Gauteng sprint hurdler sets sights on Olympic Games
A Kempton Park teenager has become the first South African to win medals in two hurdles events at a world championships.
Sprint hurdler Tumi Ramokgopa has already set her sights on an Olympic Games debut when the global showpiece takes centre stage in Los Angeles in 2028, reports Benoni City Times.
Ramokgopa, who lives in the Kempton Park suburb of Birchleigh, produced one of the best performances of her blossoming career when she remarkably grabbed a pair of silver medals in the 100m and 400m hurdles at the recent World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
She finished second in the short hurdles final on Saturday (August 8) in 12.96 seconds, just 0.02 seconds off her lifetime best of 12.93 clocked at Germiston Stadium in March, which is also the national women’s U20 record.
A day later, the 18-year-old then capped a memorable championship with the 400m hurdles silver in a new personal best of 55.88, bettering her previous mark of 55.90, becoming the first South African to medal in two hurdles events at a world championship.
“The world now knows my name. As I said at Germiston Stadium, this is my introduction to the world. I am coming for everything. I am hungrier than I have ever been. LA2028 is one of my biggest goals. I’m looking forward to achieving it,” she told Benoni City Times shortly after landing at OR Tambo International Airport on yesterday night (August 11).
Reflecting on this achievement, Ramokgopa, a BA-general student at the University of Pretoria, struggled to contain her emotions, saying she’s honoured.
“I’m happy, I’m proud, I’m so emotional, but I’m truly beyond grateful. I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything, but beyond that, I am truly grateful. It is really an honour. God has blessed me so much.”
Top 10 for SA
The Gauteng North athlete helped South Africa achieve its second-biggest medal haul in the competition since the nine won in Nairobi in 2021.
Jan-Hendrik Heymans won javelin gold with a personal best 80.50m, while the men’s 4x400m relay team added another silver in a new African U20 record of 03:02.76, slicing 0.05 seconds off the 10-year-old continental mark of 03:02.01 set by Botswana in 2016 in Poland.
Jaco van Dyk (shot put), Marko Ferreira (100m), Leendert Koekemoer (400m) and Matodzi Ndou (400m hurdles) each grabbed a bronze, as SA ended 10th with eight medals.
Other finalists included 16-year-old middle-distance sensation Tiisetso Malungane, who was ninth in the men’s 1 500m in 03:42.98. Joshua Gerber, also 16, was ninth in the discus in a PB of 61.43m.
Throwers Marine Grobler (51.63m) and Stephane Hook (49.43) were sixth and ninth in the women’s discus, while injury forced hurdler Lesiba Dikgale to withdraw from the men’s 400m hurdles final.
The men’s 4x100m relay team of Phenyo Miyn, Zattu Hlongwane, Caylon Ryan and Ferreira finished sixth in 39.48 seconds.
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