South Africa's Prudence Sekgodiso Closes in on 800m World Lead

Prudence Sekgodiso of South Africa is charging toward the top of the global women’s 800m leaderboard with a sizzling time of 1:57.16, recorded in the 2025 season. As of July 4, this places her second on the current world list—trailing only Ethiopia’s Duguma, who leads with 1:56.64.

Sekgodiso’s breakthrough has sent waves through the athletics world, as seen in a recent viral post by SuperSport celebrating her ascent. The 800m is one of the most fiercely contested events in track and field, and Sekgodiso’s consistency and fearless racing style are positioning her as a serious medal contender ahead of the Paris World Championships and potentially the Olympics.

? Top 10 Women’s 800m Times in 2025 (as of July 4):

1. 1:56.64 – Duguma 

2. 1:57.16 – Sekgodiso 

3. 1:57.25 – Werro 

4. 1:57.49 – Nowe 

5. 1:57.55 – Wiley 

6. 1:57.66 – Bell 

7. 1:57.81 – Bourgoin 

8. 1:57.83 – Billings 

9. 1:57.83 – Moraa 

10. 1:58.00 – Maloney 

How Sekgodiso Measures Up Historically:

The women’s 800m world record still stands at 1:53.28, set by Jarmila Kratochvílová of Czechoslovakia in 1983—a mark that has stood for over 40 years and is widely considered one of the most unbreakable in athletics. Only a handful of women have ever run under 1:55, including:

• Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE) – 1:53.28 (1983)

• Nadezhda Olizarenko (URS) – 1:53.43 (1980)

• Pamela Jelimo (KEN) – 1:54.01 (2008)

• Caster Semenya (RSA) – 1:54.25 (2018)

Prudence Sekgodiso's 1:57.16 may not yet challenge these all-time performances, but it signals her potential to enter the elite sub-1:56 territory—especially with major races still ahead this season.

South Africa’s Next Middle-Distance Icon?

Following in the footsteps of Caster Semenya, Sekgodiso has reignited South Africa’s presence in the women’s 800m. At just 22 years old, she combines speed, endurance, and confidence, and her upward trajectory is undeniable.

As she continues her climb, all eyes will be on her next race. With every lap, Prudence Sekgodiso is narrowing the gap—not just between herself and the world leader, but also between today’s stars and history’s greats.

posted Tuesday July 8th
by Boris Baron