Team SA’s sprinting teenage sensation Bayanda Walaza continued his global roadshow when he won the 100 metres at the Boris Hankezovic Memorial in Zagreb, breaking the South African under-20 record in the process.
The 19-year-old speedster was part of the Team SA 4x100m relay squad which followed up a silver medal at the Paris Olympics with gold at the World Relays, and in the Croatian capital he won his event in 9.94 seconds.
Walaza flew clear of the field from halfway. With his head going forward and back in trademark fashion, Walaza’s 9.94 was 0.05sec faster than the precious age group national record set in March. And it was into a -0.03m/s headwind.
“We came here with a plan to show that South Africa is one of the strongest countries in the world. We were not expecting this result – maybe 9.98 but not 9.94.
“To be one of the fastest juniors in the world feels like an honour and makes me want to work more, be strong and win. If I could put myself together I could be one of the fastest in the world.”
A long way back in second was Owen Asnhah, with Sweden’s Henrik Larsson third, both being clocked at 10.20.
On the road in South Africa, Jessica Groenewald broke the national women’s record at the ASA 35km Race Walking Championships held in Cape Town.
Groenewald, representing Athletics Central North West (ACNW), went unchallenged on her way to victory in 3:10:40.
She took nearly 10 minutes off the previous SA 35km best of 3:20:25 which was set by Natalie le Roux en route to the finish at the 50km World Race Walking Championships in Taicang in 2018.
Tumisang Pule dominated the men’s race, winning gold for Athletics Gauteng North in 2:54:20, well ahead of his provincial teammate Thando Lumkwana who earned silver in 3:21:40.
These performances come a week after Phethisang Makhethe broke the South African women’s hammer throw record.
Competing for the University of Illinois at the Big Ten Championships in Eugene, Oregon in USA, Makhethe launching a 68.66m heave with her sixth and final attempt.
Makhethe, a former silver medallist at the African Youth Games, added 71 centimetres to the SA record of 67.95m set by Leandri Holtzhausen in Tokyo in March.
