Athletics South Africa

ANOTHER PODIUM FINISH FOR DAMBILE AT DIAMOND LEAGUE

Sinesipho Dambile continued to build on his superb form this season, taking second place in the men's 200m race at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Friday night.

The recently crowned Commonwealth Games champion completed the men's half-lap contest in 19.98 seconds in the Swiss city, dipping under 20 seconds for the fourth time this season. He was just 0.11 behind Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who won the race in 19.87.

"It´s my first time here in Lausanne and I really can't complain. I had a lot of fun, especially considering I haven't trained a lot since the Commonwealth Games, so I´m very happy to see myself progressing like this," Dambile said.

"It´s important for me to inspire the youth back home and show them what's possible, so I'll keep on doing that. And now I'm really looking forward to and excited for the Diamond League final."

Dambile, who had finished on the podium at five Diamond League meetings this season, led the overall standings in the 200m event in the build-up to the series final to be held in Brussels, Belgium next month.

Prudence Sekgodiso, the only other SA athlete who competed in Lausanne, took eighth position in the women's 800m race in 1:59.58. In-form Swiss athlete Audrey Werro, secured victory in 1:55.33, setting a new meeting record in front of her parents and home crowd.

The 13th leg of the Diamond League series will be held in Silesia, Poland on Sunday. There will be three South Africans in action, including 400m specialist Zakithi Nene, as well as 100m sprinters Gift Leotlela and Akani Simbine.

ENDS

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About Athletics South Africa
Athletics South Africa (ASA) is the national governing body for athletics in South Africa, responsible for Track and Field, Road Running, Cross Country and Race Walking. ASA is affiliated with World Athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). Established in 1995, the federation is headquartered in Johannesburg.

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ATHLETICS SOUTH AFRICA DISTANCES ITSELF FROM THE 2027 COMRADES MARATHON AND REAFFIRMS FULL SUPPORT FOR KZNA

Athletics South Africa (ASA) wishes to advise its Member Federations, affiliated clubs, athletes, technical officials, partners and the public that the 100th Comrades Marathon is not sanctioned by Athletics South Africa.

This position follows the failure of the event organisers (Comrades Marathon Association) to recognise and comply with the governance and regulatory framework governing athletics. Despite extensive engagements undertaken in good faith by Athletics South Africa and its member federation, KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), the organisers have not satisfied the requirements necessary for sanctioning under the constitution, rules and regulations of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, Athletics South Africa and World Athletics.

The World Athletics Constitution provides in Article 7.3 that: “There shall only be one Member Federation from any one Country or Territory.” ASA is the recognised World Athletics Member Federation for South Africa.

Athletics South Africa fully supports KwaZulu-Natal Athletics in the ex*****on of its constitutional and regulatory responsibilities as the duly recognised provincial member federation responsible for the administration and governance of athletics within KwaZulu-Natal.

As the national governing body for athletics in South Africa, Athletics South Africa has a responsibility to ensure that all athletics and road running events are conducted within a consistent governance framework, and in compliance with the applicable rules, regulations and standards. These requirements apply equally to all event organisers and cannot be selectively applied or disregarded.

Athletics South Africa confirms that the 100th Comrades Marathon has not been authorised or sanctioned through KwaZulu-Natal Athletics and formally distances itself from the organisation, administration and conduct of the event.
Athletics South Africa remains committed to the protection of athletes, clubs, officials and stakeholders and regulatory compliance throughout the sport.

ASA also confirms that KZNA remains willing to engage constructively with any event organiser that recognises the authority of the athletics structures established under the ASA Constitution and is prepared to comply with the applicable governance and sanctioning requirements.

ENDS

For further enquiries, contact:
Sifiso Cele
Media Liaison Consultant
Athletics South Africa
Mobile: +27 82 319 2704
Email: [email protected]

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About Athletics South Africa
Athletics South Africa (ASA) is the national governing body for athletics in South Africa, responsible for Track and Field, Road Running, Cross Country and Race Walking. ASA is affiliated with World Athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). Established in 1995, the federation is headquartered in Johannesburg.

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Thanks for a wonderfull, unbiased package

What I love about these performances is how much depth they show in South African sport beyond the names and teams we already know. These are teenagers going up against the best young athletes in the world and coming home with medals. Some of them are already producing performances that put them into serious senior company. We spend a lot of time talking about the future of South African sport. Well, some of that future is competing right now. I just think we should be paying a little more attention.

Thank you for the post World Athletics

Emoji check 💅✨ #WAOregon26 | #WorldAthleticsU20

The moments that made our day.

