South African sprinters shine at Diamond League in China

South Africa had three athletes in action in Xiamen, with sprinter Gift Leotlela continuing his impressive form on the international stage.

Leotlela proved that his place in the men’s 100m final at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo was no accident after producing another excellent performance in China.

He claimed victory at the Shanghai Diamond League in a fast 9.97 seconds before following it up with a second-place finish in Xiamen.

In Xiamen, Leotlela clocked 10.00 seconds to finish behind Kenyan sprint star and African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, who won the race in 9.94 seconds. 

Omanyala, who often trains and competes in South Africa, bounced back after losing to Leotlela the previous week in Shanghai.

South African 100m record holder and Commonwealth Games champion Akani Simbine finished fifth in a highly competitive race in 10.04 seconds. Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo settled for eighth place in 10.10 seconds.

Leotlela also impressed by finishing ahead of experienced American sprinters Trayvon Bromell and Kenneth Bednarek, who both clocked 10.03 seconds.

His recent performances are a positive sign as he prepares for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August.

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Meanwhile, South African 400m star Zakithi Nene also delivered a strong performance by running a personal best time of 44.40 seconds to finish third in a fast-paced race.

The Olympic finalist looked sharp and is expected to compete in more races across Europe in the coming weeks.

More South African athletes are likely to compete at the next Diamond League meeting in Rabat, Morocco on 31 May.

Middle-distance star Prudence Sekgodiso and 400m runner Lythe Pillay, who both competed at the African Championships, are expected to return to international competition later this season.