Glasgow – Khotso Mokoena, formerly known as the only South African to win a medal at the 2008 Olympics, showed his big match temperament once again at a drenched Hampden Park in Glasgow on Saturday night when he won Commonwealth Games gold.

A leap of 17.20m in the triple jump on a miserable evening was enough to secure the victory, six years after he had brought home silver from the long jump at Beijing. His winning jump was in his second attempt and almost immediately more heavy rain fell, which suggested that it wasn’t going to be bettered.

And it wasn’t. Silver went to Nigeria’s Tosin Oke (16.84m) and bronze to India’a Arpinder Singh (16.63m). Mokoena’s golden leap was a season’s best for him and it again showed his love of the big stage.

It was also some 51cm better than his previous best for 2014 and only 0.05cm shy of his own national record.

And it showed his confidence, although some might interpret it differently. For he didn’t have a fifth or sixth attempt, electing to stay warm and dry as the rain pelted down, rightly believing that he couldn’t be caught.

It was South Africa’s 13th gold medal of the Games – beating the 12 of Delhi 2010 – and it also took the tally of medals to 39, beating the 33 of Delhi.

Johan Cronje’s dreams of winning a medal were dashed in the last stride when Nick Willis got his chest in front on the line in the men’s 1500m final. Cronje, who had cruised into the final impressively on Friday night, looked a medallist for 1499m of the race, before he was touched off by the charging New Zealander.

Perhaps there was no surprise in that the blue riband event was won by a Kenyan, James Magut edging out his 18-year-old compatriot Ronald Kwemoi in 3:39.31, with Willis third. Cronje had run a good race, sitting behind the Kenyans Elias Managoi and Magut and Uganda’s Ronald Musagala.

In fact, Cronje did everything right, running hard down the back straight on the final lap and then kicking for home around the bend. He got himself into a clear third but Willis seemed to find another gear in the final 50 metres and ran the South African out of it.

Conditions throughout the evening – no, make that the day – were atrocious as Glasgow showed a different side to that of earlier in the week when blue skies and temperatures in their 20s deg C had shown the face of summer.

This was typical British weather and of the kind that the athletes wouldn’t have enjoyed or been able to produce their best in. However, Mokoena would have been loving it after putting down his early marker.

In the men’s javelin final, Rocco van Rooyen had a best throw of 76.84m for sixth place overall.
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Johannesburg – Orlando Pirates booked their spot in the semi-finals of the MTN8 with a 2-1 win over SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium. on Saturday.

Daine Klate put the Buccaneers ahead in the 31st minute and Kermit Erasmus doubled the lead in the 39th minute.

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Johannesburg – Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has blamed defender Tebogo Langerman for his side’s 2-1 loss to Platinum Stars in an MTN8 quarter-final match at Loftus Stadium on Saturday, reports Soccer-Laduma website.

Goals from Vuyo Mere and Ndumiso Mabena handed Platinum Stars the win while Teko Modise scored a late consolation goal.

The first goal came from the penalty spot after Langerman brought Mduduzi Nyanda down inside the box, while a mistake by the same defender allowed Mabena through on goal to score the second.

“We made very crucial mistakes,” said Mosimane.

“With the penalty my fullback (Tebogo Langerman) was not clever there, he committed a very unprofessional foul inside the box.

“As a coach I cannot do anything about it, I just have to correct him.

“The second goal was also shift in the backs and from the same side, but it is ok, it is my job to correct it.”

Mosimane also bemoaned his side’s poor finishing in front of goal, but it is something they will work on.

“We could have scored some goals, but it is still early. We are not happy that we lost, but we accept it and congratulations to Platinum Stars,” added Mosimane.

“After they scored two goals, it was a totally different game – they didn’t want to come out and we played all the football in their half, but I don’t blame them for that.

“Talent we have, but when you make the mistakes we have it has nothing to do with the talent we have. If you don’t finish the chances you have it has nothing to do with the talent you have.

“The season is long and it is going to take some time.”

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Rustenburg – A man was shot dead and two others were arrested after a shootout with police in Waterval, Rustenburg, North West police said on Saturday.

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said police responded to a complaint of a burglary at a business on Friday night.

“On arrival at the scene, a search was conducted and the suspects [were] spotted. The suspects allegedly opened fire on police who returned fire.” Mokgwabone said.

“Three suspects managed to flee the scene whilst two [others] were arrested.”

A gun allegedly belonging to one of the men and the stolen goods were recovered.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate were investigating the case, said Mokgwabone.

The men, both aged 27 would appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court soon to face charges of business robbery, attempted murder and the illegal possession of a firearm.

“Police are investigating the linkage of the gang to other similar crimes committed in the province using the same modus operandi,” he said.

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Johannesburg – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Nouakchott, in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on Saturday to attend the inauguration ceremony of president-elect Mahomed Ould Abdel Aziz, his spokesperson said.

“The deputy president will represent President Jacob Zuma at the inauguration later today,” Ronnie Mamoepa said.

Ramaphosa was expected to be back in South Africa on Sunday morning.

President Jacob Zuma was in America leading a South African delegation to the inaugural United States-Africa Leaders’ Summit taking place from 4 August – 6 August in Washington DC.

Aziz was re-elected for a second term with 80% of the votes.

Mamoepa said South Africa has made a constructive contribution in Mauritania to support the implementation of the democratic roadmap undertaken by the military transitional government.

The presidency said earlier that Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa had been sworn-in as acting president, while Zuma and Ramaphosa were abroad.

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Pretoria – Platinum Stars got their defence of the MTN8 title off to a perfect start on Saturday afternoon, comfortably beating Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

Skipper Vuyo Mere netted from the penalty spot just seven minutes in, before Ndumiso Mabena added a second shortly after to leave Sundowns with a mountain to climb by half-time.

Teko Modise’s tame free-kick effort deep into the second half pulled one back for the home side but it was not enough as Stars walked away victorious and got their season off to a promising start.

Sundowns, defending Premiership champions, made a return to the top eight competition after missing out last season, while Stars progress into the semifinals and continue to prove their pedigree in the country’s premier knockout competition.

Stars’ hard work at the top end of the half paid off from the first whistle as Mduduzi Nyanda was brought down inside the area by Tebogo Langerman, who was too slow and committed a reckless foul on six minutes, which drew few complaints from the home side.

Mere stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, handing Stars the early lead over their big-spending counterparts, who had no fewer than four new signings in their matchday team of 18.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts eight minutes later when Mabena doubled Dikwena’s lead, following a superb pass from midfield, which unlocked the Sundowns defence and allowed Mabena to slot home from a tight angle.

With little in the way of goal-mouth action heading Sundowns way, the match was brought to an extraordinary halt on the half-hour mark when a swarm of bees, which had gathered on a microphone behind Stars goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane, forced referee Thando Ndzandzeka to stop the game and order the bees to be removed.

Deep into additional time, Sundowns finally had their best chance of the half, but Anthony Laffor failed to direct his header on target and went just wide of the upright following a superb delivery from Teko Modise.

Trailing at the break, Sundowns boss Pitso Mosimane changed Katlego Mashego for Bonginkosi Ntuli, after a disappointing first period.

Ntuli was involved from the start and played his part but still Sundowns failed to inspire in front of goal and struggled to make their mark inside the box.

Modise gave some relief to the home crowd when he managed to reduce the deficit and bagged a goal from the set-piece, following a defensive lapse which cost Mpontshane a clean-sheet.

But that was as far as it would go for the league champions, who bow out of the top eight and will now focus their attention elsewhere.

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