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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team South Africa entered the Olympic track and field with their best hopes of a medal in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, but their chances of success have been hindered by untimely injuries and a sudden loss of form.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Thursday, South Africa’s 4x100m sprint team qualified for the final after a terrific anchor leg by sprint star Akani Simbine — who finished fourth in the 100m individual final.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-08-05-another-heartbreak-for-sas-akani-simbine-after-usas-noah-lyles-claims-100m-olympic-crown/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another heartbreak for SA’s Akani Simbine after USA’s Noah Lyles claims 100m Olympic crown</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simbine passed four other athletes in the home stretch to take South Africa from sixth to a comfortable second – admittedly some distance away from America in first – to help South Africa qualify for the final tomorrow.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa finished in a quick time of 37.94sec while the US finished in 37.47sec in the second semifinal.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact that South Africa managed that rapid qualifying time – admittedly largely thanks to Simbine’s magical fourth leg – is a small miracle.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Hamstring injury</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s second fastest sprinter this year, Benjamin Richardson, was due to run the back straight at the Olympics but sustained a hamstring injury in the 200m sprint heats on Monday.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That forced a reshuffle that saw matric pupil Bayanda Walaza start proceedings, and Houston-based Shaun Maswanganyi shifted from starter to the back straight.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Youngster Bradley Nkoana, who is only 19 years old, ran a strong third leg, handing over to Simbine.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Richardson, who ran 9.95sec in the 100m semifinals – the fastest time ever to not qualify for an Olympic 100m final – is a big miss, but the team, determined to medal, have made a bright start in attempting to get the country’s first medal on the track in Paris.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2310052\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2165418323.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1215\" height=\"1687\" /> <em>Wayde van Niekerk of Team South Africa during the Men's 200m Round 1 on day 10 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 5 August. (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I’m just really happy with qualifying for the next round,” Simbine said after the race. “Right now we’re in a really good position for tomorrow, we look forward to racing.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Today was just about qualifying, and we did that, tomorrow we just have to clean up everything and make sure we have a good baton exchange to get the job done.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s chances of getting on the podium have been boosted by Jamaica’s misfortune as they, surprisingly, did not qualify from the other semifinal after placing fourth in a time of 38.45sec.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa were the second fastest qualifier overall, with China winning the other semifinal in 38.24sec.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>400 dream</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa has the three fastest 400m men’s runners in its history as part of its 4x400m squad.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the wheels have fallen off at the Olympic Games for two of them. Lythe Pillay, South Africa’s fastest 400m runner this year with a best time of 44.31sec, looks like a shadow of himself in Paris.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his 400m individual heat he ran a pedestrian 45.40sec, and in the repechage he could only manage 45.24sec, a far cry from his best as he failed to qualify for the 400m final.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2310047\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TL_2243886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1833\" height=\"1164\" /> <em>Lythe Pillay of South Africa during the Men's 400m on day 10 of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. (Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wayde van Niekerk, who ran the 200m at the Games, clocked 20.72sec as he finished last in his semifinal for the event.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Van Niekerk has struggled with injuries, but the 32-year-old built up a lovely head of steam heading into the Games, although he has failed to produce his best in Paris thus far.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zakithi Nene is the only one of the three who has run to his potential in these Games, clocking in a best time of 44.81sec in his repechage race, but he was unable to reach the finals of the 400m after finishing sixth in a time of 45.06sec in his semifinal.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will need it all to somehow click for the trio if the squad, which claimed a silver medal at the World Relay Championships earlier this year, are to be on the podium again in the final on Saturday. The heats begin tomorrow morning. </span><b>DM</b>\r\n\r\n ",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team South Africa entered the Olympic track and field with their best hopes of a medal in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, but their chances of success have been hindered by untimely injuries and a sudden loss of form.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Thursday, South Africa’s 4x100m sprint team qualified for the final after a terrific anchor leg by sprint star Akani Simbine — who finished fourth in the 100m individual final.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-08-05-another-heartbreak-for-sas-akani-simbine-after-usas-noah-lyles-claims-100m-olympic-crown/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another heartbreak for SA’s Akani Simbine after USA’s Noah Lyles claims 100m Olympic crown</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simbine passed four other athletes in the home stretch to take South Africa from sixth to a comfortable second – admittedly some distance away from America in first – to help South Africa qualify for the final tomorrow.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa finished in a quick time of 37.94sec while the US finished in 37.47sec in the second semifinal.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact that South Africa managed that rapid qualifying time – admittedly largely thanks to Simbine’s magical fourth leg – is a small miracle.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Hamstring injury</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s second fastest sprinter this year, Benjamin Richardson, was due to run the back straight at the Olympics but sustained a hamstring injury in the 200m sprint heats on Monday.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That forced a reshuffle that saw matric pupil Bayanda Walaza start proceedings, and Houston-based Shaun Maswanganyi shifted from starter to the back straight.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Youngster Bradley Nkoana, who is only 19 years old, ran a strong third leg, handing over to Simbine.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Richardson, who ran 9.95sec in the 100m semifinals – the fastest time ever to not qualify for an Olympic 100m final – is a big miss, but the team, determined to medal, have made a bright start in attempting to get the country’s first medal on the track in Paris.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2310052\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1215\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2310052\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2165418323.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1215\" height=\"1687\" /> <em>Wayde van Niekerk of Team South Africa during the Men's 200m Round 1 on day 10 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 5 August. (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I’m just really happy with qualifying for the next round,” Simbine said after the race. “Right now we’re in a really good position for tomorrow, we look forward to racing.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Today was just about qualifying, and we did that, tomorrow we just have to clean up everything and make sure we have a good baton exchange to get the job done.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s chances of getting on the podium have been boosted by Jamaica’s misfortune as they, surprisingly, did not qualify from the other semifinal after placing fourth in a time of 38.45sec.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa were the second fastest qualifier overall, with China winning the other semifinal in 38.24sec.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>400 dream</b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa has the three fastest 400m men’s runners in its history as part of its 4x400m squad.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the wheels have fallen off at the Olympic Games for two of them. Lythe Pillay, South Africa’s fastest 400m runner this year with a best time of 44.31sec, looks like a shadow of himself in Paris.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his 400m individual heat he ran a pedestrian 45.40sec, and in the repechage he could only manage 45.24sec, a far cry from his best as he failed to qualify for the 400m final.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2310047\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1833\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2310047\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TL_2243886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1833\" height=\"1164\" /> <em>Lythe Pillay of South Africa during the Men's 400m on day 10 of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. (Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wayde van Niekerk, who ran the 200m at the Games, clocked 20.72sec as he finished last in his semifinal for the event.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Van Niekerk has struggled with injuries, but the 32-year-old built up a lovely head of steam heading into the Games, although he has failed to produce his best in Paris thus far.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zakithi Nene is the only one of the three who has run to his potential in these Games, clocking in a best time of 44.81sec in his repechage race, but he was unable to reach the finals of the 400m after finishing sixth in a time of 45.06sec in his semifinal.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will need it all to somehow click for the trio if the squad, which claimed a silver medal at the World Relay Championships earlier this year, are to be on the podium again in the final on Saturday. The heats begin tomorrow morning. </span><b>DM</b>\r\n\r\n ",
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Wayde van Niekerk of Team South Africa during the Men's 200m Round 1 on day 10 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 5 August. (Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Lythe Pillay of South Africa during the Men's 400m on day 10 of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. (Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)