IAAF World Championships

A perfectly timed surge at the finish helped Johan Cronje claim bronze and the first ever medal for South Africa in the men’s 1,500 metre event at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow on Sunday.

Cronje, the national record-holder in the 1,500m, clocked 3 minutes 36.83 seconds just behind Kenyan Asbel Kiprop who won in 3.36.28, and American Matthew Centrowitz in second with 3:36.78.

Not only was it the first time a South African featured in the top eight of the event at the world championships, it was also the only medal the South African team claimed at the Moscow games.

After the race, Cronje said had not expected to be up on the podium.

“I believed in myself – but I wouldn’t have put money on myself”, said Cronje.

Cronje found himself boxed in during the race, and fancied with a better approach he could have grabbed silver.

“I’m a bit disappointed I was a few split-seconds from second.

“I think if I wasn’t boxed in I could have snatched that one, but I had a terrible tactical race,” said the Bloemfontein speedster who had initially expected a fast race.

Asbel Kiprop took control of the race from the gun, pulling the field through 400m, and Cronje found himself boxed in on the kerb initially in fifth, then dropping back to eighth with 300m to go.

“I couldn’t go fast as everyone was on my right and I had Centrowitz ahead.

“It was only the last 60 I had to go past as that’s when it opened up [on the inside].”

Cronje said he thought the tactics in the final would be different from his previous expectations.

“I realised that everyone was in there as individuals, the Kenyans weren’t going to run as a team, so they were watching each other and would also have Centrowtiz on their mind, so perhaps they would forget a guy like myself or Brannen from Canada,” said Cronje.

“Before the race I knew it could be slow: I had to be upfront and I had to be wide, and everything I knew I didn’t do.

After 900m Cronje said he had to break free from the group.

“It was stupid I was swearing at myself [for being boxed in], saying Johan this is your only opportunity, use it.

“I was sitting, sitting — looking right — [I] couldn’t get a gap and saw Centrowitz and knew he was a fast finisher, so I would stick with him.

“When he moved out and around, I saw the guys inside were looking outside - so I waited.

“As soon as you look outside your body moves out and I waited for that 20 centimetres to open up and I moved through on the inside,” added Cronje who is a semi-professional athlete, who is an investment specialist in his day job.

In the women’s javelin, once again Sunette Viljoen, the defending javelin bronze medalist from Daegu, threw her best distance with her opening trial.

Viljoen threw 63.58 metres, which was good enough for a sixth place overall after failing to improve on her first attempt.

It was a performance far below her season best of 64.51m set with the first throw of the qualification round, and her personal best of 69.35m set in New York in May of last year.

A visibly distressed Viljoen walked through the post-race zone without sharing any thoughts.

South Africa’s sole medal placed them 33rd and last on the medal table, compared to a ninth place in Berlin and 17th in Daegu. – Sapa

They may not return with an abundance of medals, but the 26 South African athletes competing in the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, starting Saturday, may well provide some light and inspiration to counter the months of boardroom battles which threatened to disrupt their participation.

In the absence of Caster Semenya, who failed to qualify for the women’s 800m event, US-based student Anaso Jobodwana could grab the South African limelight.

The 100m and 200m sprinter was a surprise finalist in the 200m at the London Olympics, and with Yohan Blake, injured, and both Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell banned for doping, Jobodwana hoped to take it a stage further.

“The main thing is to improve on my times. All I am interested in is getting a personal best in both of my events,” Jobodwana said in Moscow on Thursday.

“Then, at the right times, everything else will happen.”

Given the limited field of 200m contenders, a case could be made for Jobodwana to skip the 100m event — where his best of 10.10 seconds would most likely not be good enough to make the final — in order to focus on the 200m.

“I was told that I needed to run the semi-final in London as though it was the final,” said the 20-year-old.

“I wish I had been more prepared for that, because running the semi took a lot out of me.”

Either way, he could become South Africa’s most successful sprinter in the 200m and, as one of the youngest on the team, he could provide the inspiration for others to make their mark.

Javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen was the best of the medal hopes with her 69.35m throw in New York last year.

After coming second to Barbora Spotakova’s 69.55 at the London Olympics, she had yet to show the same form this year but Viljoen was certainly capable adding to her championship glory.

The same was true of Olympic and World silver medal long jumper Khotso Mokoena. The senior team member had failed to hit form over the past two seasons, and sat a lowly tenth on the ranking lists, but sixth best for the current year.

Zarck Visser joined Mokoena and could benefit from his experience, but the SA champion had not expanded on the potential shown by his 8.29m qualifying leap in Stellenbosch.

Similarly Lynique Prinsloo, should make the women’s long jump final, but would need to be back to her 6.81m best which secured her the SA title.

If Jobodwana, Visser and Prinsloo were the best of the young pretenders, then Mokoena, hammer thrower Chris Harmse, 41-year-old marathoner Hendrick Ramaala and 400m hurdler LJ van Zyl were the old guard.

Van Zyl would be competing in his fifth world championship, with his best showing in 2011 when he won the bronze medal in Daegu.

Having failed to break 49 seconds since then, the 28 year-old knew he had to hold his pace to the line.

“Its going to take a 48.50-something to be sure of a final (spot),” said Van Zyl.

He could be handing the mantle, as the leading South African hurdler, to Cornel Fredericks, who clocked 48.78 in the South African championships in April and was fifth on debut in Daegu. – Sapa

Tag: IAAF World Championships

Johan Cronje claims 1500m medal

Light at end of tunnel for SA athletes