Benji Richardson: South Africa Set to Lose Top Athlete to European Nation Ahead World Championships
- South Africa are on the verge of losing one of their top athlete to a European nation, with the World Championships and the Olympic Games being around the corner
- The athlete's agent confirmed that the process has begun since his client last competed for South Africa at the Olympic Games in Paris
- The process is not more complicated than the sprinter won't be allowed to switch back to representing South Africa if the process is complete
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South Africa is reportedly set to lose one of their top athletes to a European nation ahead of the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Source: Getty Images
Promising South African sprinter Benjamin Richardson has set his sights on competing for Ireland in future competitions, after initially representing Mzansi at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
At the Olympic Games in Paris, Richardson pulled his hamstring during the 200m heats, which made him withdraw from the race and also miss out on the 4X100m relay, in which SA finished second.
Born in Ireland but raised in South Africa, Richardson holds dual citizenship and an Irish passport.
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According to Jelle Broekhuisen, Richardson's agent, he claimed that the Irish Athletics Federation has formally applied to the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel on his behalf. The 21-year-old sprinter is now awaiting the panel’s decision regarding his eligibility.
Richardson close to switching countries
Broekhuisen explained that the waiting period differs depending on the circumstances, but expressed optimism that it would not exceed three years.
The waiting period officially began when Richardson last competed for South Africa at the Olympic Games in Paris in August 2024.
“This means he could be eligible to represent Ireland at the World Championships in September 2027,” Broekhuisen confirmed.
South Africa would be losing one of their top talented sprinters if this process is completed. The young athlete won three medals for Mzansi across two editions of the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2021 and 2022.
In 2024, alongside reaching the semi-final of the 100m race at the Olympic Games, Richardson clinched the national senior 200m title before earning a bronze medal at the African Athletics Championships in Cameroon.
He boasts a personal best of 9.86 seconds in the 100m, achieved in Switzerland in July 2024, the second-fastest time ever recorded by a South African, behind national record holder Akani Simbine’s 9.82 seconds.
Source: Getty Images
In the 200m race, he has a best of 19.99 seconds, and he also joins an elite group of South African sprinters, alongside Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk, and Shaun Maswanganyi, to have broken both the 10-second barrier in the 100m and the 20-second mark in the 200m.
Richardson's decision to switch allegiance means he won't get the chance to represent SA anymore if the process is completed, as World Athletics only allows athletes to switch countries once in their careers.
How much relay team earn in Tokyo
Briefly News earlier reported on the amount the South African 4x400m relay team earned after finishing third in the finals of their event on Sunday, September 21, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan.
The relay team consist of veteran, Wayde Van Niekerk alongside Lythe Pillay, Leendert Koekemoer, Udeme Okon, Gardeo Isaacs and Zakithi Nene.
Source: Briefly News
