Relay squad reach for the stars

TO WIN BIG WORLD TITLES Practice makes perfect, they say as they aim to get their changeovers right.

Having spent a week working together in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games final, the national sprint relay squad are of the belief that they can go on to win the biggest titles on offer in global athletics.

Lining up among the favourites at the Gold Coast showpiece on Saturday, South Africa’s Henricho Bruintjies, Emile Erasmus, Anaso Jobodwana and Akani Simbine grabbed the 4x100m silver medal in 38.24 seconds, breaking their national record of 38.35 which had been registered by Simbine, Bruintjies, Simon Magakwe and Ncinci Titi at the previous edition of the Games in Glasgow, Scotland four years ago, when they finished fourth.

While Athletics SA and the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) had been criticised for not providing the squad with sufficient preparation and opportunities ahead of previous major championships and Games, the quartet were pleased to have spent four training sessions together.

Some of their changeovers were slippery in the heats and the final, with Erasmus considering a late dive in order to reach Jobodwana on the top bend in the opening round, they were confident they could iron out the wrinkles if they were given more chances to work together.

With the likes of Wayde van Niekerk, Clarence Munyai, Thando Roto and Gift Leotlela all missing from the relay contest at the weekend due to injury, they were expected to receive reinforcements ahead of next year’s World Championships in Doha, which was likely to give them another significant boost.

“Practice makes perfect. That’s what they say,” said Bruintjies, who had predicted after the heats that they would break the national record in the final.

“So if we can get in a couple more sessions and get the changeovers perfect, I don’t think anyone will be able to beat us.”

The relay squad were expected to return to action at the inaugural World Cup in London in July and the African Championships in Asaba in August.

Picture: Gallo Images RISING STARS. South Africa’s sprint relay squad feels they can shock the sprint world after Akani Simbine, Anaso Jobodwana, Henricho Bruintjies and Emile Erasmus claimed silver in the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday.