SA sprint team looking to ’Polish’ their show

WHEN the South African team broke the national men’s 4x100m relay record at the 2019 world championships, it was the eighth-fastest time in history.

The 37.65 seconds performance produced by Thando Dlodlo, Simon Magakwe, Clarence Munyai and Akani Simbine in Doha came in the semi-final, and was just 0.81 seconds off Jamaica’s incredible world record of 36.84.

Unfortunately, a mistake in changing the baton saw SA miss out on a medal in the final as they finished fifth in 37.73, with the USA taking the gold in 37.10.

Coach Paul Gorries is determined to see his team make-up for that disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics later this year, and that process will begin at the World Relays in Silesia, Poland tonight.

This time around, Team SA are as strong, with the 34-year-old Magakwe not part of the group, and he is likely to be replaced by the 22-year-old Gift Leotlela, along Simbine, Munyai and Dlodlo. The other squad members are Luxolo Adams and Emile Erasmus, with former SA 100m record-holder Henricho Bruintjies still injured.

With major athletics nations such as Jamaica, Australia, USA, Great Britain, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago all opting to withdraw from the event due to Covid-19 travel protocols, South Africa are serious contenders for the gold medal, with their main rivals likely to be Brazil and Italy.

While SA have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, the World Relays is about fine-tuning their plan before the international season begins.

“I’m just excited to see what we can do as a team for the country, because we’ve been preparing for this time. Even with other teams that had been withdrawing were there, we’ve always had a great chance to win a medal – as long as we get the job done and get the baton exchanged correctly,” team captain Simbine said in an Athletics SA press release.

Both Munyai and Dlodlo stated that South Africa can claim a gold medal, while Leotlela was thrilled to be part of the team after being held back by injuries in recent seasons.

The 4x100m heats will take place tonight at 8.39pm SA time, with the final tomorrow night at 7.35pm.

The men’s 4x400m relay team also have an attainable goal in Silesia – to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. While they are missing world recordholder Wayde van Niekerk, recently crowned national champion Zakithi Nene is part of the group, along with junior star Lythe Pillay, who has the quickest time in the squad of 45.53, fractionally ahead of Nene in 45.54.

Berend Koekemoer’s season’s best stands at 45.58, and Oscar Mavundla is not far behind either at 45.69.

All the 4x400m group need to do to qualify for the Olympics is reach the final in Poland, with the heats taking place tonight at 7.35pm. The final is scheduled for tomorrow night at 8.42pm.

There is also a mixed 4x400m relay team – which includes SA women’s champion in the one-lap event, Deline Mpiti – who will try to qualify for Tokyo as well.

SA RELAY TEAMS

4x100m: Akani Simbine, Clarence Munyai, Thando Dlodlo, Luxolo Adams, Gift Leotlela, Emile Erasmus

4x400m: Lythe Pillay, Berend Koekemoer, Zakithi Nene, Oscar Mavundla, Ranti Dikgale.

Mixed 4x400m: Simon Khuzwayo, Ranti Dikgale, Taylon Bieldt, Marli Viljoen, Deline Mpiti.