The South African men’s 4x100m relay team was thrown a dramatic lifeline late on Saturday night at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. That’s after a successful appeal for being impeded in their heat earlier in the evening. By Karien Jonckheere
First-leg runner Shaun Maswanganyi was bumped out of position by Italy’s 2020 Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs at the crucial first baton changeover, leaving Team SA’s hopes in tatters as they couldn’t finish the race. But the successful appeal has reopened the door. The sprinters will line up again in a timed relay on Sunday morning at 10.33am local time with one last shot to snatch a place in the final.
According to a World Athletics update: “If the South African team runs 38.34 or better (the 8th placed time qualified for the final) they will become the 9th team in the final and will run in lane 1. This will not affect the 8 teams already qualified.”
It means the same quartet of Maswanganyi, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine must regroup overnight and summon their very best, once more from the same lane six.
Meanwhile, Jo-Ané du Plessis finished just off the podium in fourth place in the women’s javelin final after a best effort of 63.06m. She admitted afterwards that the prospect of the final had seemed a daunting one after qualifying in a lowly 10th spot on Friday.
“When I woke up this morning, I was feeling like David against Goliath, so I’m happy. It’s not a medal but for me it’s like a gold medal, just showing up and still doing my best,” she said.
There were mixed fortunes for SA’s other relay teams in action on Saturday. The men’s 4x400m quartet of Gardeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer and Lythe Pillay sailed to victory in their heat in convincing fashion, crossing the line in 2 minutes 58.81 seconds.
“My team did the job for me. I wanted to finish strong,” said Lythe, who ran the anchor leg. “I’ve felt what it’s like when you relax too much when you’re in the lead so I thought let me just go and whoever wants to catch me must fight to catch me.
“Our team is strong, we’re healthy, we’re hungry and we’re ready for the final tomorrow.”
The women’s 4x400m team of Shirley Nehkubui, Marlie Viljoen, Hannah van Niekerk and Zenéy van der Walt finished seventh in their heat in 3:28.14 and did not advance.
Earlier on Saturday, Wayne Snyman was relieved to cross the line in the 20km race walk, but his 43rd-place finish in 1 hour 30.12 seconds was far from his target. The 40-year-old schoolteacher, who has retired and returned to the sport more than once, faced a difficult road to these championships – and an even harder race on the day.
“I started terribly. The first 9km was incredibly hard, I couldn’t breathe at all. I had to stop to vomit twice,” he admitted afterwards. “And I think after about nine and a half or 10, I actually started to get comfortable. Then I actually started racing, but then in a 20km, it’s far too late but I just couldn’t stop, I had to finish.”
South Africa also endured disappointment in the field events, with none of the three shot putters – Miné de Klerk (24th), Ashley Erasmus (30th) and Colette Uys (32nd) – advancing past qualification. Victor Hogan also missed out in the discus after managing 61.51m to place 24th overall.