SA 20 make cut for African team

Caster Semenya and Akani Simbine are among 20 South Africans picked for the 74strong African team to compete at the Continental Cup in Ostrava‚ Czech Republic‚ on September 8 and 9.

Selection was based on performances at the recent African championships in Nigeria‚ Athletics SA (ASA) said on Tuesday.

Semenya will have the busiest time at the competition where the best from each continent face off‚ being slated for the 400m‚ 800m and the 4x400m relay. She is the only South African in the women’s 4x400m relay.

But the 4x100m outfit is an all-South African affair‚ starring Simbine and Ncincilili Titi‚ the 100m and 200m African champions‚ along with Simon Magakwe‚ Henricho Bruintjies and Emile Erasmus.

They won the African crown in 38.25sec‚ just 0.01sec off the national record the team set finishing second at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast earlier this year.

Ruswahl Samaai‚ who beat world champion Luvo Manyonga in Nigeria‚ will do duty in the long jump. Of the 20 SA athletes‚ only five are women.