Blow for SA relay team as Richardson withdraws from Olympic Games

Sprint sensation Benjamin Richardson has withdrawn from the rest of the Olympic Games in Paris and will not be available for the SA team in the 4x100m relay heats on Thursday.

Richardson, who competed in the 100m semifinals on Sunday, pulled up with a hamstring injury in the 200m heats on Monday.

After being taken for an MRI scan, the 20-year-old speedster revealed on Tuesday that he would not turn out in the 4x100m event.

“Wasn’t meant to be, but I’ve learnt a lot from this experience. There’s only one way for me to go from here and that’s up,” Richardson posted on social media, adding that he expected to return to action next year.

First-choice quartet

In his absence, national 200m champion Richardson was expected to be replaced by junior sprinter Bayanda Walaza in South Africa’s first-choice 4x100m team, alongside Akani Simbine, Shaun Maswanganyi and Bradley Nkoana.

The relay squad also had the services of Sinesipho Dambile, and potentially even 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk.

Other events

Meanwhile, sprinter Miranda Coetzee shattered her personal best on Tuesday morning, taking second place in her 400m repechage in 50.66 and securing her spot in the semifinals to be held on Wednesday evening.

Elsewhere, on the water, the SA men’s kayak double pairing of Hamish Lovemore and Andrew Birkett took second position in their quarterfinal, booking their place in the semifinals to be held on Friday.

The women’s kayak double boat (Tiffany Koch and Esti Olivier) ended sixth in their quarterfinal, missing out on the semifinals.

In sport climbing, Lauren Mukheibir was unable to score in the women’s boulder semifinals and did not progress to the final.

Coming up

Later on Tuesday, on day 11 of the Paris Games, four South African athletes were set to line up in semifinals on the track, in search of places in the finals.

Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay will turn out in the men’s 400m semis at 7.35pm, while Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph are in the 400m hurdles semis at 8.05pm.