#IOLYMPICS - Mokoena has no regrets

Khotso Mokoena may have exited his final Olympics with a whimper but his imposing legacy will remain etched forever in South African athletics.

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Rio De Janeiro – Khotso Mokoena may have exited his final Olympics with a whimper but his imposing legacy will remain etched forever in South African athletics.

Mokoena missed out on triple jump final after his best put if three attempts of 16.51m was not good enough for a sshot at a medal.

Mokoena bowed out of the Olympics as the country’s most decorated horizontal jumper.

"I felt good, it’s just unfortunate that I couldn’t pull it through and go to final," Mokoena said.

"I had long season and am ready to turn up my spikes.

"S**t, one can only be happy. Four Olympic Games, I did the best I could with my career."

The double national record-holder made his Olympic debut 12 years ago in the hop-skip-and-jump before winning the country’s only medal at the Beijing 2008 Games finishing second in the long jump.

Mokoena holds the South African long jump record of 8.50m and the the national mark of 17.35m from 2014.

Mokoena is credited for inspiring a new generation of long jumpers such as Luvo Manyonga, who leapt to an Olympic silver medal in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"I think in some way I did play the part in helping youngsters," Mokoena said.

"Luvo next one to hit my Africa record, very talented young man."

Mokoena said he was proud of his achievements in a career that spans more than a decade and is topped by his Beijing 2008 silver medal.

"Every athlete’s dream is to have an Olympic medal, so I’ll always treasure that," Mokoena said.

"Whenever I think of 2008, I just glow, because I actually have achieved what I wanted to as a young boy, which is to win an Olympic medal.

"I’m obviously emotional now because I was competing, but deep down I’m very happy." - Independent Media