Gift Leotlela capped his magnificent campaign at the IAAF World Junior Championships in fine style on Friday night, earning the silver medal in the Men's 200m final in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Having finished fourth in the 100m final earlier in the week, Leotlela made up for that near miss by charging across the line in 20.59.
Compatriot Clarence Munyai, who had set the fastest times in the heats and the semifinals, took fourth place in the half-lap dash in 20.77, with American athlete Michael Norman winning the race in 20.17.
Leotlela and Munyai will represent South Africa in the 200m sprint at next month's Rio Olympic Games.
Elsewhere in the evening session on day four at the juniors’ showpiece, Chris Moleya took 11th position in the Men's High Jump final, clearing a best height of 2.18m.
Luis Enrique Zayas of Cuba secured victory as the only athlete in the line-up to get over 2.27m.
Speedster Tamzin Thomas settled for eighth position in her semifinal of the Women's 200m event in 24.49, and she was eliminated ahead of the final.
The national Women's 4x100m Relay squad took fifth place in their heat in 45.98 and was also knocked out ahead of the medals contest.
There was disappointment for Kefilwe Mogawane in the penultimate round of the Men's 400m Hurdles. Having progressed as the fastest qualifier from the opening round the day before, Mogawane fell in the home straight with a hamstring injury and was eliminated from his specialist discipline.
The SA team was lying 15th in the overall table, after bagging two silver medals, with two days of competition remaining.
Schedule of SA athletes competing today:
5.15pm - 100m hurdles semifinals, women (Taylon Bieldt)
5.50pm - 800m semifinals, men (George Kusche)
6.40pm - javelin throw final, men (Johan Grobler).
Source: Sport24
