Team effort required, says Simbine, as SA target World Relays podium

Though he is the older statesman in the team, Akani Simbine says it will take a group effort for the South African squad to step on the podium in the men’s 4x100m event at the World Athletics Relays championship in Guangzhou this weekend.

Simbine, who anchored the SA quartet to the silver medal at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris, is the most experienced member of the 4x100m squad at the age of 31.

He will be joined by 19-year-old Bayanda Walaza and 20-year-old Bradley Nkoana, who both formed part of the quartet that competed in the final in Paris, as well as Sinesipho Dambile, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Tsebo Matsoso, who are all under the age of 26.

Shaun Maswanganyi, who competed in the final in the French capital last year, was not selected as he has not found his best form this year, while national 100m champion Gift Leotlela will also be missing, as the SA team for the World Relays was selected before he dipped under 10 seconds to win the national title last month.

Team leader

Simbine was nonetheless confident that the six-member 4x100m squad had the quality and the depth to secure a medal in Guangzhou.

And while he did not see himself as the leader of the team, consistent speedster Simbine (the fastest 100m runner in the world this year) accepted responsibility as the most experienced member of the unit.

“I don’t even see myself as a team leader. That’s the title they’ve just given to me, and I think my experience does help, but for me it’s more about being in a space where we’re in a team,” said Simbine, who missed this week’s national relay camp in Johannesburg as he was already in China.

“Everybody must have a voice, everyone must say what they want to say, and everybody has a job to do.”

Other events

South Africa will also compete in the men’s, women’s and mixed 4x400m relay events on Saturday and Sunday, with their eyes firmly set on a podium place in the men’s four-lap contest.

World record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who has not competed yet this season, will not form part of the SA squad, but the men’s 4x400m team does feature national champion Zakithi Nene, Lythe Pillay and Gardeo Isaacs, who were all part of the quartet that earned silver at last season’s World Relays in Bahamas.

They will be joined by world junior champion Udeme Okon, as well as Tumisang Shezi and Mthi Mthimkulu in the six-member squad.

The women’s 4x400m team features Miranda Coetzee, Zeney Geldenhuys, Hannah van Niekerk, Shirley Nekhubui, Precious Molepo and Jada van Staden.

In the mixed 4x400m relay, Isaacs, Coetzee and Nekhubui will be joined by SA junior record holder Leendert Koekemoer.