Ferreira earns SA team's second medal in Eugene

Sprinter Marko Ferreira secured South Africa's second medal on Thursday, on Day 2 of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Ferreira took third place in the men's 100m final, crossing the finish line in 10.16 seconds to claim the bronze medal. Up front, American athlete Tate Taylor won gold in 9.94, while Jamaica's Gary Card bagged silver in 10.05. Ashlynn Norman, the only other South African competing in a final on the day, finished 10th in the women's long jump, landing at 5.96m. French athlete Djelika Diarra took the top step on the podium, winning gold with a 6.52m leap.

A number of SA athletes stayed in the hunt for medals by progressing beyond preliminary rounds in their events. In the flat 400m sprint, Leendert Koekemoer won his semifinal in 45.18, and Kryn Romijn was second in his race in 45.87. Both athletes qualified for the men's one-lap final to be held on Day 3.

All four of the national team's 400m hurdlers performed well in the opening round. Lesibe Dikgale (50.68) and Matodzi Ndou (50.69) both won their first-round races in the men's division, while Tumi Ramokgopa (58.32) and Megan Nieman (58.65) took second positions in their respective races in the women's heats.

Dikgale, Ndou, Ramokgopa and Nieman will all participate in the semifinals on Day 4. And 16-year-old middle-distance runner Tiisetso Malungane finished fifth in his 1 500m heat in 3:45.64 to reach the men's final scheduled for Sunday. Davida Strong was second in her 400m heat in 53.26, but she settled for fourth spot in her semifinal race in 53.37, missing out on a place in the final by 0.12.

In the mixed 4x100m relay, the SA team (Zattu Hlongwane, Zoe Cilliers, Marlon Kayster and Chrystabel Davis) set a national best of 42.87 but they ended fifth in their heat and did not qualify for the final. After two days of competition at the five-day championship, the SA squad was lying 16th in the overall standings with two bronze medals.

SA ATHLETES COMPETING ON DAY 3 (SA TIMES):

EARLY SESSION

7pm - 100m decathlon, men (Daniel von der Heyden)

7pm - javelin throw qualification, women (Marine Grobler)

7.30pm - 100m hurdles heats, women (Tumi Ramokgopa, Megan Nieman)

7.45pm - long jump decathlon, men (Daniel von der Heyden)

8.05pm - high jump qualification, women (Michaela Spocter)

8.30pm - 110m hurdles heats, men (Phenyo Miyen, Jayden Parkin)

8.50pm - javelin throw qualification, women (Stephane Hook)

9.25pm - 200m women, heats (Sarah Reed, Rume Burger)

9.43pm - long jump qualification, men (Tshiamo Motsamai, Levi Fick)

10.05pm - shot put decathlon, men (Daniel von der Heyden)