TUESDAY, 11.00AM:
LLEWELLYN HERBERT became the first South African to win a world championship athletics medal on Monday night when he finished second in the 400m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Athens. Herbert clocked in a time of 47,86sec behind the champion Stephane Diagana’s 47,72sec.
Herbert drew the unfavourable lane 1, which would have handicapped him by half a second.
Herbert came from fifth place to overtake American Bryan Bronson, who finished third. He broke the national record for the third time this year and pocketed $30 000 with his silver medal.
“I am very satisfied with my performance. I tried my best, no one could expect me to do more than that,” said Herbert.
Diagana admitted that his threat was Herbert. “I had to go out so that Herbert and [Fabrizio] Mori couldn’t come back at me at the end,” said Diagana. “That South African is very good. I just hope I can race more against him.”
A month ago in Stuttgart, Herbert beat both Bronson and Diagana to record his then best time of 47.97sec.