Bayanda Walaza and Marione Fourie highlighted a wet second Athletics South Africa Grand Prix held at the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
On a night when rain met raw speed, the meeting saw a lot of records tumble ahead of the national championships in Potchefstroom in a month’s time.
Walaza continued his dominant form in 2025, while Fourie also looked in excellent touch with yet another sub-13-second time in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Paris Olympics silver medallist Walaza, who had a personal best 200m time of 20.34, was stepping out of his comfort zone as he had the tough competition from 2022 Paris Diamond League winner, Luxolo Adams.
The 27-year-old Adams has been on a continued journey to prove that he is still one of the best sprinters in the 200m category after he was dropped from the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite reaching a qualifying time of 20.15.
Adams has a personal best time of 19.82, but injuries have hampered his progress.
He came up against South Africa’s fastest rising star in Walaza, who is fresh off the high of reaching a sub-10-second time in the 100m for the first time a week ago, with a SA junior record of 9.99 at the Gauteng North Provincial Championships last Saturday.
On Wednesday night, Walaza lived up to his express nickname as he left splashes of water behind, along with his competition, to smash his personal best time with a world-championship qualifying time of 20.08, which is a new South African Under-20 record as well.
The win also secures the 19-year-old qualification to the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Lucky Monyane (20.36) and Adams (20.43) rounded off the top three places.
Two personal bests' in one week:
Men's 200m PB - 20.08 (unofficial) ✅
Men's 100m PB - 9.99 (unofficial) ✅
𝑩𝑨𝒀𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑨 𝑾𝑨𝑳𝑨𝒁𝑨 𝑰𝑺 𝑭𝑨𝑺𝑻 💨#ASAGrandPrix2 pic.twitter.com/SYYBo9eLIK
Speaking after the race, Walaza still feels he has not reached his best, despite a couple of impressive races early in his season.
“I felt myself moving without stopping and I felt this was not me, but I also felt let’s go for it,” Walaza said after the race.
Attention will soon turn to the SA championships in Potch, and Walaza, who is still feeling himself into the season, could not reveal whether he will participate in the 100m or 200m.
“As things are going, I am a person who gets stronger by racing, and for now, I believe it will be better the more I run.
“When I get to the pace that I feel I am happy, then that is when I will start choosing the races I run. The faster I get with every race I run, then I will start choosing the races I run.
“I am improving with every race I run, so we will take it from there,” Walaza concluded
Meanwhile, Fourie flexed her muscles with yet another impressive season best world lead time of 12.69 in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Here is Marione Fourie clocking a world lead time of 12.69 (unofficial) at the #ASAGrandPrix2 🔥
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) March 19, 2025
📺 Stream the meet live on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/E5HmsaDARz
College’s Tumi Ramokgopa came in second with a time of 13.22, while Chane Kok closed off the podium places with a time of 13.66.
Udeme Okon won the much anticipated men’s 400m race, beating 2024 Paris Olympic finalist Lythe Pillay (45.74) in a personal best time of 45.27.
The future of South African athletics is here! 🔥
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) March 19, 2025
Youngster, Udeme Okon showing what he is bringing this season in the men's 400m 🇿🇦#ASAGrandPrix2 pic.twitter.com/a84dOMYm3f
Pillay started the better of the two, but the cool and composed Okon dominated the home straight to secure the win.
In other results, Danielle Nolte won the women’s long jump with a jump of 6.56m, beating competition from UJ’s Rose Xeyi (6.40m) and Nolwazi Mashaba (6.10m).
Elsewhere, 2024 Douala African Championships gold medal winner Brian Raats’ jump of 2.10m was enough to secure a win in the men’s high jump.