Team South Africa have retained their title as the leading athletics nation on the continent, finishing top of the medals table for the second successive edition of the CAA African Senior Championships.The 96-member squad earned a total of 33 medals, including 16 gold, nine silver and eight bronze at the five-day showpiece which came to a close in Durban on Sunday.Versatile athlete Caster Semenya was the star performer, adding 800m and 4x400m relay titles to the 1 500m gold medal she bagged earlier in the week.In her specialist two-lap race, she secured the win in 1:58.20, and she returned to the track later in the afternoon as she led the SA quartet - backed by Wenda Nel, Justine Palframan and Jeanelle Griesel - to a new national record of 3:28.49 in theomen's relay final.Dropping down in distance, 400m specialist Wayde van Niekerk again displayed his vast ability by winning the Men's 200m final in 20.02, just 0.08 outside his Personal Best.Wenda Nel also experienced no trouble in reaching the top step of the podium, romping to victory in the Women's 400m Hurdles final in 54.86, and Phil-Mar Janse van Rensburg was crowned continental champion in the Men's Javelin Throw, launching a 76.04m heave.Resurgent sprinter Alyssa Conley produced the race of her life to snatch the silver medal in the Women's 200m contest in 22.84, dipping under 23 seconds for the first time in her career.Distance runner Elroy Gelant also scooped silver, after putting up a brave fight in the Men's 5 000m race, crossing the line in 13:15.13.Bronze medals were earned by the national Men's 4x400m relay quartet (3:02.20), Lebogang Shange in the 20km walk (1:21:41) and Patience Ntshingila in the triple jump (13.24m).
