South Africa’s sprinting sensation, Bayanda Walaza, reflects on humble beginnings and how close he was to giving up on his dream.
Pretoria, South Africa (24 July 2025) – With all the great accolades that are under his name right now, an Olympian, fastest teenager, gold medalist and more. It is hard to believe that Bayanda Walaza came close to giving up on his dream.
“I truly felt afraid of losing my future,” the 19-year-old sprinter says, remembering a moment that made his goals feel out of reach. He had overheard a conversation about the cost of attending a top school that could support his athletic talent, and suddenly, the gap between where he was and where he wanted to be seemed impossibly wide.
Despite his determination and ambition, the odds seemed stacked against him.
“I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn’t quite know how to reach them. Mentally, I was determined, but sometimes it felt like the odds were stacked against me.”
His turning point came when the Ruta Sechaba Foundation awarded him a scholarship to complete matric at Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria in 2024. The opportunity provided more than just an education; it sparked the beginning of a remarkable rise in his sprinting career.
Under the guidance of coach Thabo Matebedi, Bayanda’s performance quickly improved. He began clocking faster times and went on to win both the 100m and 200m events at the South African Under-20 Championships.
Soon after, he represented South Africa in the 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics, earning a silver medal. Not a lot of South African school kids can say they represented South Africa in the Olympics.
In May, he clocked a personal best of 9.94 seconds in the 100m, a time just shy of Akani Simbine’s national record. Recently, he stormed to victory in the 100m at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany, officially becoming the fastest university athlete on the planet.
Looking back, Walaza reflects on the barriers he faced growing up in Katlehong.
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He once saw quality education as something reserved for others.
“It felt out of reach, like it belonged to a different world.” But that changed. “I’ll never forget that day. I was in total shock. I just felt this wave of gratitude.”
Bayanda is one of 3,000 young people awarded by The Ruta Sechaba Foundation. Now a Supply Chain Management student at Tshwane University of Technology, he wants others to believe in their potential too.
“The scholarship gave me confidence. I went from surviving to dreaming big.”
His message to donors is simple:
“I’d say, ‘I am the difference your contribution made.’ Even the smallest act of giving can change the entire direction of a young person’s life. I nearly didn’t make it, but I was given a chance, and I ran with it literally and figuratively.”
To support Bayanda’s cause, donate to the Ruta Sechaba Foundation at https://rutasechaba.org/donate.
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