The heavens opened on day one of the IAAF World U18 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday – and rained down a gold and silver medal for South Africa. MARK ETHERIDGE reports.
One-hundred-metre sprinters Tshenolo Lemao and Retshidisitswe Mlenga splashed to gold and silver medals in the final, securing the rainbow nation’s first ever 100m medals at an IAAF World Championships event.
That saw them topping the medals table after the first of four days of competition.
After nerves started jangling with two false starts, Lemao ran 10.57, with Mlenga just 0.04sec behind. One of the pre-race favourites, Jamaican Tyreke Wilson, admittedly struggling with a painful ankle after earlier action, was third in 10.65.
Although conditions overhead were anything but clear, Lemao was over the moon. ‘It was a great race to run and I was very excited going into the race.
‘Conditions were tough and raining, but I told myself that I need to stay strong, stay fit and focused and just go.
‘In the semi-final I was disappointed to place second, but I picked myself up. The faulty start played a bit with the mindset – you get frustrated hey, so I just needed to focus.’
Moving on, and Lemao has Friday’s 200m heats to look forward to. ‘I actually enjoy the 200m more, so hopefully that goes as well,’ he said in an understatement of note.
As for silver medallist Mlenga, also touted as one of the favourites, he was just happy to medal.
‘No disappointment, excuses, they beat me fair and square. I’m just happy to medal, the goal here was to medal, gold obviously, but it didn’t go according to plan. Conditions weren’t great and I struggled a bit at the start and then also tensed up a bit at the finish as I saw them coming.’
Admittedly the SA sprinters’ task was made that much easier due to the absence of powerful nations such as the United States, Great Britain, China and Russia, but that doesn’t take anything away from this dashing duo. They can only race whoever is alongside them in the starting blocks – and that they did just perfectly!
Staying with track events sprinters, Rose Xeyi (12.18) and Joviale Mbisha (12.27) both went through to the 100m semi-finals.
Their times were ninth and 14th respectively, with the impressive Lorraine Martins of Brazil quickest in 11.85sec.
The boys 800m heats saw Ntuthuko Ndimande rocketing to the front, possibly the nerves getting to the better of him, and when push came to shove he had nothing left, ending more than two seconds off the pace in heat four with a time of 1:56.16. Ethiopia’s Melse Nberet was quickest into the final with a 1:52.53 clocking.
The girls’ 3,000m final saw Dipuo Mashishi struggling in tough conditions and she ended 12th in 11:06.60. Ethiopia’s Abersh Minsewo won in 9:24.62.
In track events, South Western Districts shot-putter Meike Strydom was in the form of her life, the Hoërskool Outeniqua product producing a best throw of 16.40m to finish fifth.
Earlier, in the day, Tharina van der Walt booked her place in the girls discus final, scheduled for Friday.
She launched a 48.81m heave with her first attempt in the qualifying round, progressing automatically to the medal contest, with 48m being the guarantee of a final.
Photo: Roger Sedres/ImagesSA
