South Africa’s men’s 4x100m sprinters have a chance to turn Paris Olympics silver into World Relay Championships gold when the final takes place in Guangzhou, China, on Sunday.
A faultless display of running and baton changeovers saw Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine scorch to a world leading 37.84 seconds and head to the final as the fastest qualifiers, along with Japan who recorded the same time in a later heat.
It was a good day for South Africa’s four relay squads, three of whom won their heats, and one which finished second, and all head to the finals day on Sunday. There’s also the tickets booked for the World Athletics Championships later this year.
Both the men’s and women’s 4x400m squads excelled. The men put up the fastest time in the world this year and are favourites, as are the men’s 4x100m, to win gold, while the women broke the national record.
South Africa were also represented in the mixed 4x400m, where they finished second in their heat, which qualified them for Sunday’s final in eighth position.
Mixed 4x400m heats
Tumisang Shezi, Shirley Nekhubui, Leendert Koekemoer and Zaney van der Walt finished second in their heat behind Great Britain, in 3:13.79, to automatically qualify for the final. They were eighth fastest overall.
Men’s 4x100m heats
Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine were impressive winners of their heat in a world leading 37.84, with Jamaica failing to finish after dropping the baton. South Africa head to the final as joint fastest qualifiers with Japan and 0.02sec ahead of the United States.
Men’s 4x400m heats
Mthi Mthimkulu, Udeme Okon, Lythe Pilla and Zakithi Nene won their heat in exactly 3:00.00 which is the fastest time in the world this year and they head into Sunday’s final as the fastest qualifiers
Women’s 4x400m heats
Shirley Nekhubui, Hannah van NIekerk, Precious Nelepo and Zeney van der Walt won their heat in 3:28.01 which was a new South African record and the seventh fastest going into Sunday’s final
