MICHAEL FINCH, Seville | Wednesday 7.00pm.
IF Hezekiel Sepeng has his way, a South African could cause the biggest upset at the 7th World Athletics championships in Seville.
On Thursday, Sepeng, world indoor champion Johan Botha and national champion Lucky Hadebe compete in the first round heats of the men’s 800m, hopefully the first step towards the final on Sunday.
Of the three it’s Olympic silver medallist, Sepeng, who earlier this year was scheduled to be a non-starter in Seville, who poses the biggest threat to the great Dane, world record holder Wilson Kipketer.
Having finished second to the former Kenyan in Zurich barely 10 days ago, Sepeng has the self belief, talent and motivation to beat a man many regard as unbeatable.
“I’m close. It’s just a matter of tactics,” Sepeng said on the eve of the heats. “I always believe that I’m faster over the last 100m but the difference is that he’s always in front of me.”
Botha suggested that the key to beating Kipketer was simply to upset his rhythm.
“The secret with Kipketer is that he needs to run freely. Once he gets into a bunch, he’s not running freely,” Botha said. “If he gets knocked around a bit, then his whole pattern is broken up and then he’s vunerable.”
Botha should know. He’s the only athlete to have beaten Kipketer this year when he twice outlasted him to the line in the semi-finals and then the final of the World Indoor championships.
Sepeng agreed. “He’s got a perfect running style for the 800m compared to other guys but once you put him under pressure his rhythm will change. He doesn’t have speed he just floats,” Sepeng said. “That’s why for me I need to be with him for the last 100m.”
South African 800m running has been on a high in recent months after an unofficial South African team got to within a second of Great Britain’s world 4x800m record at a meeting in Germany recently.
“I think we can say that we are the best 800m country in the world. We’ve got a guy like Lucky coming up and lots of good guys sitting at home,” Botha said. “We’ll prove it next year when we go for the world record again.”
Botha lines up in heat six on Thursday, Sepeng in heat 5 and Hadebe in heat 4. — MWP