After winning the world junior title in Nairobi last year, De Klerk won gold again in the women's shot put, wrapping up a successful title defence.

De Klerk produced a best throw of 17.17m in the final, holding off a challenge from Turkey's Pinar Akyol (16.84m) who bagged the silver medal.

Another South African, Zonica Lindeque, took 10th position with a best effort of 14.72m.

De Klerk was set to return to the field again on Wednesday, targeting another medal in the women's discus throw final.

Richardson, meanwhile, managed to snatch the bronze medal in a lightning fast men's 100m final.

Having secured silver in Nairobi last year, Richardson slipped one spot on the podium, but he would have been pleased with his result after storming over the line in 10.12.

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana clocked 9.91, breaking the world U20 record to win gold, while Bouwahgie Nkrumie set a Jamaican junior record of 10.02 to grab silver.

In other field events, McKyla van der Westhuizen took seventh position in the women's javelin throw final.

Van der Westhuizen landed the spear at 53.44m, with Adriana Vilagos of Serbia winning gold after producing a 63.52m heave.

Brian Raats cleared the bar at 2.08m to book his place in the men's high jump final, to be held on Friday.

On the track, sprinter Viwe Jingqi coasted through the opening round of the women's 100m event, winning her heat in 11.36 and securing her spot in the semi-finals.

Her compatriot, Kayla la Grange, set a personal best of 11.73, but she was sixth in her heat and missed out on a spot in the penultimate round by just 0.02.

Lythe Pillay won his 400m heat in 46.0 while countryman Tjaart van der Walt was fourth in his first-round race in 47.00, and Precious Molepo finished second in her one-lap heat in 53.50, as all three athletes progressed to the 400m semi-finals to be held on Day 3.

In the women's 400m hurdles, Anjel Nel took second position in her heat in 58.52 and Simone de Wet finished third in her race in 1:00.35, with both athletes progressing to the semi-finals, to be held on Wednesday.

Schedule of SA athletes, day two (SA times): 

Wednesday: 

4.45pm - long jump qualifying, women (Karmen Fouche, Joane Gerber)

5.25pm - 400m hurdles heats, men (Wernich van Rensburg, Ruan Oosthuizen)

6.25pm - 200m heats, men (Bradley Oliphant, Benjamin Richardson)

10.05pm - 400m hurdles semi-finals, women (Anje Nel, Simone de Wet)

10.35pm - 200m semi-finals, men

11.05pm - 100m semi-finals, women (Viwe Jingqi)

Thursday: 

12.14am - discus throw final, women (Miné de Klerk)

12.16am - 400m semi-finals, women (Precious Molepo)

12.25am - 400m semi-finals, men (Lythe Pillay, Tjaart van der Walt)

1.35am - 100m final, women