Athletics South Africa has announced an eight-member national team mixed with youth and experience for the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships to be held from 20-22 March in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland.
The SA squad includes seven men and one woman, with the country being represented in three track events and two field events. On the track, the team features 19-year-old US-based sprinter Karabo Letebele who lines up in the men's 60m sprint.
Letebele set an indoor personal best of 6.53 seconds in Texas last month, equalling the second quickest short track time by a South African, with only national record holder Morne Nagel (6.48 in 2002) having gone quicker.
In-form middle-distance runner Luan Munnik goes in the men's 3 000m event after he too set a personal best of 7:38.35 in Lievin last month, finishing less than two seconds behind Tshepo Tshite, who completed the race just ahead of him in 7:36.90 to break the South African short track record over 15 laps.
Hurdlers Franco le Roux, who set an impressive career best of 7.60 in France in February, and World University Games bronze medallist Mondray Barnard (who has run 7.66 this season), will turn out in the men's 60m race over the barriers.
In field events, the SA squad is led by experienced long jumper Luvo Manyonga, who earned the silver medal at the 2018 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham. Manyonga will be joined by 19-year-old long jump prospect Temoso Masikane, with both athletes having leaped 8.11 metres this season.
World University Games champion Aiden Smith will compete in the men's shot put, as he looks to build on his form after throwing beyond 20.30m three times this year. The only woman in the team, national record holder and African Championships silver medallist Miné de Klerk, will also turn out in the shot put discipline. She has been superb this season, setting a new SA mark of 18.48m at a US collegiate meeting in Indiana last month.
FINAL TEAM:
Karabo Letebele (men) 60m, Luan Munnik (men) 3000m, Franco le Roux (men) 60m, Mondray Barnard (men) 60mH, Luvo Manyonga (men) Long Jump, Temoso Masikane (men) long jump, Aiden Smith (men) shot put, Mine de Klerk (women) shot put.