Sprinters Gift Leotlela and Akani Simbine managed to soften the disappointment from a poor start at the tournament opening by reaching the final of the men's 100-meter race at the debut World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Leotlela finished sixth in the 100-meter distance, overcoming the 10-second barrier with a time of 9.98 seconds. Simbine took eighth place, running 10.09 seconds, in the competition featuring world-class athletes.
These performances helped change the team's standing after a difficult first day in Hungary. On that day, Zakithi Nene finished seventh in the 400-meter semi-final (45.30), Prudence Sekgodiso took sixth place in the 800-meter race (1:59.66), and Marioné Fourie won sixth place in the 100-meter hurdles semi-final (12.84).
Leotlela and Simbine secured spots in the prestigious 100-meter race by taking the last automatic qualification spots in their respective semi-finals. Leotlela demonstrated a powerful start, finishing fourth in the first semi-final with a time of 10.03 seconds, while Simbine utilized his usual composure in major races to finish fourth in the second semi-final with a time of 10.05 seconds.
In the final, where the South Africans competed against world elite, Kenny Bednarek from the United States won with a time of 9.85 seconds, setting the best season result, ahead of Oblique Seville from Jamaica (9.90).
Although Leotlela and Simbine restored South Africa's competitive position, the country's hopes are now focused on Sinesipho Dambile. The 200-meter star will compete in the final session on Sunday as the most outstanding and best-prepared athlete for the SA team, after winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal and a brilliant second place in the Diamond League final.
Dambile will run the 200-meter semi-final on Sunday at 18:18, aiming to secure a spot in the late evening semi-final at 20:38, where favorites will include Bednarek and Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo from Botswana.