Sekgodiso tops 800m

South African runner runs the fastest time in the world this year

South African middle-distance runner Prudence Sekgodiso (pictured) ran the race of her life last night, obliterating the rest of the field in the women’s 800m race to secure the first Diamond League victory of her career in Marrakech.

Competing at the fifth leg of the top-flight series, Sekgodiso completed the two-lap contest in 1:57,26, shattering her personal best of 1:58,05 which she had set in Pretoria earlier this season.

She held off a challenge from Ethiopian athlete Habitam Alemu who finished second in 1:57,70.

The 22-year-old South African admitted she was surprised by her dominant performance, after running the fastest time in the world this year in her first international race of the 2024 campaign.

“I didn’t expect to run so fast. Winning was in my mind but not with such a fast time. It’s crazy fast,” Sekgodiso said after the race.

“I am so proud of myself tonight. Achieving a world lead and a personal best is just amazing.”

While it was a breakthrough result, Sekgodiso said it had done little to boost her medal hopes ahead of the Paris Olympics in August.

Her latest result did raise her status at the highest level of the sport, but she would likely need to run faster if she hoped to step on the podium in the French capital.

At this early stage of the international season, with nearly three months to go before the start of the athletics programme at the Games, Sekgodiso remained focused on reaching the 800m final.

And though things could change if she continues on her upward trajectory, she is still focused on the main goal she set herself for this season.

“I cannot say that this performance will change something for me in terms of goals and expectations,” she said.

“For the Paris Olympics, I will try to reach the final. I want to be in the top eight.”

OTHER ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS:

• Two-time Olympic finalist Akani Simbine produced South Africa’s other world lead of the weekend, storming to victory in the 100m on a makeshift track at the Adidas Atlanta City Games in a speedy 9,90 seconds. His trademark powerful finish saw him surging ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who was second in 10,00 seconds. Meanwhile, Simbine’s 9,90 saw him completing an incredible decade of sub-10 times in the 100m. Little wonder he’s been dubbed Mr Consistency.

• The women’s 5 000m in Marrakech came down to a frantic final sprint between two Ethiopians with Medina Eisa just edging out Fotyen Tesfay for the win. After settling for third spot at the Doha Diamond League meet, Eisa claimed the win in a time of 14:34,16 with Tesfay finishing second by five-hundredths of a second. Her time of 14:34,21 was a new personal best as was Kenyan Edinah Jebitok’s 14:35,64 for third place.

• Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi has already recorded the fastest time in the world this year over 800m but he didn’t look entirely comfortable in Marrakech on Sunday.

The 19-year-old star had to dig deep over the final 150m to stay ahead of compatriot Wyclife Kinyamal and win in a speedy time of 1:43,84 with Kinyamal second in 1:43,98.

• Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme ensured his name remains in the mix of top African sprinters by producing a season’s best to win the men’s 100m in Marrakech.

The African Games champion’s time of 10,11 seconds saw him edging out a field that included Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse, who was second in 10,19.

• There were five African contenders in the men’s 400m, but they were outgunned by Belgium’s world indoor champion Alexander Doom, who just held on to take the title in 44,51 seconds. Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga was next best in 44,54 with Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori third in 44,59 and South Africa’s Lythe Pillay fourth in 44,78.

• Morocco’s Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali gave the home crowd exactly what they came to see which was a victory in the 3 000m steeplechase.

While his winning time of 8:09,40 was well off the personal best of 7:56,68 he recorded at last season’s Diamond League meet on home soil in Rabat, it still places the world and Olympic champion third in the world this year.

Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale was second in 8:09,78 with Kenya’s Amos Serem third in a season’s best 8:10,82.

• Halimah Nakaayi blazed her name in the history books by running the 800m faster than any Ugandan woman before her. In a race that was decided by a minute six-thousandths of a second, the 29-year-old edged the victory ahead of Ethiopian Tsige Duguma at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix in a new national record time of 1:57,56 — then the fastest time in the world this year.

That world lead lasted just one day, however, until South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso took it down even further in Marrakech.

• A remarkable 5000m in LA saw a whopping 12 athletes dipping under the Olympic qualifying time of 13:05,00. Several had already achieved the mark, but it was the first time in the qualifying period for a relieved defending Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who finished third in 12:52,38. Up ahead it was Ethiopia’s Selemon Berega who claimed the win in a world lead of 12:51,60 with compatriot Berihu Aregawi second in 12:52,09

— The Citizen, SuperSport.