Prudence Sekgodiso of South Africa during the Women’s 800m heats on day 6 of the 2025 World Athletics Championships Tokyo on 18 September 2025. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images) 
South Africa’s two biggest individual medal hopefuls on the track headed into the biennial athletics competition, in Zakithi Nene and Prudence Sekgodiso, both fell short on Thursday.
Nene arrived in Tokyo as the fastest man across 400m this year, and cruised through the heats and semi-finals with very little fuss. At the very least he expected to medal in Thursday’s final, but it all came apart on the Japanese track.
He finished fifth in 44.55 seconds. Slower than his semi-final time of 44.20 seconds, and nearly a second slower than the personal best and world lead he set earlier this year of 43.76 seconds.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TL_2454469.jpg "Zakithi Nene of South Africa during the Mens 400m Heats on day 2 of the 2025 World Athletics Championships Tokyo on 14 September 2025. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)")
Instead, it was Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi who claimed gold in 43.53 seconds. Botswana claimed bronze too, as Kebinatshipi’s countryman Bayapo Ndori came third in 44.20. Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago sandwiched between them in 43.72 seconds.
“I don’t know what happened there. Tactically it just wasn’t my day today,” an exasperated Nene said after his race. “I don’t have any words honestly. [I’m] really devastated.”
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Teammate in the 400m, Lythe Pillay failed to make the final after finishing sixth in his semi-final with a time of 44.82 seconds.
The pair, along with Wayde van Niekerk – and one other of either Gardeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon or Leendert Koekemoer – will join forces in the 4x400m relay as a realistic hope for SA’s first World Athletics Championship medal since 2017.
Van Niekerk missed out on a place in the 200m finals after finishing fourth in his semi-final in a respectable time of 20.12 seconds.
Neighbours Botswana are firm favourites for the 4x400m men’s relay, however, with Kebinatshipi and Ndori, along with Letsile Tebogo, forming the core of their racing group.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2235730670-1.jpg "Left to right, Bovel McPherson of Team Jamaica, Reece Holder of Team Australia, Zakithi Nene of Team South Africa and Lee Bhekempilo Eppie of Team Botswana, compete in the Men's 400m Semi-Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 on 16 September 2025. (Photo: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)")
Sekgodiso injury
World indoor 800m champion Sekgodiso’s season was shaping up to be a memorable one. While she wasn’t a favourite to win, a podium finish would not have been out of the realms of possibilities for the athlete from Medingen Village, Limpopo.
But a hamstring niggle flared up during her heat on Thursday, as she stepped off the track in the second lap of her race.
Earlier, there was a tumble early in the closely-bunched 800m race with 1,500m-bronze medalist Jessica Hull, falling to the ground and Sekgodiso having to jump over her to avoid becoming collateral damage.
Sekgodiso didn’t believe that aggravated her injury, however, as she walked off the course a little while after.
“At the last call room, my leg didn’t want to move; I couldn’t do strides,” a tearful Sekgodiso explained.
“The last three weeks were going really well. I trained so hard, I was ready for this. This is the end of my season. I wanted it to end on a good note.
“Since I came here (to Tokyo), I’ve been focused, I’ve been in my room, going to training, resting and recovering.
“But these are the rewards. I have no words, I’m hurt… I know I disappointed a lot of my fans at home. I’m really hurt. I gave it my all.
“My leg didn’t want to work at all. I tried,” she said. She also apologised to her family, coach and supporters for her DNF.
The indoor world champion recognised that her body may have been shattered, following the extensive season she’s had.
“I told my coach that next year I’m not going to run all the indoor meets, I’m just going straight to the world indoors. Now I have the experience,” she said.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TL_2456583.jpg "Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone of the US during the Women’s 400m Finals on day 6 of the 2025 World Athletics Championships Tokyo on 18 September 2025. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)")
Records
USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won one of the all-time great races in the women’s 400m on Thursday afternoon.
The 400m hurdles world record-holder ran the second-ever fastest time in the 400m, winning in 47.78 seconds.
McLaughlin-Levrone beat out Paris Olympic gold and silver medalist Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser, respectively, who had to settle for silver and bronze on this occasion.
Paulino came in at 47.98 seconds, a new personal best for the athlete from the Dominican Republic. It was also the first time ever that two women’s athletes broke the 48-second mark in the same race.
Eid Naser settled for third in 48.19 seconds.
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“I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400m hurdles to the flat 400m, but ultimately, I had faith in my training. I knew I had it in me,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.
“It definitely helped having Marileidy Paulino in the outer lane where I could see her. But I still had to get the work done. My coach told me to get out of the blocks as fast as possible, not to stay in it for long.” DM