Latest news with #WorldAthleticsRelays
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: A flailing and bobbing rocket, Bayanda Walaza is on the rise
This season, 19-year-old Walaza has already secured a gold medal at the World Relays and twice broken the SA junior 100m record. Bayanda Walaza in action for Tshwane University of Technology at the USSA national student championships in Pretoria earlier this month. Picture: Cecilia van Bers/Gallo Images When I first saw Bayanda Walaza run, my initial thought was 'this kid isn't gonna make it'. His raw talent was clear, but in every other way, he was all wrong. When Walaza hits top speed, his arms start flailing and his head begins bobbing, and he doesn't display anything you want to see in a sprinter. But one thing I've learned from watching Walaza run is that technique can be deceptive. The 19-year-old prodigy is super quick out the blocks, and when he hits his stride he is bizarrely efficient. Last season he won a historic 100m/200m double at the World U20 Championships and helped the SA 4x100m relay team earn the silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Future star? However, raw talent only takes an athlete so far, and the reality is that most junior stars don't make it at senior level. So coming into the 2025 season, I expected Walaza to hit a plateau and ultimately vanish into obscurity, as so many do. Oh how glad I am, at least on this occasion, to have been proved wrong. Opting not to fiddle too much with Walaza's style, his coach Thabo Matebedi seems to have made a wise decision by allowing him to run naturally. If Walaza was great last year, this season he has been spectacular. Superb season thus far Already in 2025, he has formed part of the quartet who won gold in the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Relays, and he has twice broken the SA junior 100m record, lowering the mark to 9.94 in Zagreb at the weekend (just 0.05 outside the world U20 record). It might seem premature to suggest he could be the next global sprinting superstar, but Walaza's early progress has been impressive, and he is remarkably consistent. Both a polite young man and a ball of raging energy, he also has the character to become a crowd favourite across the world, and he could be a wonderful ambassador for our country. How he does it, with flailing arms and a bobbing head, is far less important than what he does, and Walaza already has the medals and records to show he has what it takes.
Daily Maverick
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Tragedy of losing beloved uncle fuels SA sprinter Sinesipho Dambile's powerful return to form
The 23-year-old former junior world champion was rewarded with gold after fending off injury issues and losing his paternal uncle. It's been a whirlwind month for South African sprinter Sinesipho Dambile. In the build-up to his much-anticipated return to the South African Track and Field Championships after a lengthy injury lay-off, Dambile lost one of the most important people in his life – his paternal uncle. The relationship between the pair was no ordinary one: Dambile says he considered Zimnyamana Dambile his father because of the role the elder played in steering him down the right paths and constantly supporting him. He said if it were not for the influence of the senior Dambile – who had once harboured dreams of conquering the world with his feet too – he may not have gravitated towards athletics. Hence, when Dambile made a winning return to the sprinting circuit after recovering from injury by reclaiming the 200m national title, which he first won in 2022, he dedicated the victory to his late uncle. With the blessing of his family, Dambile had taken the tough decision to remain in Potchefstroom and compete in the race instead of attending the funeral in the Eastern Cape. In the end it proved to be a worthwhile sacrifice for the 23-year-old as he powered back after a slow start to overtake Naeem Jack, Abduraghmaan Karriem and Benjamin Richardson for gold, in a time of 20.11 seconds. This saw him qualify for the World Athletics Championships, which take place in Tokyo, Japan, in mid-September. It's all for him 'Everything I've been doing was for him, because of the support I always got from him. I got into the sport because of him. That's what he wanted me to do. I was good as a rugby player; I was good as a soccer player as well. 'So, all he wanted was me achieving my goals in track and field – that was once his goal too, growing up,' Dambile said. 'So, being able to go out there and perform at my best was also for him – for having him protecting and carrying me through the races. The races I've run [since he passed away] have been magical. I believe he has carried me, especially in the last 100m of that 200m race. I just got that boost and I didn't know where it was coming from. I'm definitely blessed,' Dambile added. In addition to his exceptional display individually on the national stage, Dambile took his early 2025 form to the global stage, helping South Africa to claim gold in the 4x100m at the World Athletics Relays in China. A team consisting of Dambile, Akani Simbine, Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana fended off competition from the US and Canada to earn their victory. Dambile says that apart from the tragedy of losing an important mentor, he is elated at how his year has started, especially after struggling with injury in 2024. 