TRACK & FIELD
Gold and bronze for Team SA in the Men ’ s 100m
Bouncing Back to Silver
The SA men ’ s 4x400m relay after taking the silver medal gold medal was won by Udeme Okon in the men ’ s 400m . He came home in 45.69 , holding off the two Americans , Jayden Davis ( 46.08 ) and Sidi Njie ( 46.29 ) in the final .
JL van Rensburg took silver in the men ’ s shot put with a PB heave of 20.74m , only narrowly losing to Dutchman Jano van Daalen ’ s winning heave of 20.76m , and Hannah van Niekerk took bronze in the women ’ s 400m hurdles . She clocked 56.98 to finish behind France ’ s Meta Tumba ( 55.59 ) and Poland ’ s Wiktoria Gadaiska ( 56.87 ). The other silver was claimed by the South African 4x400m relay team , consisting of Bryan Katoo , Sihle Mahlangu , Njabulo Mbatha and Udeme Okon ( and Kryn Romijn in the heats ), who crossed the line in 3:05.22 in the final , behind the US team ’ s 3:03.56 .
This made the 2024 Champs one of the country ’ s most successful appearances at this level . In 2021 , Team SA claimed nine medals ( 3G , 2S , 4B ), with the next best being seven medals ( 4G , 1S , 2S ) in 2000 . The 2004 team claimed six medals ( 2G , 4S ) and last year ’ s contingent brough home five medals ( 2G , 1S , 2B ). Therefore , the 2024 team now ranks third-best with seven medals ( 3G , 2S , 2B ). To date , in 17 World Champs at this level , South Africa has won 62 medals ( 24G , 19S , 19B ).
JL van Rensburg shot the put to a silver medal
South African Flyers
Walaza ’ s double gold at the World Under-20 Champs also continues the country ’ s rich history in the men ’ s short sprints , where South Africa now has a total of 12 medals since 1992 . Paul Gorries was 200m World Champ in 2000 , while a number of athletes claimed silver medals over the years : Riaan Dempers ( 200m , 1996 ), Leigh Julies ( 200m , 2004 ), Wilhelm van der Vyver ( 100m , 2008 ), Gift Leotlela ( 200m , 2016 ) and Benji Richardson ( 100m , 2021 ). Furthermore , three bronze medals have come back to SA as well : Glen Elferink ( 200m , 1992 ), Sinesipho Dambile ( 200m , 2021 ) and Benji Richardson ( 100m , 2022 ).
Njabulo Mbatha capped a brilliant season when he helped South Africa ’ s men ’ s 4x400m relay team win a silver medal at the Under-20 World Championships in Peru . What made the 17-year-old TuksSport High School learner ’ s performance more special is the fact that just two hours before the relay final , he competed in the 400m hurdles final . While he clocked 49.68 to finish fourth in that final , missing out on the bronze medal by just 0.07 seconds , he bounced back quickly from that disappointment to help the South African relay team run a season-best in the final , clocking 3:05.22 . ( The Americans won gold in a time of 3:03.56 .)
Mbatha made South African sports history earlier this year , on his 17th birthday on 19 April , when he won the bronze medal in the 400m-hurdles final at the South African Track & Field Championships . He is , as far as it could be established , the youngest athlete to have medalled in a senior 400m hurdles final in the country ’ s history . The youngster is also the South African under-18 400m hurdles champion , and he has not lost a single 400m hurdles race locally in that age group this season .
Despite these fast times , Mbatha says he focuses just on the next race . “ I never think about rankings or times , the only thing that matters when I race is to be focused on my own race . To execute my technique to perfection . My best traits as a hurdler are my speed , endurance , and ability to switch legs during a race . I can lead with both legs over the hurdles and not lose speed . It is a huge advantage coming into the home straight .”
Mbatha says that South African Olympian Zakithi Nene is his role model . “ Despite being an Olympic 4x400m-relay finalist , he is so humble . Whenever I need advice , I reach out to him on Instagram , and he replies each time . I also admire my coach , Adri Schoeman , for what she has achieved as a 400-metre athlete .”
Udeme Okon took gold in the men ’ s 400m
If one adds the 400m event as well , with Udemu Okon ’ s gold this year being added to Lythe Pillay ’ s gold in 2022 and Matt Nortje ’ s bronze in 2021 , it shows that South Africa holds its own on the world stage of sprinting at under-20 level . And the success of our young sprinters in the last few years at this level is also a positive indication of the emerging sprinting talent in South Africa , which will hopefully translate to more success at senior level in the next few years , and build on that relay silver brought back from Paris .
Celebrating with the US and Aussie teams
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