South Africa Targets Strong Showing at World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou

Johannesburg, South Africa – 8 May 2025

A 19-member national squad will represent South Africa at the upcoming World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 2025, taking place in China on 10–11 May. The team is entered in four relay events: the men’s 4x100m, men’s and women’s 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m.

The relay championship brings together 730 athletes from 43 nations and serves as an important platform for Olympic qualification and international competition. South Africa’s contingent includes a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, with preparations concluding at a national training camp hosted at the University of Johannesburg from 3–6 May.

Akani Simbine, South Africa’s national 100m record holder and recent World Indoor Championships bronze medallist, will lead the men’s 4x100m team. He will be joined by Olympic silver medallists Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana, as well as national 200m champion Sinesipho Dambile, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Tsebo Matsoso.

The quartet is looking to build on their silver medal performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they narrowly missed out on gold to Canada by 0.07 seconds. Simbine, who is serving as men’s team captain, remains unbeaten over 100m in 2025.

“We’ve trained well and there’s good understanding among the team members,” said Simbine. “The focus is on clean exchanges and consistent execution.”

In the men’s 4x400m event, South Africa’s squad includes Zakithi Nene, Udeme Okon, Lythe Pillay, Gardeo Isaacs, Tumisang Shezi and Mthi Mthimkulu. Nene, Pillay and Isaacs were part of the team that won silver at the World Relays in the Bahamas last year, and the group is aiming for another solid performance in Guangzhou.

On the women’s side, national 400m champion Miranda Coetzee will anchor the women’s 4x400m relay team, alongside Zeney Geldenhuys (team captain), Hannah van Niekerk, Shirley Nekhubui, Precious Molepo and Jada van Staden. Several members of the women’s team will also feature in the mixed 4x400m relay, including Coetzee, Isaacs and Nekhubui, along with Leendert Koekemoer—who recently broke the SA U20 men’s 400m record with a time of 45.03 seconds.

President of Athletics South Africa, James Moloi, expressed optimism ahead of the competition. “The selected athletes have shown promising form this season, and we’re encouraged by the overall depth across all four relay teams,” said Moloi. “We look forward to seeing them perform on the international stage.”

South Africa is expected to face strong competition in the men’s 4x100m, particularly from defending Olympic champions Canada and a USA team led by Kenny Bednarek. Canada brings back all four members of their gold medal team, while the USA enters with notable depth despite the absence of Noah Lyles. Jamaica, Great Britain, Australia, and host nation China are also among the teams to watch.

In total, the athletes competing in Guangzhou have earned 33 medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics and 34 medals from the 2023 World Championships, highlighting the quality of the field.

With a solid blend of experience and rising talent, the South African team will be aiming to deliver consistent performances and build on recent progress at global competitions.