It may very well be safe to say that Bayanda Walaza is redefining South African speed one championship at a time! The Olympic silver medalist recently broke the South African U20 record in the 100m final at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships, clocking in at a remarkable 9.99 seconds.
Pretoria, South Africa (17 March 2025) – Put him on a race track, and he’ll go, guns blazing at the signal of the start! Bayanda Walaza is one of our nation’s up-and-coming athletes whose talent brilliantly shines through on just about any track you put him on, whether within or beyond South Africa’s borders or all the way abroad.
Breaking his latest South African record at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships held last week in Pretoria, Bayanda crossed the finish of the u20 race in the 100m final in a heart-stopping 9.99 seconds!
He beat Gift Leotlela (10.17) and Emile Erasmus (10.26) to take the provincial title. His lightning speed and sheer determination further put him in the books as the ninth South African sprinter to run under 10 seconds and the first junior athlete to achieve the feat!
Bayanda made his mark in the competitive athletics scene during high school, and it has been inspiring to watch this 19-year-old sprinter and Olympic silver medalist grow before our eyes. He has progressively achieved incredible results, broken records, and given his all at every championship he has qualified for.
Now, in his first year of university at the Tshwane University of Technology, he is continuing to excel both academically and on the track. We couldn’t be prouder of his dedication and rapid progress, which are clear signs of a promising future!
Sources: Tshwane University of Technology
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