Wayde pleads Scott-Efurd's case for CGames inclusion

Cape Town - Olympic and world 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk has launched a heartfelt plea to SASCOC to include women's long-distance star Dominique Scott-Efurd in the South African 2018 Commonwealth Games team.

On Saturday, Scott-Efurd set a new national indoor record when she finished third in the 3 000m at the Millrose Games Indoor Meeting in New York.

Scott-Efurd, who is based in the USA, crossed the line in a personal best of 8:41.18.

The 25-year-old competed in the women's 10 000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics and finished 21st in a PB of 31:51.47.

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However, Scott-Efurd was left out of the 21-member able and paralympic squad for the Commonwealth Games which will be held on Australia's Gold Coast from April 4-15.

Only four women were included: Caster Semenya, Sunette Viljoen, Wenda Nel and para-athlete Juanelie Meijer in the SA athletics team.

Scott-Efurd did not feature in last year's IAAF World Championship in London despite meeting the IAAF qualifying standard.

Van Niekerk, who will not be in the Gold Coast due to injury, took to Twitter to ask SASCOC to reconsider Scott-Efurd's Commonwealth Games berth, with SA swimming star Roland Schoeman also adding his thoughts on the matter.

Sascoc please put @domscottrunSA in the Commonwealth team already please. ????

— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) February 4, 2018

Welcome to the politics of SASCOC Wayde. Something I’ve been fighting years to help fix. It’s time the athletes stood up and took a stand

— Roland Schoeman (@Rolandschoeman) February 4, 2018

I agree this girl is breaking national record and they still won’t take her Smh ????‍??

— Noah Lyles (@LylesNoah) February 4, 2018

DOM you did an amazing job I’m so excited for you. They need to put u on that team because you are doing crazy things @adidasWomen @adidasrunning

— Noah Lyles (@LylesNoah) February 4, 2018