SA team gain experience at World Race Walking Team Champs

Tumisang Pule was the best of the South Africans at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships held in Brasilia, Brazil on Sunday, taking 56th place in 1:42:04 in the men's half-marathon.

Antonio Farmer finished 65th in 1:47:51, while Rivers Williams - the other SA athlete in the field - did not reach the finish. Up front, the race was won by Francesco Fortunato of Italy in 1:27:25.

The only woman in the national squad, Zelda Botha, ended 58th in the women's half-marathon clocking 1:57:29, in a race won by Kimberly Garcia Leon of Peru in 1:35:00. Teenager, Yamkela Shosha, grabbed 33rd position in the U20 men's 10km contest in a personal best of 48:27. Huajia Pu of China took the win in 39:58.

"While our athletes struggled to find the top form needed to reach the podium, the national team gained valuable experience," said John Mathane, the acting president of Athletics South Africa.

"We are on transition in this event. The change of guard has seen experience being replaced by younger and new athletes. But this was a valuable contest for all of them as we seek new top performers."