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Sopot - Middle-distance runner Andre Olivier was the best of the South African contingent, taking fourth place in the men's 800m final at the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, on Sunday.
Olivier started well but was outpaced on the final lap as he finished fifth in 1:47.31 in a tight sprint for the line.
However, Polish athlete Marcin Lewandowski, who took third place, was later disqualified and the South African was elevated one place in the final results.
Ethiopian Mohammed Aman, the only man faster than Olivier this season, won gold in 1:46.40.
Elsewhere on the final day of competition, Elroy Gelant was seventh in the men's 3 000m final, while Carina Horn was knocked out in the semifinals of the women's 60m sprint.
Gelant started slowly, and was at the back of the 12-man field with two laps remaining, but he produced a spectacular finishing kick to cross the line in 7:57.31.
Caleb Ndiku of Kenya, who sat back with Gelant for most of the race, secured victory in 7:54.91.
Horn, meanwhile, was seventh in her semifinal in 7.34 seconds.
Orazio Cremona was the only other South African to reach a final at the three-day event, taking seventh place in the men's shot put on Friday with a best heave of 20.49m.
South Africa has not won a medal at the biennial World Indoor Championships since Khotso Mokoena clinched silver in the men's long jump at the 2010 edition in Doha.
