Frantz Kruger — the discus bronze-medal winner in Sydney 2000 — and Hannes Hopley got through to the discus final at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Kruger was ecstatic about the Springboks’ win at home, having gone through to the final from the B group. He started slow with a first effort of 60,91m well off his capabilities and the 64,5m automatic qualifying distance. His second try of 62,32m was good enough for 10th ranking and to put him in the final.
”I was a bit flat but I’m just happy that I am in the final,” said Kruger.
”The purpose of this is just to get into the final. We will start from scratch then. There were a few surprises and a few guys that I thought would be in the final that are not, but I’m just happy to be there. It’s a bit warm but conditions are perfect.”
In group A Hannes Hopley had caused an upset, launching his third throw to 63,89m, the third best in the group and fifth-ranked overall.
”It’s great,” said Kruger.” I see a bright future for him [Hopley] from now on. I think we motivate each other and think its great and we will fight the fight together.”
The South African men’s rowing pair of Donavan Cech and Ramon di Clemente added a bronze medal to the three earned in swimming, in an exciting final won by the Australians. The South Africans chased down the German pairing who found it impossible to sustain their over-zealous start.
Having put paid to the Germans, the Serbian squad were next in their sights and by 1 200m they were accounted for. The final 500m was all power and they closed in on the Croatian pairing, but ran out of distance so had to settle with the bronze by one second.
”After the first 600m I knew we would win a medal,” said an elated but exhausted Cech. ”We had some back niggles in the last couple of days, but are over the moon about this”.
And in men’s hockey, bolstered by the Springboks’ win, South Africa put everything into their game against the Aussies, but conceded 3-2 in the end, after goals by Gregg Nicol — his fourth of the tournament — and Emille Smith.
The game was a sell-out and despite their losses, the South Africans were certainly one of the better teams of the tournament.
”It’s a disappointment that we were ahead again, but then conceded in the final phases,” said captain Craig Jackson.
Estie Wittstock came fourth in the third fastest 400m heat of the day to post a time of 52,89 seconds.
Wittstock had been first out of the blocks, with the fast-driving Donna Fraser two lanes outside her. As they broke from the final bend it became clear that more work had to be done to catch Granada’s Hazel- Ann Regis, but the line came too soon, leaving Wittstock some anxious minutes to see if she would take one of the fastest loser berths.
Programmed as a three-heat semifinal, Wittstock continues through with a 22nd-place ranking out of the six heat preliminaries.
Surita Febbraio was not as fortunate earlier in the morning in the 400m hurdle heats. The 30-year-old South African failed to get close to her season best in the slowest heat, which was won by Australian Jana Pittman in 54,83 seconds, with Febbraio sixth in 56,49.
Janice Joseph continues her two-day campaign in the women’s heptathlon following an overnight break that saw her on 3 613 points in 19th place. In the morning session Josephs earned some valuable points from a 6,21m long jump and an 800m time of 2:18,47, which bumped her up to 14th place on the five event rankings.
Colin Pocock and Gershan Rorich took on the Australians in the second round of the beach volleyball competition.
Pocock and Rorich had progressed through their pool matches as the seventh most potent attacking side, but this didn’t help against the more experienced Australian pairing of Julian Prosser and Mark Williams.
Prosser and Williams won the match two sets to love, 14-21 and 10-21, to eliminate the South African pair. — Sapa
Special Report: Olympics 2004