Few members of the athletics fraternity will either know or care where to find Jeina Mitchell these days. Twelve years ago, though, they charted her every move as she spreadeagled the best distance fields of teenaged girls in Britain. In March 1990 she won the English schools’ cross-country title by 11 seconds and four months later confirmed her superiority in the division by winning the 1 500m on the track by almost 10 seconds. On each occasion, one of those left breathless in her wake was Paula Radcliffe.

It may have taken 10 days shy of 14 years for it to happen but at the Stade Charlety last Saturday a man finally ran the 100m faster than Ben Johnson’s stanazolol-charged 9,79sec at the Seoul Olympics.

The 2002 international athletics season takes another tired step towards its conclusion on Saturday when Paris hosts the 18th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) grand prix final.

Don’t kid yourself, Werner Greef’s no King Canute. That last-gasp try a fortnight ago was timeous but it didn’t represent the turning of the tide.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was so late for his presentation ceremony in Manchester last week that it had to be postponed until the following day. He claimed he got stuck in traffic, something his brilliant tactical nous allowed him no chance of doing in the 800m final. His victory was brilliant in its simplicity.

So, were they floored or just flawed? Despite a week characterised by a host of marvellous athletic performances — none were better than those from South Africa’s golden boys and girl.

South Africa’s sporting renaissance that started in Muirfield on Sunday should continue in Manchester this weekend despite an absentee list among the athletics squad that, were it a school register, would prompt the principal to close it down for fear of the epidemic spreading further.

Saturday July 27

The state of track and field in this country offers a remarkable juxtaposition.