'I'm in a great space right now. After the nationals I flew straight home and spent some time with the family before I went to the training camp for the relays. I grieved and mentally it got me [in shape for the challenge of running in China]. I was ready and I knew I was going to perform at my best. 'I feel amazing being part of the guys that did the job in China. We had [great] preparation and we worked on certain things. Then we made no mistakes when we got there. We were ready and we did a great job with the guys. 'I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be able to go out there and perform, to run for my country and not just for myself,' Dambile continued. 'It's a bit more fun to run relays – there's less pressure because you have people that you trust around you. 'I'm now happier as a 200m sprinter, excited about the future, excited about going out there and giving out great performances.' Healthy competition Apart from the quartet that sprinted to gold in Guangzhou earlier this month, South Africa also has sprinters such as Shaun Maswanganyi (who was part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris), and 21-year-old Benjamin Richardson. Athletics South Africa's high-performance manager, Hezekiel Sepeng, believes this pool of short-distance runners has the potential to result in South Africa really entrenching itself in global sprinting in the build-up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Dambile is a vital part of this. 'Dambile is in good shape this year. He's come in extremely good and he's very important for the team,' Sepeng said, before lauding the sprinter's commitment amid a tumultuous time. 'This started at the national championships, when he participated knowing at the back of his mind that there is a funeral at home. I know that after the national championships he went home to do some traditional things, to atone for not being there,' Sepeng said. 'For him to be there… he was a very important member of the team. 'We did not have Shaun Maswanganyi and Benjamin Richardson. And the back straight is a long straight, so you need somebody who can run at high speed for a very long time. So, ideally, you need somebody from the 200m background,' he explained. Bowling and relationship building Dambile grew up in the Eastern Cape township of Dimbaza before matriculating from TuksSport High School in Pretoria in 2019. The former 200m junior world champion counts compatriot Simbine as one of his role models and someone who plays the role of an older brother in his life. He says with all the excitement surrounding South Africa's current crop of runners, it's important that they foster healthy relationships even off the track. He plays a major part in facilitating these bonding sessions. 'I do a lot of bowling. I even attend tournaments. That's what I've always preached to the guys on the circuit – for the chemistry. I tell them let's go out bowling, have fun and just enjoy each other's company. 'That's what makes it easier to even run together, because off the track we still have relationships,' Dambile said. Having qualified for the global championships later this year, Dambile will continue to sharpen his skills over the next few months while also hoping to remain free from injury. Throughout this journey, the memory of his 'father' will be a constant motivator, as it was during his golden month. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Top stars gear up for Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea
New Delhi: Some of India's top stars such as Jyothi Yarraji, Avinash Sable and Tejaswin Shankar would be in action at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea, starting next week. India will look to surpass its medal count of the previous edition. At the 2023 Asian meet in Bangkok, India returned with 27 medals that included six gold, 12 silver and nine bronze medals. 'This is the first big competition for our athletes after the Olympics and it will test our athletes,' said Athletics Federation of India secretary general Sandeep Mehta. 'We are expecting 25-30 medals this time.' 'We are hoping that our relay teams in men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m to qualify for the World Championships,' the AFI secretary general said. The relay teams failed to qualify for the World Championships through the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China this month. Asked whether there was any addition to the relay team, Mehta said they are going with new faces in 4x400 men's team. 'Its the team that was selected and it will be an opportunity for them to get good exposure.' Mehta said the visa issues some athletes were facing, have been sorted. 'Thanks to the Sports Ministry and (South Korean) Embassy, the visa issues were sorted in the evening,' Mehta said. The first batch of athletes left from Delhi on Thursday. 'The athletes will have two to three days to acclimatise in Korea,' Mehta added. Gulveer Singh, who has broken 5000m and 10000m national records this season, said he is looking to qualify for the World Championship. 'I am hoping to qualify for the World Championships in 10000m in Korea. I have already achieved qualification in 5000m,' said Singh, who trains at Colorado Springs. The Asian Games medallist has a bronze in 5000m bronze from the last edition. He recently competed in his first Diamond League meet in Doha and finished 9th. 'It was a good experience. There has been no rest since last year. I am continuously training and competing. The body is feeling good and I am able to push myself in competitions. for lats few season under Scott Simons. In javelin, Sachin Yadav (84.39m) and Yashvir Singh (82.13m) will be hoping to make a mark.
