Bayanda Walaza Becomes 9th South African to Run 100m in Under 10 Seconds

• Bayanda Walaza continues to make waves on the race track after making South Africa proud by winning an Olympic medal
• The teenager is a 100m and 200m champion who was a part of the 4x100m relay team which made waves at the Paris Olympics
• Bayanda Walaza recently soared with more big achievements in the athletics scene of South Africa

Bayanda Walaza has another reason to celebrate as his career blossoms. The 19-year-old athlete was part of the relay team that brought South Africa an Olympic silver medal in 2024.

Curro matriculant Bayanda Walaza has made more strides solidifying his skill at running. The young Olympian achieved a massive feat with his latest running time for a 100 m dash.

Bayanda Walaza slays 100m race

Olympian Bayanda took part in the Gauteng North Championships at Pilditch Stadium on 15 March 2025. The 19-year-old ran 100m in 9.99 seconds, which won him the provincial title. Bayanda's main competition was Gift Leotlela who ran 10.17s and Emile Erasmus who ran 10.26s.

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Bayanda Walaza makes history

Bayanda's latest success in the Gauteng North Championships makes him the seventh under 20 athlete to run 100 m in less than 10 seconds. He joins the ranks of Letsile Tebogo, who ran 9.91 seconds and received praise from South Africans for his Paris Olympics performance.

The world record for the fastest 100 m time for men is held by Usain Bolt. The Jamaican athlete holds the fastest 100m time of 9.58 seconds. Usain Bolt achieved the feat at the Berlin 2009 World Championship and only Trayvon Bromell and Fred Kerley have come close to beating it with times of 9.76s.

TUT secures Bayanda Walaza

Bayanda's university decision was highly anticipated, with many universities showing interest in him, including the University of Pretoria. The matriculant chose Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and he explained that TUT felt like a community and he wants to be in an environment that values academic and athletic excellence. He felt that TUT valued him and would support him at every turn. He explained why he chose TUT over UP:

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“I felt like it was different from UP because at UP, it was like, they told me that you need to do this and this. TUT showed that they truly wanted me to be there and they are doing by all means to make sure that I get everything that I need.”

SA proud as Walaza bags 2nd gold after Curro funds mom

Briefly News previously reported Bayanda Walaza keeps making South Africa proud. The young athlete made his mark in the 200m event.

The Curro Hazeldean student was a star at the Olympics where he won silver. The matriculant's latest achievements were nothing short of legendary.

Bayanda won his second gold medal in the Under 20 World Athletics championships. He came first in the 200m race to secure a back-to-back win since he also won the 100m sprint.

Source: Briefly News