Athletics – Diamond League Rabat/Marrakech 2024: Diamond League Rabat/Marrakech 2024: Prudence Sekgodiso clocks 800m world lead, Shericka Jackson wins first 200m of the year

South African middle-distance ace Prudence Sekgodiso delivered one of the best performances on the track posting a world-leading time in the women’s 800m at the Marrakesh Diamond League meeting in Morocco on Sunday (19 May).

Sekgodiso, the second-fastest South African woman of all time over the 800m race behind two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya, posted a personal best of one minute, 57.26 seconds (1:57.26).

The 22-year-old tracked Habitam Alemu for most of the race before she made her move passing the Ethiopian on the inside with 50 metres to go to claim the victory. Alemu finished second in 1:57.70 with Benin’s Noélie Yarigo rounding out the podium.

“I didn’t expect to run so fast. Winning was in my mind but not with such a fast time. It’s crazy fast,” Sekgodiso said.

“I am so proud of myself tonight. Achieving a world lead and a personal best is just amazing. But I cannot say that this performance will change something for me in terms of goals and expectations. For the Paris Olympics, I will try to reach the final. I want to be in the big eight.”

In the sprint events, two-time world champion Shericka Jackson got her Diamond League season off to a winning start in her maiden 200m race of the season. The Jamaican sprinting queen stopped the clock at 22.82 seconds – some way off US sprinter Mckenzie Long’s world lead of 22.03s.

“I think it was a pretty good race for the first race of my season. About the time? Time is what it is,” Jackson said after the race.

“I tried to focus on my technique and execution. I think I did good.”

Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme caused an upset in the men’s 100m beating Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada into second place. Eseme crossed the line in 10.11s with De Grasse following in 10.19s. Former world champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica made his return from injury finishing in eighth place in 10.41s.