Posted: May 6, 2004

Athletics: Sepeng Wrongly Left Off RSA Olympic Team, Agent Says

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

South African 800m champion Hezekiel Sepeng was wrongly left off the South African Olympic team, a representative of Global Sports Communications, the firm representing the runner, said today.

According to rules set forth by Athletics South Africa, all athletes had to take part in at least two of the domestic ABSA Series meets during the season to be considered for selection.

"Sepeng did compete in the ABSA meetings but he ran the 1500m instead of the 800m," said Michel Boeting of GSC, in an email to RRW. "He had requested for this and got a confirmation that this was okay by phone."

Prior to winning the South African title on April 17, Sepeng, the 1996 Olympic silver medallist in the event, was third in the 1500m at the ABSA meeting in Port Elizabeth on March 12, and fifth at the March 5 meeting in Durban, also competing in the 1500m. Sepeng, who turns 30 in June, was seventh at the IAAF World Championships last year.

"It is funny to see that many athletes didn't compete and they are excused," Boeting said. "Sepeng competed and it seems like they look for an excuse to leave him out."

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