South Africa top in Morocco
Nigeria had to settle for second spot in Morocco.
Wenda Nel claimed the first title winning the women's 400m hurdles in 55.32, ahead of Nigeria's Amaka Ogoegbunam.
Lebogang Shange won the men's walk.
South Africa also won 5 silver and 4 bronze medals in Marrakesh, with a first ever clean sweep in the long jump where Zarck Visser, Khotso Mokoena and Rushwahl Samaai filled the podium. Mokoena also won a medal in the triple jump.
Although Nigeria had a total of 24 medals, to South Africa’s 19, the table prioritises gold medals. Nigeria on eight finished two golds behind South Africa.
Victor Hogan successfully defended his discus title from 2012 with a third round best of 62.87m, while Russell Tucker gave the country a one-two with a 62.5m for a close second.
Rikenette Steenkamp was one of the few women to bring home gold through her 13.26 second 100m hurdles victory.
One of the country’s biggest disappointments was in the decathlon where African record-holder, Willem Coertzen, once again withdrew with a problematic ankle and achillies injury.
Coertzen was forced to withdraw from the high jump section of the competition at Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The African Athletics Championships also formed part of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge which will impact on the South Africans' future qualification for World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Here in KZN, Thobani Changwe continued his domination of the shorter distances over the grueling Capital Climb from Voortrekker School to Worlds View and back, taking 49 minutes 48 seconds for the 15km route. Collegians Harriers athlete, Malibongwe Dlamini, led the field through the highest point before surrendering the lead to Changwe, while Nhlanhla Tshabala filled the third spot. It was a similar situation in the ladies race where another Harriers runner, Helen Buley, topped out first, but was overhauled by Boxer’s Cary-Ann Smith on the free fall back to the finish, crashing through the tape over two minutes clear in one hour five minutes 59 seconds. Buley was only just able to hang onto second in 1:08:08, with Natal Carbineers, Nonsikelelo Mbambo, chasing only ten seconds adrift
The Durban leg of the Spar Ladies Challenges will be held this Sunday morning over both the 10km and 5km distance. The top ladies in the country are expected to tackle the fast and flat 10km course. Irvette van Zyl equaling Zola Pieterse’s best 10km time of 32:22 in last week's Totalsports 10km in Stellenbosch and there is interest to see if the Nedbank athlete can get close to the Durban race record of 31:38 recorded by Colleen de Reuck back in 2000. Others in the mix will be Rene Kalmer and Jenna Challenor, who also set a personal best in Stellenbosch.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
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