Walaza and Ramaokgopa shine with SA Junior Records at ASA Grand Prix

Bayanda Walaza and rising hurdles star, Tumi Ramokgopa, stole the show on Wednesday night, with sprint sensations setting new SA U20 records at the ASA Grand Prix 2 meeting at UJ Stadium in Johannesburg. In the men's 200m race, world junior champion Walaza stopped the clock at 20.08 seconds, clipping 0.02 off the national U20 record of 20.10 set by Clarence Munyai in Tshwane in March 2017. He finished well clear of Lucky Moleyane who took second place in 20.36, while former World Championships finalist Luxolo Adams grabbed third spot in 20.43.

Walaza flying to a new SAU20 200m record at the University of Johannesburg track. Photo credit: Cecilia van Bers.

While the race was held in cold and wet conditions, Walaza was delighted with his performance, with the 19-year-old sprinter adding the 200m mark to the SA U20 100m record of 9.99 which he set at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships just four days earlier.

"The weather wasn't great, but I believe when you're fast you don't have to complain about anything," said Walaza moments after that historic run. "You cannot control the weather so you just have to make it work for you, rather than doubting yourself. We were truly shocked about the sub-10 (last week) and we thought 'let's just see what strength I have left over. We believed the 9.99 had taken everything, so we didn't expect me to run this fast today."

An overwhelmed Ramokgopa contemplates her marvellous performances after clocking personal bests in both the 400m and 100 hurdles. Photo Credit: Tumelo Mabua.

17-year-old Ramokgopa was also in record-breaking form, taking second place in the women's 100m hurdles race in 13.22 and slicing 0.13 off the SA junior record of 13.35 set by Taylon Bieldt in Bydgoszcz in July 2016. The race was won by SA senior record holder Marione Fourie who clocked a season's best 12.69, and her third sub-13 second finish of 2025.

"I'm overwhelmed. I'm in disbelief," said Ramokgopa, who set a 400m hurdles personal best of 56.48 just hours earlier on Wednesday, in the Grand Prix pre-programme. "I knew running against Marione, was going to push me to run an SA record, but I didn't think I would run this fast. This means a lot to break the record in my first year as a junior."

African record holder (9.77) Omanyala won the race in 10.08 ahead of World Junior Championships bronze medalist Bradley Nkoana who clocked 10.16 for third. Tsebo Matsotso took second place in a lifetime best 10.12. Photo Credit: Cecilia van Bers.

Among other highlights, world junior champion Udeme Okon won the men's 400m race in a personal best of 45.27, holding off a challenge from Olympic semi-finalist Lythe Pillay, who took the runner-up spot in 45.74. African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya won the men's 100m race in 10.08, while Ketlhobogile Haungura of Botswana took the 800m contest in 1:43.88 to qualify for the World Championships in the fastest two-lap time ever run on South African soil. Twenty year-old Wernich van Rensburg triumphed in the men's 400m hurdles race in 49.24, while Nikithemba Hani produced the highlight in the field events, landing at 8.01m to win the men's long jump.