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Cape Town - The global track and field season came to an end in frustrating fashion for South Africa’s Wenda Nel in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday night.
According to the SASCOC website, Nel was the sole SA competitor in the final leg of the IAAF Diamond League series after a long and gruelling season.
Going off in the 400m hurdles, Nel trailed in eighth and last with a time of 56.30, as Olympic champion Daliliah Muhammad of America won in 53.89 from Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnova (53.93).
It’s a long way off the 54.58 season’s best she ran in Rome almost three months ago, but the Pretoria athlete took defeat squarely on the chin and is looking forward to setting things right in the Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Australia, next year.
Speaking to Team SA, Nel says in hindsight she should have called time on her season after the recent World Championships in London.
‘But then I would never have known how I could have run in Belgium. So now I have to weigh up a few things, have a look at the training programme and work out how we’re going to tackle next season.
‘Again, I felt good in the warm-up and the race. Then, on the second last hurdle I made a small mistake, doubted myself and had to put in an extra stride which cost me a bit of time.
‘It didn’t cost me that much time, but otherwise I might have been able to dip under 56. I haven’t run a 56 second time for a while now and it doesn’t feel good.
‘I’m heading home now and focus will switch to the Commonwealth Games. I’m thinking it will fit nicely into our planning. Once again, South Africans have long seasons compared to the rest of the world and it’s not easy to plan.
‘But I’m really looking forward to the Games. Must just get my head right, keep the physique strong and hopefully it’ll be my time to peak, because I do like racing in April.’
Next Diamond League action will be on May 4 next year in Doha, Qatar.
Finals results from the season-ending Diamond League meet in Brussels on Friday:
Men
200m
1. Noah Lyles (USA) 20.00sec
2. Ameer Webb (USA) 20.01
3. Ramil Quliyev (AZE) 20.02
4. Aaron Brown (CAN) 20.17
5. Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) 20.21
6. Zharnel Hughes (AGU) 20.27
7. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (GBR) 20.33
8. Rasheed Dwyer (JAM) 20.67
800m
1. Nijel Amos (BOT) 1:44.53
2. Marcin Lewandowski (POL) 1:44.77
3. Adam Kszczot (POL) 1:44.84
4. Kipyegon Bett (KEN) 1:45.21
5. Ferguson Rotich Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:45.25
6. Alfred Kipketer (KEN) 1:46.27
7. Elliot Giles (GBR) 1:47.03
8. Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 1:49.85
110m hurdles
1. Sergey Shubenkov (ANA - neutral) 13.14
2. Orlando Ortega (CUB) 13.17
3. Aries Merritt (USA) 13.20
4. Devon Allen (USA) 13.24
5. Ronald Levy (JAM) 13.41
6. Garfield Darien (FRA) 13.42
7. Milan Trajkovic (CYP) 13.47
8. Shane Brathwaite (BAR) 13.49
3 000m steeplechase
1. Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 8:04.73
2. Soufiane Elbakkali (MAR) 8:04.83
3. Evan Jager (USA) 8:11.71
4. Stanley Kipkoech Kebenei (USA) 8:11.93
5. Nicholas Kiptonui Bett (KEN) 8:12.20
6. Benjamin Kigen (KEN) 8:13.06
7. Amos Kirui (KEN) 8:18.32
8. Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) 8:19.19
Triple jump
1. Christian Taylor (USA) 17.49m
2. Will Claye (USA) 17.35
3. Pedro Pichardo (CUB) 17.32
4. Troy Doris (USA) 16.64
5. Alexis Copello (CUB) 16.55
6. Chris Benard (USA) 16.37
7. Jean-Marc Pontvianne (FRA) 16.36
8. Omar Craddock (USA) 15.89
Discus
1. Andrius Gudzius (LTU) 68.16 m
2. Fedrick Dacres (JAM) 66.31
3. Piotr Malachowski (POL) 65.73
4. Philip Milanov (BEL) 64.76
5. Christoph Harting (GER) 64.55
6. Robert Urbanek (POL) 64.20
7. Daniel Stahl (SWE) 64.18
8. Robert Harting (GER) 63.96
Women
100m
1. Elaine Thompson (JAM) 10.92
2. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) 10.93
3. Blessing Okagbare (NGR) 11.07
4. Michelle-Lee Ahye (TRI) 11.07
5. Tianna Bartoletta (USA) 11.14
6. Morolake Akinosun (USA) 11.15
7. Jura Levy (JAM) 11.17
8. Christania Williams (JAM) 11.35
400m
1. Shaunae Miller (BAH) 49.46
2. Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) 49.88
3. Courtney Okolo (USA) 50.91
4. Natasha Hastings (USA) 50.98
5. Shericka Jackson (JAM) 51.16
6. Novlene Williams-Mills (JAM) 51.27
7. Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM) 51.72
8. Lydia Jele (BOT) 53.11
1 500m
1. Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (KEN) 3:57.04
2. Sifan Hassan (NED) 3:57.22
3. Winny Chebet (KEN) 4:00.18
4. Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) 4:00.36
5. Merat Bahta Ogbagaber (ERI) 4:00.49
6. Jennifer Simpson (USA) 4:00.70
7. Laura Weightman (GBR) 4:00.71
8. Angelika Cichocka (POL) 4:02.77
5 000m
1. Hellen Onsando Obiri (KEN) 14:25.88
2. Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (KEN) 14:27.55
3. Senbere Teferi (ETH) 14:32.03
4. Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) 14:32.82
5. Beatrice Chepkoech Sitonik (KEN) 14:39.33
6. Lilian Kasait Rengruk (KEN) 14:41.61
7. Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) 14:42.74
8. Eilish McColgan (GBR) 14:48.49
400m hurdles
1. Dalilah Muhammad (USA) 53.89
2. Zuzana Hejnová (CZE) 53.93
3. Ashley Spencer (USA) 54.92
4. Eilidh Child (GBR) 55.04
5. Sara Petersen (DEN) 55.54
6. Janieve Russell (JAM) 55.60
7. Léa Sprunger (SUI) 55.98
8. Wenda Theron Nel (RSA) 56.30
High jump
1. Mariya Lasitskene (ANA - neutral) 2.02 m
2. Yuliya Levchenko (UKR) 1.94
3. Michaela Hrubá (CZE) 1.88
4. Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) 1.88
5. Kamila Licwinko (POL) 1.88
6. Sofie Skoog (SWE) 1.84
7. Levern Spencer (LCA) 1.84
8. Oksana Okuneva (UKR) 1.84
. Mirela Demireva (BUL) 1.84
. Morgan Lake (GBR) 1.84
Long jump
1. Ivana Spanovic (SRB) 6.70 m
2. Lorraine Ugen (GBR) 6.65
3. Shakeelah Saunders (USA) 6.64
4. Tianna Bartoletta (USA) 6.63
5. Brittney Reese (USA) 6.61
6. Shara Proctor (GBR) 6.50
7. Darya Klishina (ANA - neutral) 6.49
8. Claudia Rath (GER) 6.21
Pole vault
1. Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE) 4.85 m
2. Sandi Morris (USA) 4.75
3. Alysha Newman (CAN) 4.75
4. Katie Nageotte (USA) 4.65
5. Nicole Büchler (SUI) 4.65
6. Holly Bleasdale (GBR) 4.55
7. Lisa Ryzih (GER) 4.55
8. Michaela Meijer (SWE) 4.55
Discus
1. Sandra Perkovic (CRO) 68.82 m
2. Dani Samuels (AUS) 65.85
3. Denia Caballero (CUB) 64.61
4. Nadine Müller (GER) 62.85
5. Mélina Robert-Michon (FRA) 62.49
6. Whitney Ashley (USA) 62.14
7. Yaime Pérez (CUB) 61.45
8. Julia Fischer (GER) 59.89
