Team SA ’ s men ’ s 4x400m Relay team ( Zakithi Nene , Gardeo Isaacs , Wayde van Niekerk and Lythe Pillay ) booked their tickets to Paris at the World Athletics Relays in Bahamas
TRACK & FIELD
While there ’ s been much commotion surrounding the withdrawal of world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk from the 400m event at the Paris Olympics to focus on the 200m and both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays , two young men are still proudly waiting to represent the country in the one-lap event : Lythe Pillay and Zakithi Nene . Both have their own individual ambitions , but there is also much excitement around the potential of a 4x400m relay medal , as Van Niekerk , Pillay and Nene are set to team up with the likes of Gardeo Isaacs and Antonie Nortje in the hunt for a podium spot in Paris .
Nene will be heading to his second Olympic Games ,
Paris Tickets Booked
having been part of the squad in Tokyo three years ago . Nene finished fifth in his individual heat in Tokyo , in a time of 45.74 seconds , so failing to progress to the semifinal , while the 4x400m relay team – sans Van Niekerk – was also eliminated in the heats after finishing seventh .
This time around , the New Balance-sponsored athlete has big plans . “ I think the Tokyo Olympics wasn ’ t quite the Games that I was hoping for ,” admits the 26-year-old from his base in Durban . “ But I think it was all about the experience , about exploring , being part of the whole Olympic set-up , and just enjoying that vibe . I think now it ’ s more about actually starting to compete , and cementing my name on the global stage .”
Building Experience
The Olympic stage is certainly a long way from Monument Primary School in Ladysmith , where Nene first took up athletics . “ A whole lot of sports were being offered and athletics was one of them . So , my mom got me my first pair of spikes when I was eight , and I just haven ’ t looked back since . I think from there onwards , the love for athletics grew ,” he recalls .
Nene eventually matriculated from Glenwood High School in Durban and went on to study a BCom at the University of KZN , majoring in supply management and economics . He continued to compete throughout , running a personal best time of 44.74 seconds in Switzerland in 2022 . He equalled that time a year later in Poland , and another major highlight of 2023 was winning the 400m at the Diamond League meet in Stockholm . “ To top it all off , I was not even on the starting list for that meet ,” he explains of that race in Sweden . “ There was a late withdrawal , and I actually flew in just the day before the meet and went on to win it , so I think that ’ s definitely one of my biggest highlights .”
Images : Kamciography & Sergio Mateo / World Athletics
Zakithi Nene helped Team SA qualify for the Paris Olympics men ’ s 4x400m event by finishing second in their first round heat at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas in May .
Nene ’ s fastest time so far this year is the 44.80 he ran at the SA Championships in Pietermaritzburg in April . “ Training has been going pretty well , and in my build-up towards the Paris Olympics , I think the only significant difference that I can point out is the fact that in Tokyo it was actually my first time representing my country in the individual 400 … So , now I think I ’ ve just got a bit more experience at that level , as well as competing on the Diamond League circuit with the best in the world . I think right now , just from that experience , I ’ m a much more confident athlete in my ability .”
Silver at World Relays
That confidence was given a massive boost in early May when Nene teamed up with Isaacs , Nortje and Pillay ( and Van Niekerk in the heats ) to claim a silver medal at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas .
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