Some of the nation’s most promising teenage prospects put up a gallant fight on Tuesday night, though they were unable to challenge for medals on day one of the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
In the men’s shot put final, Burger Lambrechts and Jason van Rooyen settled for eighth and 10th places respectively, after progressing through the qualifying round earlier in the day.
Lambrechts launched a 19.61m heave, 16 centimetres short of his personal best, and Van Rooyen’s 19.38m effort fell 12cm shy of his career best.
Polish teenager Konrad Bukowiecki earned the gold medal with a massive 23.34m attempt, setting a world junior record.
Kabelo Melamu did well to finish 11th of 34 athletes in the men’s 10 000m final, crossing the line in a personal best 29:36.29.
He was unable to keep up with the scorching pace set by a trio of East African runners who broke well clear of the rest of the field, with Kenyan Rodgers Kwemoi securing victory in a championship record of 27:25.23.
Melamu nonetheless shattered his career record of 30:53.20 set in Stellenbosch in April, climbing to fourth place in the all-time SA junior rankings over 25 laps.
Jeanelle Griesel, meanwhile, booked her place in the women’s 400m semifinals, to be held on Wednesday evening.
Griesel, who formed part of the quartet that set a national senior record to win gold in the 4x400m relay at the African Championships in Durban last month, finished fourth in her heat in 54.47 to reach the penultimate round as the 16th fastest of 24 qualifiers.
Earlier, in the morning session on the opening day of competition, sprinter Gift Leotlela coasted though the first round of the men’s 100m sprint, winning his heat in 10.32 to book his place in Wednesday’s semifinals.
In the women’s javelin throw, Jo-Ane van Dyk delivered the sixth furthest attempt in the qualifying round (54.06m) to secure her spot in the final, also scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
Schedule of SA athletes competing in the morning session on day two of the World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz (Wednesday, 20 July):
9.55am – 110m hurdles heats, men (Mpho Tladi, Thabo Maganyele)
10.50am – 400m hurdles heats, women (Gezelle Magerman)
11.40am – 400m heats, men (Derrick Mokaleng)
12.35pm – 100m heats, women (Tamzin Thomas, Cassidy Williamson)
* Results of finals are available in our Results section