By James K. Attaglo Wilson| info@sports24ghana.com
The hope of Africa – South Africa has sent strong contingents to the 2017 IAAF World Championships which starts from Friday August 04 to 13th in London.
The powerful squad includes seven [7] national record holders: – Akani Simbine [100m], Wayde van Niekerk [200m and 400m], Antonio Alkana [110m hurdles], Luvo Manyonga [long jump], Lebogang Shange [20km walk], Carina Horn [200m] as well as the ever dazzling Caster Semenya [800m].
South African athletes have already enjoyed a flamboyant season [2017] with some of them ceasing world records under their spikes.
For instance, Wayde van Niekerk who has been widely tipped to challenge Usain Bolt in the men’s 200m finals holds the world lead in the 400m event [43.62]. Apart from that, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist [Wayde van Niekerk] has clocked two of the three fastest times this year.
In the men’s 100m, Akani Simbine is ranked third boasting a personal best of 9.92 seconds and has run under 10 seconds on eight occasions this season.
Both sprinters are expected to put a showdown in the battle of who is who in the men’s 200m finals with Van Niekerk ranked second [19.84] whiles Akani Simbine ranked fifth [19.95] in the half-lap event.
In the long jump, Manyonga holds the world lead [8.65m] and compatriot Ruswahl Samaai is also ranked second [8.49m].
Meanwhile, Golden Girl [Caster Semenya] has been in top shape on the road to London 2017 in the women’s 800m event having set the fastest time in the world this year when she clocked a 1:55.27 national record at the recent IAAF Diamond League Meeting in Monaco.
As the clock winds down to the start of the IAAF World Championships [London 2017] www.sports24ghana.com promises to hold you down with tit bits including over all updates of the competition.
Below is the full squad:
MEN
100m
Akani Simbine, Thando Roto
200m
Akani Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk, Clarence Munyai
400m
Wayde van Niekerk, Pieter Conradie
10 000m
Stephen Mokoka
Marathon
April Lusapho, Sibusiso Nzima, Desmond Mokgobu
110m hurdles
Antonio Alkana
Long Jump
Luvo Manyonga, Ruswahl Samaai, Zarck Visser
Shot Put
Oratio Cremona, Jaco Engelbrecht
Discus
Victor Hogan
Javelin
Rocco van Rooyen
20km walk
Shange Lebogang
WOMEN
100m
Carina Horn
200m
Justine Palframan
800m
Caster Semenya, Gena Lofstrand
1, 500m
Caster Semenya
Marathon
Mapaseka Makhanya, Jenna Challenor
400m hurdles
Wenda Nel
4x400m relay
Justine Palframan, Gena Lofstrand, Ariane Nel, Zoe Engler, Caster Semenya, Wenda Nel
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