Akani Simbine and Zakithi Nene anchored their teams to comfortable victories at the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, yesterday — but they’ll have to fight hard if they want to defend their crowns this afternoon.
The South African men’s 4x100m and 4x400m outfits, both understrength because of injuries and selection choices, looked impressive as they won their heats.
On a scintillating opening day of racing all around, the sleepy southern African country was transformed into Blitz-wana.
The one-lap side — with Simbine and Bradley Nkoana the only survivors from last year’s World Relays and the 2024 Paris Olympics — looked like a million dollars when it came to the handovers.
Newcomers Mvuyo Moss and Cheswill Johnson, whose sprinting has improved since he put long-jumps on ice to recover from a recurring ankle injury, slotted into the line-up seamlessly, giving South Africa the lead halfway through the race.
Simbine crossed the line in 37.68sec, the fourth-fastest time by a South African quartet — three-hundredths of a second behind their golden sprint from last year and 11-hundredths off the national record that landed them Olympic silver.
These were pretty much faultless performances by South Africa’s two premier relays, yet both teams go into today’s finals seeded third
The 4x400m combination — missing injured Wayde van Niekerk as well as Gardeo Isaacs and Lythe Pillay, who both ran in the mixed 4x400m earlier — were fourth after the first lap, run by Udeme Okon, and second at halfway after a push by Mthi Mthimkulu.
Then Leendert Koekemoer provided fireworks on the third leg, displaying the prowess of an apex predator. He sat on the shoulder of leader Zimbabwean Gerren Muwishi through most of the third lap before pouncing with vicious effect on the home straight.
Koekemoer hit the after-burners and cruised past his rival, who seemed like he was running in a nightmare, his legs turning over but, compared to the young South African, he was stuck in mud.
Nene received the baton with a handy lead and had no trouble defending that, clocking 2min 58.04sec. That’s 0.54 off the 2:57.50 national record they set winning gold at last year’s World Relays and 0.21 slower than their bronze-winning effort at the 2025 world championships in Tokyo nearly eight months ago.
These were pretty much faultless performances by South Africa’s two premier relays, yet both teams go into today’s finals seeded third.
The Canadian 4x100m kings, sporting the same foursome that won Olympic gold two years ago and the 2025 world championship silver, got around the track in 37.56. Germany were next fastest in a 37.67 national record.
The US, fielding a below-strength team, were fourth-fastest in 37.77 and Botswana, starring Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, fifth in a 37.96 national record.
In the men’s 4x400m, Australia stunned world champions Botswana, who were bolstered by 400m world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, taking the heat in 2:57.30.
The home team suffered a hashed final handover between Kebinatshipi and veteran Bayapo Ndori, but they still had enough class to finish second in 2:57.52.
The eight teams that qualified for seven of today’s finals — the first two from each heat plus the next two fastest teams — qualified for the 2027 world championships in Beijing.
While the two South African men’s squads have secured their entries, the women’s and mixed 4x400m teams missed out.
The South African coaches might have to play chess to get today’s 4x400m combinations right, balancing the hunt for a men’s podium position against qualifying the mixed 4x400m
Isaacs, Rogail Joseph, Pillay and Marlie Viljoen ended fifth in their mixed heat. But their 3:11.19 was just three-hundredths off the national record and was the eighth fastest time overall, meaning they have a good chance of bagging one of the four qualifying berths that will be on offer today.
Their time also puts them in the race for two spots at the inaugural Ultimate World Championships in Budapest later this year, with the cut-off being September 3. They will get another chance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this year.
Viljoen also ran for the women’s 4x400m team — bronze medallists at last year’s World Relays — but this time around they were denuded without three of their main stars. They too will chase qualification today.
The women’s 4x100m relay team set a 43.22 South African record and also have an opportunity of booking a ticket to Beijing.
The South African coaches might have to play chess to get today’s 4x400m combinations right, balancing the hunt for a men’s podium position against qualifying for the mixed 4x400m.
At full strength the mixed outfit could have the firepower to challenge for silverware in Beijing and even at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic.
But does that justify weakening the men’s team which is already a proven medal contender? Glasgow is offering only a mixed 4x400m, leaving the men’s team no more chances of competition this year.
Teams not qualifying for Beijing 2027 can still chase the last four spots through the top lists.
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