By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – It was a sensational performance by sprinter Bongiwe Mahlalela in Slovenia, as she finished third in 100m, and brought home a bronze medal.
Mahlalela clocked 11:87 seconds to earn the podium finish in the highly contested event. The winner was South Africa’s Joviale Mbisha, who clocked 11:76 seconds, while Lucija Potnik was second after 11:84 seconds out of six athletes.
Mahlalela is among the local athletes who are vying for qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the Senior African Championships to be held in July/ August and June respectively.
Meanwhile, sprinter Sibusiso ‘Swazi Bolt’ Matsenjwa improved his performance with the Senior African Athletics Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympics Games drawing closer.
He clocked his season best times in both 100m and 200m on Saturday in South Africa where he was competing in preparations of qualifying for the two events.
He clocked season best of 10:37 in the 100m, finishing second and he came third in 200m, clocking 20:52 seconds.
Matsenjwa had a season best of 20:72 seconds in the 200m prior to the new season best, while in 100m, he improved from 10:39 seconds to 10:37 seconds. He needs to clock 20:16 seconds in 200m and 10:00 seconds in 100m, if he is to make it to Paris having qualified.
Other athletes who were in South Africa alongside Matsenjwa were Nokwethu Minenhle Nhlabatsi, who finishes first in the 1 500m on 5:15:17 minutes and Mayibongwe Vilakati who was third in the 1 500m on 4:09:96 minutes.
