“Mission Rio” starts in all earnest tonight when Wenda Nel (Tuks/HPC) settles in her starting blocks at the Diamond League Meeting in Monaco.

Nel is fully aware that, if she wants to have a realistic chance to qualify for the Olympic final in Rio, she should run a time of close to 54.0s. Her best time so far is 54.37s
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At the last three Olympic Games the athletes who won the medals all dipped under 54 seconds. It is also interesting to note that in Athens (2004) five of the athletes who qualified for the final ran times faster than 54 seconds while in London (2012) only two athletes were able to do so. 

It would seem, therefore, that if Nel should run a time close to her best in the semi-finals in Rio, she would have a realistic chance to compete in the final.  But Nel is not one to leave anything to chance. 
“I want to run a faster time.  In fact, I need to run faster times. The Olympic Games is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I want to make the most of it.
     
“I see tonight’s race and the Diamond League Meeting in London (22 July) as ideal opportunities to sort out the final little hiccups in my technique. The 400-hurdles is such a technical race that one small mistake could totally derail your effort. I will focus especially on making sure that I run the right stride pattern throughout the race. Hopefully I will be able to run a really good time.” 

Judging by her results so far this season, Nel will definitely be in contention for a top-three finish in Monaco. The inform athletes are Shamier Little (USA), who ran a best time of 53.51s, and Ashley Spencer (USA) with a season’s best time of 54.02s. 
Nel’s best time so far this season is 54.61s which is the combined 10th fastest on the IAAF-rankings.

Carina Horn is the other Tuks/HPC athlete who will compete in Monaco. Because the inform Tianna Bartoletta (USA) (who ran a best time of 10.78s) will be competing, as well as the seven-time Olympic medallist, Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica), the 100 metre race will probably be a very fast event. Another athlete to watch will be the 200m world champion from The Netherlands, Daphne Schippers, whose best time so far this season is 10.83s.

Weather permitting, and providing that Horn gets off to a good start, there is real chance that she may run a time faster than 11.06s to set a new South African record.  By running 11.07s at the African Championships, she showed that it is only a matter of time before she runs her breakthrough race.
The other South-Africans who will be in action are: Rushwal Samaai (long jump), Wayde van Niekerk (400m), Antonio Alkana (110-hurdles), Sunette Viljoen (javelin) and Caster Semenya (800m).