SA athletes make it to semis

2008-08-15 21:04

Beijing - The opening night of athletics at the Olympic Games launched what looks to be a turn of fortune for Team South Africa commencing with Juan van Deventer's qualifying run in the 1 500m and finishing with the hurdling trio of LJ van Zyl, Alwyn Myburgh and Pieter de Villiers all making it through to Saturday evening's 400m semi-finals.

Juan van Deventer got the athletics off to a good start for South Africa by decisively winning the third heat of the 1 500m on Friday night.

The Johannesburg-based athlete, who has come to the fore this season, ran a tactical race to take the tape in 3:36.32 seconds.

"My coach told me to run the first two laps with my head and the rest with my heart and that's exactly what I did," said the 25-year-old.

"I felt the nerves this afternoon but as soon as I was on the track I knew it was fine. I really felt good out there, but it could be very fast in the semi-finals."

After an initial flurry of elbows Van Deventer located himself in the inside lane for the majority of the race and was well positioned in the top five, moving out off the final bend to run around Morrocan Abdalaati Iguider into the lead.

Eleventh fastest time

Rashid Ramzi from Bahrain recorded the fastest time of the night, winning the fourth heat in a season's best 3:32.89.

"See you in the semis," quipped a relaxed Van Deventer who had the eleventh fastest time of the night.

That was only a taste of what was to come.

De Villiers was first to the mark in the 400m hurdles, drawn in lane three inside American Bershawn Jackson, who had the second fastest mark of the season.

De Villiers was with Jackson for much of the race which was taken out by Belize's Jonathon Williams.

Williams faded to fourth over the final 80m, as Jackson pushed to the line in 49.20.

De Villiers finished second, 0.04 seconds adrift.

"It's just lekker to be here; the Olympic games, 80 000 people how can you not enjoy it?" said De Villiers.

Outside lane

"The biggest mistake I made last year was to run off his (Jackson's) pace, I sort of glanced at him at (hurdle) three and then focused on my own race. It's going to take a low 48 perhaps 48.45 to make the finals."

Athens finalist Alwyn Myburgh put two into the bag starting inside defending Athens silver medallist Danny McFarlane, with Angelo Taylor in the outside lane.

McFarlane and Taylor are ranked fifth and sixth respectively this season, but reversed this order in the heat which Taylor won in 48.67, the second fastest time of the night. Myburgh finished in third position.

"I knew I had one of the tough heats and knew I couldn't breeze through it, so over the last hurdle I went for a place. I'm glad its over and we've broken the ice, now I'm looking forward to the semi.

"I'm feeling good, but the semis are tough; almost as tough as the final, at least mentally," said Myburgh who looks to be over the groin injury that had pestered him most of last year and prompted his withdrawal from the Osaka world championships.

"I look at the times in the heat and considering the previous Olympic Games - these are going to be really fast races."

Competition

In the fastest heat of the night Jamaican Markino Buckley took the field that included Van Zyl through to a 48.65 second qualifying time.

Van Zyl was drawn in lane eight leaving him blind on the competition, but after clearing the eighth hurdle saved energy by turning down the pace to take second in 48.86.

"I just wanted to go through. The main thing now is the semi-final and from there the final; I'm very happy; of course I wanted to win, but second place was enough, I'm trying to hold the big rockets for the final," said Van Zyl who has the third fastest time this season and is capable of putting the SA flag on the stadium flagpole after Monday's final.

"We can put three in the final," said Myburgh, "We need to keep focus and not make any mistakes in the races, that's all it boils down to."

Fortune was not as kind to discus thrower Elizna Naude competing in the second qualifying group with an initial target of 61.50 metres.

Opening with an initial throw of 58.75, the Tukkies athlete never looked to be in rhythm. Her second trial oscillated out to 57.05, with a nominal increase in the third reaching 58.35 metres, far below her best and insufficient to move the final where the last qualification went to Belarusian Ellina Zvereva on 60.28m.

"I hate qualifying rounds because we're not used to that, but its one of those things we need work on," said a disappointed Naude.

- SAPA