It will be a whittled-down Team South Africa who take to the track at the World Relays in Botswana this weekend, with several key figures missing from the squad.
The event takes place at Gaborone’s National Stadium from 2-3 May.
Both the SA men’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams have arrived in Botswana’s capital as defending champions, having stormed to victory in impressive fashion at the same event in Guangzhou, China last year. In an unprecedented weekend for the SA side, the women’s 4x400m team also reached the podium, claiming bronze.
But this time around, things could be rather different. The men’s 4x400m team are potentially the least affected by withdrawals, although the man they’re missing is 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who ran the fastest split of all the teams at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
That’s where the team collected bronze behind Botswana and the USA. Van Niekerk sustained an injury at the National Championships in Stellenbosch just a few weeks ago and will not be in Botswana. But the quartet that took gold in the World Relays final last year are all still there – Lythe Pillay, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer and Zakithi Nene.
GOOD SHAPE
All four seem to be in good shape – Nene having run a season’s best of 44.50 seconds recently and Koekemoer setting a new national junior record just a few days ago. They are determined to give hosts Botswana, who are current world champions and Olympic silver medallists, a run for their money on home soil.
“I'm super excited to be back with baton in hand, to be back with the boys again,” said Nene. “We’re definitely out there to defend.
“Our 4x400 is in a really good space. So we're just going to battle out with our neighbouring rivals and put on a show for the world.”
The men’s 4x100m team has been hit far worse, with just Akani Simbine and Bradley Nkoana left of the four who took World Relays gold last year. Bayanda Walaza and Shaun Maswanganyi are both out injured, while the last-minute withdrawal of the in-form Sinesipho Dambile, who just a week ago ran the second fastest time by a South African in the 200m, was said to be for “medical reasons” with no further detail offered.
Cheswill Johnson, Mvuyo Moss, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Tsebo Matsotso are the men who have been brought in, with Johnson showing particularly speedy form, having shifted his focus from the long jump to the track because of an ankle injury.
“I've been trying to get into the relay for the past two years, so I'm happy that I'm finally part of it and now we can showcase what we can do, and I'm glad I can help the team,” said Johnson, who ran a PB of 10.02 seconds on Tuesday.
“I mean, I like pressure. A lot of athletes have their own thing, but I feel like if there's pressure, it brings the best out of you.”
SIMBINE SCARE
There was some concern when Simbine himself pulled up in the final of his own meet – the SuperSport Simbine Classic – on Tuesday night. But the three-time Olympic finalist, who had run a 9.98-second season opener in the heats, has confirmed it was simply cramp and he remains positive ahead of the Gaborone showdown.
“For me it was more of a wise decision to actually not run it and try win, because I know we have World Relays this weekend,” he explained.
“The guys believe that they can do it. You know, we’re going into it as the defending champs… I always say when you go into competition, you need to know your competitors. And with our team and the guys that we have, I know that we can compete against other teams,” added Simbine, whose time on Tuesday saw him dip under 10 seconds for the 12th straight year.
NATIONAL WOMEN’S RECORD
As for the women’s 4x400m squad, they’ll be missing three key figures in anchor-leg runner Zeney Geldenhuys, Miranda Coetzee and Shirley Nekhubui. Fresh from setting a new 300m national record on Tuesday, Marlie Viljoen has stepped into Geldenhuys’s shoes as the women’s team captain and remains upbeat that the team can still produce a good showing in Gaborone.
“I think everyone’s still very motivated. We miss Shirley, Miranda, and Zeney. It would have been great if they were there… But I think the vibes are high,” said Viljoen. “For now, the goal is just to make the final.”
The other SA squads in action will be the women’s 4x100m teams, who didn’t qualify directly for the competition but were handed a late invitation, and the mixed 4x400m team, who will be looking to qualify for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship later this year.
Team South Africa for the World Relays, 2-3 May 2026:
4x100m (Men): Cheswill Johnson, Mvuyo Moss, Retshidisitswe Mlenga, Bradley Nkoana, Akani Simbine, Tsebo Matsoso
4x400m (Men): Zakithi Nene, Lythe Pillay, Udeme Okon, Gardeo Isaacs, Leendert Koekemoer, Bradley Maponyane
4x400m (Women): Tumi Ramokgopa, Marlie Viljoen, Christi Loggenberg, Hannah van Niekerk, Jada van Staden, Isabella Gunter
4x400m Mixed: Mia de Beer, Rogail Joseph, Precious Molepo, Mthi Mthimkhulu, Daniel Briel, Antonie Nortje
4x100m (Women): Viwe Jingqi, Joviale Mbisha, Gabriella Marais, Rume Burger, Kayla la Grange
BROADCAST TIMES (CAT):
Saturday
13:55-17:00 – SS Africa 1 and SS Variety 3
Sunday
13:55-17:00 – SS Africa 1 and SS Variety 3