Athletics World Cup London 2018 - Day Two
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 15: Rikenette Steenkamp of South Africa celebrates winning the Women's 100m Hurdles during day two of the Athletics World Cup London at the London Stadium on July 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Home » 3 World Cup Gold Medals for South Africa in London

3 World Cup Gold Medals for South Africa in London

Three South African athletes won gold medals at the weekend’s inaugural Athletics World Cup in London, England, while five more individuals reached the podium in their events. On Sunday night, world long jump champion Luvo Manyonga was in fine form in his specialist discipline. With field events athletes limited to four attempts in straight finals, […]

By Guest Contributor
08-01-21 22:58
in Fab South African Stuff
Athletics World Cup London 2018 - Day Two
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 15: Rikenette Steenkamp of South Africa celebrates winning the Women's 100m Hurdles during day two of the Athletics World Cup London at the London Stadium on July 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Three South African athletes won gold medals at the weekend’s inaugural Athletics World Cup in London, England, while five more individuals reached the podium in their events.

On Sunday night, world long jump champion Luvo Manyonga was in fine form in his specialist discipline.

With field events athletes limited to four attempts in straight finals, Manyonga was a model of consistency. After landing at 8.51 metres with his first leap, which would ultimately secure the win, he went on to jump 8.48m, 8.50m and 8.50m with his three remaining efforts.

Earlier, in the women’s 100m hurdles race, the in-form and recent setter of a national record, Rikenette Steenkamp bolted over the line to win gold in 12.88 seconds.

On Saturday’s opening day of competition, Olympic silver medallist Sunette Viljoen won the women’s javelin with a 61.69m throw.

South Africa’s Sunette Viljoen competes in the women’s Javelin throw during the Athletics World Cup team competition at the London Stadium in London on July 14, 2018. – The inaugural Athletics World Cup is staged in London this weekend with the IAAF and British organisers hoping the concept will find a permanent slot in the calendar, despite clashing with other major sports events. (Photo by Ian KINGTON / AFP) (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

In other disciplines, SA champion Luxolo Adams took second place in the men’s 200m race in 20.45 and US-based sprinter Derrick Mokaleng grabbed silver in the men’s 400m contest in 45.48. Discus thrower Victor Hogan also took the runners-up spot with a 63.73m heave.

Derick Mokaleng of South Africa competed in 400m Men during Athletics World Cup London 2018 at London Stadium, London, on 15 July 2018 (Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

 

Carina Horn, captain of the SA team, was third in the women’s 100m race in 11.21 and sub-10 speedster Simon Magakwe earned bronze in the men’s short sprint in 10.11.

In relay races, the SA men’s 4x100m quartet of Magakwe, Adams, Antonio Alkana and Roscoe Engel – clocked 38.53 to finish third. The national men’s 4x400m team – Mokaleng, Thapelo Phora, Pieter Conradie and Zakithi Nene – took second position in 3:01.79, but were sadly later disqualified for a lane violation.

The SA squad were up against seven other countries at this, the Athletics World Cup, which used a point-based format to determine the final rankings, and the rainbow nation finished seventh overall.

The United States ended the two-day competition at the top of the standings.