Prestige College in Hammanskraal has produced many promising athletes over the years, but 18-year-old Tumi Ramokgopa probably established herself as this well-known school north of Pretoria’s biggest ever athletics star on Sunday morning (SA time) when she won the silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in America.

Less than an hour and a half after qualifying for the 400m hurdles final of the championships by winning her heat in the semi-finals, Ramokgopa had enough gas left in the tank to claim the silver medal in the 100m hurdles at Hayward Field stadium in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Ramokgopa, who has been a Tuks student since January of this year, had a great start in the 100m hurdles final and 20 metres from the finish line it looked like she was going to win the race. One can only speculate whether the tough 400m hurdles semi from earlier in the day may have taken its toll, but Ramokgopa lost some momentum in the final 20 metres, allowing 19-year-old American Madeline Cooper to move past her and narrowly snatch the gold medal from her.

Only five hundredths of a second made the difference between gold for Cooper (12.91s) and silver for Ramokgopa (12.96s), indicating how close the American’s victory was. Tiana Marshall of Jamaica won the bronze medal in a time of 12.97s.

Ramokgopa’s medal is Team South Africa’s first silver medal and therefore completes the full set for the country, after javelin thrower Jan-Hendrik Heymans added a gold medal to Jaco van Dyk (shot put), Marko Ferreira (100m) and Leendert Koekemoer (400m)’s three bronze medals that they won on the first three days of the championship.

Ramokgopa’s two teammates on Team South Africa, Lesibe Dikgale and Matodzi Ndo (both 19 years old), who like her are both affiliated with Tuks’ athletics club, were also in action in the semi-finals of the men’s 400m hurdles on Sunday morning (SA time). The two former Curro Hazeldean students both finished second in their respective heats, meaning that South Africa will have two athletes in the men’s 400m hurdles final on the final day of the championships, while Ramokgopa will be looking to claim her second medal in the women’s 400m hurdles final.

Megan Nieman (17) from Die Hoërskool Menlopark, was the other South African (and Pretoria athlete) in the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles. Nieman fought hard in the last 20 metres of her heat and was very unfortunate not to also qualify for the final. A photo decision had to be made between her and Shevaughn Thomas from Jamaica to determine who finished third and would therefore qualify for the final. It was eventually decided that Thomas finished third and Nieman finished fourth and – although their official times were exactly the same to the hundredth of a second (57.56s) – Nieman was thus eliminated.

Earlier on Sunday the 16-year-old Joshua Gerber of Die Hoërskool Menlopark qualified for the final of the discus event, which will also take place on the last day of the championships. Gerber recorded a new personal best distance of 61.19m in the heats to qualify for the final. That’s 41cm further than his previous personal best of 60.78 with the 1.75kg discus.

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