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Career bests for juniors but no medals
Sprinter Wayde van Niekerk clocked his third consecutive personal best time in as many races over 200m and rising javelin star Rocco van Rooyen produced the throw of his life, but medals eluded Team SA at the 13th IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada, on Friday.
Van Niekerk clocked 21.02 secs to finish fourth in the sprint final, as Canadian Aaron Brown (21.00) edged in for the bronze. Japan's Shota Iizuka took gold in 20.67 with Bulgarian Aliaksandr Linnik placing second in 20.89.
"I am determined to dip under the 21 sec barrier this year still, maybe at the Zone 6 Championships in Swaziland in December," said the Grey College grade 11 pupil afterwards.
Western Province's Van Rooyen launched the javelin to a career best mark of 74.13m to finish sixth in the final.
German Till Woschler took gold with a world best distance of 82.52m.
"I battled with an in-between ribs strain, but am delighted to have thrown 74.13m," said Van Rooyen.
"I blocked well short of the allowed tartan area before sending the javelin to record my best effort, but this tells me I have a 75 or 76 metres throw in me.
"Regarding Woschler's new world junior record, it was incredible to watch. That javelin just kept sailing and never looked like dipping. It was amazing."
Earlier, Team SA's 4 x 100m relay quartet finished fourth in their heat in 40.32 secs and failed to make the final.
University of Johannesburg's Waide Jooste ran superbly on the first leg of the relay before straining his right hamstring before the baton changeover.
Team SA remain joint-sixth out of 170 participating countries on the medal standings.
Saturday's action involving Team SA athletes, will see Kobus Moolman line up in the semifinals of the 110m hurdles, and Shaun de Jager and Jacques de Swardt among the national team's unit for the 4 x 400m relay heats.
