A number of South African
athletes delivered impressive performances on the
European circuit over the past weekend. Wenda
Nel was in fine form on Sunday, 9 July, taking third
position in the 400-m women hurdles race at the IAAF
Diamond League Meeting in London, England.
The African champion completed the contest in 54.73,
dipping under 55 seconds for the third time this year,
with Janieve Russell of Jamaica securing victory in
54.02.
Carina Horn won the 100-m women sprint in 11.05 at the
European Classic Permit Meeting in Sotteville, France,
clocking the fastest time of her career, though the
South African record holder was aided by a +2.6m/s wind.
Zarck Visser again sailed over the eight metre mark,
winning the long jump men with a leap of 8.07m.
In Kortrijk, Belgium, on Saturday, 8 July, Justin
Palframan won the 200-m women race in a personal best of
22.84 and also secured victory in the 400-m event in
52.47. Showing consistent form, the World Student Games
one-lap champion had clocked a 400-m season best of
52.30 in Celle Ligure three days earlier.
The next day, Palframan went on to win the 200-m race at
the Brussels Grand Prix in 23.07.
Lebakeng Sesele was triumphant in the 200-m men race in
Kortrijk, achieving a personal best of 20.27 seconds,
becoming the sixth athlete to dip under the ASA
A-standard qualifying time in the half-lap dash for the
IAAF World Championships in London next month.
He also finished second in the 100-m men race in 10.20,
with the benefit of a +3.2m/s wind.
Gena Lofstrand continued her breakthrough international
campaign, setting another personal best to win the 800-m
women race in 2:02.05, edging out Winnie Nanyondo of
Uganda by 0.01 in a late sprint.
In other events at the Brussels Grand Prix, junior
athlete George Kusche won the 800-m men race in 1:47.98,
while Jerry Motsau clocked 3:38.11 to finish fourth in
the 1 500-m men contest, achieving his fastest time in
nearly three years.
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