Cape Town - South African 100m champion Henricho Bruintjies made his return to the track on Sunday night with a fifth-placed finish in Padova, Italy.
Taking part in the Meeting Citta de Padova at Stadio Euganeo, Bruintjies was one of five South Africans participating, but didn’t have the best of outings.
Bruintjies was making his comeback to the track after a month out with a hamstring strain, which saw him withdraw from the African Championships in Durban in late June.
The “Blitz from Klapmuts”, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Saturday and is currently based in Gemona in Italy with a number of other South African athletes, made the three-hour road trip to Padova to get some track action ahead of the Rio Olympics.
But he finished in a somewhat disappointing time of 10.37, well off his personal best of 9.97. Bruintjies may need a few more races before Rio to get back to top shape, with the Olympic 100m heats in Brazil starting on Saturday, August 13.
Bruintjies and SA record holder Akani Simbine, who will take part in a meeting in Hungary on Monday night, are the two local entrants in the 100m at the Olympics.
There was better luck for 800m runner Jacob Rozani, who won his race in Padova in 1:46.39. Although not a particularly quick time, Rozani continued with his good form after qualifying for the Olympics with a last-gasp effort of 1:45.38 in coming second at the African Championships in Durban.
Rozani clocked 1:45.42 to win in Lignano, Italy last week as well, so he appears to be on the right track heading into Rio.
Jerry Motsau ran a new season’s best of 3:39.38 in the 1 500m in Padova on Sunday, although he hasn’t qualified for the Olympics, while Gena Lofstrand (2:05.86) and Anuscha Nice (2:10.83) ended down the field in the women’s 800m.
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