South African athletics had a stellar night at the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China, securing three medals, including two golds. The men’s teams were in dominant form, clinching gold in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, while the women added a bronze to the medal tally in the 4x400m.
The men’s 4x100m relay team, consisting of Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine, set the pace early. Simbine’s impressive final leg saw him chase down American Brandon Hicklin to cross the line in 37.61 seconds, marking the fastest time in the world this year, narrowly edging out the US by 0.05 seconds.
In the women’s 4x400m relay, Zeney van der Walt anchored her team to a bronze medal after a strong finish. The team—comprising van der Walt, Shirley Nekhubui, Precious Melepo, and Miranda Coetzee—set a new South African record, lowering it to 3:24.84 as they secured third place behind Spain and the United States.
In the men’s 4x400m, Gaerdeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene claimed gold in a world-leading time of 2:57.50, with Nene pulling ahead in the final stretch to give South Africa a comfortable victory over Belgium and Botswana.
Looking ahead, these athletes will return to the global stage at the World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo, where they will look to continue their dominance.
Relay Results Breakdown:
Mixed 4x400m
- Heats: Tumisang Shezi, Shirley Nekhubui, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zeney van der Walt finished second in their heat with a time of 3:13.79, automatically qualifying for the final as the eighth-fastest overall.
- Final: Mthi Mthimkulu, Jada van Staden, Tumisang Shezi, and Hannah van Niekerk placed fifth in the final with a time of 3:16.29, while the US took gold.
Men’s 4x100m
- Heats: The South African quartet of Walaza, Dambile, Nkoana, and Simbine topped their heat in a world-leading 37.84 seconds. Jamaica, however, failed to finish due to a dropped baton.
- Final: The same team clinched the gold medal in 37.61 seconds, edging out the United States by just 0.05 seconds.
Men’s 4x400m
- Heats: Mthi Mthimkulu, Udeme Okon, Lythe Pillay, and Zakithi Nene won their heat in 3:00.00, setting the fastest time in the world this year.
- Final: Isaacs, Okon, Koekemoer, and Nene combined to win gold in 2:57.50, with Nene’s final leg securing the victory over Belgium and Botswana.
Women’s 4x400m
- Heats: Nekhubui, van Niekerk, Melepo, and van der Walt set a new South African record with a heat-winning time of 3:28.01, qualifying for the final as the seventh-fastest.
- Final: The team broke the South African record again, finishing with a time of 3:24.84, earning them the bronze medal behind Spain and the US.
South Africa’s relay teams continue to show their strength, and with this success, they will be eager to build on their momentum at future international competitions.
