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Mokoena books Olympics spot

Johannesburg - South Africa's only medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Khotso Mokoena, qualified for this year's global showpiece at the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday.

Mokoena, who secured a lone silver in Beijing four years ago, reached the required distance of 8.20m with his final jump of the evening to clinch second place behind Greg Rutherford of Great Britain, who leapt 8.32m to snatch victory.

Also in fine form, South African javelin throw record holder Sunette Viljoen finally found her first big throw of the season.

Viljoen consistently dropped the javelin over the 60m mark, striking 67.95m with her last attempt to finish second behind world record holder Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic.

Two of South Africa's major medal prospects for the London Olympics, Caster Semenya and LJ van Zyl, looked flat on the night.

Van Zyl continued in his struggle to find form in the men's 400m hurdles, finishing second last in a pedestrian time of 50.33 seconds.

Countryman, Cornel Fredericks, however, saved face as he held on to take third place in 49.21.

Semenya was once again off the pace in the women's 800m event as she stayed with the leading pack in the first half of the race but fell back when the leaders shifted up a gear.

The former world champion finished eighth in two minutes, 00.07 seconds (2:00.07).

Meanwhile, Ruben Ramolefi once again failed to reach the Olympic qualifying standard in the men's 3 000m steeplechase as he finished second last in 8:30.41.

South African sprint sensation Simon Magakwe faded in a star-studded men's 100m race, with Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt winning in 9.76 seconds.

Magakwe clocked 10.33, well off the Olympic qualifying time of 10.18.

The SA men's 4x400m relay team finished seventh in 3:06.07.

Final results of the Diamond League meeting on Thursday:

Men

100m

1. Usain Bolt (JAM) 9.76
2. Asafa Powell (JAM) 9.91
3. Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) 10.04
4. Kim Collins (SKN) 10.05
5. Lerone Clarke (JAM) 10.16
6. Kimmari Roach (JAM) 10.23
7. Jacques Harvey (JAM) 10.24
8. Ainsley Waugh (JAM) 10.30
9. Simon Magakwe (RSA) 10.33

800m

1. Leonard Kirwa Kosencha (KEN) 1:44.42
2. Marcin Lewandowski (POL) 1:44.64
3. Andrew Osagie (GBR) 1:44.71
4. Timothy Kitum (KEN) 1:45.15
5. Antonio Manuel Reina (ESP) 1:45.22
6. Jakub Holusa (CZE) 1:45.46
7. Andreas Bube (DEN) 1:45.81
8. Jackson Mumbwa Kivuna (KEN) 1:46.58
9. Mario Scapini (ITA) 1:46.95
10. Bram Som (NED) 1:48.73
11. Giordano Benedetti (ITA) 1:49.90
. Vincent Mumo Kiilu (KEN) DNF

400m hurdles

1. Javier Culson (PUR) 48.14
2. Bershawn Jackson (USA) 48.25
3. Cornel Fredericks (RSA) 49.21
4. Jehue Gordon (TRI) 49.55
5. Nathan Woodward (GBR) 49.64
6. Omar Cisneros (CUB) 49.79
7. Jos Reynaldo Bencosme de Leon (ITA) 50.16
8. Louis van Zyl (RSA) 50.33
9. Felix Sanchez (DOM) 1:18.90

3000m steeplechase

1. Paul Kipsiele Koech (KEN) 7:54.31
2. Abel Kiprob Mutai (KEN) 8:01.67
3. Jairus Kipchoge (KEN) 8:08.79
4. Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) 8:10.55
5. Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad (FRA) 8:10.96
6. Hillary Kipsang Yego (KEN) 8:11.83
7. Jacob Araptany (UGA) 8:14.48
8. Benjamin Kiplagat (UGA) 8:17.55
9. William Nelson (USA) 8:21.42
10. Lukasz Parszczynski (POL) 8:21.80
11. Yuri Floriani (ITA) 8:22.62
12. Nelson Kipkosgei (KEN) 8:26.83
13. Ruben Ramolefi (RSA) 8:30.41
14. Vincent Zouaoui Dandrieaux (FRA) 8:32.75
. Bernard Mbugua (KEN) DNF
. Haron Lagat (KEN) DNF

High jump

1. Robert Grabarz (GBR) 2.33m
2. Trevor Barry (BAH) 2.31
2. Jesse Williams (USA) 2.31
4. Ivan Ukhov (RUS) 2.31
5. Dimtrios Chondrokokis (GRE) 2.28
6. Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.25
7. Zhang Guowei (CHN) 2.25
8. Silvano Chesani (ITA) 2.20
8. Marco Fassinotti (ITA) 2.20
8. Aleksey Dmitrik (RUS) 2.20

Long jump

1. Greg Rutherford (GBR) 8.32m
2. Khotso Mokoena (RSA) 8.20
3. Aleksandr Menkov (RUS) 8.17
4. Christopher Tomlinson (GBR) 7.77
5. Michel Tornus (SWE) 7.72
6. Tommi Evila (FIN) 7.65
7. Salim Sdiri (FRA) 7.55
8. Ignisious Gaisah (GHA) 5.99

Pole vault

1. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 5.82m
2. Romain Mesnil (FRA) 5.72
3. Malte Mohr (GER) 5.72
4. Bjrn Otto (GER) 5.60
5. Steven Lewis (GBR) 5.60
6. Fbio Gomes da Silva (BRA) 5.42
6. Steven Hooker (AUS) 5.42
8. Claudio Michel Stecchi (ITA) 5.42
8. Pawel Wojciechowski (POL) 5.42

