Three South Africans will compete in the men's 100m sprint.
South Africa will be well represented at the Diamond League final in Zurich on Thursday night, but the nation’s top track and field athletes are going to have to be at their best if they want to step on the podium.
While there were no SA athletes in action on the opening day of the top-flight series finale on Wednesday, six South Africans will compete on Thursday evening.
Only a few of them, however, have a realistic chance of securing victory (at least on paper) with Akani Simbine, Prudence Sekgodiso and Jo-Ane du Plessis boasting the credentials required to win titles at the most prestigious event in the sport outside the World Championships and Olympic Games.
Three men in 100m dash
Simbine in particular has been impressive this year, having won three 100m races on the trot on the Diamond League circuit, but he hasn’t won a race since the Rabat meeting in May.
The SA record holder has looked out of sorts in his last two Diamond League races and it is unclear how competitive he will be on Thursday. But Simbine and his coach, Werner Prinsloo, have repeatedly proved they know how to peak for major events, and ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo next month, it is likely that Simbine will look sharper in Zurich than he has over the last few weeks.
Aside from Simbine, the men’s 100m field also includes compatriots Bayanda Walaza and Shaun Maswanganyi, though both athletes should be grateful that they earned a spot in the Diamond League final with a number of individuals from other countries turning down invites for the short sprint (some of them opting to focus on the 200m).
Maswanganyi has been poor this season and he will do well not to finish last, but it is another fantastic opportunity for Walaza to prove he is the best U-20 athlete in the world and he could put up a fight for a podium place.
More SA athletes in action
Meanwhile, world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso will fancy her chances in the women’s 800m race, as will Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis in the women’s javelin throw.
Zeney van der Walt also lines up in the women’s 400m hurdles contest, but six of the other seven athletes in the race have run faster than her this season and she will need to tear the track apart to make any sort of impact against a strong field led by Dutch star Femke Bol.
In addition, though she won’t be challenging for a Diamond League title alongside Van der Walt, Rogail Joseph will compete in the women’s 400m hurdles B race on the pre-programme.
Zakithi Nene qualified for the final in the men’s 400m event, but he is recovering from injury and will miss out while focusing on his preparation for the World Championships.
