Caster Semenya took her gold medal count at the African Champonships to three with wins in the 800m and 4x400m relay ©Getty Images

Wayde Van Niekerk and Caster Semenya provided the expected victories at the African Athletics Championships in Durban to underline their soaring Rio 2016 ambitions and help the host nation to its eighth overall medal table victory and a share with Nigeria of the best ever record.

On the fifth and final day of the 20th Championships, Van Niekerk took 200 metres gold in 20.02sec ahead of Gambia’s Adama Jammeh, in 20.45, and Matadi Emmanuel of Liberia, in 20.55.

Van Niekerk had been targeting his personal best of 19.94, but complained he had been suffering from some "tightness."

Semenya, who already has gold at 1500m, won the 800m in 1:58.2 ahead of Malika Akkaouiu of Morocco, in 2:02.20, and Emily Cherotich of Kenya, in 2:00.70.

“I’m quite overwhelmed," said Semenya.

"The performance was fantastic.

"Like I said, I’m just doing it for my people.”

Semenya then anchored the South African 4x400m relay team to victory in a new national and championship record of 3:28.49.

That may be enough to qualify for the Rio Olympics, depending on what other countries produce before the mid-July cut-off.

South Africa's world 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk flies the flag after winning the 200m at the African Championships in Durban ©Getty Images
South Africa's world 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk flies the flag after winning the 200m at the African Championships in Durban ©Getty Images

South Africa finished the competition with 16 golds, nine silvers and eight  bronzes, with Kenya second on eight gold, eight silver and eight bronze.

Nigeria secured third place overall with four golds.

Kenya's Norah Jeruto and Douglas Kipserem won the women's 3000m steeplechase and the men’s 5,000m respectively.

The men’s 5000m was a dramatic race that saw Kipserem hold off a late charge from Elroy Gelant of South Africa, who was seeking to emulate the surprise victory of his team-mate Stephen Mokoka in the opening night's 10,000m.

Fouad Kaam of Algeria frustrated Kenya’s ambitions in the men’s 1500m as he won in 3:39.50  ahead of Timothy Cheroiyet and Vincent Letting, in 3:39.70 and 3:40.80 respectively.

Ivory Coast continued their domination in the women’s sprints as Marie Josee Ta Lou took the 200m in 22.81sec, following Murielle Ahoure’s earlier 100m win in 10.99.

South Africa’s Alyssa Conley took silver in 22.84 ahead of Gina Bass of Gambia, third in 22.92.

Kenya’s Grace Wanjiru earned her Rio Olympics ticket as she won the 20km walk in 1:30.43, an African, championship and national record.

Wanjiru earned a record sixth African title almost five minutes within the Olympic qualifying mark of 1:36.00 while Samuel Gathimba became the second Kenyan man to qualify for the Rio Games after his 1:19.24 winning time in the men’s 20km walk, also a championship record.

Home athlete Wenda Nel took the women’s 400m hurdles title in 54.90 ahead of Maureen Jelegat of Kenya, in 56.10, and Tameka Jameson of Nigeria, 57.20.