No medals for SA athletics team, but there is hope for the future

As much as we might have liked them to rake in medals at the World Athletics Championships, there are positives we can take from the national team’s campaign, despite their dry run in Budapest.

Looking ahead to next year’s Olympic Games, the SA track and field squad will be targeting a few podium places but it looks like they will still be punching above their weight.

ALSO READ: Van Niekerk gutted by ‘terrible’ result in World Champs final

Considering the performances delivered by some of the youngest members of the team in Budapest over the last week, however, the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles could be a whole different story.

Multiple athletes who are still in the early stages of their senior careers managed to progress beyond the opening rounds of their events, and considering the magnitude of appearing at the World Championships, they did well to handle the pressure.

Though only time will tell, their relative success is an indication that they have what it takes to peak at the right time and dig deep when it counts the most.

Future stars

Marione Fourie closed out a breakthrough season, which included a new SA record (12.55 seconds) in the 100m hurdles, by reaching the semifinals of her specialist event.

Similarly, Sinesipho Dambile progressed safely through the opening round of the men’s 200m sprint, and he set a personal best of 20.25 in the semifinals.

Middle-distance runner Prudence Sekgodiso also did well in the 800m event, dipping under two minutes to finish second in her first-round heat, and though she went on to fall in the semifinals, she gained valuable experience.

What is most promising about these athletes is that they are all under the age of 22, and they have bright futures if they can continue along their current career trajectories.

Another 21-year-old athlete, pole vaulter Kyle Rademeyer, was also impressive. While he didn’t reach the final of his event, Rademeyer missed out by five centimetres, and he was just one centimetre short of his 5.71m personal best in the qualifying round.

So there were more disappointments than we might like to recall in the Hungarian capital, extending a generally poor period for the national track and field squad, but there were some positives too.

ALSO READ: Time is running out for Simbine to grab the medal he deserves

They’ve still got some work to do to climb to the top, but a handful of young athletes look set to carry the next generation of top-flight stars.

While the likes of Wayde van Niekerk and Akani Simbine will be eager to bounce back at next year’s Olympics, without sufficient depth, the SA team is likely to struggle again.

If we can’t celebrate just yet, however, at least there is light at the end of the tunnel.