She may have missed out on a podium place on Monday night, but Prudence Sekgodiso could be justifiably proud of her 800m performances in Paris after finishing her debut Olympic final in eighth place, at the Stade de France athletics stadium in Paris on Monday, 5 August, 2024.
Reaching a final at her first Olympic Games was a massive achievement in itself. And while she may have been quietly hoping for more than her eighth place in a time of 1:58.79 on Monday – particularly as the personal best time she set earlier this year would have secured her a bronze – the 22-year-old will leave these Games with her head held high.
Sekgodiso remained among the front runners for around 700m of the race but struggled down the home straight as Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson blazed to gold in a time of 1:56.72. Ethiopian world indoor champion Tsige Duguma finished second in a personal best time of 1:57.15 with world outdoor champion Mary Moraa of Kenya taking the bronze in 1:57.42.
Describing the race afterwards, a still-smiling Sekgodiso explained: “The first 400 was slow for me, but the race overall was OK… I feel like I wasted so much energy because I’ve been running in lane two the whole time, and that’s my biggest mistake. I know my coach is going to fight with me about it.
“It’s a lesson I learnt and I’m going to take it and move on.”
South African Middle Distance Star Athlete, Prudence Sekgodiso
As for the end of the race, she added: “I’m not good in the final 100m. The plan was just to stick with them and then anything can happen. The time when I saw all the girls passing me I was like, ‘Oh my word, what’s happening? I’m just going to keep my head up and just finish the race.’”
“But I’m so happy that I made it to the final… it really means a lot to me.”
Speaking about the incredible atmosphere when running on for her first Olympic final at a packed Stade de France, Sekgodiso added: “It was something else, you know everyone was just shouting and it was quite amazing. I feel like we can just go back and run again, just for fun.”
In the 400m heats earlier in the day, Miranda Coetzee looked to have done enough to secure one of the three automatic qualifying spots for the semifinals but faded badly down the home straight, eventually finishing fourth in 51.58 seconds.
Suffering from a pounding head and feeling nauseated and short of breath after the race, a medic was called to attend to Coetzee. Team managers confirmed she had recovered though, and should be fit to contest the repechage on Tuesday.
Climber Aniya Holder was another of the South African athletes in action on Monday in the women’s speed climbing. Based in Gqeberha, where there is no full-sized speed wall to train on, Holder had no lofty expectations coming into these Games. Her main goal was to break the South African and African record, and that she did, four times in two days, eventually achieving a best time of 9.12 seconds.
Holder was eventually eliminated from the competition by Poland’s new world record holder Alexandra Miroslaw but was thrilled with her overall Olympic experience.
“I got my record and my PB so I’m happy,” said the 23-year-old, explaining she’s only had 36 days of training on a full-sized wall in her life.
“I mean these people train 36 days a month. Not really, but you know what I mean,” she added with a laugh.
Asked what she would take from this experience, Holder reckoned: “You can still come from nothing and still make it… I haven’t had the easiest life story too. So you can still do it.”
Having grown up in Makhanda, Holder is one of seven siblings. Her mother left when she was young and her father died just four years ago. She has been travelling to Johannesburg once a month simply to train on a full-length wall, and this is her first trip outside of South Africa to compete internationally.
“I can’t wait to get back to training to be honest,” she admitted. “I would love to just keep going, set my new training schedule. I quite like a plan… It is nice to have my Mondays this, Tuesdays this, Wednesdays this, like four years up to the next Olympics would be nice to have a solid plan,” added Holder, who has already set her sights on the LA Olympic Games in 2028.
Team South Africa’s Women’s Contingent and Paris 2024 Broadcast Updates
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Saturday, 27 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Sunday, 28 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Monday, 29 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Tuesday, 30 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Wednesday, 31 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Thursday, 1 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Friday, 2 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Saturday, 3 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Sunday, 4 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Monday, 5 August, 2024
Athletics
Women’s 400m Round 1 – Miranda Coetzee (Heat 6) – finished in fourth place, in 51.58 seconds, qualifies for the repechage round on Tuesday
Climbing
Women’s speed climbing qualification seeding heats- Aniya Holder (Heat A)
Women’s speed climbing qualification elimination heats – Aniya Holder (TBC)
Athletics
800m Final – Prudence Sekgodiso finished in eighth place, in a time of 1:58.79
Schedule of Events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Tuesday, 6 August, 2024
Climbing
10:00am: Sport Climbing Women’s Combined – Lauren Mukheibir
Athletics
11:28am: Athletics Repechage – Heat 2 Women’s 400m – Miranda Coetzee
Canoeing
12:10PM: 500m Kayak Doubles Heat – Amber Koch and Esti Olivier (Heat 2)
14:10PM: 500m Kayak Doubles – Amber Koch and Esti Olivier (TBC)
Athletics
20:07pm: Athletics Women’s 400m hurdles Semi-Finals – Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph
Original Copy: Karien Jonckheere, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Prudence Sekgodiso in action during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Women’s 800m Final 800m final, at Stade de France on Monday, 5 August, 2024 in Paris, France. Photo: Roger Sedres / Team SA
Photo 2 Caption: Miranda Coetzee pictured during the Women’s 400m on day 10 of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Stade de France in Paris. Photo: Anton Geyser / Team SA
Photo 3 Caption: Aniya Holder was thrilled with her overall Olympic experience, setting new South African and African records in Paris. Photo: Karien Jonckheere / gsport
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