SA athletes continue to shine abroad
Sprinter Wayde van Niekerk and Long Jump star Luvo Manyonga were the best of the South African contingent competing on the international Track and Field circuit over the weekend, with local stars again producing spectacular performances around the world.
Van Niekerk smashed the national 200m
record at the Racers Grand Prix Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday night.
The 400m world record holder clocked 19.84 over the half-lap distance, with fellow speedster Akani Simbine taking second place in the 100m event earlier in the evening, crossing the line in 10.00.
In Hengelo on Sunday, Manyonga was also at his best, launching a leap of 8.62m with his final attempt to win the Men's Long Jump, falling just three centimetres shy of his own national record at the IAAF World Challenge in Hengelo, Netherlands.
Ruswahl Samaai, ranked second behind his compatriot in the 2017 global list, took second place with a leap of 8.34m.
Former African champion Zarck Visser settled for sixth place with a 7.88m effort.
While Antonio Alkana was well outside the SA 110m Hurdles record of 13.11, he clocked in Prague six days earlier, he won a tight battle in 13.47, just 0.02 ahead of French athlete Aurel Manga.
Sprinter Anaso Jobodwana finished second in the Men's 200m sprint in 20.62, taking 0.07 off his Season's Best, and Carina Horn was third in the Women's 100m race in 11.35.
Jo-Ane van Dyk, a silver medallist at last year's World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, finished sixth in the Women's Javelin Throw after producing a best heave of 54.33m.
At the Lahti Games in Finland on Friday night, Javelin Throw star Sunette Viljoen, sprinter Emile Erasmus and long jumper Khotso Mokoena had all secured victories.
Viljoen won with a best heave of 62.18m, more than three metres ahead of her nearest challenge, as the Olympic silver medallist opened her European campaign with a solid performance.
Erasmus took the Men's 100m dash in 10.35, edging out Zambian teenager Sydney Siame by 0.04, while Mokoena delivered a best effort of 7.86m to win the single-leap discipline 27 centimetres clear of his nearest opponent.
Claudia Heunis finished fourth in the Women's 100m Hurdles race in 13.54.