The stage is set for an explosive men’s 200m final on the third day of the SA Nationals Track and Field Championships in Potchfstroom after the three top times were separated by just 0.05sec.
It was the 20-year-old Abdurahman Karriem in 20.40 to top the opening semi-final. He finished comfortably ahead of Bayanda Walaza, the Paris 2024 Olympic relay silver medallist who earlier ran the fastest time of the day in the heats with 20.21.
In the other two semi-finals, Sinsesipho Dambile impressed with a time of 20.42, while 17-year-old Naeem Jack showed that he means business by winning the last of the semi-finals in 20.45.
Walaza was second in the men’s 100m sprint on Thursday and the Olympic silver medallist will be keen to get his hands on a gold medal.
Sabelo Dhlamini was the standout performer on Friday, storming to an impressive victory in the men’s 400m hurdles final.
Dhlamini, representing Central Gauteng Athletics, won gold in 48.57, crossing the line narrowly outside the 48.50 qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in September.
Junior athlete Njabulo Mbatha earned the silver medal in 49.28 and his Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) teammate Martiens du Preez snatched bronze in 49.55.
“I’ve been chasing this title for the last four years, and the first two times I was hitting hurdles and not even making it to the line properly. So, I’m very happy,” Dhlamini said.
In the final of women’s 400m hurdles, Zeney Geldenhuys won her fifth South African title in 55.09. Rising junior star Tumi Ramokgopa took second place in 55.90 and Hannah van Niekerk, the bronze medallist at the World Athletics U20 Championships last year, was third in 56.67.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jovan van Vuuren won a tight contest for the medals in the men’s long jump, landing at 8.00m to reclaim the national title he last won in 2022. Defending champion Cheswill Johnson ended second with a 7.97m leap and Divaan Manuel was 4cm back in the bronze medal position with a 7.93m jump.
Breyton Poole cleared the bar at 2.20m to win gold in the men’s high jump final. Tshepang Dankuru achieved the same height, but he settled for second place on count back.
Leandri Holtzhausen won the women’s hammer throw final with a best heave of 66.97m, less than a metre short of her own national record. Former World Championships finalist Victor Hogan won the men’s discus throw with a 61.11m heave, while Ansume de Beer won the women’s pole vault with a 4.10m clearance. Zinzi Xulu triumphed in the women’s triple jump with a 13.44m leap and Carina Siegers won the women’s 3 000m steeplechase in 10:53.34.
Photo: ANTON GEYSER
