SA bag 30 gongs in Nigeria, end second

Collecting nine more medals on the final day of competition, SA finished second in the overall standings on Sunday at the CAA African Senior Championships in Asaba, Nigeria.

The national team completed their five-day campaign with more medals than any other squad at the biennial championships, bagging a total of 30 – nine gold (two fewer than their Kenyan rivals), 13 silver and eight bronze.

Three athletes took home gold medals on the last day, spearheaded by another spectacular performance from Caster Semenya, who won the 800m final in 1:56.06, adding to the 400m gold she won in a national record of 49.96 two days earlier.

“I was testing my limits and seeing how far I could go after running 49 [in the 400m] and 1:56.06 is a beautiful time,” Semenya said. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Ncincilili Titi won gold in the men’s 200m, charging over the line in 20.46, with Luxolo Adams bagging bronze in 20.60 and missing out on silver by less than one hundredth of a second.

Adding another double to the team’s tally, Ischke Senekal won the shot put with a 17.24m effort, and Mieke Strydom earned bronze with a 15.99m throw.

Other athletes who grabbed silver medals were Phil-Mar van Rensburg in the javelin throw (76.57m), Lebogang Shange in the 20km race walk (1:25:25), triple jump star Zinzi Chabangu (13.59m) and the national 4x400m men’s relay team (3:03.50).

Hurdles specialist Wenda Nel took bronze in the 400m race over the barriers in 57.04 seconds.