Mbulaeni Mulaudzi started his international campaign on a high note at the IAAF Golden league meeting in Berlin on Sunday when he clocked a fast time of 1:44,68 in the 800m. Mulaudzi was narrowly beaten by Kenya’s Abraham Chepkirwok who won the race in 1:44,53 but his performance will give his confidence a major boost for the rest of his European campaign.
Khotso Mokoena finished second in the long jump with a distance of 8,18m while LJ van Zyl was fourth in the 400m hurdles in a time of 49,43.
Elizna Naude showed much improved form at a meeting in Dessau, Germany, on Friday when she reached the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games in the discus. Naude came third with a distance of 61,79m which bettered the qualifying standard by 79cm.
At the same meeting, Christian Krone came fourth in both the 100m and 200m races, with times of 10,59 and 21,16 while Ofentse Mogawane placed third in the 400m in 46,80.
Juan van Deventer continued his good form in the 1 500m when he clocked a time of 3:37,79 at a meeting in Zaragosa, Spain, on Saturday.
Van Deventer lost in the sprint to the line against Nicholas Kemboi of Kenya, who won in 3:37,45. Rene Kalmer finished 18th in the 5 000m in a time of 16:18,23.
Gerbrandt Grobler was third in the javelin with a distance of 77,04m while Geraldine Pillay clocked 24,79 secs in the 200m.
At the permit meeting in Algiers on Thursday, Janet Wienand was sixth in the 400m hurdles in 58,83, Ruan de Vries seventh in the 110m hurdles in 14,60 and Rene Kalmer fourth in the 1 500m in 4:25,56. – Sapa