South Africa name final London 2017 World Championships team

A 27-member national team has been announced by Athletics South Africa for the IAAF World Championships in London, England to be held from 4-13 August, 2017.

The final South African team includes all four of the country’s track and field medallists at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, with 400m world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk, Long Jumper Luvo Manyonga, 800m runner Caster Semenya and Javelin Throw’s Sunette Viljoen spearheading the team.

They will be joined by a number of other medal contenders, including in-form sprinter Akani Simbine, Long Jumper Ruswahl Samaai and hurdler Antonio Alkana.

With a strong team leading the charge, the team will aim to improve on their impressive medal haul at the 2015 edition of the biennial showpiece in Beijing, China where the nation bagged three medals (one gold and two bronze).

Updated…

Athletics South Africa this afternoon informed us of the decision to withdraw Discus Throw athlete, Victor Hogan, from the initial list of 24 athletes going to the IAAF World Championships in London, England to be held from 4-13 August, 2017.

This follows IAAF correspondence rejecting Hogan’s entry as part of Team SA.

ASA had entered his name as the Area Champion based on his win of the continental title at the CAA 20th African Senior Championships in Durban in June 2016.

But the IAAF in its decision has noted that because of his subsequent last year suspension for testing positive for a prohibited substance, all performances achieved in that period are not recognised and have been scrapped.

In 2016 the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) announced that Hogan’s sample from the South African Championships in Stellenbosch in April had tested positive for the prohibited substance, methylhexaneamine which is a specified substance.

He requested the B-sample to be analysed which confirmed the A-sample. He subsequently received a ban for this and returned to competition in 2017.

Updated again 25 and 28 June, 2017…Additional six athletes added

Four athletes were added again on Tuesday 25 June. This addition follows an invitation from the International Association of Athletics Federations for Athletics South Africa to enter a women’s 4x400m relay team.

The new names are Justine Palframan, Gena Lofstrand, Ariane Nel and Zoe Engler, making the final team 27 athletes.

On the Friday 28 July, two more athletes were added.

Discus thrower Victor Hogan, who was initially dropped after IAAF had rejected his inclusion as African champion due to his suspension for a banned substance that subsequently nullified his records over that period, was put back on the team.

Rikenette Steenkamp, who narrowly missed out on the women’s 100m Hurdles IAAF qualifying criteria, was invited by the global body to participate in order to fill the quotas to complete the start lists in their respective disciplines.

Palframan has also been entered in the 200m Women event, while Lofstrand has been submitted for the 800m Women contest. Nel and Engler will turn out only in the relay.

Caster Semenya, who has been entered in the individual 800m and 1500m events, has also been selected for the relay, along with 400m hurdler Wenda Nel. Both athletes were included in the initial team.

“We are proud to announce the additional names into our final team for these championships,” said ASA President, Aleck Skhosana.

“We believe that this is one of our strongest teams ever for a global championship in recent years, with the selectors having focused on excellence in our team.

“We wish each athlete the best of luck and we trust they will be able to perform at their best at one of the highest stages of international athletics.”

The final South African team of 18 men and 11 women to London 2017 – to be led by ASA Track and Field chairman Pieter Lourens – will depart via the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Monday 31July.

TEAM SOUTH AFRICA TO IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LONDON 2017 | 4 – 13 AUGUST

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