Rogail Joseph, Zeney Geldenhuys cruise in Olympic 400m hurdles heats

A happy Rogail Joseph hobbled through the mixed zone on Sunday as one of South Africa’s two 400m hurdlers to qualify for the semifinals at the Paris Olympics.

The coaching sciences student was second in her heat in a 54.56 sec personal best, while Zeney Geldenhuys finally enjoyed a major international race to end third in hers in 54.73.

National champion Geldenhuys finished behind Dutch star Femke Bol (53.38) and Jamaican Shiann Salmon (53.96).

“I must say [that’s] the first race — that’s a huge international race where I represent my country — where I actually enjoyed it. Where the fear or anxiety or stress didn’t eat me up. I actually enjoyed this race,” said Geldenhuys, a world champion at under-18 and under-20.

“My coach and I have been working on a lot of mental and relaxing stuff so I must say that's helping.”

They had also worked on speeding up her start, especially over the first hurdle, which worked well, and by the time she was turning into the home straight she saw two others close by, threatening to try take the final third automatic qualifying spot.

“I just told myself now go,” said Geldenhuys, the bronze medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where Salmon took silver.

Joseph’s legs were sore, but she was beaming. “I’m really excited for the semifinal. I didn’t expect that ... I really panicked in the last 100 when I saw ‘yoh, you’re in front’, but I’m really grateful,” said Joseph, who finished behind Jasmine Jones of the US (53.60).

Joseph said she would be ready for the next round on Tuesday night.

“At least there’s a day to recover for the semifinals and I will be ready. I’m just going to see the physio and then I’m going to do ice-baths and stay in my room.”

Both Lythe Pillay and Zakithi Nene will return on Monday to compete in the newly introduced repechage round, having failed to advance from their heats.

They ran out of gas on the home straight.

In the men’s golf tournament, Christiaan Bezuidenhout ended with a 10 under par 274 to finish 16th overall, nine shots behind American winner Scottie Scheffler.

Briton Tommy Fleetwood was second on 18 under with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama third one stroke further back.

Erik Van Rooyen ended 17th on 275.

In the women’s road cycle race Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio ended 33rd in the peloton in 4hr 04 min 23 sec, some five minutes behind the winner, American Kristen Faulkner. Tiffany Keep was unable to finish.