---
title: "Athletics: Everything you need to know about South African athletes at World Championships"
description: "The World Athletics Championships begin in London on Friday and if you need some help digesting who to watch and when, we’ve got you covered. By ANTOINETTE MULLER"
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Sport"
author: "Antoinette Muller"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/antoinettemuller/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-08-02-sport-everything-you-need-to-know-about-south-african-athletes-at-world-championships/"
published: "2017-08-02T08:46:49"
updated: "2017-08-02T08:47:12"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 899
---

# Athletics: Everything you need to know about South African athletes at World Championships

> The World Athletics Championships begin in London on Friday and if you need some help digesting who to watch and when, we’ve got you covered. By ANTOINETTE MULLER

By Antoinette Muller · Published 2 August 2017, 10:46 SAST · Updated 2 August 2017, 10:47 SAST

## Content

The second biggest athletics event after the Olympics will begin on Friday. [South Africa’s team selection hogged the headlines](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-07-25-asa-sa-athletes-speaking-out-will-be-the-downfall-of-shady-administrators/) in the lead-up to the event, but with all of that out of the way, the country’s best can focus on the task at hand.

South Africa should return with a reasonable medal haul with seven national record holders in the team. Akani Simbine (100m), Wayde van Niekerk (200m and 400m), Antonio Alkana (110m hurdles), Luvo Manyonga (long jump), Lebogang Shange (20km walk), Carina Horn (200m) and Caster Semenya (800m) will all be eyeing silverware.

But it’s Van Niekerk gunning for the 200m and 400m double that will be of most interest. Caster Semenya, as it stands, is also doubling up doing both the 800m and the 1,500m. Sunette Viljoen is out of the javelin event through injury while [Luvo Manyonga](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-08-14-luvo-manyonga-broke-a-deal-with-the-devil-and-decided-to-jump-rather-than-die/) will continue his quest to become the first man to jump 9m, having recovered from an injury of his own.

The World Championships follows a similar format to the Olympics: prelim rounds preceding semis and finals. *Daily Maverick* will be offering a daily digest of who is running, but to get you started, here’s a full list of competitors, their events, their best efforts in 2017 (as well as the world best) and all the scheduled times for all the events in that category.

![Akani Simbine of South Africa, and Brijesh Lawrence of Saint Kitts and Nevis compete during the men's 100m heats of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 13 August 2016. EPA/SRDJAN SUKI](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x513q70750_akani_simbine.jpg)

**Athletes:**Akani Simbine, Thando Roto**Event:**100m**Time:**4 August, 20:00 (Prelim), 5 August 12:45 (Heats), 20:05 (Semi), 22:45 (final)**Best effort in 2017:**9.92 (Simbine), 9.98 (Roto)
**World leading time in 2017:**9.82 (Christian Coleman, US)

![New world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa celebrates after winning the men's 300m competition at the IAAF World challenge Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, 28 June 2017. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x508q70750_wayde_van_niekerk.jpg)

**Athletes:**Akani Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk, Clarence Munyai**Event:**200m**Time:**7 August, 19:30 (Heats), 9 August, 21:55 (Semi-final), 10 August, 22:50 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**19.95 (Simbine), 19.84 (Van Niekerk), 20.10 (Munyai)
**World leading time in 2017:**19.77 (Isaac Makwala, Botswana)

![Pieter Conradie wins the mens 400m during day 2 of the 2017 ASA Championships at Puk McArthur Stadium, Potchefstroom on 22 April 2017 © Roger Sedres/BackpagePix](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x525q70750_Pieter-Conradie.jpg)

**Athletes:**Wayde van Niekerk, Pieter Conradie**Event:**400m**Time:**5 August, 11:45 (Heats), 6 August, 20:40 (Semi), 8 August, 22:50 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**43.62 (Van Niekerk), 45.15 (Conradie)
**World leading time in 2017:**43.62 (Van Niekerk)

**Athlete:** Stephen Mokoka
**Event:**10 000m**Time:**2 August, 22:20**Best effort in 2017:** Has not competed in the event in 2017, best time in 2016 - 13:23.66
**World leading time in 2017:**27:08.26 (Abadi Jadis, Ethiopia)

**Athletes:**Lusapho April, Sibusiso Nzima, Desmond Mokgobu**Event:**Marathon**Time:**6 August, 11:55**Best effort in 2017:**2:11:41 (April), 2:10:51 (Mokgobu), Nzima has not competed in 2017, best in 2016: 1:01:44
**World leading time in 2017:**2:03:58 (Wilson Kipsang, Kenya)

**![Antonio Alkana (2nd R) of South Africa at the start of Heat 3 of the 110m Hurdles heats of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15 August 2016. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x461q70tony-alkana.jpg)**

**Athlet:**Antonio Alkana**Event:**110m hurdles **Time:**6 August, 14:15 (Heats), 21:10 (Semi), 7 August, 22:30 (final)**Best effort in 2017:**13.11
**World leading time in 2017:**12.90 (Omar McLeod, Jamaica)

![Luvo Manyonga of South Africa celebrates after placing second in the men's Long Jump final of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 13 August 2016. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x366q70luvo-manyonga\(1\).jpg)

