Lesotho’s Ts’pang Sello, had too much strength in her legs at the first of the two Varsity Athletics Meetings at Tuks on 2 March in the women’s 800m, when she pipped the race favourite, Simonay Weitsz of the hosts, Tuks, to the line. Only 4/100th of a second separated the two as Sello was timed at 2:07.15 to the 2:07.19 of Weitsz.
Sello has been in good form in 2018, setting personal bests in the 800m and 1000m on 1 March and 8 March. The Kovises student finished 4th at the inaugural Athletix Grand Prix on 1 March, clocking 2:06.40 in the 800m and 2:46.06 in the 1000m a week later.
In between those races she won the 800m for Kovsies at the first Varsity Athletics meeting at Tuks on 2 March. Weitsz turned the tables on Sello at the second Athletix Grand Prix Meet at Tuks on 8 March when both ran in the 1000m. There Weitsz finished 7th to the 8th of Selle and only 1/100th of second separated the two.
Weitsz will have had the national championships to contend with on the weekend of the 15-17 March, where she qualified for the final after finishing second in her heat, clocking 2:11.80, but was not in the final. Sello has not raced since their meeting on 8 March and may well have the legs on her opponent.
The big question, though, is whether the two will be running in the final the Athletix Grand Prix Meeting in Paarl on 22 March. That would mean one, or both athletes will need to fly back the next morning to line up in the final of 2018 Varsity Athletics series. Whatever happens, the women’s 800m final will be a race to look forward to as Weitsz and Sello are incredibly evenly matched.
By Manfred Seidler
