THEY did magic at 2025 World Athletics Relays in China, last week and now back home.
Team SA won the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m quartets took gold.
For their effort and sterling performance the Team SA has been given a rousing welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport, on Wednesday evening, sans Akani Simbini.
A media press brief was arranged to engage with the athletics, before some of them jetted off to their respective homes.
Welcoming them were SASCOC President Barry Hendricks, ASA President James Moloi, national sports department representatives, sponsors, parents and media.
SA’s star Simbine said the skill in relay running was about “camaraderie” prior to the race, whose teammates included Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile and Bradley Nkoana.
Simbine, Walaza and Nkoana were part of the South African team that won silver at the Paris Olympics last year. Team SA not only beat the US, but 2024 Olympic champions Canada as well as Japan, who ran 37.84sec in the semi-final in China.
“Once I got the baton and I saw that the USA was in front of us, I just said to myself, ‘I need to catch the guy in front’,” Simbine was quoted after the final.
“I knew I could do it, and I just chased him. I feed from chasing, I feed from being able to chase. So it’s really great to be able to be in that position and get through it and get to the line first.”
He continued: “You can have the fastest guys in the world at that time running, but if you don’t get the stick around, and you don’t have the guys in their best positions running, then it’s not going to work out.
“It’s the camaraderie and everybody just wanting to be part of the team and starting to believe in a relay culture in South Africa.
“Because before that, we didn’t have a relay culture — it was always just ‘show up and run’. Now people are actually believing in getting medals and the importance of getting medals from the World Championships or from the Olympics, and making it a priority. That’s a big thing for us now.”
Another batch of winners consisted of Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Molepo and Zeney Geldenhuis, who ran a national record time of 3:24.84, finishing just behind the USA and surprise gold medallists Spain.
The team qualifies for Championships in 2025.
ASA’s S’fiso Cele was the MC for the press briefing.
Image (SA’s darlings. Team SA adorned with Gold Medals at the 2025 World Athletics Relays staged in Guangzhou, China, last week).
