Johannesburg - Veteran Burger Lambrechts led a South African clean sweep in the men's shot put final on Wednesday, to place the nation top of the medals table after day one of the African Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
Lambrechts, 37, regained the title he won in Dakar in 1998 with a best effort of 18.63m to narrowly edge countryman Rolf Potgieter who was a centimetre short with a heave of 18.62m.
Orazio Cremona, 21, placed third with a best of 18.27m to give South Africa three medals and the lead on the table as they look to finish in top spot for the fifth continental championships in succession.
Hosts Kenya are a close second after only two finals on the opening day, with Wilson Kiprop winning the men's 10 000m in 27:32.91.
Geoffrey Mutai placed third in 27:33.83 in a sprint finish to give Kenya a gold and a bronze medal, while Uganda's Moses Kipsiro secured the silver in the longest men's track event.