Tag: 200m

‹ Back

Luxolo Adams determined to overcome “speed bumps” on road to Paris

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on Luxolo Adams determined to overcome “speed bumps” on road to Paris

By Karien Jonckheere

Luxolo Adams is yet to get his track season underway. A grade 2 hamstring tear has kept him on the sidelines, but the 27-year-old sprinter is confident he can come back stronger than ever as he builds towards the Paris Olympics, with the opening ceremony now less than eight weeks away.

“We’ve had some speed humps on the road, but I’ve expanded my team in terms of my health side of things, so we are quite positive, everyone is working hard towards that,” he explained, adding that he has based himself in Johannesburg to get the treatment he needs.

“I should leave South Africa mid-June to go and start competing against the best in the world and then we take it from there.”

Adams made a name for himself by running a speedy 19.82 seconds on his way to victory in the 200m at the Paris Diamond League meet in 2022.

A month later he reached the 200m final at his first World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. But at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, after running 20.15 in the heats, he was involved in the bizarre collision between two golf carts transporting athletes from the warm-up track to the stadium and was badly shaken before his semifinal.

Fortunately for the Gqeberha sprinter, the quick time in those Budapest heats saw him qualifying for the Paris Olympics as he has not competed since then.

“I’m a seasonal athlete,” he explained. “I always come through at the end, and when I’m back I’m back. I think I’ve mastered that now in terms of knowing how to go back, and how to run fast after I’ve had an obstacle along the way,” added Adams, who has dealt with his fair share of obstacles during his career.

“I don’t let that thing put me off my talent. This is my food, this is how I live, this is what puts food on the table. So I’m not going to let anything small get into my head,” he reckoned.

“We don’t want to get too excited because we’ve got a big fish to fry, so we are taking each and every step with precautions. Obviously we want to get to the Olympic Games.”

As for the excellent form that has already been shown this season by other international sprinters, Adams added: “With everyone that has competed so far most of them are looking good… I’m happy for them that they are running fast times now, but I would be worried because it’s still early.

“The Olympic Games are only in August. We want to get to the final so we can’t impress early, we need to impress when it matters.”

Young gun Benjamin outshines Wayde van Niekerk on sizzling day at SA champs

Roxanne MartinNewsLeave a Comment on Young gun Benjamin outshines Wayde van Niekerk on sizzling day at SA champs

Benjamin Richardson produced the largest upset of the SA Athletics Championships so far by outgunning Wayde van Niekerk to win the 200m title in a steamy Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. By Karien Jonckheere, Picture Cecilia van Bers

Van Niekerk chose to focus his efforts on the 200m event in Maritzburg rather than the 400m, in which he won Olympic gold in 2016 in world record time. But Richardson produced a speedy 20.16-second performance to outshine the veteran and take the title while also securing an Olympic qualifying mark. Van Niekerk settled for silver in 20.31.

“I could have [gone faster] but I’m more happy about the moment and the fact that I did my qualifier,” said a thrilled Richardson. “I was happy in the moment with what I did because it took so much effort and I’m just happy right now.”

As for beating Van Niekerk, the 20-year-old said he remembered the exact date he raced against him for the first time back in 2021.

“It shows that through time, things can change and three years later, I’m now first and so now I’m happy and I’m grateful for everything that’s happened – the trials and tribulations.”

Meanwhile, Lythe Pillay surprised even himself on his way to the 400m title in a new personal best time of 44.31 seconds, with Zakithi Nene also achieving his second Olympic qualifying time in the event, taking silver in 44.80.

“We’re still on cloud nine, or rather on cloud 44 right now, but I’m grateful and blessed,” said an amazed Pillay afterwards.

“Being in a very competitive lineup like that, even with Wayde [van Niekerk] not being present, I knew it was going to be a tough race. I was just here to execute and do what I had to do today.

