South African sprinters gear up for Beijing Olympics

JOHANNESBURG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The African 200m champion, Isabel le Roux, who will represent South Africa at the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, recorded her fastest time since arriving in Europe four weeks ago.

She clocked 23.03 seconds to win the 200 meters at the 13th Annual Athletics Festival in Velenje, Slovenia on Thursday night.

In her previous two 200m races she recorded times of 23.05 and 23.31 sec, according to a report by the South African Press Association on Friday.

Roux edged Natalia Pygyda of Ukraine in an exciting battle to the finish. Pygyda finished second in 23.10 sec with Sabina Veit of Slovenia third in 23.40 sec.

Hannes Dreyer, South Africa's leading sprinter of the year, had to settle for third in the 100 meters in a time of 10.41 sec with Corne du Plessis fifth in 10.72 sec. Aziz Zakari of Ghana was the winner in 10.31 sec.