Mokoena hits 8.50m African mark in Madrid
South Africa’s reigning Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Khotso Mokoena produced a magnificent series of consistent jumps (8.24m – 8.46m – 8.46m, 8.47m(w), 8.50m, 8.45m) on his way to setting a new African Long Jump record tonight at the 28th Meeting de Atletismo Madrid 2009.
The 24-year-old opened with 8.24m, then went on to produce four valid jumps better than his previous best of 8.39m he set in Finland in 2006, twice equalling the African record of 8.46m (held by Cheikh Toure of Senegal since 1997), before closing with three jumps of 8.47m (wind-assisted), 8.50m and 8.43m.
Despite having to settle for second place in the Madrid event behind Australia’s Fabrice Lapierre, Mokoena's new mark of 8.50m moved him to fourth on the 2009 world list .
Lapierre took advantage of the changing wind to produce a heavily wind assisted (+3.7) 8.57m leap, with the reigning Olympic and World champion Irving Saladino of Panama settling for third with a windy 8.43m best effort.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa won the men's 800m Race 1 in 1:45.81, with Spain's Manuel Olmedo second in 1: 45.91 and Sudan's Ismail Ahmed Ismail third in 1:46.08
Kenya's Jackson Mumbwa Kivuna won the 800m Race 2 in 1:44.86, with Arturo Casado of Spain second in 1:45.52 and Uganda's Abraham Chepkirwok third in 1:46.14.
Moroccan Hasna Benhassi won the women's 800m in 1:59.03 ahead of British pair of Jemma Simpson (1:59.31) and Marilyn Okoro (2:00.04).
Johan Cronje of South Africa won the men's 1500m in 3:37.33 and Kenya's James Kiplagat Magut was third with 3:88.86.
Nigeria's Folashade Abugan was third in the women's 400m in 52.64 with her colleague Alice Ugboaku fourth in 54.56.
100m
1. Steve Mullings (JAM) 10.11
2. Francis Obikwelu (POR) 10.35
3. James Buckland (MRI) 10.38
400m
1. David Gillick (IRL) 44.77
2. Cedrik Van Branteghem (BEL) 45.67
3. Erison Hurtault (DMA) 45.97
800m
1. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA) 1:45.81
2. Manuel Olmedo Villar (ESP) 1:45.91
3. Ahmed Ismail (SUD) 1:46.08
1500m
1. Johan Cronje (RSA) 3:37.33
2. Rui Silva (POR) 3:38.62
3. James Magut (KEN) 3:38.86
110m hurdles
1. Gregory Sedoc (NED) 13.40
2. Maurice Wignall (JAM) 13.52
3. Eric Mitchum (USA) 13.61
400m hurdles
1. Isa Phillips (JAM) 48.09
2. Danny McFarlane (JAM) 48.53
3. David Green (GBR) 49.19
Long jump
1. Fabrice Lapierre (AUS) 8.57m
2. Godfrey Mokoena (RSA) 8.50m
3. Irving Saladino (PAN) 8.43m
WOMEN
100m
1. Gloria Asumnu (USA) 11.40
2. Tianna Madison (USA) 11.56
3. Digna Luz Murillo (ESP) 11.64
400m
1. Christine Amertil (BAH) 51.77
2. Lee McConnell (GBR) 52.29
3. Sade Abugan (NGR) 52.64
800m
1. Hasna Benhassi (MAR) 1:59.03
2. Jemma Simpson (GBR) 1:59.31
3. Marilyn Okoro (GBR) 2:00.04
High jump
1. Ruth Beitia (ESP) 1.93m
2. Amy Acuff (USA) 1.93m
3. Kamila Stepaniuk (POL) 1.91m
Triple jump
1. Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) 15.01m
2. Anna Pyatykh (RUS) 14.84m
3. Olga Rypakova (KAZ) 14.69m
