Stephen Mokoka will lead the Gauteng North team in Sasolburg this weekend
Stephen Mokoka put up a gallant fight in the men’s 5 000m race on Saturday night, though he faded in the latter stages in the final track contest of the two-day Diamond League meeting in London.
The former SA record holder, who lost his national mark over the distance to Elroy Gelant in May, went with a four-man break led by Olympic and world champion Mo Farah of Great Britain in the second half of the race.
With Farah gradually opening a gap, Mokoka stuck to Kenyan Isiah Koech as they attempted to hold off the rest of the field, but both athletes were swallowed up by a large chase pack before the line.
The South African finished ninth in 13:23.66, with Farah securing a convincing victory in 12:59.29, setting the fastest time in the world this year.
In the men’s 400m hurdles race, LJ van Zyl grabbed fourth position in 48.92, clocking his second fastest time of the season, with two-time world champion Kerron Clement of the United States securing the win in 48.40.
Carina Horn did well to progress beyond the opening round of the women’s 100m sprint, taking fourth spot in her heat in 11.15, but she settled for eighth position in the final in 11.22.
Ivorian speedster Marie-Josee Ta Lou stormed to victory in a personal best of 10.96.
Wenda Nel had been the only SA athlete in the line-up on the opening day of the meeting, which formed the last leg of the top-flight Diamond League series ahead of next month’s Rio Olympics.
Nel finished third in the women’s 400m hurdles contest in 54.47, just 0.10 outside her personal best.