Maswanganyi sets sights on Paris podium
● US-based South African sprinter Shaun Maswanganyi is keen to kickstart the men’s 4x100m relay team into medal territory at the Paris Olympics later this year — but that’s just one of a few podiums he’s eyeing.
South Africa’s second-fastest sprinter of all time has got his 2024 season off to a promising start in indoor competition, breaking the national 200m record and lowering his 60m personal best.
“I still feel like I’m nowhere near my peak in terms of competing internationally, and there’s more to come,” said the 23-year-old, who is coached by American legend Carl Lewis.
“Now we’re just making sure, coach Carl and I, that we finish off the collegiate season with a bang and we take that confidence to win medals into Paris.”
In the space of three days in June last year, Maswanganyi went 9.91sec in the 100m and 19.99 in the 200m to become only the third South African to dip under 10sec and 20sec in the sprint double after Wayde van Niekerk and Akani Simbine.
His 100m time also made him the fastest 100m athlete behind Simbine, the worldclass speedster who is lethal as a relay anchor.
With the right two athletes in the second and third legs — there are a host of options like Benjamin Richardson, Luxolo Adams, Clarence Munyai, and there could be a case to argue for Van Niekerk — the team, which will attempt to qualify for Paris at World Relays in May, could challenge for top three with the right preparation.
South Africa dropped the baton in Budapest last year, and athletes afterwards complained the national federation had not given them time to practise. But things have changed, with the bulk of the team already having had a few camps in Potchefstroom.
“We currently have a couple of group chats with the relay,” said Maswanganyi. “I definitely feel like I’m working towards being the first leg... As we’ve seen indoors, I’ve PR’ed in the 60. And usually with the type of training I have, when I have a PR in the 60, my 100s are going to be faster.”
Maswanganyi won’t be able to get to the qualifier nor the national championships in April because of study commitments, as he looks to graduate with an economics degree at the end of this semester, some two months before the Games.
But he said his training programme was designed to do maximum damage in France. “I’ll race way less races than before. I can focus a lot more on training and preparing for Paris.”
He went to the Tokyo 2020 showpiece where he made the semifinals in both the 100m and 200m, although he ended 10th overall in the longer race.
To win medals in Paris would require 9.8low in the 100m and 19.7 in the 200m. “That’s what I know I’m going to need to run in order for me to compete for a podium spot in the Olympics. These are incredibly, incredibly fast times, but we’re working towards that. We know what it takes and the work began even before the season started.”
He also described Lewis as a father figure, helping him cope with the death of his grandmother and murder of his brother. “He’s been there to guide me and counsel me through such rough patches in my life. He goes beyond just a coach.”
Maswanganyi, who failed to advance past the heats at the NCAA indoor championships in Boston this weekend, said studying and training left little time for fun. “Especially when I’m in season... We literally travel on Wednesday, practise Thursday. Friday, Saturday we compete, Sunday we fly back, Monday’s back to class.
“So I barely have any weekends, literally from January all the way through to June. Maybe a rest weekend here and there, but even [then] my coach strictly emphasises that I’m not allowed to be on my feet. I should just be laying down, resting in my room.”
Pleasure can wait, Paris can’t.