Pole vaulter Kyle Rademeyer and sprinter Zakithi Nene stepped on the podium on Saturday, closing out the SA track and field team's campaign in style at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
In the men's pole vault final, Rademeyer dug deep to secure the silver medal, clearing the bar at 5.70m, just three centimetres shy of his personal best. While Kurtis Marshall of Australia set a Games record of 5.85m to earn his third straight title, Rademeyer and England's Owen Heard were locked in a tight battle for second place. Rademeyer needed two attempts to get over 5.70m, and Heard needed three, giving the South African the runner-up spot on count back.
Nene grabbed bronze in the men's 400m final, completing the one-lap race in 45.21 seconds for third position. Ahead of him Samuel Ogazi of Nigeria won the race in 44.25 and Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago was second in 44.82.
IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK FOR DU PLESSIS
In other athletics events on Saturday, Nicolaas Strydom equalled his season's best of 10.94m to finish fourth in the men's F57 shot put. Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis produced a solid result after making her comeback from a back injury last month. She took sixth place with a 56.22m throw. In the women’s T38 200m final, experienced athlete Sheryl James settled for eighth position in 29.34.
Middle-distance runners Tshepo Tshite (3:57.43) and Karabo More (4:50.96) were unable to challenge up front, ending 10th and 12th respectively in the men's and women's one mile finals. After winning their heat in 38.30 earlier in the day, the national men's 4x100m relay quartet - Mvuyo Moss, Cheswill Johnson, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine - were disqualified for a lane infringement in the final after crossing the finish line in fifth position.
The SA athletics team will return home with four medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze) when they arrive in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Aside from Rademeyer and Nene, sprinter Sinesipho Dambile won gold in the men's 200m event and Masala Makatu claimed silver in the men's T12 100m dash.