By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza was at it again, after he set a new Junior record over the 200m at the Athletics SA Grand Prix held at the University of Johannesburg Athletics Stadium on Wednesday.
Days after delivering his first sub-10 time (9.99sec) in the 100m race at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria, and setting the early world lead in the process, the 2024 Olympic silver medallist improved on his previous best (20.34) in the 200m, by storming to the finish line, with that trademark galloping gait, in a time of 20.08.
He was racing against 27-year-old Luxolo Adams, the 2022 Paris Diamond League winner – his personal best in the 200m is 19.82 – who ran a time of 20.43 on the night to finish third behind Lucky Moleyane (20.36).
While the race was held in cold and wet conditions, Walaza was delighted with his performance.
“The weather wasn’t great, but I believe when you’re fast you don’t have to complain about anything,” Walaza said afterwards. “You cannot control the weather so you just have to make it work for you, rather than doubting yourself.
“We were truly shocked about the sub-10 (last week) and we thought ‘let’s just see what strength I have left over’. We believed the 9.99 had taken everything, so we didn’t expect me to run this fast today.”
Even though she didn’t win her race, 17-year-old Tumi Ramokgopa was also in record-breaking form, taking second place in the women’s 100m hurdles race in 13.22 and slicing 0.13 off the SA junior record of 13.35 set by Taylon Bieldt in Bydgoszcz in July 2016. Up front, national senior record holder Marione Fourie took the win in 12.69, setting a season’s best.
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m in disbelief,” said Ramokgopa, who set a 400m hurdles personal best of 56.48 just hours earlier on Wednesday, in the Grand Prix pre-programme. “I knew running against Marione, was going to push me to run an SA record, but I didn’t think I would run this fast. This means a lot to break the record in my first year as a junior.”
Among other highlights, world junior champion Udeme Okon won the men’s 400m race in a personal best of 45.27, holding off a challenge from Olympic semi-finalist Lythe Pillay, who took the runner-up spot in 45.74.
African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya won the men’s 100m race in 10.08, while Ketlhobogile Haungura of Botswana took the 800m contest in 1:43.88. Twenty year-old Wernich van Rensburg triumphed in the men’s 400m hurdles race in 49.24, while Nikithemba Hani produced the highlight in the field events, landing at 8.01m to win the men’s long jump.