Online Reporter
THERE was double gold — and record-breaking performances — for South Africa at the World Athletics Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China, on Sunday, as the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams stormed to victory, while the women’s 4x400m team secured a well-earned bronze.
The South African men’s 4x100m quartet — Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine — blazed around the track in a world-leading 37,61 seconds to claim gold.
Walaza, the reigning Under-20 world champion in both the 100m and 200m, gave the team a flawless start. Dambile and Nkoana maintained the momentum, ensuring the team was in second place at the final baton change.
All eyes then turned to the in-form Simbine, the fastest man over 100m this year and a back-to-back Diamond League winner. He did not disappoint, unleashing a trademark burst of speed off the bend to overtake Brandon Hicklin of the United States and turn Olympic silver into gold.
The US finished second in 37,66 seconds, with Canada taking third.
The South African team had already clocked the fastest time in their first-round heat (37,84 seconds), which they improved upon in the final. Their winning time was just 0,04 seconds shy of the national record of 37,57, set when the team won silver at the Paris Olympics last year.
The men’s 4x400m team delivered an equally impressive performance, with Gardeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene powering to gold in 2:57.50.
They shaved 0,62 seconds off the South African record of 2:58.12, previously set by Nene, Isaacs, Lythe Pillay, and Antonie Nortje when they finished fifth at the Paris Olympics. Belgium claimed silver in 2:58.19.
In the women’s 4x400m final, the quartet of Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Molepo, and Zeney Geldenhuys clocked 3:24.84 to secure the bronze medal.
They shattered the national record of 3:28.01, which had been set just the day before in the heats by Nekhubui, Molepo, Geldenhuys, and Hannah van Niekerk.
Spain took gold in 3:24.13, with the United States earning silver in 3:24.72.
The South African mixed 4x400m team—comprising Van Niekerk, Mthi Mthimkulu, Jada van Staden, and Tumisang Shezi—finished fifth in 3:16.29.
All four South African squads reached the finals of their respective events with strong performances in Saturday’s heats, thereby automatically qualifying for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo this September.
“We are beside ourselves with joy. ‘Ecstatic’ is probably the best way to describe our emotions. We entered four events and succeeded in three.
“When the team departed, they were in high spirits and looked sharp during the three-day pre-departure camp in Johannesburg. They’ve fulfilled the mandate of targeting the podium in each event. You win some and you lose some, and fortune favoured the more prepared.
“We are very grateful and proud of our athletes, our coaches, and all members of management for the excellent work,” said James Moloi, President of Athletics South Africa. — IOL/Sports Reporter
