After being overlooked for two national teams‚ Dominique Scott has been named in a small South African team for the world indoor championships.
US-based Scott is one of six athletes who will compete in Birmingham from March 1-4‚ featuring long-jumpers Luvo Manyonga‚ the world outdoor champion‚ and his bronze medallist compatriot‚ Ruswahl Samaai.
Scott‚ a 2016 Olympian‚ was one of 14 athletes omitted from the SA team for the world outdoor championships in London last year despite qualifying for the event.
Their only crime was not matching the tougher qualifying standards set by Athletics SA (ASA).
Scott also didn’t make the grade for the Commonwealth Games because she achieved the qualifying times in the 1‚500m and 5‚000m outside the August 1 to December 31 window imposed by ASA — she was more than three seconds quicker in the 1‚500m in July last year and more than 30 seconds faster in the 5‚000m in June.
Had the federation picked her for the London world championships from August 4-13 Scott would have surely posted a qualifying time to secure her spot in the squad for the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.
The selection for the Games is done by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc)‚ but the criteria were set by ASA.
Scott left nothing to chance for the indoor team‚ however‚ breaking national records in both the 1500m and 3000m this month. She will compete in both races in Birmingham.
The SA team is:
Men:
Emile Erasmus (60m)‚ Antonio Alkana (60m hurdles)‚ Ruswahl Samaai (long jump)‚ Luvo Manyonga (long jump).
Women:
Carina Horn (60m)‚ Dominique Scott (1500m/3000m).
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