Prudence Sekgodiso easily qualified for the women’s 800m semifinals at the world championships in Budapest, finishing second in her heat on Wednesday morning.
Sekgodiso, who fell out at the semifinal stage at the previous edition of the showpiece in Eugene last year, clocked 1 min 59.72 sec behind Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, the European champion and world championship silver medallist, who clocked 1:59.53.
The first three from each of the seven heats advance to the semifinals on Friday. The final is scheduled for the last day of the championships on Sunday.
All three of South Africa’s 200m sprinters advanced to Thursday’s semifinals, all finishing third in their heats.
Luxolo Adams clocked a 20.15 season’s best behind Britain’s 100m bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes (19.99) and Canadian Aaron Brown (20.08). The time also ranked Adams, a finalist last year, fifth overall.
Shaun Maswanganyi crossed the line in 20.56, the third-slowest time of his season, behind Canadian Brendon Rooney (20.14) and Renan Correa of Brazil (20.44).
Sinesipho Dambile registered 20.34 behind American phenom Erriyon Knighton (20.17) and Canada’s veteran ace Andre de Grasse (20.28).
And Jo-Ane van Dyk made it through to the women’s javelin final on Friday, delivering a best throw of 60.09m in the qualifying round which ranked her 10th overall.
Marioné Fourie was eliminated from the women's 100m hurdles, finishing sixth in her evening semifinal in a not unrespectable 12.89 sec.
US-based Kyle Rademeyer narrowly missed out in the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.70m, just 5cm below the qualifiers.
Cheswill Johnson fell nearly half a metre short in the men’s long jump, managing a best of 7.61 against a field where the minimum qualifying distance was eight metres on the dot.
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