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Tumi’s first global medal 🥹✨ #WAOregon26 | #WorldAthleticsU20

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Full circle moment at home 🥹❤️ Team South Africa delivers infront of the home crowd, winning the women’s 4x100m event in 43.83 at the SuperSport Simbine Classic Continental in Pretoria. The preparations are set as they will make their debut this weekend at the World Relay Championships in Gaborone 🇧🇼 #MergeSphereZA | 📸: @erin_groll

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Matodzi Ndou 🇿🇦 for the win in heat 5 of the men's 400mH at the World U20 Championships in Eugene with a time of 50.69s.

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AFRICAN U20 RECORD 🌟   🇿🇦’s team of Ryno Riekert, Kryn Romijn, Abelines Schoeman, and Leendert Koekemoer clock 3:02.76 in the men’s 4x400m relay final to take home silver 🔥   #WAOregon26 | #WorldAthleticsU20

SA JUNIOR TEAM COMPLETE CAMPAIGN WITH EIGHT MEDALS

South Africa will return home with eight medals, after claiming three more podium places on the final day of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

During the final session of competition, hurdler Tumi Ramokgopa and sprinter Leendert Koekemoer secured their second medals of the showpiece. Ramokgopa produced one of the best performances of her blossoming career, taking second place in 55.88 seconds and clipping 0.02 off the personal best of 55.90 she set last year. She closed out a memorable campaign in Eugene after she had also grabbed silver in the 100m hurdles final the day before.

Up front in the final of the one-lap barriers, Alexandra Stefania Uta of Romania won gold in 55.33, breaking the European junior record, and Eleni Iakovaki of Greece finishing third in 55.99.
In the men's 4x400m relay final, Koekemoer led the national team to second place in a new African U20 record of 3:02.76, slicing 0.05 off the 10-year-old continental mark of 3:02.81 which had been set by Botswana in Poland in 2016.

Koekemoer, who had secured bronze in the individual 400m final earlier at the championships, ran the fastest split (44.35) of all athletes who competed in the relay final.
And he was well backed by teammates Ryno Riekert, Kryn Romijn and Abelines Schoeman who helped set up the record result. The United States won gold in 3:01.39 and France ended third in 3:04.80.

Matodzi Ndou also bagged a medal in the men's 400m hurdles final, taking third position in 49.90 to earn bronze. Czech athlete Michal Rada set a European junior record of 48.59 to claim the world U20 title, and Taiju Goto of Japan snatched silver in 49.23. South African athlete Lesibe Dikgale, who had also qualified for the final, was forced to withdraw after picking up an injury.

In other finals on Day 5, Marine Grobler (51.33m) and Stephane Hook (49.45m) finished sixth and eighth respectively in the women's javelin throw.
Youth athlete Joshua Ge**er ended ninth in the men's discus throw, with the 16-year-old achieving a personal best of 61.43m with the heavier junior weight. Another 16-year-old rising star, Tiisetso Malungane, did well to take ninth place in the men's 1 500m final in 3:42.98. And the SA men's 4x100m relay team - Phenyo Miyen, Zattu Hlongwane, Caylon Ryan and Marko Ferreira - were sixth in the final in 39.48.

After five days of competition in Eugene, the SA team finished 10th in the overall standings with eight medals (one gold, three silver and four bronze). It was the SA squad's largest medal haul at the World Athletics U20 Championships since the national team bagged nine medals in Nairobi in 2021.

“This is a tremendously proud moment for South African athletics. Finishing 10th overall with eight medals - one gold, three silver and four bronze - is a remarkable achievement and a clear reflection of the talent, determination and competitive spirit of our young athletes. To achieve our biggest medal haul at a World Athletics U20 Championships since Nairobi in 2021 is something the entire athletics family can celebrate.

" The spotlight of this remarkable work of achievement must go to parents and everyone else who put their hands on the deck to put th3 Rainbow Nation first. The cooperation of parents and guardians with team officials have been at the highest of professionalism and we say thank you. We wish everyone safe travelling to your final destinations.

“On behalf of Athletics South Africa, I congratulate every athlete, coach, team official, support staff and everyone who contributed to this outstanding performance in Eugene. These young athletes have once again shown that South Africa has a strong pipeline of future champions, and their success gives us great confidence and excitement for the future of our sport,” said John Mathane, Acting President, Athletics South Africa.

ENDS

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About Athletics South Africa
Athletics South Africa (ASA) is the national governing body for athletics in South Africa, responsible for Track and Field, Road Running, Cross Country and Race Walking. ASA is affiliated with World Athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). Established in 1995, the federation is headquartered in Johannesburg.

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