South Africa’s Marione Fourie and Prudence Sekgodiso tested themselves against elite international fields in the semifinals of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship at the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary on Friday, 11 September 2026.
The pair were the two women in the South African team at the first edition of the three-day global showpiece, and both lined up knowing that only the first four finishers in each of the two semifinal heats would progress to the final of their events.
Fourie went in the second of the 100m hurdles semifinals, crossing the line sixth in 12.84 seconds in a heat won by Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas in 12.45. With qualification reserved for the top four, the South African’s campaign came to a close at the semifinal stage.
The 24-year-old arrived in Budapest as the South African 100m hurdles record holder, her national mark of 12.49 dating from July 2024, and ranked 16th in the world in her event. She is an African Championships silver and bronze medallist and a Commonwealth Games top-eight finisher.
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The final, staged later on Friday evening, produced a high-quality contest, with Masai Russell of the United States taking gold in 12.22 ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan in 12.34 and Nadine Visser of the Netherlands in 12.39.
Sekgodiso contested the opening 800m semifinal, placing sixth in 1:59.66 after she was involved in a crash and stumbled in the chase for the line. Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain took the heat in 1:57.57 ahead of Addison Wiley of the United States in 1:58.14, and with only the top four advancing, Sekgodiso’s championship ended one round short of the medal race.
Also 24, Sekgodiso travelled to Hungary ranked 10th in the world over 800m, in a season that has already delivered a lifetime best of 1:56.83 at the Meeting de Paris in June. The world indoor champion is an Olympic top-eight finisher, an African Championships bronze medallist and a two-time Diamond League meeting winner.
The 800m final followed on Saturday evening, with Audrey Werro of Switzerland striking gold in 1:55.88 ahead of Hodgkinson in 1:56.26 and Femke Broeders-Bol of the Netherlands in 1:56.74.
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Fourie’s heat saw four athletes dip under 12.55 to advance, while Sekgodiso’s semifinal required a run inside 1:58.48 for progression, a measure of the exceptional depth both South Africans confronted on the night.
While neither South African advanced to a final, both athletes banked valuable experience against the strongest fields in world athletics at the very first edition of the championship, and both remain firmly established among the world’s elite as attention turns to the remainder of the season.
Original Copy: Athletics South Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: South African hurdler Marione Fourie (pictured) and middle-distance runner Prudence Sekgodiso were in action for South Africa in the semifinals of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, on the opening day of the three-day global showpiece at the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary on Friday, 11 September 2026. All Photos: Nic Bothma/Athletics South Africa
Photo 2 Caption: Prudence Sekgodiso pictured competing in the women’s 800m semifinal during the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Hungary.
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