When the 20th World Athletics Championships get underway at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday, September 13, Team South Africa will be chasing a return to the global podium after an agonizing eight-year wait. Not since the 2017 edition in London has the country won medals at the world’s premier athletics showpiece. That year, Wayde van Niekerk, Caster Semenya, and Luvo Manyonga spearheaded a golden generation, delivering six medals combined.
In 2017, Van Niekerk claimed gold in the 400m and silver in the 200m, Semenya won the 800m and secured bronze in the 1,500m, while Manyonga leapt to gold in the long jump. Ruswahl Samaai added a long jump bronze to complete what remains one of South Africa’s finest performances at a World Championships. Since then, however, the nation has endured a dry spell, failing to reach the podium in subsequent editions.
This year, hope has been rekindled. A 49-member squad carries the weight of expectation, led by the experienced Akani Simbine, who remains one of the world’s premier sprinters. The evergreen 31-year-old grabbed silver in the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finally stepping onto the Olympic podium after years of near-misses. In Tokyo, Simbine once again carries South Africa’s sprinting dreams, and he will be joined by two promising compatriots, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Gift Leokela.
Van Niekerk is also back, though this time he has shifted his focus to the 200m, making way for a new star in the 400m: Zakithi Nene. If there is one athlete who embodies South Africa’s new wave, it is Nene. After surprising many by reaching the Olympic final in Paris last year, the 26-year-old has since proven he belongs among the best. In 2025, he became the world’s fastest over one lap, clocking a breathtaking 43.76 seconds in Nairobi, the fastest time recorded globally this season. With consistent sub-45 performances and strong Diamond League results—including a runner-up finish behind Olympic champion Quincy Hall in Rome—Nene is widely seen as South Africa’s strongest medal hope.
The team suffered a setback when teen sprint sensation Benjamin Walaza, who impressed in Paris, withdrew this week due to an injury. His replacement, however, brings a fascinating storyline. Retshidisitswe Mlenga, once a teenage prodigy, returns to the global stage after serving a four-year ban for doping. At just 25, the Bloemfontein-born sprinter is eager to revive his career. Mlenga won gold at the 2017 World Under-18 Championships before his suspension derailed his progress. Now, with a second chance, he is motivated to make the 100m final and perhaps even push for a medal. His presence alongside Simbine and Leokela gives South Africa depth in the men’s sprint events.
On the women’s side, South Africa’s brightest prospects lie in the middle distance and field events. Prudence Sekgodiso has emerged as a force in the 800m. Earlier this year, she won the World Indoor title, and she enters Tokyo with renewed confidence. The 22-year-old also set a personal best of 1:57.16 in Ostrava to claim victory at the prestigious Golden Spike meet. While her Olympic campaign ended in disappointment after fading in the final, Sekgodiso’s consistency and talent make her a genuine contender for a medal.
In the javelin, Jo-Ane van Dyk is targeting another podium finish after securing silver at the Paris Olympics with a throw of 63.93m. She has remained competitive on the international circuit, producing a season’s best of 62.77m in Oslo, where she placed third behind Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi and Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos. With her proven ability to deliver on the big stage, Van Dyk is among South Africa’s strongest female medal prospects in Tokyo.
As the competition kicks off, South Africa’s mix of seasoned campaigners and fresh talent creates a sense of cautious optimism. The likes of Simbine and Van Niekerk will provide experience, while Nene, Sekgodiso, and Van Dyk could well usher in a new era of success. If the pieces fall into place, Team SA may finally break its medal drought and reignite the golden memories of 2017.
The World Championships conclude on September 21, and South Africa will be hoping that by then, its athletes will have returned to the podium, restoring the nation’s pride on the global athletics stage. All the best, Team SA!
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