07-06-2012, 12:19 PM
South African 1500m champion Johan Cronje had to play second fiddle to Juan van Deventer at the Meeting de Nantes in France last night where both athletes were both looking for the Olympic qualifying A-standard.
Van Deventer won the race in windy conditions timed at 3:36.91, just outside the 3:35.50 required time for Olympic qualification. Van Deventer will have to equal or better the standard twice before the end of June in order to fulfil the criteria between SASCOC and Athletics South Africa. Johan Cronje on the other hand only needs to reach the standard once more to officially qualify. The 30 year-old finished ahead of Bejamin Cheruiyot (KEN) in the race finishing in 3:37.01. The Kenyan clocked 3:37.84. Another South African athlete, Jerry Motsau finished eighth in 3:45.97.
Wenda Theron and Janet Lawless competed in the womenââ¬â¢s 400m with Theron winning the race comfortably in 56.76sec. Theron is looking for a single A-qualifying mark (55.50sec) after dipping under the time twice at the SA Open Championships in Pretoria on 4-5 May. Aurelie Chaboudez (FRA) clocked 58.50sec ahead of Lawless who crossed the line in 58.66sec.
110m hurdler Ruan de Vries finished fourth in 13.96sec in a race where Dominic Berger (USA) won, his time recorded at 13.58sec. Frenchman Cedric Lavanne and Lyes Mokdel (ALG) finished second and third, their times 13.69sec and 13.74sec respectively.
Van Deventer won the race in windy conditions timed at 3:36.91, just outside the 3:35.50 required time for Olympic qualification. Van Deventer will have to equal or better the standard twice before the end of June in order to fulfil the criteria between SASCOC and Athletics South Africa. Johan Cronje on the other hand only needs to reach the standard once more to officially qualify. The 30 year-old finished ahead of Bejamin Cheruiyot (KEN) in the race finishing in 3:37.01. The Kenyan clocked 3:37.84. Another South African athlete, Jerry Motsau finished eighth in 3:45.97.
Wenda Theron and Janet Lawless competed in the womenââ¬â¢s 400m with Theron winning the race comfortably in 56.76sec. Theron is looking for a single A-qualifying mark (55.50sec) after dipping under the time twice at the SA Open Championships in Pretoria on 4-5 May. Aurelie Chaboudez (FRA) clocked 58.50sec ahead of Lawless who crossed the line in 58.66sec.
110m hurdler Ruan de Vries finished fourth in 13.96sec in a race where Dominic Berger (USA) won, his time recorded at 13.58sec. Frenchman Cedric Lavanne and Lyes Mokdel (ALG) finished second and third, their times 13.69sec and 13.74sec respectively.