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Mokoena gets green light for Delhi

30 September 2010

While South Africa has lost two of its top medal prospects ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, with the injury-enforced withdrawals of 800m word champions Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Caster Semenya, Olympic silver medallist Khotso Mokoena has been cleared to take part.

The long jumper was given the green light on Wednesday by Dr Shuaib Manjra, chief medical officer of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

Just a day earlier, women's 800 metres world champion Caster Semenya was withdrawn from the Games after an MRI scan indicated that her lower back injury could be aggravated by taking part in India.

South Africa's other track and field big gun, men's 800 metres world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, was also withdrawn after "we did extensive testing on him and found abnormalities," Manjra said on Sascoc's website.

Regarding Mokoena, Manjra said: "There have been media reports that he hasn't been able to train for eight weeks and would be unfit for competition, but we have evidence which says otherwise.

"We feel that Mokoena is fit enough to come to Delhi and he will be injury-free and able to go for gold, which is what we expect of an athlete of his calibre."

Mokoena won long jump silver at the 2009 Athletics World Championships and 2008 Olympics, and triple jump silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

According to Sascoc, the remaining members of Team South Africa will continue to arrive in Delhi ahead of Sunday's start to the Games.

On Tuesday, New Delhi's mayor officially welcomed the first contingent of Team South Africa into the athletes village.

"After weeks of speculation over conditions, hygiene, security and general readiness, this was a clear indication that come Sunday, the Commonwealth Games 2010 will be up and running," Sascoc said.

SAinfo reporter