Team SA Olympian Zakithi Nene clocked the fastest time in the 400m in the world this year when he won the one-lap event at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday.
His time of 43.76 lifted him to 16th on the all-time list, and only the second South African other than Wayde van Niekerk to break 44 seconds for the distance.
Elsewhere, Shaun Maswanganyi, part of Team SA’s 4x100m silver medallists at Paris 2024, clocked his fastest time of the season when finishing second in the 200m in 20.47.
Bayanda Walaza also placed second in his race, the men’s 100m, where he recorded a 10.03 time in.a race won by Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy in 9.98.
Nene has been in sensational form in 2025. He won by more than a second, with Nigerian Chidi Okezie finishing in 44.98, and had anchored the South African 4x400m team to gold at the World Relays earlier in May.
His time of 43.76 replaced that of American Jacory Patterson (43.98) as the fastest one-lap competitor in the world so far this year.
Seven South Africans competed in the meeting, which is part of the Continental Tour Gold series by World Athletics.
RESULTS
Men’s 100m: Bayanda Walaza 2nd (10.03), Shaun Maswanganyi 4th (10.24)
Men’s 200m: Shaun Maswanganyi 2nd (20.47, SB), Sinesipho Dambile (DNS)
Men’s 400m: Zakithi Nene 1st (43.76, WL)
Men’s 400mH: Marthinus du Preez 4th (49.72)
Women’s 800m: Aviwe Hoboloshe 6th (2:02.02), Naum Bopape 11th (2:08.60)
Women’s long jump: Danielle Nolte 5th (6.56m)
