Team South Africa conquer World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou
South Africa proved they will be a powerful force at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as they stormed to the men’s 4x100m title at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on Sunday, May 11.
Great Britain & NI won a thrilling women’s 4x100m final, holding off surprise package Spain, while Canada made history by winning the inaugural World Relays mixed 4x100m crown.
Earlier in the session, another 12 teams qualified for the 4x100m events at the World Championships in Tokyo, including China in both the women’s and men’s events, much to the delight of the passionate and vocal home crowd at the Tianhe Sports Centre stadium.
Ahead of the competition, South African sprint star Akani Simbine had expressed how camaraderie is the key when it comes to relay success.
His squad’s team spirit was on show in Guangzhou again on Sunday evening, as the world indoor 60m bronze medallist combined with Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile and Bradley Nkoana to run a world lead of 37.61 – just 0.04 off the African record South Africa set when securing Olympic silver in Paris.
They denied USA by just 0.05, with Olympic champions Canada finishing third this time in 38.11.
The 19-year-old Walaza, who claimed 100m and 200m gold at the World U20 Championships in Lima last year, got things started for South Africa – up against Courtney Lindsey for USA, Aaron Brown for Canada and Naoki Okami for Japan.
Walaza handed over to Dambile and Brown to Jerome Blake, while two-time Olympic and world 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek took over for USA.
Nkoana and Kyree King ran the third legs for South Africa and USA, respectively, and let go of the batons at the same time – leaving the race down to Simbine and Brandon Hicklin. While Simbine seemed a fraction back as they approached the finish line, he timed his lean to perfection.
Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse completed Canada’s full Olympic title-winning team in Guangzhou and De Grasse chased the top two over the finish line to secure third place ahead of Japan.
“Once I got the baton and I saw that USA was in front of us, I just said to myself, ‘I need to catch the guy in front’,” said Simbine. “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.”
Earlier in the evening, China ran the leading time in the second qualifying round for World Championships places. Shi Junhao, Zeng Keli, Wang Shengjie and He Jinxian claimed a heat three win in 38.03 ahead of Australia, with world indoor 60m silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy on the first leg, and they both achieved qualification for Tokyo.
They will be joined at the World Championships by France and Ghana, who respectively clocked 38.31 and 38.32 in a thrillingly close first heat, and Belgium and Kenya, who were also locked in an intense battle in the second heat – Belgium winning in a national record of 38.49 to Kenya’s 38.51. There was another record for Korea as the team ran 38.51 and they were the fastest to not qualify.
The qualification dreams of Jamaica also came to a devastating end as the team was unable to get the baton around for the second time this weekend. After a failed changeover on day one, this time Julian Forte pulled up before he could hand the stick to Yohan Blake and Forte later left the track in a wheelchair. They will now hope to qualify by achieving a leading time in the world top lists during the qualification period.
Correspondence from World Athletics
