Zakithi Nene hit back after a nearly disastrous heat to take the 400m bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday, leaning so hard into his dip that he fell over onto the track after crossing the line.
Nene, who had faded badly in the home straight of the semifinal, only got into the final after one of his heat rivals had been disqualified, promoting him to a fastest loser.
And the seasoned campaigner who ended fifth at the 2025 world championships in Tokyo returned with a new strategy, going out slower and leaving enough gas for the sprint for the line.
It worked a charm as he crossed the line in 45.21sec, just ahead of Botswana’s Lee Eppie 45.31.
Nigerian Samuel Ogazi, top of the world list so far this year, won in 44.25, with Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, the 200m champion in 2018 and 2022, second in 44.82.
Zambia’s defending champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Muzala Samukonga, was sixth in 45.61.
South Africa’s men’s 4x100m team won their heat to qualify for the final on Saturday night.
Mvuyo Moss, Cheswill Johnson, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine went around the track in 38.30sec, the fastest time of the afternoon.
Ghana were second in 38.40 and Nigeria won the other heat in 38.46.
But some of teams are likely to beef up their line-ups, including South Africa, who will surely bring newly crowned 200m champion Sinesipho Dambile in for the final at 9.15pm (SA time).
Disabled athlete Nicolaas Strydom finished fourth in the men’s shot put F57 final.
Competing from a seated position, the 45-year-old heaved a 10.94m season’s best that was still 1.63m short of the podium.
On the cycling track, Mitchell Sparrow finished 11th in the men’s sprint qualifying race, missing a spot in the next round by three places.
Bowlers Paul White and Jason Evans went down 1-7 0-4 to Scotland in their final men’s pairs group match.