Better late than never: SA team ready to go at World Athletics Champs

While some athletes were set to arrive with little time to prepare for their events, Athletics South Africa confirmed the entire national team had departed for Eugene on Friday for the World Championships, which were set to get underway later in the evening (SA time).

Athletes around the world were left stranded on the eve of the showpiece, including 13 South Africans (10 based in Italy and three in Joburg), after they were unable to secure visas in time.

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They included 100m sprinters Gift Leotlela and Clarence Munyai, who were set to compete in the men’s 100m heats in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“All concerns have now been alleviated, with the remaining 13 athletes in the SA team all receiving waivers in order to arrive in the US without visas, and they have all successfully departed ahead of the first day of competition,” ASA confirmed.

Time to run

The SA team will open their campaign in the mixed 4x400m relay heats on Friday night.

The late session on day one (in the early hours of Saturday morning) features the likes of race walker Wayne Snyman, who will hope to punch above his weight in the men’s 20km race, and former World Championships medallist Ruswahl Samaai, who turns out alongside Cheswill Johnson and Jovan van Vuuren in the men’s long jump qualifying round.

Munyai and Leotlela, who will hope to recover from lengthy travel delays and their late arrival, will be joined by national record holder Akani Simbine (who arrived early for the showpiece) in the men’s 100m heats.