Athletics SA not likely to win gold

● No fewer than 28 athletes had put themselves into contention for world championship selection when the qualifying window closed at midnight on Friday.

But in SA it’s not as simple as that, not with the tougher criteria demanded by Athletics SA (ASA).

Of those 28, 14 had achieved ASA’s qualifying standards.

A further 12 had made only ASA’s B-standards, known to the rest of the world as the qualifying standards set by the governing body, the IAAF, as the minimum requirement to get to the 2019 showpiece in Doha from September 27 to October 6.

Victor Hogan and Ischke Senekal qualify as African champions, but they haven’t made B-qualification standards.

Not quite A-grade

For London 2017, ASA left behind 14 athletes who had achieved the IAAF criteria, including US-based distance star Dominique Scott. ASA’s selection policy allows the board to select B-qualifiers.

What will help some of the B-qualifiers is the fact that SA qualified for the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Simon Magakwe and Thando Dlodlo (both 100m), Anaso Jobodwana (200m), Derrick Mokaleng and Thapelo Phora (both 400m) and Soks Zazini and Lindsay Hanekom (both 400m hurdles) are all Bqualifiers who could be safe because of the relays when the team is named shortly.

The B-qualifiers who may be more nervous about their spots are Thabiso Moeng (marathon), Ruan de Vries (110m hurdles), Rantso Mokopane (3000m steeplechase) and Marc Mundell (50km walk).

Three women have achieved ASA qualifiers — Scott and 100m sprinters Carina Horn and Tebogo Mamathu.

Zeney van der Walt, the promising 400m hurdler who hasn’t had the greatest of seasons, is the only female B-qualifier.

But with ASA wanting to push women at senior level — women comprised 30% of the 26-strong team two years ago — Van der Walt should get the nod.

Of all the eligible qualifiers for 2019 so far, women make up just 18%.

More is better

The 28 do not include Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya, who have qualified for Doha but will not be competing.

SA’s best medal hopes lie with sprinter Akani Simbine, long-jumpers Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaai, and the men’s 4x100m relay team.

But the odds of gold are small.

There is a chance of further athletes making the team, through relay picks or those getting invitations as the world championship organisers look to fill all the lanes.

Maybe stalwarts like Sunette Viljoen and Wenda Nel, who failed to achieve qualifying standards, can still win a backdoor pass. In 2017, ASA accepted quota invitations — basically athletes who had just missed the IAAF qualifying standards — while leaving behind the 14 who had actually qualified.

Hopefully the federation gets it right this time.