South Africa’s success at major championships in the 4x100m has suffered cruel luck in recent years. In 2022, they were disqualified after winning gold in the World Relays in Brazil after Thando Dlodlo tested positive for testosterone and, in the heats of the event at the Tokyo Olympics, they dropped the baton and failed to finish.
On Day 7 of the World Athletics championships in Budapest, Team South Africa, who were legitimate medal hopefuls, suffered cruel luck again when the second changeover between Benji Richardson and Clarence Munyai went wrong and they failed to connect with the baton falling to the ground. The USA won gold in 37.38 seconds, anchored by double world champion Noah Lyles.
“It’s not nice and it’s my mistake I guess,” said Munyai. “I missed the baton. But I guess it happens in sport and you have to find a way to bounce back. We can change it if we are able to train more together. But, for now, we need to take it on the chin.”
I really believe we could have won this tonight or at least given the US a run for their money. That’s what aches me.
Munyai’s sentiments were echoed by team leader and SA record holder, Akaini Simbine, who was supposed to have run the final anchor leg. Simbine lamented the lack of support the team gets from South Africa’s national athletics federation, Athletics South Africa.
“I really believe we could have won this tonight or at least given the US a run for their money. That’s what aches me. “But we don’t really have enough time together,” a clearly disappointed Simbine said.
“There was talk that the federation was going to organise camps but they just say yeah, yeah, yeah and nothing really happens. It’s all talk. I’m not one to talk but I think it’s important for SA to know that the federation does not help us. They expect us to be at our best but we don’t have camps. That’s the only way we can actually get this thing right.”
US-based Shaun Maswanganyi, who is used to a strong relay culture competing in the collegiate system, said that the team only had a couple of days to practice after the individual events in Budapest.
“Relays are quite technical and a little mishap means disaster,” said Maswanganyi. “But the more you prepare, the more confidence you have in each other. When we are preparing for relays in the US we practice every week. But when we are running here at the world champs we only have a couple of days to practice.”
South Africa has a remarkable record in the 4x100m at world-class level. In 2001, they won silver and were eventually upgraded to gold when American Tim Montgomery was stripped of his medal after a doping offence.
In 2022, the SA team surprised many when they won the gold at the World Relays in Brazil, before Dlodlo positive dope test.