Bayanda Walaza aims for faster times after breaking SA junior record

Junior sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza believes he can go even quicker, as he continues to rocket his way up the global sprinting ranks.

Walaza shattered his own South African U20 record on Saturday, winning the men’s 100m race at the Boris Hanzekovic Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Zagreb.

He stopped the clock at 9.94 seconds, slicing 0.05 off the national mark of 9.99 which he set in Pretoria in March.

In the process, climbed to fourth place in both the all-time world junior rankings and the all-time SA senior rankings in the short dash.

‘We were not expecting this result’

“It was something my coach and I were planning, to come here and show up and show that South Africa is one of the strongest countries, but we were not expecting this result. Maybe 9.98, but it was 9.94,” Walaza told World Athletics.

“To be one of the fastest juniors feels like an honour and makes me want to work more, be strong and win. If I could put myself together, I could be one of the fastest in the world.”

Walaza’s performance in Zagreb was the latest in a growing list of achievements by the 19-year-old speedster.

Last year he earned a historic 100m/200m double at the World Athletics U20 Championships and formed part of the SA 4x100m relay team that secured silver at the Paris Olympics.

Earlier this month, he again played a key role for the national 4x100m team who won gold at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou.

Rabat Diamond League

Meanwhile, though Walaza was the only South African competing in Zagreb, there will be 10 SA athletes lining up at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat on Sunday night.

They include national 100m record holder Akani Simbine, who will look to extend his series lead in the short dash, as well as 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who turns out in the 200m sprint in only his second race of the year.

Among the women, world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso will fancy her chances in the women’s 800m event, and Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis will be eager to put up a fight in the women’s javelin throw.