Team South Africa clinched three medals at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, on Sunday to continue their dominant performance this year, Afrosport reports.
They won two gold medals and a bronze as the men won both the 4x100m and 4x400m races, while the women finished third in the 4x400m.
South Africa kicked off the day by emerging victorious in the men’s 4x100m final as Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine clocked 37.61 seconds to take the gold medal in the fastest time this year.
The quartet ran a blistering time of 37.84s in the heat on Saturday, qualifying for the final as joint-fastest alongside Japan and 0.02s ahead of the United States.
They, however, were too hot to handle in the final, as the inspired Simbine was flawless in the anchor leg to ensure South Africa edged second-placed United States (37.66secs) by 0.05secs, while Canada finished third in 38.11secs.
WORLD LEADING TIME FOR TEAM SOUTH AFRICA
Team SA’s Men’s 4x100m relay squad lit up the track with a blazing 37.61s to record the fastest time in the world this year
An unforgettable performance at the World Athletics Relays | Guangzhou 2025
#TeamSA #ForMyCountry… pic.twitter.com/edWGOUltuV
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) May 11, 2025
Shortly after, South Africa claimed their second gold medal, as Gaerdeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene raced to a world-leading time of 2:57.50.
Nene led the quartet with an incredible split of 43.64secs in the anchor leg, while Belgium finished second in 2:58.19 and Botswana claimed bronze in 2:58.27.
Meanwhile, Shirley Nekhubui, Hannah van Niekerk, Precious Melepo, and Zeney van der Walt set a new national record with a time of 3:24.84 to earn bronze in the women’s 4x400m as Spain (3:24.13) and the United States (3:24.72) were first and second, respectively.
All four South African relay teams, including the mixed 4x400m team, qualified for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled to take place in September.