**Athletes:** Luvo Manyonga, Ruswahl Samaai, Zarck Visser**Event:** Long jump**Time:**4 August, 20:30 (Qualifiers), 5 August, 21:05 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:** 8.65 (Manyonga), 8.49 (Samaai), 8.22 (Visser)
**World leading distance in 2017:**8.65 (Manyonga) \[Note: Manyonga and Samaai occupy nine out of the top ten distance for 2017\]

![Orazio Cremona in the men's shot put during day 2 of the 2017 ASA Championships at Puk McArthur Stadium, Potchefstroom on 22 April 2017 © Roger Sedres/BackpagePix](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x500q70Orazio-Cremona.jpg)

**Athletes:** Orazio Cremona, Jaco Engelbrecht**Event:** Shot put**Time:**5 August, 11:00 (Qualification), 6 August 21:35 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**21.12 (Cremona), 20.63 (Engelbrecht)
**World leading distance in 2017:** 22.65 (Ryan Crouser, US)

![South Africa's Victor Hogan competes during the men's Discus Throw qualification of the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium, also known as Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, 27 August 2015. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x433q70Victor-Hogan.jpg)

**Athlete:** Victor Hogan**Event:** Discus**Time:**4 August, 19:20 - 20:45 (Qualifiers), 5 August, 19:25 (Final)
**Best effort in 2017:**64.18 
**World leading distance in 2017:** 71.29 (Daniel Stahl, Sweden)

**![Rocco van Rooyen of South Africa in action during the men's Javelin Throw Qualifying round of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 17 August 2016. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x500q70rocco-van-rooyen.jpg)**

**Athlete:** Rocco van Rooyen**Event:** Javelin**Time:**10 August, 20:05-21:35, 12 August 21:15
**Best effort in 2017:**84.09
**World leading distance in 2017:** 94.44 (Johannes Vetter, Germany)

**Athlete:** Shange Lebogang**Event:** 20km walk**Time:**12 August, 15:20**Best effort in 2017:**1:21:00**World leading time in 2017:**1:17:54 (Kaihua Wang, China)

![Carina Horn of South Africa reacts after competing in the women's 100m heats of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 12 August 2016. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x585q70750_Carina-Horn.jpg)

**Athlete:** Carina Horn**Event:** 100m**Time:**5 August, 12:45 (Heats), 6 August 20:10 (Semi), 22:50 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**11.05**World leading time in 2017:**10.72 (Tawanna Meadows, USA)

**Athlete:** Justine Palframan**Event:** 200m**Time:**8 August, 20:30 (Heats), 10 August, 22:05 (Semi), 22:50 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**22.84
**World leading time in 2017:**21.77 (Tori Bowie, USA)

![Caster Semenya of South Africa competes in the women's 800 meters during the IAAF Diamond League meeting at the Stade Louis II in Monaco, 21 July 2017. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x514q70750_caster-semenya.jpg)

**Athletes:** Caster Semenya, Gena Lofstrand**Event:** 800m**Time:**10 August, 20:25 (Heats), 11 August, 20:35 (Semi), 13 August, 21:10 (Final)**Best effort in 2017**: 1:55.27 (Semenya), 2:01.50 (Lofstrand)**World leading time in 2017:**1:55.27 (Semenya)

**Athlete:** Caster Semenya
**Event:** 1500m
**Time:**4 August, 20:35 (Heats), 5 August, 20:35 (Semi), 7 August, (22:50)
**Best effort in 2017:**4:16.87
**World leading time in 2017:**3:56.14 (Sifan Hassan, Netherlands)

**Athletes:** Mapaseka Makhanya, Jenna Challenor**Event:** Marathon**Time:**6 August, 15:00**Best effort in 2017***: No IAAF recognised times available for 2017, 2016 bests***-**2:37:19 (Makhanya), 2:37:12 (Challenor)
**World leading time in 2017:**2:17:01 (Mary Keitany, Kenya)

**Athlete:** Rikenette Steenkamp**Event:** 100m hurdles**Time:**11 August, 11:45 (Heats), 20:05 (Semi), 12 August, 21:05**Best effort in 2017:**12.99
**World leading time in 2017:**12.28 (Kedra Harrison, USA)

![Wenda Nel of South Africa after competing in the women's 400m Hurdles semi final during the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium, also known as Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, 24 August 2015. EPA/SRDJAN SUKI](//images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/750x513q70750_Wenda-Nel.jpg)

**Athlete:** Wenda Nel **Event:** 400m hurdles**Time:**7 August, 20:30 (Heats), 8 August, 21:35 (Semi), 10 August, 22:35 (Final)**Best effort in 2017:**54.58
**World leading time in 2017:**52.64 (Dalilah Muhammad, US)

**Athletes:** Justine Palframan, Gena Lofstrand, Ariane Nel, Zoe Engler, Caster Semenya, Wenda Nel**Event:** 4x400m relay**Time:**12 August, 12:20 (Heats), 13 August 21:55, (Final)*No best efforts available.***DM**

*Photo: A collage of South African*athletes competing*at the IAAF World Championships in London from 4-13 August 2017. Photo source: various*