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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


SA trio battle in strong winds

The small South African contingent struggled in windy conditions at the István Gyulai Memorial track and field permit meeting in Budapest on Tuesday evening.


Sprinter Wayde van Niekerk took fourth place in the men’s 400m race, crossing the line in 45.71 seconds, more than a second outside the national record he set in New York last month.

Chris Brown of Bahamas, a five-time World Indoor Championships medallist, won the race in 45.21.

Akani Simbine, meanwhile, finished fourth in the men’s 100m sprint in 10.50 seconds.

The 20-year-old South African, running into a 1.1 metres per second headwind, maintained contact with the leaders but trailed former world champion Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, who won the race, by 0.19 in a blanket finish.

Victor Hogan settled for seventh place in the men’s discus throw, with a best heave of 59.66m.

Former Olympic silver medallist Zoltan Kovago of Hungary, returning from a two-year ban for a doping offence, secured victory with a 64.72m effort.

Sapa

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