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Athletes return to OR Tambo after medal wins in China
Athletes return to OR Tambo after medal wins in China OR Tambo International Airport was filled with joy and celebration on May 14 as proud supporters, family, friends, and classmates welcomed home South Africa's medal-winning relay athletes. The team returned from the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The national team earned three medals, including gold in the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays and bronze in the women's 4x400m final. In addition to the podium finishes, all three squads secured automatic qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. ALSO READ: Cyclists get huge welcome at OR Tambo for Cape Town feat The mixed 4x400m team, which finished fifth in their event, also qualified. Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Moloi praised the team's success, describing it as the result of a broader developmental plan. 'We are very excited because this is a long-term project, especially aimed at building up these young athletes. While Tokyo is our next target, we are building for Los Angeles,' he said. Moloi explained that ASA has a four-year development programme that includes rural and urban school competitions. 'We want to build a strong pipeline across all disciplines, especially the women's teams. We've also launched a broadcasting initiative and secured sponsorship for the full four-year cycle,' he added. He stressed the importance of continued investment in development. 'It's difficult to beat countries like the USA, Britain, and Jamaica. People assumed the SA team wouldn't win because of those strong competitors, but we proved them wrong.' ALSO READ: Paralympic medalists receive heroes' welcome at OR Tambo In the men's 4x100m relay, 19-year-old Bayanda Walaza teamed up with Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine to record a blistering time of 37.61 seconds, the fastest of the year, beating the United States by just 0.05 seconds. Bayanda's mother, Tholiwe Walaza, was overwhelmed with pride. 'I'm very happy. They've done so well. Since primary school, Bayanda has been passionate about athletics. This is a dream come true,' she said. Bradley Nkoana's grandmother, Anna Nkoana, travelled from Mabopane to give her grandson a hero's welcome. 'I couldn't wait for this day. I called him every day while he was away. His passion started in primary school, and he's still going strong in university,' she said. In the men's 4x400m, the team of Gaerdeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene claimed gold with a time of 2 minutes and 57 seconds. Leendert Koekemoer's father, Lourens, proudly reflected on his son's journey. 'My son ran the third leg. It's amazing. Athletics in South Africa is in a healthy place right now. 'From junior to senior levels, there's great momentum. Leendert started with short-distance races, but everything changed when he switched to the 400m in Grade Eight. He's since won national titles and even broke a South African record this year.' ALSO READ: Meet the executive housekeeper of City Lodge at OR Tambo The women's 4x400m team, Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Melepo, and Zeney van der Walt, set a new national record on their way to securing the bronze medal. SASCOC president Barry Hendricks congratulated the team, saying: 'We're proud of you. You made us stand and scream at our TVs. 'The passion you showed has planted a seed of hope for many aspiring athletes. Our investment through the Operation Excellence programme has paid off.' Former South African sprinter Geraldine Pillay also praised the athletes. 'I'm incredibly proud of our athletes. They performed brilliantly and qualified for the World Championships, topping the medal rankings at the World Relays. This is a phenomenal moment for both the young stars and seasoned athletes like Akani Simbine. 'We wish the team all the best for the rest of the season, especially as they prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
OR Tambo erupts in celebration as athletes return with medals from China
OR Tambo erupts in celebration as athletes return with medals from China OR Tambo International Airport was filled with joy and celebration on May 14 as proud supporters, family, friends, and classmates welcomed home South Africa's medal-winning relay athletes. The team returned from the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The national team earned three medals, including gold in the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays and bronze in the women's 4x400m final. In addition to the podium finishes, all three squads secured automatic qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. ALSO READ: Cyclists get huge welcome at OR Tambo for Cape Town feat The mixed 4x400m team, which finished fifth in their event, also qualified. Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Moloi praised the team's success, describing it as the result of a broader developmental plan. 'We are very excited because this is a long-term project, especially aimed at building up these young athletes. While Tokyo is our next target, we are building for Los Angeles,' he said. Moloi explained that ASA has a four-year development programme that includes rural and urban school competitions. 'We want to build a strong pipeline across all disciplines, especially the women's teams. We've also launched a broadcasting initiative and secured sponsorship for the full four-year cycle,' he added. He stressed the importance of continued investment in development. 'It's difficult to beat countries like the USA, Britain, and Jamaica. People assumed the SA team wouldn't win because of those strong competitors, but we proved them wrong.' ALSO READ: Paralympic medalists receive heroes' welcome at OR Tambo In the men's 4x100m relay, 19-year-old Bayanda Walaza teamed up with Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine to record a blistering time of 37.61 seconds, the fastest of the year, beating the United States by just 0.05 seconds. Bayanda's mother, Tholiwe Walaza, was overwhelmed with pride. 'I'm very happy. They've done so well. Since primary school, Bayanda has been passionate about athletics. This is a dream come true,' she said. Bradley Nkoana's grandmother, Anna Nkoana, travelled from Mabopane to give her grandson a hero's welcome. 'I couldn't wait for this day. I called him every day while he was away. His passion started in primary school, and he's still going strong in university,' she said. In the men's 4x400m, the team of Gaerdeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene claimed gold with a time of 2 minutes and 57 seconds. Leendert Koekemoer's father, Lourens, proudly reflected on his son's journey. 'My son ran the third leg. It's amazing. Athletics in South Africa is in a healthy place right now. 'From junior to senior levels, there's great momentum. Leendert started with short-distance races, but everything changed when he switched to the 400m in Grade Eight. He's since won national titles and even broke a South African record this year.' ALSO READ: Meet the executive housekeeper of City Lodge at OR Tambo The women's 4x400m team, Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Melepo, and Zeney van der Walt, set a new national record on their way to securing the bronze medal. SASCOC president Barry Hendricks congratulated the team, saying: 'We're proud of you. You made us stand and scream at our TVs. 'The passion you showed has planted a seed of hope for many aspiring athletes. Our investment through the Operation Excellence programme has paid off.' Former South African sprinter Geraldine Pillay also praised the athletes. 'I'm incredibly proud of our athletes. They performed brilliantly and qualified for the World Championships, topping the medal rankings at the World Relays. This is a phenomenal moment for both the young stars and seasoned athletes like Akani Simbine. 'We wish the team all the best for the rest of the season, especially as they prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
