South Africa’s Relay Teams Secure Medals and R1.69 Million in World Relays

South Africa’s relay teams delivered one of their greatest collective performances in history on Sunday at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The country clinched two gold medals and one bronze. Three national records were smashed, and all four teams qualified for the World Championships in Tokyo.

The men’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams stormed to gold. Meanwhile, the women’s 4x400m team bagged bronze in a performance that left Athletics South Africa president James Moloi calling it nothing short of “ecstatic”.

Simbine and Co Set the Track Alight

In the men’s 4x100m final, the team of Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine clocked a world-leading 37.61 seconds to secure gold. They finished ahead of the USA (37.66) and Canada. Walaza, the U20 world sprint double champion, started strong. Dambile and Nkoana maintained the momentum before Simbine unleashed his trademark bend surge to pass the Americans at the line.

The time was just 0.04 seconds shy of the South African record (37.57), set during last year’s Olympic silver-medal run.

4x400m Kings Break National Record

Moments later, the men’s 4x400m team of Gardeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer and Zakithi Nene delivered another golden run. They finished in 2:57.50 — a new national record. They beat Olympic finalists Belgium (2:58.19) to the title, slashing over half a second off the previous record.

Their performance confirmed the nation’s growing strength in quarter-mile events. This was led by the consistent Zakithi Nene, who also featured in the record-setting Olympic team in Paris.

Women’s 4x400m Team Steps Up with Bronze and Record

In the women’s 4x400m final, the team of Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Molepo and Zeney Geldenhuys ran 3:24.84, winning bronze behind Spain and the USA. Their time shattered the previous SA record (3:28.01) set just one day earlier in the heats. The consistent improvement over back-to-back days highlighted the team’s resilience and growth.

Mixed Relay Team Holds Their Own

South Africa’s mixed 4x400m team of Hannah van Niekerk, Mthi Mthimkulu, Jada van Staden and Tumisang Shezi finished fifth in 3:16.29— a commendable effort that helped secure qualification for Tokyo.

South Africa’s Relay Teams: Prize Money Breakdown

Each of the men’s gold medal-winning teams earned US$40,000 (~R750,000) to be split among the athletes and coaching staff. Here’s the full prize structure per team per event:

World Relays Prize Money (Per Team)

• 🥇 1st Place – US$40,000 (≈ R750,000)
• 🥈 2nd Place – US$20,000 (≈ R375,000)
• 🥉 3rd Place – US$10,000 (≈ R187,500)
• 4th Place – US$8,000 (≈ R150,000)
• 5th Place – US$6,000 (≈ R112,000)
• 6th Place – US$4,000 (≈ R75,000)
• 7th Place – US$3,000 (≈ R56,000)
• 8th Place – US$2,000 (≈ R37,000)

Tokyo Tickets Secured

With all four South African relay teams reaching the finals and finishing in the top 8, they’ve now automatically qualified for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. This marks a major milestone for the country’s relay programme. It signals readiness to compete for podium finishes on the world’s biggest stage.

ASA Celebrates Team Triumph

“We are beside ourselves with joy,” said ASA President James Moloi. “We entered four events and succeeded in three. These athletes and coaches have delivered beyond expectations.”

The full team is expected to return home on Tuesday, where they’ll be greeted as national heroes. With two golds, a bronze, and three records under their belt, the road to Tokyo couldn’t look brighter.

Also read: Simbine and Sekgodiso’s Big Cash Wins at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships