Sputh Africa has started fine-tuning preparations for the World Athletics Relays to be held in Gaborone, Botswana between 2-3 May.
Aiming to shine again after earning three medals (two gold and one bronze) at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, most members of the 32-member Athletics South Africa (ASA) preparation squad attended a successful relay camp at the University of Johannesburg Athletics Stadium on Saturday 7 March 2026.
ASA High Performance Manager, Hezekiel Sepeng, said the camp was crucial as they gear up for the global relay championship. "These training camps are not only about training. They are also about team building and the athletes also need to understand each other," Sepeng said.
"Eating lunch together and talking, being able to create strategies themselves while they're sitting here together, and working out what they want. and sharing their goals so they can combine them into one goal, is very important. Spending time together on the track is particularly for the athletes in the 4x100m relay teams.
"The 4x100m event is more technical than the 4x400m and if you are going to win gold you need to be perfect on the day," he said. "You'll get it wrong at first, but you try again and again until you get it right, and you can only do that by practicing at these training camps."
With the athletes working together under newly appointed national relay coaches Werner Prinsloo and Irma Reyneke
Sepeng, said this first relay camp of the year will not be the last, as they needed to ensure the squad was ready for the World Athletics Relays.
"We will have a second camp leading up to World Relays. It will be after the ASA Senior Championships (to be held in Stellenbosch between 16-18 April) and athletes will be in shape," Sepeng said. "We will have also cut down our squad to a smaller team and the athletes will be ready then to do the final touch-ups.
"And we will probably have preparation races at the Simbine Classic (a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting to be held in Tshwane on 28 April) before we depart for Gaborone on 29 April."
SQUADS:
MEN
4x100m: Shaun Maswanganyi, Gift Leotlela, Akani Simbine, Sinesipho Dambile, Bayanda Walaza, Karabo Letebele, Bradley Nkoana, Tsebo Matsoso, Retshidisitswe Mlenga, Abduraghmaan Karriem 4x400m: Wayde van Niekerk, Lythe Pillay, Zakithi Nene, Gardeo Isaacs, Leendert Koekemoer, Udeme Okon, Tumisang Shezi, Mthi Mthimkulu, Antonie Matthys Nortje
WOMEN
4x100m: Hannah Hope Vermaak, Joviale Mbisha, Gabriella Marais, Chardone Smidt, Leonette Vosloo, Viwe Jingqi
4x400m: Shirley Nekhubui, Zeney van der Walt, Hannah van Niekerk, Miranda Coetzee, Marlie Viljoen, Tamzin Thomas, Precious Molepo.