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SA's Links leaps to gold at African Games

Cape Town - South African high jumper Mpho Links won the only gold for Team South Africa in the athletics at the African Games in Rabat, Morocco.

Links sailed to victory in 2.20m, while 19-year-old Breyton Poole earned bronze with a height of 2.15m to secure another bronze for South Africa.

Kenya's Mathew Sawe took silver with a leap of 2.15m, reportedly edging Poole on count back.

Earlier in the day, Ischke Senekal took silver to the discus throw with a heave of 16.18m, while compatriot Meike Strydom landed the shot of 14.64m to claim the bronze medal. Nigerian athlete Oyesade Olatoye won gold with a 16.61m throw.

Sprinter Anaso Jobodwana bagged the bronze medal in the men's 200m final, crossing the finish line in 20.56.

The national men's 4x400m relay squad took second place in the final. The quartet, consisting of Ranti Dikgale, Ashley Hlungwani, Derrick Mokaleng and Thapelo Phora, completed the four-lap contest in 3:03.18.

The South African athletics team closed their campaign at the African Games with a total of 17 medals consisting of one gold, six silvers and 10 bronze.

"We wanted to hear the South African anthem after the gold medals have been elusive in the first four days of competition and we finally got one through Mpho Links," said President of Athletics SA, Aleck Skhosana.

"It becomes for us to struggle at this level to take the higher step of the podium, but this competition has proved that you can’t win them all. We are very happy though that we continue to display great depth in track and field in the absence of several top athletes.

"We congratulate all athletes who finished with honours for their contribution to the overall count of medals for Team South Africa which is managed by SACOC."

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