Bayanda Walaza Shines at USSA Championship, Eyes World Relay Success

Pretoria, May 2, 2025 – South African sprint prodigy Bayanda Walaza, aged 19, added another accolade to his remarkable 2025 season by winning the men’s 100m at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Athletics Championship on May 1 at Pilditch Stadium. Clocking 10.02 seconds, he outpaced Kyle Zinn (10.13 seconds) from the University of the Western Cape and Bradley Nkoana (10.17 seconds) from North-West University.

Walaza, a first-year Supply Chain Management student at Tshwane University of Technology, described the race as a thrilling challenge. “It was a great race against top university athletes. I enjoyed it, and it’s another automatic qualifying time,” he said. He emphasized his commitment to humility, stating, “I’ve worked hard to stay calm and composed. Staying grounded is everything to me.”

This victory follows his 9.99-second run at the Gauteng North Provincial Championships and 10.00-second win at the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships earlier this year, both securing his qualification for the World Athletics Championships. Walaza, a silver medalist in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been selected for the same event at the World Relay Championships in China on May 10–11, 2025. He expressed confidence, saying, “I can’t wait for the relay—we have to bring back a medal.”

Walaza’s consistent excellence and grounded demeanor position him as a rising star in global athletics, with his sights set on international success.