Team South Africa took their first steps on the athletics track on Friday afternoon, but it was Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana who stole the show with a new world record in the 10 000m final.
Rynardt van Rensburg made his maiden appearance at an Olympic Games in heat three of the 800m, and he had the honour of running in the same race as defending champion and world record-holder David Rudisha.
The Kenyan master led from the front throughout, even though it looked like he was out on a Sunday morning stroll as he took the field around the Olympic Stadium.
Van Rensburg was boxed in for most of the first lap, but managed to stay in third in the opening 400 metres.
Rudisha kept going and eventually won in a time of 1:45.09, with Van Rensburg finishing strongly to take second in 1:45.67 – a season’s best and not far off his quickest effort of 1:45.40 – to be the third-fastest qualifier for the semi-finals, which will start at 3.08am on Sunday morning SA time.
The other South African entrant, national champion Jacob Rozani, would’ve been highly disappointed with his performance as he failed to advance from his heat. Rozani, who qualified for Rio by winning silver at the African Championships in Durban in June with a personal best of 1:45.38, was unable to finish in the top three in what was a slow heat.
Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi won in a pedestrian 1:49.17, with Rozani coming home in 1:49.79 to end fifth.
In the women’s 10 000m, South African Dominique Scott was the only local participant, and it was tough going in what was the fastest race in the history of the sport.
Ethiopia’s Ayana kept going behind Kenya’s Alice Nawowuna for the first 4km, but Ayana took charge after that, maintaining a world-record pace as she kept two-time defending champion and countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba at bay.
Ayana opened up on the final lap and streaked home to smash the previous world record of 29:31.78, by China’s Wang Junxia in 1993, by over an incredible 14 seconds with a new mark of 29:17.45.
Scott, who was lapped by Ayana as the Ethiopian crossed the finish line, can be happy with her performance as she produced a new personal best of 31:51.47 to finish in 21st position.
The next athletics event involving South Africans will be the men’s 20km walk, where Lebogang Shange and Wayne Snyman will be in action.
World 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk will make his Olympic debut in the heats early on Saturday (2.05am SA time), along with Ruswahl Samaai, Luvo Manyonga and Stefan Brits in the long jump heats (2.20am).
Sprint queens Carina Horn and Alyssa Conley will be off in the 100m heats at 3.40am.
@ashfakmohamed – Independent Media