CAPE TOWN – The big moment has arrived!
Team South Africa are in London for the IAAF World Championships, which start on Friday at the Olympic Stadium.
And the first South African taking part will be discus thrower Victor Hogan, at 8.20pm SA time.
The three big medal hopes will be Wayde van Niekerk (200m and 400m), Caster Semenya (800m, although she’s also running the 1 500m), and long jumpers Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaai.
According to Athletics South Africa’s schedule that was released on Wednesday, Van Niekerk will begin his double gold quest in the 400m heats on Saturday (11.45am), with the final on Tuesday, August 8 at 10.52pm.
The 200m men’s final is on Thursday, August 10 at 10.52pm as well.
Semenya’s 800m bid begins on the Thursday, August 10 at 8.25pm, with the final on the last day of the event on Sunday, August 13 at 9.10pm.
SA Athletes Schedule (SA times)
Friday, 4 August
Afternoon session:
8.20pm/9.45pm: Victor Hogan - Discus Throw Men, qualifying
8.30pm: Luvo Manyonga, Ruswahl Samaai, Zarck Visser - Long Jump Men, qualifying
9.20pm: Akani Simbine, Thando Roto - 100m Men, heats
10.20pm: Stephen Mokoka - 10 000m Men, final
Saturday, 5 August
Morning session:
11am: Orazio Cremona, Jaco Engelbrecht - Shot Put Men, qualifying
11.45am: Wayde van Niekerk, Pieter Conradie - 400m Men, heats
12.45pm: Carina Horn - 100m Women, heats
Afternoon session:
8.05pm: Simbine, Roto - 100m Men, semi-finals *
8.26pm: Hogan - Discus Throw Men, final *
8.35pm: Caster Semenya - 1 500m Women, semi-finals
9.05pm: Manyonga, Samaai, Visser - Long Jump, final *
10.45pm: Simbine, Roto - 100m Men, final *
Sunday, 6 August
Morning session:
11.55am: Desmond Mokgobu, Lusapho April, Sibusiso Nzima - Marathon Men, final
2.15pm: Antonio Alkana - 110m Hurdles, heats
3pm: Jenna Challenor, Mapaseka Makhanya - Marathon Women, final
Afternoon session:
8.10pm: Horn - 100m Women, semi-finals *
8.40pm: Van Niekerk, Conradie - 400m Men semi-finals *
9.10pm: Alkana - 110m Hurdles Men, semi-finals *
9.35pm: Cremona, Engelbrecht - Shot Put Men, final *
10.50pm: Horn - 100m Women, final *
Monday, 7 August
Afternoon session:
7.30pm: Van Niekerk, Simbine, Clarence Munyai - 200m, heats
8.30pm: Wenda Nel - 400m Hurdles Women, heats
10.30pm: Alkana - 110m Hurdles Men, final *
10.50pm: Semenya - 1 500m Women, final *
Tuesday, 8 August
Afternoon session:
8.30pm: Justine Palframan - 200m Women, heats
9.35pm: Nel - 400m Women, semi-finals *
10.52pm: Van Niekerk, Conradie - 400m Men, final *
Wednesday, 9 August
Afternoon session:
9.55pm: Van Niekerk, Simbine, Munyai - 200m Men, semi-finals *
Thursday, 10 August
Afternoon session:
8.05pm/9.35pm: Rocco van Rooyen - Javelin Throw Men, qualifying
8.25pm: Semenya, Gena Lofstrand - 800m Women, heats
10.05pm: Palframan - 200m Women, semi-finals *
10.35pm: Nel - 400m Hurdles Women, final *
10.52pm: Van Niekerk, Simbine, Munyai - 200m Men, final *
Friday, 11 August
Evening session:
8.35pm: Semenya, Lofstrand - 800m Women, semi-finals *
10.50pm: Palframan - 200m Women, final *
Saturday, 12 August
Morning session:
12.20pm: Semenya, Palframan, Lofstrand, W Nel, Ariane Nel, Zoe Engler - 4x400m Relay Women, heats
Afternoon session:
9.15pm: Van Rooyen - Javelin Throw Men, final *
Sunday, 13 August
Morning session:
3.20pm: Lebogang Shange - 20km Walk Men
Evening session:
9.10pm: Semenya, Lofstrand - 800m Women, final *
9.55pm: Semenya, Palframan, Lofstrand, W Nel, A Nel, Engler - 4x400m Relay Women, final *
* Will participate if they progress beyond preliminary rounds