Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – July 24, 2025
South Africa’s Mixed 4x400m Relay team continued the nation’s growing legacy in relay events, capturing a hard-fought silver medal at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany. The performance adds to South Africa’s impressive recent history in international relays, including several medals at the Senior World Relay Championships and the Olympic Games.
The quartet of Mthi Mthimkulu, Precious Molepo, Marlie Viljoen, and Wernich van Rensburg comfortably advanced through the heats, clocking a season’s best of 3:19.74—finishing ahead of Hungary (3:19.84) to top their heat and enter the final as one of the podium favourites.
In the final, the team made a strategic substitution, bringing in men’s 400m gold medallist Lythe Pillay to replace Van Rensburg, while Mthimkulu, Molepo, and Viljoen retained their positions.
South Africa started strongly, with Mthimkulu and Molepo setting the pace in the opening legs. Poland remained close behind, pushing the South Africans throughout. However, a crucial moment came during the second baton exchange, where a fumbled first attempt delayed the handover for Team South Africa and gave Poland the opportunity to surge ahead.
Despite determined efforts from Pillay and a powerful anchor leg by Viljoen, South Africa couldn’t recover the lost ground. Poland held firm to secure the gold, while South Africa crossed the line in second to claim silver. The United States rounded out the podium with bronze.
Speaking after the race, the South African team expressed mixed emotions—satisfied with the silver, yet candid about their disappointment. “We really felt we had the potential to win gold,” said Pillay and Mthimkulu. “But we’re proud of how we held it together and still came away with a medal at this level of competition.”
The silver medal contributed to an exceptional evening for Team South Africa on the track and field. Later that night, Aiden Smith delivered a commanding performance to win gold in the men’s shot put final, while Bayanda Walaza added to his growing legend by securing his second gold of the Games in the men’s 200m final. Mondray Barnard capped off the night with a bronze in the men’s 110m hurdles.
For More South African Sport News: Sport South Africa Home Page
For More South African World University Games News:
Mondray Barnard Secures Bronze in Thrilling 110m Hurdles Final at World University Games
Walaza Completes Sprint Double with 200m Gold at World University Games
Aiden Smith Claims Dramatic Gold in Men’s Shot Put at World University Games
