HISTORY: SA awesome foursomes become first Africans to win gold at world relay champs

SOUTH Africa’s men’s relay teams delivered a landmark performance at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, clinching gold in both the 4x100m and 4x400m events and becoming the first African nation to win the men’s 4x100m at the championship.

The South African quartet of Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine stormed to victory in the men’s 4x100m final, clocking a world-leading 37.61 seconds. Simbine anchored the team, overtaking the United States’ Brandon Hicklin in the final stretch to secure the win. Team USA finished a close second in 37.66 seconds, while Canada, led by Olympic champion Andre de Grasse, claimed bronze in 38.11 seconds.

This triumph marks a significant redemption for South Africa, who were stripped of their 2021 World Relays gold due to a doping violation. The current lineup, featuring three members from the Paris 2024 Olympic silver-medal squad, delivered a flawless performance to rewrite history.

4x100m Final Results:

Position	Team (Athletes)	Time
1	South Africa (Walaza, Dambile, Nkoana, Simbine)	37.61 (WL)
2	United States (Lindsey, Bednarek, King, Hicklin)	37.66 (SB)
3	Canada (Brown, Blake, Rodney, De Grasse)	38.11
4	Japan	38.17
5	Italy	38.20
6	Germany	38.92
DNF	Poland, Great Britain	–

4x400m: South Africa Tops the Podium Again

South Africa continued their dominance in the men’s 4x400m, with 17-year-old Leendert Koekemoer giving the team a crucial lead before handing off to Zakithi Nene, who powered through the final leg. The team finished in a world-leading 2:57.50, ahead of Belgium (2:58.19) and Botswana (2:58.27), the defending champions.

4x400m Final Results:

Position	Team	Time
1	South Africa	2:57.50 (WL)
2	Belgium	2:58.19
3	Botswana	2:58.27

Botswana, another African powerhouse and the defending champions, secured the bronze, ensuring two African nations stood on the podium in this event.

African Teams’ Performance

• South Africa: Gold in both men’s 4x100m and 4x400m; women’s 4x400m team set a national record and finished third in the final (3:24.84).
  
• Botswana: Bronze in men’s 4x400m, maintaining their status as a continental sprint force.
  
• Kenya: Third in the mixed 4x400m relay, highlighting continued strength in middle-distance events.
  

South Africa’s double gold marks a breakthrough for African sprinting on the world stage. The United States, traditionally dominant in relays, were relegated to silver in the 4x100m and missed the podium in the men’s 4x400m. Canada and Belgium also featured prominently, while Botswana’s consistency in the 4x400m cements their place among the world’s best.

“The Olympic silver medallists from Paris 2024 delivered on their promise, with stalwart Simbine safely taking the baton across the finish line to add more bling to the team’s trophy case.”

South Africa’s performance in Guangzhou sets the tone for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with both men’s relay teams now established as gold-medal contenders.