Benji runs straight into the record books ahead of Paris Olympics
The Lowveld’s very own Benjamin ‘Benji’ Richardson was in red-hot form in Switzerland on July 14, when he clocked the second-fastest 100m time by a South African in history at the Resisprint International athletics meet, only 0.02 seconds off Akani Simbine’s SA record.
Benjamin ‘Benji’ Richardson (20), born and bred in the Lowveld, was one of a vast number of world-class athletes taking part in the 44th edition of the Resisprint International held in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland on July 14.
Having already qualified for the 2024 Summer Paris Olympics in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay events, the Resisprint International presented Richardson and other participating athletes with the opportunity to really kick things into gear ahead of the Olympics.
He has been in phenomenal form on the athletics track this year, beating Wayde van Niekerk to the national 200m title in April.
Benji, as he’s affectionately known, has also proved an integral part of the South African 4x100m relay team. He was part of the team with Akani Simbine, Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana, who clocked a brilliant 38:08 time – the sixth-fastest 4x100m relay time in the world in 2024.
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Hoping to carry this form over to Switzerland, Richardson would have been eyeing a medal or two. But, the former Nelspruit Primary and Curro Nelspruit learner got more than he bargained for. In the 100m sprint he achieved a sensational personal best time of 9:86, making him the second-fastest South African sprinter of all time, marginally behind Simbine’s record of 9:84.
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The blistering time won him the gold medal in the 100m event. His time also makes him the fifth-fastest 100m sprinter in the world in 2024. But, he wasn’t done just yet. Richardson went on to clock a time of 19:99 in the 200m, going sub-10 in the 100m and sub-20 in the 200m at the same meet for the first time in his career. He won silver in 200m. The time also marks a personal best in the 200m for Richardson.
This Lowvelder will undoubtedly be looking to carry this form into the Olympics, which gets under way in Paris on July 26.
