South Africa’s athletics last born sprinting sensation Bayanda Walaza has proven that he is not one to play with after dropping a personal best of 9.99 seconds to win the men’s 100m race at the Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) Championships.
After making history as the first athlete to acquire an Olympic medal while still in high school, Bayanda Walaza has garnered the attention of the country as supporters, sceptics, and bystanders keep a close eye on the youngster’s next moves. Bayanda caused quite a ruckus on social media earlier this January when it was revealed that he would be attending Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and would be studying towards a supply chain management qualification.
The young sprinter’s decision garnered strong opinions and essentially had the nation split as some felt as though opting for TUT was not in his best interest, while some applauded him as they felt that the institution was more than capable of providing for Bayanda’s needs.
Hey TUT Fam!
We are thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to our community. Olympic silver medalist, Bayanda Walaza has enrolled at TUT and is now pursuing a qualification in Supply Chain Management.
We wish him all the best in his academic journey! pic.twitter.com/IJ5KYdKYln
— Official TUT (@Official_TUT) January 27, 2025
As if he was proving a point to his doubters and nay-sayers, Bayanda arguably pulled off the most impressive performance in 2025 this past weekend when he recorded a remarkable 9.99-second 100m race at the Athletics Grand Prix at Tuks Stadium. With this achievement, the Katlehong native not only beat his personal best but became the first junior athlete to break the 10-second mark, and even more impressively, he became the fastest man in 2025 so far, as no athlete has recorded a faster time thus far.
Remember the name ‼️
🇿🇦’s 19 year old Bayanda Walaza makes history at the AGN Championships in Pretoria, clocking 9.99 to win the men’s 100m.
✅ World lead
✅ National U20 record
✅ First man under 10 seconds this year pic.twitter.com/yTi754x91l— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 15, 2025
Bayanda has shown immense promise and potential, and has mzansi closely tuning in to see whether he will live up to the hype, or fail to deliver when it matters most. However, many remain optimistic, especially when he can pull off performances such as these.
So far, it appears that opting for TUT was indeed in the young sprinter’s best interest as he pulls off an impressive start to the season. Those that supported his decision have been especially beaming with pride, and have not held back on rubbing the sweet victory in the faces of those who dared to doubt or question him.
And where are classist South Africans that were shaming him about going to TUT and not going to the American Universities. Look what Bayanda Walaza just did. https://t.co/EE5a5bim8D
— KB🇿🇦 (@kaybea_sports) March 15, 2025
