Bayanda Walaza breaks SA Under-20 record with 9.99s at Gauteng North Championships

Teenager Bayanda Walaza stormed to victory in an SA Under-20 record as he clocked 9.99 seconds in the Gauteng North Provincial Championships on Saturday.

The 19-year-old became the ninth SA sprinter to dip below the 10-second mark and improved the previous Under-20 record of 10.03 held by Bradley Nkoana.

Walaza was part of the men’s 4x100m relay team at the Paris Olympics last year alongside Akani Simbine, Shaun Maswanganyi, and Nkoana.

It was a stunning race, in which Team SA finished second behind Canada while the much-fancied USA outfit fumbled a changeover before being disqualified.

Walaza Triumphs at World Athletics Under-20 Championships

After the Olympics, Walaza would go on to win the 100m and 200m titles at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima.

When Walaza returned to South Africa after the Olympics, he received a hero’s welcome at his high school, Curro Hazeldean.

In an emotional ceremony with his mother at his side, Walaza was presented with the silver medal before the school sang the national anthem to cap the celebration.

Tholiwe Walaza later revealed in an interview with IOL Sport that her son had to overcome his father’s tragic death by gunshot at the age of 10.

“He lost his father in a violent fight when his dad got shot. He experienced all that. After that, it was tough. As a mother, I had to do something,” said Tholiwe Walaza.

“I went for counselling and for social workers to help. It’s something that was so bad. After we buried his father, he was going for counselling. If he saw something violent after that where we’re staying, if there’s something that triggered that, he would be going back.

“God, counselling, and our family as a strong support system help to recover.”

@Michael_Sherman

IOL Sport