Athletic evolution will soon eclipse South Africa’s sprint revolution

Distance runner Adriaan Wildschutt leads a new breed of athletics stars at the national championships this week, many of them possessing the potential to share the spotlight with the traditional kings of sprint.

Natural evolution is on the verge of matching the sprint revolution, which kicked off more than a decade ago, for excitement and class. 

US-based Wildschutt is down to race the men’s 5,000m, which is one of the most anticipated events of the Olympic trials in Pietermaritzburg from Thursday to Sunday.

Wildschutt faces off against Maxime Chaumeton and Precious Mashele, plus 1,500m stars Ryan Mphahlele and Tshepo Tshite.

Among the women, 800m prospect Prudence Sekgodiso will compete in the 1,500m, where she is looking to improve on her 4min 09.88sec personal best, and in the 5,000m.

She has previously stated she’d like to break Caster Semenya’s 3:59.92 national mark for the 1,500m, though she admitted it would probably have to happen in a fast race abroad.

There will also be keen attention on the women’s hurdles races, where Taylon Bieldt will compete in 100m and 400m.

She faces Marioné Fourie, owner of the 12.55 South African record, in the short race and takes on 400m hurdles queen Zeney Geldenhuys in the one-lap race.

Long-jumper Jovan van Vuuren will be out to show his 8.30m leap from earlier this season wasn’t a one-off.

Wayde van Niekerk and Akani Simbine have been making the podium at nationals for 10 years — 11 in Van Niekerk’s case — and been at the forefront of the country’s so-called sprint revolution in which Anaso Jobodwana also played a key role.

But Van Niekerk and Simbine are no longer the sole attractions.

Still, Simbine is likely to clean up in the 100m while Van Niekerk should pack too much punch in the 200m, though he could face stiff competition from 2022 title-holder Sinesipho Dambile.

At the 2023 championships in Potchefstroom Van Niekerk, the 2016 Olympic 400m champion, clocked what was then his fastest one-lapper since injuring his right knee in 2017, a 44.17.

This time he’ll be looking to improve on his 200m post-injury best, a 20.38, to show he’s ready to return to the podium in Paris.

With South Africa fielding men’s and mixed 4x400m teams at next month’s World Relays in Bahamas, where Olympic spots are on the line, the men’s 400m will be critical for Zakithi Nene, Lythe Pillay, Thapelo Phora, Soks Zazini and Gardeo Isaacs.

The 100m and 200m sprinters will also be vying for positions in the men's 4x100m outfit, which will also be in action in the Caribbean.  

Viwe Jingqi is gunning for her first national senior title, having recovered from the after effects of an appendix operation last year.

In the throws, Kyle Blignaut, a finalist at Tokyo 2020, will be looking to recapture his form in the shot put. Jo-Ané van Dyk, the country’s only field finalist at last year’s world championships in Budapest, is aiming to get closer to the 64m mark she needs for automatic qualification to the Paris Olympics.

Van Niekerk and Simbine may be the most recognisable names, but there’s a clutch of athletes on their way to establishing themselves on the international circuit. 

South Africa, which last won track-and-field medals at a major meet in 2017, is not short of talent.