Prudence Sekgodiso etched her name in the annals of South African athletics by becoming the first SA-born woman to clinch a gold medal in the 800m at the 2025 World Indoor Championships.
The 23-year-old middle-distance star produced a masterclass in strategy and speed to secure the gold in a thrilling final in Nanjing, China.
Sekgodiso became the second South African to win a medal at the Indoor Championships, following Akani Simbine's bronze in the men’s 60m.
With the world watching, Sekgodiso capped off a masterful performance on the third and final day of the championships, finishing the race in an impressive time of 1:58.40 seconds.
Her journey to victory was punctuated by an exceptional sprint in the last 200m, where she surged ahead of Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew, who had been leading the race alongside her compatriot Tsiga Duguma.
Sekgodiso entered the final as the second-fastest qualifier, demonstrating her fine form since the start of 2025. Sitting in third place behind the Ethiopian duo for much of the race, the South African athlete timed her kick perfectly. With a powerful last lap, she broke loose, proving that she had the legs for the closing stages of the race.
While Sekgodiso basked in the glory of her victory, her compatriots also weren’t as successful on Sunday.
Chris van Niekerk competed in the men’s shot put, finishing 14th with a distance of 19.47m, while Cheswill Johnson leapt to a 12th place finish in the men’s long jump, recording a best effort of 7.64m.
Sekgodiso, who qualified for the Olympics 800m final in Paris last year, has her eyes now set on the upcoming World Championships following her win at the Indoor Championships.
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