Van Niekerk settled for silver in 20.31.

“I could have [gone faster] but I’m more happy about the moment and the fact that I did my qualifier,” said a thrilled Richardson. “I was happy in the moment with what I did because it took so much effort and I’m just happy right now.”

As for beating Van Niekerk, the 20-year-old said he remembered the exact date he raced against him for the first time back in 2021.

“It shows that through time, things can change and three years later, I’m now first and so now I’m happy and I’m grateful for everything that’s happened – the trials and tribulations.”

Meanwhile, Lythe Pillay surprised even himself on his way to the 400m title in a new personal best time of 44.31 seconds, with Zakithi Nene also achieving his second Olympic qualifying time in the event, taking silver in 44.80.

“We’re still on cloud nine, or rather on cloud 44 right now, but I’m grateful and blessed,” said an amazed Pillay afterwards.

“Being in a very competitive lineup like that, even with Wayde [van Niekerk] not being present, I knew it was going to be a tough race. I was just here to execute and do what I had to do today.

“The plan was just to go, so from the gun have a good reaction, stay controlled, not spilling energy unnecessarily, sticking to my normal tactics, sticking to my normal strength… and everything clicked today,” added the 21-year-old who will be hoping everything also clicks tomorrow when he is writing an accounting exam.

It was a busy day for Shirley Nekhubui who doubled up in the 200 and 400m, successfully securing both titles on the same day.

Nekhubui claimed the 200m victory in 23.28 and followed that up by edging out defending champion Miranda Coetzee for the 400m title as well, winning in a time of 51.77 seconds.

Nekhubui said afterwards she is till hoping to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in the 400m and will be aiming to do that in Europe in the coming weeks.

Glenrose Xaba completed a double of her own. She overcame the steamy KZN conditions to add the 10,000m title to the 5000m gold she won on Thursday.

In a race that saw several athletes either collapsing or dropping out, Xaba held on to win in a time of 32:56.29 for her seventh national 10,000m title.

Adriaan Wildschutt took the men’s 5000m title in a time of 13:30.38 to make it a double for the family with his brother Nadeel having claimed the 10,000m title on Thursday.

The SA Athletics Championships conclude tomorrow.

SA’s 200m trio book semifinal spots as Fourie misses final

Roxanne MartinNewsLeave a Comment on SA’s 200m trio book semifinal spots as Fourie misses final

Marioné Fourie was the only South African athlete in action in the evening session at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Wednesday. The 21-year-old finished sixth in her 100m semifinal in 12.89 seconds, so missing out on Thursday’s final. She admitted afterwards that she had lost focus before the race.

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“It wasn’t a good race. Yesterday was a better race than today. But it’s OK, I will come back next year to the Olympics and I will make sure I will make the final… I don’t think the whole focus was there, so maybe a little bit tired, but I think the execution wasn’t that great also, so it wasn’t a good race.”

Wednesday night’s session was highlighted by Karsten Warholm’s dominant victory in the 400m hurdles. The Norwegian sailed to the gold in a time of 46.89 to add the world title to his Olympic title claimed in Tokyo in 2021. It also meant he regained the title he last won in 2019.

Meanwhile, in a busy morning session, all three of South Africa’s 200m runners made it safely into the semifinals by finishing third in their respective heats. 2022 World Championships finalist Luxolo Adams was first up, finishing in a time of 20.15 with Shaun Maswanganyi then finishing in 20.56 and Sinesipho Dambile in 20.34.

“I’m feeling great now. I’m 100 percent back and I guess that’s one of the things that are keeping me positive and remaining healthy,” said Adams, who injured his hamstring at the SA Championships in April. “The atmosphere is amazing and the track is fast so that gives me a bit of positivity going forward again.”

Dambile was thrilled his compatriots had also made it through, saying: “That’s big, that’s big, that’s big. I’m happy for them, so we have to just find a way to make it through to the final, and I think it’s possible you know I know.”

It was also a successful morning for Prudence Sekgodiso. The 21-year-old finished second in her heat in 1:59.72 to book a spot in Friday’s 800m semifinals.

“The race went according to the plan. The plan was to be in the top three and just to follow Keely [Hodgkinson] and I did it. Now I get ready for the semifinals, anything can happen but I’m ready for anything. I’m like them why must I fear them, I’m all good,” she said afterwards.

“I was worried when I was boxed in but you know what, I just went with the flow and you see, I came second. Going to the semifinals for the second time at my second world champs, I’m just over the moon.”

Jo-Ane van Dyk’s third-round effort of 60.09m in javelin qualification was enough to see her through to Friday’s final but both Kyle Rademeyer (5.70m in the pole vault) and Cheswill Johnson (7.61m in the long jump) missed out.

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Our team on the ground at Budapest have been interviewing all South African athletes after their respective events. To get an inside view into strategy and their thoughts on their performances, click the button below to see for yourself what it takes to compete on a world stage!



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