Latest news with #Sekgodiso
TimesLIVE
23-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
SA stars head into fiery international action at Rabat Diamond League
World indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso, sprint king Akani Simbine and a star-studded cast of South African athletes face their toughest competition so far this year at the Diamond League meet in Rabat on Sunday evening. Form 400m runner Zakithi Nene and Wayde van Niekerk, now focusing on the 200m, take on Olympic champions, while Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph face the second-fastest 400m hurdler of all time. Even Olympic silver medallist javelin thrower Jo-Ane van Dyk has a tough assignment, going up against 2023 world championship medallists Flor Ruiz of Colombia and Australian Mackenzie Little as well as Tokyo Olympic runner-up Maria Andrejczyk of Poland. Sekgodiso turns her focus to the international outdoor circuit against a field that includes Ethiopian rival Tsige Duguma, the Olympic silver medallist from last year who currently owns the 1min 56.64sec world lead she set in China early this month. Sekgodiso, who ended eighth in the 800m final at the Paris Games, beat Duguma at the world indoor championships final in China in March. Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda, the 2019 world champion, and Natoya Goule-Toppin of Jamaica have also been faster than the South African this year, having clocked 1:58.39 and 1:58.43, behind Duguma.
The Citizen
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Sekgodiso drags Swart-Du Plessis to World Champs qualifying time
Swart-Du Plessis will join Sekgodiso in the two-lap event at the global championships in Tokyo later this year. Prudence Sekgodiso is chased to the line by Charne Swart Du-Plessis at the national track and field championships. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images Middle-distance runners Prudence Sekgodiso and Charne Swart-Du Plessis delivered an incredible race for fans at NWU McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom on Friday, with both athletes dipping under 1:59.00 in the women's 800m final at the SA Athletics Championships in Potchefstroom. World indoor champion Sekgodiso went out hard and Swart-Du Plessis stuck to her shoulder on the first lap but Sekgodiso started to draw clear after the bell. However, Swart-Du Plessis launched a furious kick over the last 200m and very nearly shut down her more fancied compatriot. Sekgodiso won gold in 1:58.80 and Swart-Du Plessis grabbed the silver medal in a personal best 1:58.98, qualifying for the World Championships to be held in Tokyo in September. Sekgodiso had already booked her place in the SA team for the global showpiece after achieving the qualifying standard of 1:59.00 last year. 'I'm happy for Charne' 'The race was a bit tactical. The plan was to go fast in the first 400m but it might have been a bit too fast, and my legs were a bit tired, to be honest,' Sekgodiso said afterwards. 'I just told myself 'you know what, you've got this, you've got to keep your head up'. But I ran under two minutes, and I'm happy for Charne as well because she qualified for the World Championships, and at least now I won't be alone (in Tokyo). I'll have someone on my side.' Swart admitted afterwards that she was more concerned about running a fast time than trying to beat Sekgodiso, in order to achieve the automatic qualifying standard for the World Championships. 'I knew if I could automatically qualify for Tokyo it would make my season a lot easier because there's a lot of other things I can focus on. 'It also opens doors for me in Europe, so I knew I couldn't run a tactical race and I couldn't go slow.' Sekgodiso and Swart-Du Plessis were set to clash again later in the day (3.15pm) in the women's 1 500m final.
