Sprinters lead the charge for SA athletics team at World Champs

They won’t have too many realistic chances of reaching the podium, but the SA team will be confident of ending a six-year medal drought at the World Athletics Championships starting in Budapest on Saturday.

With some of the most experienced sprinters on the global circuit leading the national charge, most of the squad’s eggs will be placed in a basket held by the speedsters.

Most members of the relatively young team will do well just to reach finals of their events, but Wayde van Niekerk and Akani Simbine will line up among the favourites.

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Van Niekerk in particular has looked good this year, winning three Diamond League races and going unbeaten in the 400m event.

The world record holder is in his best shape since winning his second world title in London in 2017, and though he will need to beat in-form Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas if he wants gold, he should be in the hunt for a medal.

Simbine, similarly, has displayed some of his best form this year, and though he hasn’t been as quick as some of his opponents in the 100m event, the three-time World Championships finalist has won two Diamond League contests this season and has already beaten defending world champion Fred Kerley of the United States.

In addition, Simbine will anchor a strong 4x100m relay team which should put up a fight if they can exchange the baton without any major hiccups.

Outside hopes

There are other contenders too, but admittedly, we have to dig a little deeper into the SA team’s bag.

Olympic shot put finalist Kyle Blignaut hasn’t gone over 21 metres this season but he is completely focussed on his World Championships campaign, while sprint sensation Shaun Maswanganyi has dipped under 10 seconds in the 100  event and 20 seconds in the 200m this year.

So it’s probably not going to be a record-breaking campaign for the SA team in Budapest, but there are real podium hopes.

Even if they return home with one medal, after missing out at the last two editions of the track and field spectacle, it will at least offer a glimmer of hope ahead of next year’s Olympic Games.