Prudence Sekgodiso to focus on 1500m in preparation for World Champs
19th July 2025
By
South African middle-distance athlete Prudence Sekgodiso will concentrate on the 1500m as part of her build-up to the upcoming World Senior Athletics Championships, set for Tokyo, Japan, from 13 to 21 September.
Her coach, Samuel Sepeng, told SABC Sport that competing in the 1500m will help enhance her performance in her main event, the 800m.
Sekgodiso recently returned home after competing in several Diamond League meets across Europe and the USA, securing second-place finishes in Rabat and Eugene.
"From my experience as a coach, Prudence is not a power athlete; that's why in years gone by, we have participated in the 3000m and 5000m events."
The renowned middle-distance coach revealed that the goal is to break Caster Semenya’s national 1500m record of 3:59.92, set at the Diamond League in Doha in May 2018.
They are currently working to secure a race in Europe ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.
"If we can run a sub-four minutes in the 1500m, that will give us massive confidence and belief for the 800m.
"We are hoping to run a 1500m race in Poland which will get us to within touching distance of the record," explained the wise coach.
The 23-year-old athlete from Limpopo has returned to South Africa, but training conditions have changed, with it being winter locally compared to the summer she experienced in Europe.
Nonetheless, coach Sepeng says they will revert to their tried-and-tested training methods that have worked well in the past as they prepare for Tokyo.
The 2018 South African Coach of the Year also told SABC Sport that relocating to Europe for a training camp would come with significant financial costs, which is why they’ve decided to stay and continue their preparations in Pretoria.
