The first of Athletics South Africa’s two Olympic-sized blunders will be visible at the Rio Games today.
The trio of SA sprinters in the men’s 200m trio is Anaso Jobodwana, the bronze medallist at last year’s world championships, and schoolboys Gift Leotlela and Clarence Munyai.
Notably absent is form guy Akani Simbine, who on Sunday night finished fifth in the 100m final.
Jobodwana’s inclusion in the team is a gamble as he has not competed in nearly a year as due to injury. But if he fires he is a medal hope.
His 19.87sec national record from the world championships made him SA’s fastest 200m qualifier, ahead of Wayde van Niekerk on 19.94.
Van Niekerk chose not to participate in this event to focus on winning the 400m.
That made Simbine the de facto second-fastest with his 20.23, which he improved after his non-selection was made to 20.16.
Leotlela and Munyai, with bests of 20.47 and 20.36, are future talents, but they’re not ready to challenge for a podium on this stage; at the world U20 championships last month they finished second and fourth respectively.
The heats kick off at 4.50pm.
ASA’s second big mistake will be visible – also by omission – in the heats of the men’s 4x100m relay on Thursday.
The federation did not organise qualification attempts for the SA team.
Canoeist Bridgitte Hartley, bronze medallist in the women’s K1 500m in London, competes in the 200m heats today (2.59pm).
Eight years after he competed as a matric pupil in the inaugural Olympic marathon swim, Chad Ho dives in for the 10km race (2pm).
Back at the athletics stadium, veteran javelin-thrower Sunette Viljoen takes part in the qualifying round ahead of the final on Thursday.
Akani not in 200m heats
The trio of SA sprinters in the men’s 200m trio is Anaso Jobodwana, the bronze medallist at last year’s world championships, and schoolboys Gift Leotlela and Clarence Munyai.
Notably absent is form guy Akani Simbine, who on Sunday night finished fifth in the 100m final.
Jobodwana’s inclusion in the team is a gamble as he has not competed in nearly a year as due to injury. But if he fires he is a medal hope.
His 19.87sec national record from the world championships made him SA’s fastest 200m qualifier, ahead of Wayde van Niekerk on 19.94.
Van Niekerk chose not to participate in this event to focus on winning the 400m.
That made Simbine the de facto second-fastest with his 20.23, which he improved after his non-selection was made to 20.16.
Leotlela and Munyai, with bests of 20.47 and 20.36, are future talents, but they’re not ready to challenge for a podium on this stage; at the world U20 championships last month they finished second and fourth respectively.
The heats kick off at 4.50pm.
ASA’s second big mistake will be visible – also by omission – in the heats of the men’s 4x100m relay on Thursday.
The federation did not organise qualification attempts for the SA team.
Canoeist Bridgitte Hartley, bronze medallist in the women’s K1 500m in London, competes in the 200m heats today (2.59pm).
Eight years after he competed as a matric pupil in the inaugural Olympic marathon swim, Chad Ho dives in for the 10km race (2pm).
Back at the athletics stadium, veteran javelin-thrower Sunette Viljoen takes part in the qualifying round ahead of the final on Thursday.
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