Khotso Mokoena, continued his world class form on the tracks of Europe at the 2009 Athletissima Super Grand Prix in Lausanne on Tuesday night when he won the long jump with 8,05 metres.
It was another first-class performance as he defeated the world number one Dwight Phillips, and Fabrice Lappiere of Australia, who
beat him in Madrid a few days ago plus a host of other top jumpers.
It was a close run affair because Phillips finished second with 8.03m while Lappiere, formerly from Mauritius, had to settle for
third with an 8m jump.
It was Mokoena’s — who pocketed a first prize of $8 000 — fifth international win of the year.
His winning jump of the evening was against a strong wind measuring 2 metres per second.
Three other South Africans also had reason to pat themselves on the back.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi gained another good placing in the 800m while Bloemfontein middle distance star, Johan Cronje, running more aggressively than in any part of his career, showed a clean pair of heels to numerous Kenyan and other established metric milers to finish second behind Antar Zerguelaine (3:37,15) of Algeria.
Under the conditions Cronje’s time was a fine 3 min 37.50 sec with Bahrainian, Belal Mansour Ali, third in 3 min 37.75 sec.
LJ van Zyl, Commonwealth champion and Olympic finalist in Beijing, finished third in a field that included some of the world’s current best 400m hurdlers with a time of 48,94 sec.
Isa Phillips of Jamaica, who looms like the man to beat at the world championships, won again in convincing fashion in 48,18 sec with American Kerron Clement second in 48,51 sec.
Entering the final straight, Van Zyl was far behind and his strong sprint over the last 50 metres came too late to threaten the
two ahead.
Mulaudzi seems to be on course for the IAAF Championships with a second place in the 800 metres in 1 min 44,97 sec., his second
fastest effort of 2009.
It was only his second outing of the European season, and only fractionally slower (0,16 sec) than his winning time in the national championships at Stellenbosch in March.
Sudan’s Ismail Ahmed Ismail, won the race in 1 min 44,80 sec. — Sapa