THE South African 4x400m relay team succeeded in their appeal to be reinstated after they failed to finish their Olympic heat yesterday.
"The Kenyan athlete committed an obstruction, which is in rule number 163.2 of the IAAF, so we appealed based on that rule," the team's manager, Hezekiel Sepeng, said.
Shaun de Jager ran the first leg and was in fifth position when he exchanged the baton with Ofentse Mogawane for the second lap.
Mogawane tripped when Kenya's Vincent Mumo Kilu cut in front of him.
The South African stepped on his opponent's heel and both athletes fell.
"We've got the result now and we won that appeal and we will be participating as team number nine in the final," Sepeng said.
High expectations had been placed on the team after they won the silver medal at last year's Daegu World Championships.
De Jager, Mogawane, Oscar Pistorius and Willie de Beer felt crushed after Mogawane stumbled near the 300m mark.
"I just saw myself falling and tumbling and landed on my shoulder and dislocated my shoulder," Mogawane said, his left arm in a sling.
"We were all bunched together and, in the last 100m, everybody wants to make a move and I was too close to the Kenyan guy."
Mogawane initially thought it was just an accident. His injury has opened the door for 400m hurdler LJ van Zyl to compete in the relay final.
4X400m relay team reinstated
THE South African 4x400m relay team succeeded in their appeal to be reinstated after they failed to finish their Olympic heat yesterday.
"The Kenyan athlete committed an obstruction, which is in rule number 163.2 of the IAAF, so we appealed based on that rule," the team's manager, Hezekiel Sepeng, said.
Shaun de Jager ran the first leg and was in fifth position when he exchanged the baton with Ofentse Mogawane for the second lap.
Mogawane tripped when Kenya's Vincent Mumo Kilu cut in front of him.
The South African stepped on his opponent's heel and both athletes fell.
"We've got the result now and we won that appeal and we will be participating as team number nine in the final," Sepeng said.
High expectations had been placed on the team after they won the silver medal at last year's Daegu World Championships.
De Jager, Mogawane, Oscar Pistorius and Willie de Beer felt crushed after Mogawane stumbled near the 300m mark.
"I just saw myself falling and tumbling and landed on my shoulder and dislocated my shoulder," Mogawane said, his left arm in a sling.
"We were all bunched together and, in the last 100m, everybody wants to make a move and I was too close to the Kenyan guy."
Mogawane initially thought it was just an accident. His injury has opened the door for 400m hurdler LJ van Zyl to compete in the relay final.
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