Team South Africa is optimistic about their medal chances ahead of the World Athletics Relays Championships in China this weekend. Athletics South Africa has selected 19 athletes to fly the flag in Guangzhou.
Athletics South Africa held a training camp in Johannesburg this week, where the country’s top sprinters were put through their paces ahead of the world relay championships on Saturday and Sunday.
Much of their focus has been on strategic positioning and the baton exchange, which is crucial in relay races.
Men’s 400 metres specialist and stand-in captain Zakithi Nene is quietly confident about their prospects.
SA’s 400m champion Zakithi Nene says, “We have a nice blend of youth and experience i am 27 and literally i am the senior in the team thats a bit weird for me but you know the guys just the way they are preparing coming there with a whole lot of professionalism we are goin out there to challenge for that podium finish and to make that safe passage to the world champs so we just want to qualify all teams and the team that we have the team that we have assembled is the best team we have in south africa and they will deliver for sure.”
The South Africans will compete in four events this year — the men’s 4×100 metres, the men’s and women’s 4×400 metres and the mixed 4x400m.
It is the first time a full women’s relay team will compete, and Zeney Geldenhuys says that she and her charges are looking to leave it all on the track for team and country this weekend.
Women’s captain Zeney Geldenhuys says, “We are taking six girls this year to the relays and last year it was only three our goal for the four by four women this year is to defintely go and make the final and then when we are in that automatic top eight we will give it all leave our hearts on the track and go for a medal i think this year we can actually do great stuff because all of us are o the same level we are here as a team we support each other and we want to run for eachother and we want to run for South Africa.”
The top performers in this week’s competition will reserve their relay places at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in mid-September.
The 25-member squad will travel to China on Wednesday afternoon.
