Super Semenya and Magic Manyonga Win Diamond League Gold

Caster Semenya and Luvo Manyonga’s stars shone brightest for the South African contingent on the first night of the IAAF Diamond League finals in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, writes MARK ETHERIDGE.

Both were winners on the night and triumphant in the overall 2018 Diamond League title in their 800m and long jump disciplines respectively.

Semenya was in no mood to mess around as she led from start to finish to stop the clock at 1min 55.27sec. That was after taking the bell for the last lap in 56.06 seconds.

Proof of her dominance was the fact that runner-up, Ajee Wilson of the US, finished more than two seconds adrift in 1:57.86 with the promising Natoya Goule of Jamaica third in 1:58.49.

The first six athletes across the line all dipped under the two-minute barrier.

Victory means that Semenya has now won a third consecutive Diamond League trophy and remains unbeaten for the last three years.

As for Manyonga, the Commonwealth Games champion had a great battle with compatriot Ruswahl Samaai as the two took gold and silver respectively.

Manyonga had laid down the marker with an opening effort of 8.32m but Samaai stepped up to the plate to draw level with two rounds left to jump.

That’s exactly the sort of motivation and challenge Manyonga thrives on and he pulled out a winning effort of 8.36m with this final jump. Australia’s Henry Frayne was third with 8.16m on the night.

Semenya and Manyonga’s bank accounts swelled very nicely, to the tune of $50,000 as reward for their season-long Diamond League efforts.

Eight South Africans were in action on the first night of the finals, with Brussels, Belgium on Friday being the final action where Akani Simbine was the sole South African, giving it his best in the 100m. Despite having Manyonga in the stadium to cheer him, he unfortunately didn’t secure a podium spot.

Source: TeamSA