Fourie coasts into semis

Istanbul - Lehann Fourie led a lone charge for the three-man SA team on the second day of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday.

Fourie finished second in his first-round heat of the men's 60 m hurdles, crossing the line in 7.67 seconds and progressing automatically to Sunday afternoon's semifinals.

The 25-year-old South African has been drawn in the fourth lane for the penultimate round, lining up against the likes of American Aries Merritt and world junior champion Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France.

Elroy Gelant, meanwhile, is up against a wall in the men's 3 000 m final on the final day of the championships, holding the slowest personal best of the 12-strong field.

Gelant, who progressed with an indoor career best of 7:52.35 in Friday's heats, squares up against a host of distance running giants, including American Bernard Lagat, gunning for his third world indoor title, and Commonwealth 5 000m champion Augustine Choge of Kenya.

Burger Lambrechts, the only other South African taking part, was eliminated in the qualifying round of the men's shot put with a best heave of 18.96 metres on Friday.