PREMIUM!
SA trio battle in strong winds
The small South African contingent struggled in windy conditions at the István Gyulai Memorial track and field permit meeting in Budapest on Tuesday evening.
Picture: Thinkstock
Sprinter Wayde van Niekerk took fourth place in the men’s 400m race, crossing the line in 45.71 seconds, more than a second outside the national record he set in New York last month.
Chris Brown of Bahamas, a five-time World Indoor Championships medallist, won the race in 45.21.
Akani Simbine, meanwhile, finished fourth in the men’s 100m sprint in 10.50 seconds.
The 20-year-old South African, running into a 1.1 metres per second headwind, maintained contact with the leaders but trailed former world champion Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, who won the race, by 0.19 in a blanket finish.
Victor Hogan settled for seventh place in the men’s discus throw, with a best heave of 59.66m.
Former Olympic silver medallist Zoltan Kovago of Hungary, returning from a two-year ban for a doping offence, secured victory with a 64.72m effort.
– Sapa
