Johannesburg – Former Olympic long jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena spearheaded the South African contingent in Marrakech on Sunday, despite settling for second place in the men's triple jump at the IAAF Continental Cup.
Mokoena, the Commonwealth and African champion, launched a 17.35m attempt in the second round to break his own national record of 17.25m set in April 2005.
The versatile 29-year-old jumper took the silver medal behind Frenchman Benjamin Compaore, the European champion, who leaped 17.48m.
Elsewhere on the final day of competition in Marrakech, Commonwealth one-lap silver medallist Wayde van Niekerk helped the African quartet to victory in the men's 4x400m relay final.
Van Niekerk ran the final leg, holding off a late charge by the European team's Martyn Rooney as they grabbed the gold medal in 3:00.02.
Victor Hogan was fourth in the men's discus throw, falling one centimetre short of the bronze medal.
Hogan's best effort of 62.69m was less than two metres behind Estonian Gerd Kanter, who won gold with a 64.46m throw in a closely-fought contest.
Rikenette Steenkamp finished fifth in the women's 100m hurdles, clocking a personal best of 13.16 seconds, while Cheyne Rahme ended sixth in the men's pole vault with a best height of 5.20m, and Ruan de Vries trailed across the line in eighth place in the men's 110m hurdles in 14.31 seconds.
Five South African athletes bagged medals at the quadrennial two-day event, making significant contributions to the African team's points tally.
Cornel Fredericks won the men's 400m hurdles title in 48.34
seconds on the opening day of competition on Saturday, completing a superb 2014 hat-trick of Commonwealth, African and Continental Cup titles.
Sunette Viljoen pocketed silver in the women's javelin throw final (63.76m), matching her performance at the previous continental team showpiece in Split, Croatia four years ago, and Zarck Visser was third (7.96m) in the men's long jump. – Sapa