SA 4x400m relay team progress to final after dramatic first-round heat

The national men’s 4x400m relay team emerged from a dramatic first round on Friday morning with their medal hopes still intact at the Olympic Games in Paris.

While 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk had been expected to run the heats, he was absent, with the task of qualifying for the final resting on Gardeo Isaacs, Zakithi Nene, Antonie Nortje and Lythe Pillay.

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And while they were well placed at the start of the third leg, Nortje was bumped and crashed to the track, and they trailed home in last place in 3:03.19.

However, Nigeria were later disqualified for a lane violation, and the SA team (who appealed) were given a spot in the final following a decision by technical officials.

This meant South Africa were set to compete in both the men’s 4x100m final (7.47pm on Friday) and the men’s 4x400m final (9pm on Saturday) at the Paris Games.

Meanwhile, in other events during the morning session on Friday, middle-distance runner Edmund du Plessis settled for fourth place in his 800m semifinal in 1:45.34, and he missed out on a place in the final.

In the women’s 100m hurdles semifinals, national record holder Marione Fourie finished sixth in her race in 13.01 and she was also eliminated ahead of the final in her specialist discipline.