“The plan was just to go, so from the gun have a good reaction, stay controlled, not spilling energy unnecessarily, sticking to my normal tactics, sticking to my normal strength… and everything clicked today,” added the 21-year-old who will be hoping everything also clicks tomorrow when he is writing an accounting exam.

It was a busy day for Shirley Nekhubui who doubled up in the 200 and 400m, successfully securing both titles on the same day.

Nekhubui claimed the 200m victory in 23.28 and followed that up by edging out defending champion Miranda Coetzee for the 400m title as well, winning in a time of 51.77 seconds.

Nekhubui said afterwards she is till hoping to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in the 400m and will be aiming to do that in Europe in the coming weeks.

Glenrose Xaba completed a double of her own. She overcame the steamy KZN conditions to add the 10,000m title to the 5000m gold she won on Thursday.

In a race that saw several athletes either collapsing or dropping out, Xaba held on to win in a time of 32:56.29 for her seventh national 10,000m title.

Adriaan Wildschutt took the men’s 5000m title in a time of 13:30.38 to make it a double for the family with his brother Nadeel having claimed the 10,000m title on Thursday.

The SA Athletics Championships conclude tomorrow.

SA’s 200m trio book semifinal spots as Fourie misses final

Roxanne MartinNewsLeave a Comment on SA’s 200m trio book semifinal spots as Fourie misses final

Marioné Fourie was the only South African athlete in action in the evening session at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Wednesday. The 21-year-old finished sixth in her 100m semifinal in 12.89 seconds, so missing out on Thursday’s final. She admitted afterwards that she had lost focus before the race.

All our World Championship coverage is proudly fuelled by PUMA South Africa.

“It wasn’t a good race. Yesterday was a better race than today. But it’s OK, I will come back next year to the Olympics and I will make sure I will make the final… I don’t think the whole focus was there, so maybe a little bit tired, but I think the execution wasn’t that great also, so it wasn’t a good race.”

Wednesday night’s session was highlighted by Karsten Warholm’s dominant victory in the 400m hurdles. The Norwegian sailed to the gold in a time of 46.89 to add the world title to his Olympic title claimed in Tokyo in 2021. It also meant he regained the title he last won in 2019.

Meanwhile, in a busy morning session, all three of South Africa’s 200m runners made it safely into the semifinals by finishing third in their respective heats. 2022 World Championships finalist Luxolo Adams was first up, finishing in a time of 20.15 with Shaun Maswanganyi then finishing in 20.56 and Sinesipho Dambile in 20.34.

“I’m feeling great now. I’m 100 percent back and I guess that’s one of the things that are keeping me positive and remaining healthy,” said Adams, who injured his hamstring at the SA Championships in April. “The atmosphere is amazing and the track is fast so that gives me a bit of positivity going forward again.”

Dambile was thrilled his compatriots had also made it through, saying: “That’s big, that’s big, that’s big. I’m happy for them, so we have to just find a way to make it through to the final, and I think it’s possible you know I know.”

It was also a successful morning for Prudence Sekgodiso. The 21-year-old finished second in her heat in 1:59.72 to book a spot in Friday’s 800m semifinals.

“The race went according to the plan. The plan was to be in the top three and just to follow Keely [Hodgkinson] and I did it. Now I get ready for the semifinals, anything can happen but I’m ready for anything. I’m like them why must I fear them, I’m all good,” she said afterwards.

“I was worried when I was boxed in but you know what, I just went with the flow and you see, I came second. Going to the semifinals for the second time at my second world champs, I’m just over the moon.”

Jo-Ane van Dyk’s third-round effort of 60.09m in javelin qualification was enough to see her through to Friday’s final but both Kyle Rademeyer (5.70m in the pole vault) and Cheswill Johnson (7.61m in the long jump) missed out.

Watch All Our Athlete Interviews!

Our team on the ground at Budapest have been interviewing all South African athletes after their respective events. To get an inside view into strategy and their thoughts on their performances, click the button below to see for yourself what it takes to compete on a world stage!



Watch Athlete Interviews


Watch Day Five Highlights!​