Athletics South Africa – VISSER SETS PERSONAL BEST IN ZURICH August 30, 2013

Zarck Visser won the long jump at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League meeting on Thursday night (29 August) with an attempt of 8.32m, proving that he is capable of becoming a world beater.

His winning jump, which was three centimetres farther than his previous best jump of 8.29m, was good enough to give him the South African title.

From a South African perspective the long jump competition was quite exciting, because it developed into a battle between Khotso Mokoena and Visser.

Visser took the lead in the first round with a jump of 8.01m. In the second round Mokoena jumped 8.11m, but in the third round it was ‘game set and match' for Visser when he soared through the air to record a new personal best of 8.32m.

Luis Rivera Morales (Mexico) was third with a best jump of 8.09m.

Visser's coach, Emmarie Fouché, confidently predicts that Visser is capable of jumping even farther.

"I was hopeful that he would do something special at the World Championships in Moscow, but unfortunately, due to various factors, things just did not work out for him.

"I think his nerves might have played up a bit, because it was the first time that he competed at a senior World Championship.

"But Zarck showed tonight what a talented athlete he really is.  He has all the qualities that are needed to become a true champion.

"Don't be surprised if he wins gold at the World Indoor Championships next year."

Visser will be in action in Berlin on Sunday (1 September) and on 3 September he will compete in Zagreb.

Even though Johan Cronjé, bronze medalist in Moscow, ran a time of 3:34.06 in the 1500m last night, which was one of the best times ever achieved by a South African athlete, he was far from satisfied.

Johan Landsman and Sydney Maree are the only two other athletes who were able to run times faster than 3:34.06.

The SA record holder, who finished 8^th, said afterwards:

"I cannot really explain what happened, but it was definitely not one of my best races. I ran like a real rookie. I just could not get my head right."

Silas Kiplagat (Kenia) won in 3:30.97, with Ayanleh Souleiman (Djibouti) 2^nd in 3:31.64 and Kiplimo Chepseba (Kenia) 3^rd in 3:33.15.

Even though Caster Semenya ran a season's best time of 2:01.83 in the women's 800m race, it was a lacklustre performance.

She lagged behind during most of the race and finished second last.

Eunice Jepkoech Sum (Kenia) won in 1:58.82, with Mariya Savinova (Russia) 2^nd in 1:58.93 and Malika Akkaoui (Morocco) 3^rd in 1:59.34.

Sunette Viljoen finished 4^th in the women's javelin throw with a best attempt of 62.76m.

Russia's Mariya Abukomova won with a throw of 68.94m, with the world champion, Christina Obergfoll (Germany), 2^nd in 63.36m and Linda Stahl (Germany) 3^rd in 63.24m.

 

 Supplied by Athletics SA Admin from Athletics SA