Prudence Sekgodiso SA star Prudence Sekgodiso screams in disbelief after winning the 800m gold medal at the world indoor championships in China on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
Ruck&Maul Column
After the glory of the relay silver medal at the Paris Olympics, it looks like that achievement has inspired South African athletes to greater heights this year following two medals at the world indoor championships last week.
The men’s 4x100m relay team of Akani Simbine, Bayanda Walaza, Bradley Nkoana and Shaun Maswanganyi grabbed second place behind Canada on a memorable August night at the Stade de France.
That was followed the next day by Jo-Ané van Dyk’s outstanding effort in the women’s javelin competition as she clinched a silver medal as well. But that was the only two medals from the athletics team, and the first podium finishes in a global event since the 2017 world championships in London.
That’s right: the last time Mzansi could celebrate a world medal was when Caster Semenya won gold in the 800m at the London Olympic Stadium.
She was joined at the top of the podium by fellow champions Wayde van Niekerk (400m) and Luvo Manyonga (long jump), while Van Niekerk also claimed a silver medal in the 200m and Semenya a bronze in the 1,500m, with Ruswahl Samaai claiming third spot in the long jump as well. But from six medals at the 2017 world championships, South Africa produced zero medals in 2019 in Doha, 2022 in Oregon and 2023 in Budapest.
The drought was broken by Simbine and Co in Paris last year, followed by Van Dyk, and last week’s world indoor championships in Nanjing, China gave us two more medals to savour, and provided real hope of podium places at the outdoor world championships in Tokyo in September.
Simbine got the ball rolling with his bronze medal in the 60m and what was so impressive about it is the fact that he has seldom run the shorter distance in the past.
In fact, this year was the first time that the 31-year-old competed in the indoor arena, and he went from a time of 6.57 seconds in his first race in Berlin in February to a new personal best of 6.53 in the semi-finals at the worlds.
Simbine followed it up with a 6.54 in last Friday’s final to take the bronze, behind British star Jeremiah Azu (6.49) and Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy (6.50).
Prudence Sekgodiso was next on the Nanjing track on Sunday in the 800m final, and after her appearance in the 2024 Olympic final, she showed that she has taken another significant step forward by claiming gold in the indoor champs in a new SA record of 1:58.40.
It was an important hurdle to cross for the 23-year-old from Limpopo, as she may have been a bit disappointed by coming eighth in the Olympic final.
Sekgodiso had hoped to push for a medal in Paris, but finished in 1:58.79 – well short of her personal best of 1:57.26, which would’ve secured a bronze medal ahead of third-place Kenyan Mary Moraa, who clocked 1:57.42.
But for both Simbine and Sekgodiso – who got a warm welcome at the OR Tambo Airport on Tuesday – having come through the wringer of a world indoor championship with medals will give them real confidence that they can reach the podium in the outdoor version in Tokyo in September.
Sekgodiso will need to break through the 1:56 barrier to be in with any chance of toppling Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson of Britain, whose personal best stands at an outstanding 1:54.61.
For Simbine, his vast experience and well-documented near-misses in major finals will be all the motivation he needs to get past the likes of Olympic champion Noah Lyles, and fellow medallists Kishane Thompson and Fred Kerley.
Simbine is chasing that 9.7 time, having clocked an SA-record 9.82 in the Olympic final, and he will have the next few months to hone his finish and get his timing just right to shine in Tokyo. And there are a few outside bets for SA medals at the world champs as well. Marioné Fourie has had a sparkling start to her local season in the 100m hurdles, and she ran 12.69 for a world-lead effort just last week.
Don’t count out Adriaan Wildschutt in the 5 000m and 10 000m either, having finished 10th in the longer distance at the Paris Olympics.
Van Dyk will hope to get her season going soon to back up her javelin silver medal from last year, and of course, the men’s 4x100m relay team will also go for gold in Tokyo. So, 2025 is shaping up to finally being the year of glory for SA athletics.