|
Mulaudzi claims silver medal
09/03/2008 22:41 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, South Africa's star 800m runner, narrowly failed to win his second world indoor gold medal in Valencia on Sunday night but he ran one of the best races of his career only to be beaten by a sensational Sudanese 18-year-old star, Abubaker Kaki Khamis.
The 27-year-old Mulaudzi left his final onslaught slightly too late but still managed a blistering fast new SA indoor record of 1 min 44.91 sec. The previous SA indoor 800m record of 1 min 45.12 sec was set by Hezekiel Sepeng in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2003.
It also equalled the ninth fastest indoor time ever set by Sebastian Coe of Britain in 1983. .
Khamis, who also defeated Mulaudzi in the All Africa Games last year, took the lead at the start and dictated terms from the front with the SA runner in second place all along. After a well-judged 51.26sec first 400m Mulaudzi started closing the gap but it proved to be just to late to pip the speeding youngster who ran like a seasoned veteran.
Mulaudzi, who won the gold in 2004 and the silver two years later when he was spiked, had a previous best of 1 min 45.43 sec.
Taken into consideration that this final was only his fifth race of the year, things look quite promising for the Johannesburg-based runner for the Olympics in Beijing in August.
Gave his very best
"I am totally satisfied. Mbulaeni ran very well but he was beaten by a very good athlete," coach JP van der Merwe said after watching the thrilling race on TV . "He was not disgraced and gave his very best. An exciting year lies ahead."
The other four runners never really featured in the race with Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain finishing in the bronze medal spot in 1 min 45.26 sec.
Mulaudzi's silver medal brought South Africa's tally at World Indoor meetings to eight of which five were in the 800 metres. Johan Botha won gold in 1999 in Japan and silver in 2001 while Mulaudzi won gold in 2004 and his first silver in 2006.
The other two medals, both bronze, went to Okkert Brits in Barcelona in 1995 and Shaun Bownes in 2001. Godfrey Khotso Mokoena won the long jump gold on Saturday. Janice Josephs, who was in action in the long jump final, finished 8th with a best of 6.39m, 12cm less than her qualifying jump on Saturday.
- SAPA
|
