WeeklySA_AdminHIGH-STAKES QUALIFIER: Olympic legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Andre de Grasse & Wayde van Niekerk hoping to make a statement
By Sports Reporter
The heat is on.The world’s best sprinters gather in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China this weekend (10+11 May) for the World Athletics Relays.
Olympic champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Wayde van Niekerk are among 730 athletes from 43 countries that will be in action at the high-stakes qualifier for the 2025 World Athletics Championships and next year’s World Relays in Paris.
The field is absolutely stacked.
All four members of Canada’s 4x100m gold medal winning squad from Paris 2024, led by Andre de Grasse, will be in Guangzhou.
It will also be exciting to watch the defending 4x100m champion Team USA featuring Kenny Bednarek, who has maintained a perfect record in the Grand Slam Track, and fellow world medallist Erriyon Knighton.
The mixed 4x100m relay will make its global debut in Guangzhou. Read on to find out everything you need to know as the People’s Republic of China are hosting the event for the first time after previous editions in the Bahamas, Japan and Poland.
According to World Athletics, the top 14 teams in each of the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m will secure spots at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
On the first day (10 May), the top two teams in each of the four heats will advance to the final on day two, while also securing their qualification for this year’s World Athletics Championships.
The remaining teams will compete on the second day in round two, that was introduced at last year’s World Relays in the Bahamas as repechage. The top two teams in each of the three heats will secure their qualification for the worlds.
Athletes to watch at World Athletics Guangzhou 25 Olympic track star de Grasse, who led Canada to a stunning Olympic 4x100m gold at Paris 2024, is hoping to add his nation’s first World Relays title to his CV.
After finishing second behind the USA last year, Canada’s most decorated Olympian with seven medals will lead teammates Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney in China.
South Africa, who won a historic silver in the Olympic 4x100m relay, have called up three members of that team: Akani Simbine as well as their rising stars Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana.
Simbine and Gift Leotlela featured in the South African team that won gold at the 2021 World Relays but they were later stripped of their medal when Thando Dlodlo tested positive for a banned substance.
Great Britain will count on 60m world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu and Olympian Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.
The Italians are hopeful that their Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Lorenzo Patta and Filippo Tortu will deliver alongside European relay champion Roberto Rigali.
Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson returns to the Jamaican team which also features fellow Olympians Ackeem Blake and Yohan Blake.
As per the event entry list, Jamaica’s sprint legend Fraser-Pryce has been included in the non-Olympic event, the mixed 4x100m relay, while Jackson will lead the hunt for the World Championships ticket in the 4x100m.
Australia’s speed star duo of Lachlan Kennedy and Torrie Lewis will look to continue their fine forms with solid performances in the men and women’s shorter relays.
Nigeria have world 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan and world triple world U20 medallist Favour Ofili doing duty in the 4x100m. World U20 200m champion Udodi Onwuzurike leads their men’s shorter relay team.
African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala will be spearheading Kenya’s charge with 800m world champion Mary Moraa also looking for some relay glory.
4x400m men’s podium finishers, South Africa, will have their Olympic ace van Niekerk in action. The team is likely to field the same athletes who took silver in the Bahamas last year behind Botswana. Their fellow Southern Africans led by Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo have withdrawn from the event.
SPORTS Briefs
NO PEACE FOR KAGISO
Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada may be allowed to resume his cricketing duties for now, but could yet face a harsher sanction than the one month suspension that was imposed on him after testing positive for a “substance of abuse”.
On Monday, the South African Institute for Drug-free Sport issued a statement announcing the lifting of the ban after the pacer satisfactorily completed two sessions of a substance abuse treatment programme.
However, the organisation’s CEO Khalid Galant has now told SABC Sport that there is a 30-day period provisioned for any appeals to the sanction that has been handed down, effectively meaning Rabada may yet find himself being iced out for more than just a month.
“The case is considered closed, however, there is a 30-day period for appeals. The people who have the right to appeal would be the International Cricket Council and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
If they choose to exercise the right to appeal the sanction or decision that SAIDS handed down, they will have 30 days from when it was rendered”, revealed Galant.
Saids and the World Anti-Doping Agency define substances of abuse as those “frequently abused in society outside of the context of sport”.
RONALDO JNR IN THE AREA
Cristiano’s Ronaldo’s eldest son has been called up to the Portugal Under-15s squad for the first time.
The 14-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia with his father, who signed for the Pro League club in December 2022.
Ronaldo Jr’s youth career has played out in tandem with his father’s journey around the world – featuring in the academies of Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and Al-Nassr. The ex-Manchester United forward has four other children – twins Eva and Mateo, 7, Alana Martina, 7, and Bella, 3.
Portugal great Ronaldo, 40, posted a picture on social media of his son’s name on the national team squad list along with the message, “Proud of you, son”.
RUSSIA AT 2026 USA FIFA WORLD CUP?
US President Donald Trump says the opportunity for Russia to play at the 2026 World Cup could be an “incentive” to end the war in Ukraine.
The Russian national football team has been banned from international competition by Fifa and Uefa since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine on “day one” of office if he was elected for a second time in November 2024.
Under current rules, Russia will not play at the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. Speaking at the first meeting of his administration’s 2026 World Cup taskforce, Trump said reinstating Russia for the tournament could end the war in Ukraine.
Sitting next to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Trump was unaware that Russia were banned from the tournament. “I didn’t know that. Is that right?” Trump asked.
“That is right,” said Infantino. Qualification began in September 2023, with 45 spots available in addition to the three host nations.
WANTED: BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP
Turki Alalshikh stunned boxing fans with his comment about black boxers during a podcast appearance ahead of last Friday’s Times Square event.
The Saudi chief was asked about the state of boxing to which he replied by saying the sport would be in a different place if there was a black world heavyweight champion boxer.
Alalshikh added: “Now, I don’t usually talk about religion or skin color, but if we’re going to talk honestly – I think boxing would be in a very different place today if we had a black heavyweight champion.
“Look at the 60s and 70s – it was the era of Muhammad Ali. There were three or four heavyweight legends at the same time.
“Right now, many talented athletes go into the NFL or NBA. Boxing is often their last option – no money, no future, and high risks.
“We want to change that. There’s no unified organisation, no central commission.”
