It started earlier this year when Bayanda Walaza won the South African Under-20 Championship 100m in March , then finished second in the 100m final at the SA Senior Championships in April . That saw him selected for the SA 4x100m team at the 2024 World Relay Championships in the Bahamas , where the SA team qualified for the Paris Olympics . In Paris , Walaza helped Team SA claim the silver medal in the final , alongside Akani Simbine , Shaun Maswanganyi and Bradley Nkoana , making him the first South African to win an Olympic medal while still in high school . He then went on to win the gold medals in both the 100m and 200m finals at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru in August .

Meanwhile , back home , another Curro scholar was reaching top speed . In September , Matodzi Ndou posted a time of 12.98 seconds for the 110m hurdles , obliterating the national youth record and setting the third-fastest time in history in his age group . ( The

Word Record is 12.87 .) This was actually the fourth time the national U17 record was broken in 20204 , with Ndou claiming three of those marks . In February he clocked 13.21 , then bettered his own time with a 13.15 in March . Naeem Jack ran a 13.10 in July , holding off Ndou to win the national age group title , but in September Ndou reclaimed the record and chopped another 0.12 seconds off the record to go sub-13 for the first time .

Relay Revolution

Now , in the latest highlight for an already incredible year , Curro can celebrate a World Record as well . On 11 October , while competing at the North West University Top 30 athletics meeting in Potchefstroom , the Curro Hazeldean Boys U18 4x100m relay team of Inam Dlunge , Zattu Hlongwane , Adam Motloung and Ndou clocked 39.92 seconds , which is the fastest time ever run by a boys ’ youth relay team anywhere in the world ! “ What makes the relay team ’ s World Record so much more remarkable is that this type of record is normally held by national teams , but now , a school team from Curro has done it ,” says Curro Hazeldean Executive Head Pierre le Roux .

Led by coach Thabo Matebedi , who also guided Walaza to his Olympic relay success and the sprint double at the World Athletics Junior Champs , this relay quartet is part of a larger group of talented Curro

“ Our relay team ran a South African record at the ASA Grand Prix event at the University of Johannesburg earlier this year . We then set our goal to run a World Record , and to give the boys the gift of leaving school with amazing memories ,” says Matebedi . “ It helps to have guys like Bayanda and Matodzi in Curro , because with their sprinting talent , they motivate others to excel . They show other young athletes that it is possible .”

Culture of Success

Living together in the school ’ s boarding facility and training together day after day , even during school holidays , is an important part of the relay team ’ s record-breaking achievement , says Curro CEO Cobus Loubser . He adds that nurturing exceptional talent with top coaches like Matebedi is part of the broader vision to establish Curro Hazeldean as the best athletics school in the country .

“ We planned our sporting strategy and ambitions a year ago and committed to creating Olympians . Curro ’ s athletic success since then has been astonishing , with the Hazeldean team now becoming the world ’ s fastest under-18 relay team . We are exceptionally proud of these achievements , and Curro will continue to invest and build structures to realise the incredible potential of young talent in this beautiful country of ours ,” he says .

Images : Cecilia van Bers & courtesy Curro Hazeldean