SOUTH AFRICA and NIGERIA go home DEVASTATED.

Did drug testing diminish South Africa's performances?

A Nigerian expatriate ran 48.14.

NativeSon wrote:

This is a belated thread that I've been thinking of. South Africa and Nigeria went home devastated on Sunday after the curtains came down in DOha.

These are the two richest countries in Africa (in terms of GDP) but they have nothing to show for it.

Nigeria, with its close to 200 million people and the largest economy, went home with ONE medal; BRONZE!

It was in the field events. I think it was in the jumps.

Yes, Bronze!

If you think Nigeria bungled it up, you haven't met South AFrica.

They went home empty handed.

This is the country of Semenya, Wayde Van Niekark, Luvo Manyonga and Akani Simbine.

The female who won 400m is Nigerian isn't she? I know she's racing for a SW Asian nation and was forced to change her name. If she's Nigerian, I am sure she is inspiring to young Nigerian girls just as I am sure Sifan Hassan must be inspiring to young Ethiopian girls.

NativeSon wrote:

If you think Nigeria bungled it up, you haven't met South AFrica.

They went home empty handed.

This is the country of Semenya, Wayde Van Niekark, Luvo Manyonga and Akani Simbine.

Semenya we all know about, let's not mention their gender

Wayde van Niekerk has still not recovered from the ACL he did in a sill touch footy celebrity lark.

So, not being there, they would not have won anything.

Luvo Manyonga has probably reached his limits, and jumping well, but others are jumping much further

Akani Simbine was never going to get a medal in the sprints, let's face it.

Wayde is a once in lifetime athlete, its not like SA was dominating the track scene

zxcvvxzc wrote:

Did drug testing diminish South Africa's performances?

A Nigerian expatriate ran 48.14.

Sad that Okagbare one of the very few world-class Nigerian who elects to compete for her country. Wayde van Niekerk would've had a tough going of it even without the injuries given 400m stars not named Michael Johnson appear to dominate for a maximum of two years.

She is Nigerian. I think they said her father is Bahrainian.

Nigeria had three athletes of Nigerian origin who did well : Okagbare, Salwa Eid Naser and Tobi Amusan, the Commonwealth Champion who barely missed a medal. Then there is Oduduru. He has a long way to go.

El Keniano wrote:

zxcvvxzc wrote:

Did drug testing diminish South Africa's performances?

Wayde van Niekerk would've had a tough going of it even without the injuries given 400m stars not named Michael Johnson appear to dominate for a maximum of two years.

How do you come up with that?

None of the 'non MJ' stars have been in his league, dare I say not even MJ himself.

He obliterated MJ's record (about time because its tainted imo), he is the only person to go sub 10, sub 20 and sub 44 ever (and probably would have put that out of reach with a sub 43), and the scary thing is he was still improving.

IMO (and in most minds) his silly dabble in touch footy already cost him a definite Comm Games Gold, a WC Gold, a bunch of relay medals, probably even a 200m medal here and there, and possibly even a sub 43 by now.

Whether his knee is ever strong enough to maintain the ttraining and racing is questionable.