SA teams chasing podium places and Olympic spots at World Relays

South Africa will have three teams competing at the World Athletics Relays championship in Bahamas in the early hours of Sunday and Monday morning (SA time), and they will be confident of picking up one or two medals.

It is unclear who national relays coach Paul Gorries will select for the heats or the finals in the various events, but there are strong squads in the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m events.

And while they will be under-strength in the mixed 4x400m relay, the SA team should have enough depth to qualify for the Olympic Games, with the World Relays acting as trials for the Paris showpiece in August.

4x100m men

The five-member squad includes two junior athletes – Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana – as well as 20-year-old Benjamin Richardson.

Anchoring them will be experienced athletes Akani Simbine and Clarence Munyai, who hold the SA 100m and 200m records respectively, ensuring a good blend of youth and experience.

Considered among the contenders at major championships in recent years, the country’s fastest men have often been poorly prepared and have flopped their changeovers.

This year, Athletics South Africa has organised training camps to help them combine better, and if all goes well, they will be confident of chasing a podium place.

4x400m men

There’s one athlete in this team who makes a massive difference: Wayde van Niekerk.

The world record holder hasn’t regained his best form after returning from a career-threatening knee injury, but he is still one of the most accomplished sprinters in the world and he will provide a big boost in his first international relay appearance since 2016.

He also has the quality and depth to support him, with the squad featuring former world junior champion Lythe Pillay, Diamond League meeting winner Zakithi Nene, former World Student Games medallist Gardeo Isaacs, and 19-year-old Wiaan Martin.

4x400m mixed

With the nation’s top male 400m sprinters focussing on the men’s relay, the mixed squad will need to rely largely on the quality of the women’s contingent.

Hurdles stars Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph are in great form, having qualified for the Paris Olympics at the recent national championships, and they will have the support of Shirley Nekhubui and SA U-23 champion Amy Naude.

Among the men, the team will rely on Tumisang Shezi, Mthi Mthimkulu and Antonie Nortje, who will have to be at their best but will hope to provide enough firepower to secure a spot at the Olympic Games.