Discus

1. Ehsan Hadadi (IRI) 66.73m
2. Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) 66.31
3. Gerd Kanter (EST) 65.36
4. Zoltan Kovago (HUN) 65.11
5. Piotr Malachowski (POL) 64.96
6. Jarred Rome (USA) 60.19
7. Giovanni Faloci (ITA) 59.33
8. Hannes Kirchler (ITA) 57.74

Women

100m

1. Murielle Ahoure (CIV) 11.00
2. Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM) 11.06
3. Kerron Stewart (JAM) 11.10
4. LaVerne Jones-Ferrette (ISV) 11.18
5. Ivet Lalova (BUL) 11.27
6. Sherone Simpson (JAM) 11.28
7. Gloria Asumnu (NGR) 11.30
8. Mikele Barber (USA) 11.39
9. Schillonie Calvet (JAM) 11.47

800m

1. Fantu Magiso (ETH) 1:57.56
2. Pamela Jelimo (KEN) 1:58.33
3. Mariya Savinova (RUS) 1:58.56
4. Yuneisis Santiusty (CUB) 1:59.23
5. Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:59.42
6. Malika Akkaoui (MAR) 1:59.80
7. Ekaterina Kostetskaya (RUS) 1:59.96
8. Caster Semenya (RSA) 2:00.07
9. Lucia Klocova (SVK) 2:00.16
10. Emma Jackson (GBR) 2:00.38
11. Marta Milani (ITA) 2:02.02
. Elisa Cusma Piccione (ITA) DNS
. Tatyana Andrianova (RUS) DNF

1500m

1. Abeba Arigawi (ETH) 3:56.54
2. Hellen Onsando Obiri (KEN) 3:59.68
3. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 4:00.85
4. Morgan Uceny (USA) 4:01.59
5. Corinna Harrer (GER) 4:04.30
6. Btissam Lakhouad (MAR) 4:04.30
7. Renata Plis (POL) 4:04.48
8. Hilary Edmondson (CAN) 4:05.08
9. Anzhelika Shevchenko (UKR) 4:05.96
10. Ingvill Makestad (NOR) 4:06.09
11. Genzeb Shumi (BRN) 4:06.39
12. Stephanie Twell (GBR) 4:09.50
13. Margherita Magnani (ITA) 4:12.17
14. Mimi Belete (BRN) 4:14.36
. Anna Luchkina (RUS) DNF
. Anna Konovalova (RUS) DNF

5000m

1. Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 14:35.62
2. Meseret Defar (ETH) 14:35.65
3. Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 14:39.53
4. Gelete Burka (ETH) 14:41.43
5. Veronica Nyaruai Wanjiru (KEN) 14:44.82
6. Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet (KEN) 14:46.73
7. Genet Yalew (ETH) 14:48.43
8. Azemra Gebru (ETH) 14:58.23
9. Waganesh Mekasha (ETH) 15:07.35
10. Joanne Pavey (GBR) 15:09.53
11. Mercy Cherono (KEN) 15:17.74
12. Silvia Weissteiner (ITA) 15:18.04
13. Elena Romagnolo (ITA) 15:19.78
14. Ziporah Wanjiru Kingori (KEN) 16:24.74
. Svitlana Shmidt (UKR) DNF
. Sonja Roman (SLO) DNF

100m hurdles

1. Dawn Harper (USA) 12.66
2. Kellie Wells (USA) 12.67
3. Brigitte Foster (JAM) 12.78
4. Michelle Perry (USA) 12.78
5. Priscilla Lopes (CAN) 12.81
6. Tiffany Porter (GBR) 12.84
7. Danielle Carruthers (USA) 12.87
8. Marzia Caravelli (ITA) 12.96
. Lolo Jones (USA) DNF

400m hurdles

1. Kaliese Spencer (JAM) 54.39
2. Lashinda Demus (USA) 54.80
3. Ti'erra Brown (USA) 54.96
4. Zuzana Hejnova (CZE) 55.09
5. Muizat Ajoke Odumosu (NGR) 55.20
6. Queen Harrison (USA) 55.66
7. Natalya Antyukh (RUS) 55.83
8. Melanie Walker (JAM) 56.26
9. Manuela Gentili (ITA) 56.36

Triple jump

1. Olga Saladukha (UKR) 14.75 m
2. Olga Rypakova (KAZ) 14.73
3. Katerine Ibarguen (COL) 14.71
4. Yamil Aldama (GBR) 14.65
5. Kimberly Williams (JAM) 14.52
6. Simona La Mantia (ITA) 13.87
7. Marija Sestak (SLO) 13.74
8. Keila Costa (BRA) 13.55

Shot put

1. Valerie Adams (NZL) 21.03m
2. Gong Lijiao (CHN) 19.79
3. Nadzeya Ostapchuk (BLR) 19.58
4. Michelle Carter (USA) 18.66
5. Liu Xiangrong (CHN) 18.63
6. Chiara Rosa (ITA) 18.63
7. Nadine Kleinert (GER) 18.51
8. Josephine Terlecki (GER) 17.79

Javelin

1. Barbora Spotakova (CZE) 68.65m
2. Sunette Viljoen (RSA) 67.95
3. Katherine Sayers (GBR) 64.73
4. Christina Obergfoll (GER) 62.60
5. Maria Abakumova (RUS) 62.00
6. Zahra Bani (ITA) 57.01
7. Kara Patterson (USA) 55.94
. Martina Ratej (SLO) 0

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