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Prudence Sekgodiso

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Prudence Sekgodiso
OLY
Personal information
Full namePrudence Tebogo Sekgodiso[1]
Prudence Sekgodisa
Nationality South Africa
Born (2002-01-05) 5 January 2002 (age 22)[2]
Home townGauteng[3]
EducationTuksSport High School[3]
Height157 cm (5 ft 2 in)[2]
Weight44 kg (97 lb)[2]
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)800 metres
1500 metres
ClubTUKS[2]
Achievements and titles
National finals
Personal best(s)
1:57.26 (2024)

4:09.88 (2022)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  South Africa
African Youth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Algiers 800 m
African U18 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Abidjan 800 m
African Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Port Louis 800 m
Updated on 15 January 2024

Prudence Tebogo Sekgodiso OLY (born 5 January 2002), also spelled Prudence Sekgodisa, is a South African middle-distance runner specializing in the 800 metres. She was the gold medalist in the 800 m at the 2019 African U18 Championships. She is also a five-time South African Athletics Championships winner in the 1500 m and 800 m.[2]

Personal life

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Sekgodiso is from Medingen Village, Limpopo[4] and trains in Gauteng, South Africa where she attended TuksSport High School, a sports-focused high school that allows learners to train and travel internationally whilst staying in school.[5]

Following her success, Sekgodiso was frequently compared and criticized on social media alongside Caster Semenya, the Olympic champion 800 m runner from South Africa who is intersex and has since been restricted from running the women's 800 m by World Athletics unless she reduces her natural testosterone.[6] Sekgodiso, who is not intersex, said that although she does not like the criticism, there is "nothing [she] can do about social media".[6] She told BBC Sport Africa that compatriot Semenya is a hero of hers, and the comparisons "bring too much pressure"; Sekgodiso was confident in her abilities but wants to be seen as "the first Prudence, not the next Caster."[7]

Career

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Sekgodiso earned her first international medal at the 2018 African Youth Games, winning a bronze in the 800 m behind gold medallist Hirut Meshesha.[1] Following that at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, Sekgodiso finished 6th overall in Stage 1 but was disqualified from her Stage 2 heat.[8][9]

At the 2019 World Cross Country Championships U20 race, Sekgodiso finished 20th overall in 22:15, leading South Africa to a 5th-place team finish.[10][11] The following month in Abidjan, Sekgodiso won her first gold medal at the 2019 African U18 Championships in Athletics.[3]

In 2022, Sekgodiso won a bronze medal at the 2022 African Championships in Athletics in the 800 metres, despite cold weather hampering her performance.[6] At the 2022 World Championships 800 m, Sekgodiso advanced out of the heats, but was drawn the fastest of three semifinals. After finishing 5th in her semifinal with a 2:00.01 time, she did not advance to the finals.[2][12] The following month at the Commonwealth Games, Sekgodiso again did not qualify for the finals with a 2:00.17 clocking in her heat.[13]

Sekgodiso helped her team to a 4th-place finish in the mixed relay at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships.[14] South Africa finished behind a winning Kenyan team anchored by Brenda Chebet, who was later that year suspended for doping.[15] Sekgodiso qualified to compete at the 2023 World Championships in the 800 m, where she advanced past the first round but was beset by drama in the following stage.[16] Sekgodiso collided with Athing Mu in their semifinal, turning the defending champion around backwards and forcing her to make up significant ground to qualify. Sekgodiso also was impacted by the collision, finishing last place in 2:11.68. The Athletics South Africa federation filed a protest to advance Sekgodiso into the finals, but it was not successful.[17]

Sekgodiso won her first Diamond League title on 19 May 2024, when she won the 800m in Marrakech in 1:57.26. It was also the fastest time of the year in the world up to that point, as well as a new personal best.[18] Sekogodiso placed 8th in the final of the 800m at the Paris Olympics in 1:58.79.[19]

Statistics

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Best performances

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Event Mark Place Competition Venue Date Ref
800 metres 1:57.26 A 1st place, gold medalist(s) Diamond League Marrakech, Morocco 19 May 2024 [2]
1500 metres 4:09.88 A 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gaborone International Meet Gaborone, Botswana 30 April 2022 [2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "800 METRES FILLES/GIRLS" (PDF). p. 7.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Prudence Sekgodiso at Tilastopaja (registration required)
  3. ^ a b c "#TuksAthletics: TuksSport High School athletes win gold medals at African Champs | University of Pretoria". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Athletics - Prudence Sekgodiso on becoming South Africa's new middle-distance queen". 3 August 2024. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  5. ^ "TuksSport High School". Web.up.ac.za. 9 June 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  6. ^ a b c Ramaru, Maxwell. "Prudence is feeling the heat!". Daily Sun. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Prudence Sekgodiso: 'No-one can beat me - but I am not the next Caster Semenya'". BBC Sport. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  8. ^ Lemke, Gary (12 October 2018). "Team SA: How they fared (Day 5)". TeamSA. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  9. ^ "800 Metres Result | 3rd Youth Olympic Games". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  10. ^ Ockert De Villiers. "SA's Mashele secures credible World Championships finish". iol.co.za.
  11. ^ "U20 Race Team Standings | IAAF World Cross Country Championships". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  12. ^ Xabanisa, Simnikiwe. "No individual medals for SA in Oregon". City Press. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Top dog Mary Moraa coasts to 800m semis | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsport.co.ke. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  14. ^ ScrollaJHB (18 February 2023). "Too near, too close for Team SA". Scrolla.Africa. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  15. ^ Kelsall, Christopher (2 December 2023). "19-year-old Brenda Chebet banned three years for doping". Athletics Illustrated. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  16. ^ Abrahams, Celine (24 August 2023). "Prudence Sekgodiso Secures 800m Semi-Final Spot at World Athletics Champs". gsport4girls. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  17. ^ Budapest, Daniel Mothowagae in. "Team SA's attempt to get Sekgodiso in World Athletics Champs final all in vain after the big fall in Budapest". City Press. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Prudence Sekgodiso sets world lead as she wins Diamond League 800m race". Times Live. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  19. ^ "800 metres Women". World Athletics. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
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