400m Hurdles Bronze in Daegu
LJ van Zyl took the bronze medal in the final of the men’s 400m hurdles, finishing in 48.80sec, whilst running blind in lane 8. David Greene (GBR) claimed the title in 48.26sec whilst pre race favourite, Javier Culson (48.44sec) grabbed silver. 21 year-old Cornel Fredericks came 5th, his time 49.12sec, after Felix Sanchez (DOM) finished ahead of him in 48.87sec.
Van Zyl’s ran hard from the gun and up until the 8th hurdle was marginally in the lead ahead of Greene and Culson, but he lost his rhythm coming up to the penultimate hurdle, hitting that hurdle in the process. It was in the final 50m that Greene surged away from Culson and Van Zyl.
Earlier on, Ruben Ramolefi represented South Africa in the final of the 3000m steeplechase after he improved his own national record on Monday in the heats. Ramolefi lead the field through the first kilometer before fading and finishing in 8:30.47. Defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi took the honours ahead of countryman Brimin Kiprop Kipruto; while Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad took bronze. Their times 8:14.85, 8:16.05 and 8:16.09 respectively.
Robert Oosthuizen was unable to replicate his form of earlier this year, failed to qualify for the final of the men’s javelin throw. He did not reach the automatic qualification distance of 82.50m and finished 16th with his series of 69.65m, 73.14m and 72.79m, in a competition which saw many of the big names including former World and Olympic Champion, Tero Pitkamaki, not make the final.
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