logo
Bayanda Walaza and Prudence Sekgodiso among the leading athletes set to take to the track at the ASA Senior Championships

Bayanda Walaza and Prudence Sekgodiso among the leading athletes set to take to the track at the ASA Senior Championships

IOL News24-04-2025

The Athletics South Africa Senior Championships are set to get underway on Thursday at the North-West University McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom, promising a weekend of thrilling competition and fast-paced action.
Running from Thursday through to Saturday, the national championships will see the very best of South Africa's athletics talent on display as they compete across a range of track and field events in pursuit of national glory.
Beyond medals and titles, the event also serves as an opportunity for athletes who are yet to do so to secure qualification for the upcoming World Athletics Championships, set to take place in Tokyo, Japan, later this year.
The championships will be without several big names, including Akani Simbine, Maroane Fourie, Lythe Pillay, and Jo-Ane du Plessis, as they are set to compete at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen, China, on Saturday.
World junior champion Bayanda Walaza will be one of the headline acts in the men's 100m sprint event. The 19-year-old continues to shine as one of South Africa's brightest young talents, having lived up to every expectation placed on him so far.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Zakithi Nene narrowly misses out on 400m victory in Rome Diamond League thriller
Zakithi Nene narrowly misses out on 400m victory in Rome Diamond League thriller

IOL News

time2 days ago

  • IOL News

Zakithi Nene narrowly misses out on 400m victory in Rome Diamond League thriller

US' Quincy Hall, right, crosses the finish line ahead of South Africa's Zakithi Nene, centre, to win the men's 400m event of the Diamond League athletics meeting at the Olympic stadium in Rome. | AFP SA sprint sensation Zakithi Nene was pipped at the line by Olympic champion Quincy Hall in a 400m showdown at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night, finishing in a time of 44.23 seconds. American Hall had stopped the clock at a season's best 44.22, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Nene. Collen Kebinatshipi of Botswana was third, in a season's best time of 44.51. Nene was hoping to replicate his heroics at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya last weekend, where he set a world lead and personal best of 43.76. However, it was never going to be easy against a strong field that also included former world and Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada. After a slow start, Nene was left with work to do over the final 100m to reel in haul and did so in spectacular fashion, surging ahead after the 300m mark where his split time was 32.69. He seemed to have the race sewn up after pulling away from Hall on the home straight but the reigning Olympic champion came back at him over the last few strides and beat him as both runners dipped at the line. 'This time is my third fastest time ever. I wanted to win today but this race showed me that I am very consistent in my races,' Nene said afterwards. His coach, Victor Vaz, feels his star runner could have done with more rest after setting his PB in Kenya, while admitting that runners' schedules often don't allow for that. 'The other aspect – and he admitted it afterwards – was that Hall should not have been ahead of him at the 300m mark. And that's true because that's his card, his ace is always being first to the 300m,' he said. He blamed an uncharacteristically sedate 200m split time of 21.23, below the strategic target of 21 seconds, for leaving the door open for his rival to grab the narrowest of victories at the death. 'We train for that 200. We will do two or three 200s in one afternoon, all in 21-dead. So I don't know whether he relaxed too much or whether his legs were too heavy,' he said. 'It's not an excuse, it's a statistical reality. He got beaten by the Olympic champion, so it's some sort of compensation.'

High-flying Zakithi Nene faces tough battle to become 400m king of Rome
High-flying Zakithi Nene faces tough battle to become 400m king of Rome

TimesLIVE

time4 days ago

  • TimesLIVE

High-flying Zakithi Nene faces tough battle to become 400m king of Rome

Zakithi Nene, the fastest 400m runner in the world so far this year, lines up at the Rome Diamond League meet on Friday night against a field that boasts a combined 10 Olympic medals and 17 world championship gongs. Nene, the anchor of South Africa's golden 4x400m outfit at World Relays in China a month ago, this past weekend raced to victory in Nairobi in 43.76sec, a time that placed him atop the world list. This year the 27-year-old has burst out of his role as a solid member of the national relay squad and entrenched himself as a serious individual medal contender at the world championships in Tokyo in September. The Durban-based star is the form athlete going into Rome, looking to score the second Diamond League victory of his career against pedigreed competitors, topped by Olympic champion Quincy Hall of the US. Nene beat Hall for the first time at the Rabat Diamond League last month in a race he led from the start, only to tire on the home straight and get overhauled by American Jacory Patterson, the only other sub-44 athlete this year. But there are three athletes in the race who Nene has never beaten, starting with former Olympic and world champion Kirani James of Grenada.

South African sprinters excel at Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi as Nene leads charge
South African sprinters excel at Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi as Nene leads charge

IOL News

time01-06-2025

  • IOL News

South African sprinters excel at Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi as Nene leads charge

The in-form Zakithi Nene (centre) became only the second South Afrioca runner to dip below 44 seconds in the 400m, after world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi. Image: BackpagePix With all the attention focused of Zakithi Nene's blistering world lead of 43.76 to take gold in the 400m at at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday, there were also podium finishes for Bayanda Walaza in the 100m and Shaun Maswanganyi in the men's 200m contest. The achievements marked another stellar weekend for South African sprinters. Nene was the best of the SA athletes on the international track and field circuit this weekend. He became the second SA athlete to run under 44 seconds over the one-lap distance after world record holder Wayde van Niekerk. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Nene finished well clear of Nigerian athlete Chidi Okezie, who took second place in 44.98. All eyes will be on the one-lap star as he heads for the Rome Diamond League meeting, to see if he can repeat the feat. Junior record holder Walaza also impressed in the men's 100m race in Nairobi, though he had to settle for the runner-up spot. He got off to a good start but the athletes were called back by the starter, and though there were no disqualifications for a false start, they were made to go again and this time Walaza looked a little hesitant out of the blocks the second time. Bayanda Walaza, South Africa's teenage sprint sensation, took silver in the 100m at the Kip Keino Classic at the weekend. Image: BackpagePix

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store