Encouraging signs for SA sprinters as under-20 relay team breaks world record

On any other day, against any other team, Jamaica’s 4x100m under-20 relay team would have got an age group world record with their time of 38.61sec.

Sadly for them, Mzansi was in the house (stadium) in Nairobi on Sunday at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships.

South African sprinters Mihlali Xhotyeni, Sinesipho Dambile, Letlhogonolo Moleyane and Benjamin Richardson raced to a world record time of 38.51sec.

The previous record was 38.62, held by the USA who set the mark in 2019.

While it is true that one swallow does not a summer make and that it might be too early to think of South Africa dethroning the West Indies as the crucible of world-class sprinting, the win showed that we are becoming a force to be reckoned with in the short events in international athletics.

Akani Simbine only just missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing fourth in the 100m final but Shaun Maswanganyi and Gift Leotlela qualified for the semifinals of the event, proving that we have depth of sprinting talent.

We hope our under-20 heroes will get the support they need to transition into the senior events … and to continue to do this country proud.