A dream debut for South African 800-meter star, Prudence Sekgodiso, came to an end on Monday night. Following a strong all-round race, she lost steam in the final moments and finished eighth in the Women’s 800-meter final.
The 22-year old stepped into her Olympic debut on fire, putting on resilient performances in the heats and eventually, qualifying for the final. Due to these performances, she put the world on notice, proving to be a contender for a medal.
About the race
Similarly, she picked up where she left off in the final with a perfectly paced first lap. The excitement could be felt with her every stride, as she inched closer to the end of the race. Eight meters…all it took for her medaling moment to escape her sights.
Unfortunately, the pressure caught up in the final leg of the race, as she lost steam towards the end. As a result, she fell back to last place as her opponents blew past her. The pre-race favourite, Keely Hodgkinson, ended up grabbing the gold for Great Britain with an impressive time of 1:56.72.
Following for the silver medal was Ethiopian Tsige Duguma in a 1:57.15 personal best, and Kenyan Mary Moraa for bronze in 1:57.42.
Considering the 1:58.79 time Sekgodiso ran, it is evident that there was convincing distance between her and the frontrunners. Nonetheless, she can hold her head high for her efforts in pushing to finish strong in Paris.
More to come in Future
Granted that this is the young Olympian’s debut, there is much experience to gain and improve her bright career. Despite not winning a medal, she has inspired a new generation of young South African athletes, showing them that it is possible.
This is her seventh best time, with her personal best set at 1:57.26, which she clocked at Le Grand Stade in Marrakech earlier this year. This time shows her potential, as it would have been enough to win bronze in the Paris.
In her post-race interview, she remained in good spirits.
“I was in it [the race] for 700 metres. That was the plan, just to stick with the girls. And yeah, I’m not good in the final 100,” she said.
“But when I noticed all the girls passing, I was like, ‘oh my word, what’s happening?’
“I just kept my head up and told myself just finish the race. I’m also happy I made it to the final,” Segodiso concluded.
She can only keep dreaming from here onwards, with more races coming up before the conclusion of her season.
Here’s what fans on X had to say:
@_skhu_ posted, “Prudence Tebogo Sekgodiso Just a 22-year old girl from Medingen Village with a dream! You have made us PROUD, see you in LA28! #PARIS2024“
@atnyuswa posted, “First Olympics at the age of 22, reached the 800m final! She will only get better.. Prudence Sekgodiso #OlympicGames #Paris2024“
Main Image: Netwerk24
