Gift Leotlela and Joviale Mbisha set the track alight on Thursday to win the national 100m titles on the opening day of the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships at NWU McArthur Athletics Stadium in Potchefstroom.
Leotlela dipped on the line to take the men's 100m final in 9.99 seconds, holding off a strong challenge from his Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) teammate Bayanda Walaza, who grabbed the silver medal in 10.00.
Benjamin Richardson secured bronze in 10.05 in the colours of host province Athletics Central North West (ACNW).
WATCH THIS ⚡️
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 24, 2025
Gift Leotlela 9.99 💨
Bayanda Walaza 10.00 🙌
They both qualify for the the World Athletics Championships 🔥#ASASeniorTFChamps pic.twitter.com/K3BoG7z4QI
The champions were delighted with their results after stunning their opponents.
Leotlela was relieved to win his first SA senior title in the short sprint after struggling with injuries in recent years.
"I don't know how to feel at the moment but I'm very happy. I came here to win," said Leotlela, who qualified for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo later this year.
"You have to keep believing, no matter what. I knew if I wanted to continue competing in track and field I had to have that belief that I could get back to the point where I am now."
A memorable comeback for Gift Leotlela as he bags his first ASA Senior Champs title 👑#ASASeniorTFChamps pic.twitter.com/cooC4rZHOP
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 24, 2025
In the women's 100m final, Mbisha rocketed to victory for Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA).
Gabriella Marais took second position in 11.55 ahead of her 17-year-old Athletics Free State (AFS) teammate Rume Burger, who clocked 11.58.
Joviale Mbisha is the 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 in South Africa 🇿🇦⚡
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 24, 2025
She claims the title in a time of 11.48 ⏱️🔥
📺 Stream #ASASeniorTFChamps live: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/Jas7SAh9MQ
"I told myself before the race 'you're the champ, you're the champ'. Everyone can believe in you but you need to believe in yourself, and I believed in myself," Mbisha said.
Long-distance runner Glenrose Xaba (AGN) successfully defended her national title in the women's 5 000m race, winning comfortably in 15:27.95 ahead of her training partner Karabo More (16:10.40).
Xaba added the 5 000m crown to the SA 10 000m title she earned at the Cape Milers Club ASA Grand Prix meeting held in Cape Town earlier this month.
"I'm glad I was able to defend my title. I'm a person who always focuses on staying consistent when it comes to national championships and everything in my career," Xaba said.
"I'm a bit disappointed about the time I ran, but I can't complain because it's a good time inland, and I'm looking forward to the overseas track season."
In the men's shot put, Aiden Smith (AGN) won his first national senior title, producing a best throw of 20.31m to beat former Olympic finalist Kyle Blignaut (CGA) who landed the shot at 20.07m.
"It feels amazing. I've won the national junior championships a few times but at the senior championships it's just a different feeling with the big guys, so to get this title is an absolute privilege," said 20-year-old Smith.
VAN WYK EARNS GOLD
In other finals, Valco van Wyk (ACNW) earned gold in the men's pole vault after clearing the bar at 5.40m, Douw Smit (ACNW) won the men's javelin throw with a 79.71m effort and Colette Uys (AGN) triumphed in the women's discus throw with a 57.94m attempt.
Alicia Khunou (AGN), who finished second in the women's discus throw, set a South African U20 record of 55.06m.
The mixed 4x400m relay was won by the ACNW team - Dean Muller, Jessica van Heerden, Juan du Plessis and Carla Hattingh - in 3:33.36.
With two days of competition remaining, AGN were leading the overall standings with a total of 11 medals (four gold, four silver and three bronze).
ACNW were lying second with seven medals (four gold, one silver and two bronze) and CGA were in third position with three medals (one gold and two silver).