Athletics: South Africa Tips Semenya For Glory

After top South African athletes failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics as they performed poorly at the 51st Ostrava Golden Spikes meeting over the weekend, Athletic South Africa, ASA, president, James Evans still believes the likes of 800m champion Caster Semenya and SA 100m record holder Simon Magakwe will still qualify for the London Games.

Semenya was two seconds behind the 800m Olympics defending champion Pamela Jelimo, who won the race in 1min: 58.49sec.

Magakwe was disqualified after sensors picked up that he took off before time and in the race won by Jamaican 100m star Usain Bolt in 10.04 seconds, two seconds faster than Magakwe’s personal best.

“It’s really not a tragedy because he was nervous to be running against Bolt and I know he won’t do it again. But its also better that he did it in the Czech Republic as it would be very bad if it was in the Olympic finals,” said ASA president James Evans.

Evans said that the athletes need to pull up their socks and prepare for the Diamond League meeting in Rome on May 31.

“There are still quite a few meetings where our athletes can meet their qualifying criteria so there are a lot of chances,” he said.

Double amputee Oscar Pistorius’ dreams of competing in the able-bodied Olympics are in peril after he finished in last place in the 400m sprint

“It was not entirely a good performance but it was also not that poor because we have Elroy Gelant who came close to breaking our national record and Caster (Semenya) who came second in the 800m race,” said Evans.

Galant, the 3000m steeplechase runner, finished sixth in 7min:41.38sec, only .36 seconds short of the national record of 7min: 41.06sec.