Prudence Sekgodiso’s 800m gold hopes dashed

SA’s Prudence Sekgodiso’s medal challenge in the women’s 800m final ended in disappointment as she faded out of the top five in the final straight and ended last.

Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson won in 1min 56.72sec. Sekgodiso finished in 1:58.79.

The 22-year-old South African, racing in her first major final, ran in the top four or five but waned notably in the final 50m as the rest of the eight-runner field passed her by.

On Monday night 22-year-old Sekgodiso qualified for the final in impressive fashion, raising hopes of a medal. She tailed world No 1 Hodgkinson around the Stade de France track to finish second in her semifinal.

With some casualties in the first two 800m semifinals of the evening, most notably Jemma Reekie of Great Britain, Sekgodiso ran a calm and measured race to reach the final.

Sekgodiso ran much of her semifinal with blood on her right shin after getting spiked during the race.