Wayde van Niekerk claimed his last outstanding major scalp as he culled reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt in the 400m semifinals in Beijing last night to book his spot in tomorrow's final.
Going into this season, the South African sprinter had never beaten the "Big Three" of the one-lap race, but one by one he has picked them off.
First he stunned Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada in France, then Botswana's African champion Isaac Makwala in London, and now Merritt in the semifinal. Van Niekerk now faces them altogether for his first shot at a major trophy.
On SA's best night of the championships so far, 400m hurdler Wenda Nel also qualified for her final tomorrow night.
Nel, 27, who has had her share of bad luck over the years, nearly burst into tears when she knew she had progressed into the eight-lane showdown.
"When I crossed the finish line I felt like I wanted to cry. 'Did I really do this?'," said an elated Nel, who was second in her heat behind American Cassandra Tate in 54.63sec, the fifth-best time of the night.
Nel has now achieved the qualifying time she needs to be selected for what will be her first Games, Rio 2016.
Van Niekerk was less talkative afterwards: "I came here to win a medal."
He will probably have to go faster than his 43.96 personal best, which ranks him only the fifth fastest this year.
But he was the fourth-quickest in the semifinals, with Makwala going the fastest in 44.11, the best time ever from lane nine.
"I'm the favourite," said Makwala, adding he wanted to strategise the race with Van Niekerk. "I'll tell him, 'let's go strong - for Africa'."
In the women's 100m, Carina Horn missed out on a spot in the final, won by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica ahead of Holland's Dafne Schippers.
The SA team's podium aspirations suffered a major blow in the morning when all three long-jumpers - Khotso Mokoena, the Olympic silver medallist on the same track in 2008, world No2 Zarck Visser and world No4 Ruswahl Samaai - all failed to qualify for tonight's final.
Mokoena was the best of the trio with his only legal jump of the morning qualifying session, a 7.98, but he missed out on a countback.
Wayde sets sights on medal after semis romp
Wayde van Niekerk claimed his last outstanding major scalp as he culled reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt in the 400m semifinals in Beijing last night to book his spot in tomorrow's final.
Going into this season, the South African sprinter had never beaten the "Big Three" of the one-lap race, but one by one he has picked them off.
First he stunned Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada in France, then Botswana's African champion Isaac Makwala in London, and now Merritt in the semifinal. Van Niekerk now faces them altogether for his first shot at a major trophy.
On SA's best night of the championships so far, 400m hurdler Wenda Nel also qualified for her final tomorrow night.
Nel, 27, who has had her share of bad luck over the years, nearly burst into tears when she knew she had progressed into the eight-lane showdown.
"When I crossed the finish line I felt like I wanted to cry. 'Did I really do this?'," said an elated Nel, who was second in her heat behind American Cassandra Tate in 54.63sec, the fifth-best time of the night.
Nel has now achieved the qualifying time she needs to be selected for what will be her first Games, Rio 2016.
Van Niekerk was less talkative afterwards: "I came here to win a medal."
He will probably have to go faster than his 43.96 personal best, which ranks him only the fifth fastest this year.
But he was the fourth-quickest in the semifinals, with Makwala going the fastest in 44.11, the best time ever from lane nine.
"I'm the favourite," said Makwala, adding he wanted to strategise the race with Van Niekerk. "I'll tell him, 'let's go strong - for Africa'."
In the women's 100m, Carina Horn missed out on a spot in the final, won by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica ahead of Holland's Dafne Schippers.
The SA team's podium aspirations suffered a major blow in the morning when all three long-jumpers - Khotso Mokoena, the Olympic silver medallist on the same track in 2008, world No2 Zarck Visser and world No4 Ruswahl Samaai - all failed to qualify for tonight's final.
Mokoena was the best of the trio with his only legal jump of the morning qualifying session, a 7.98, but he missed out on a countback.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos