The men’s 200m could be the event of the South African championships in Potchefstroom next weekend in a mouth-watering clash of youth against experience.
Young guns Bayanda Walaza and Udeme Okon are scheduled to go up against old stars Wayde van Niekerk and Luxolo Adams — but defending champion Benjamin Richardson and 2022 titleholder Sinesipho Dambile will want to stamp their authority too.
The heats and semifinals are set for Friday and the final is at 1.10pm on Saturday.
Dambile is the hot favourite with his 20.01 world lead, while running into a 1.8m/s headwind in Botswana last weekend.
Then comes under-20 world 100m and 200m champion Walaza, with the 20.08 he clocked in Johannesburg last month, ahead of Gift Leotlela, who went 20.22 in Gaborone.
The fourth South African is Udeme Okon, the 400m under-20 world champion who went 20.36 in mid-March. He will have a tough day on Saturday, with the 400m final less than two hours later at 2.55pm.
The 28-year-old Adams, the second-fastest South African over 200m with his 19.82 from 2022, has been 20.42 this season, and Richardson 20.58.
Van Niekerk, the 2017 world championship silver medallist who boasts a 19.84 best, finished second behind Richardson last year and has an entry time of only 20.66. His best 200m time since returning from his knee injury is 20.23.
The 32-year-old 400m world record-holder is also entering the 100m, which will be settled on the opening day on Thursday, where Walaza will start as the best bet in the absence of Akani Simbine, who is competing in the Diamond League season-opener in Xiamen, China, on Saturday.
Simbine is taking a gamble by missing the championships because he could lose out on a spot at the world championships in Tokyo in September, if an athlete other than Walaza or Richardson crack the 10.00 qualifying time.
So far, Simbine and the other two are the country’s three qualifiers, but Athletics South Africa will give preference to qualifying performances at the championships.
The closest is Abduraqhmaan Karriem, who clocked a 10.07 personal best into a 1m/s head wind in Botswana.
In other action, world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso is aiming for the 800m and 1,500m double, and will compete on all three days of the competition, with both finals on Saturday scheduled for 10.50am and 3.15pm.
Marioné Fourie begins the defence of her 110m hurdles crown on Friday. Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis will compete in the women’s javelin on Saturday morning (10.30am).
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