In the build-up to the new track and field season, we take a look at six of South Africa’s most promising junior athletes who are expected to shine in 2025.
Bayanda Walaza
Walaza stole the show last year, winning a memorable 100m/200m double at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru and securing a 4x100m relay silver medal at the Olympic Games.
He has some expectations on his shoulders this season, but the 18-year-old sprinter has proved he can handle pressure and he should be confident of taking further strides in his fledgling career.
Having already clocked 10.13, he should also be gunning for Bradley Nkoana’s national junior 100m record of 10.03.
Tumi Ramokgopa
One of a few very promising young hurdlers around the country, Ramokgopa is next level.
Last year she grabbed bronze in the 400m hurdles final at the SA Senior Championships, at the age of 16, setting a national youth record of 57.04 seconds. And she went on to finish sixth at the African Championships in Cameroon.
Also useful over the 100m hurdles, holding a personal best of 13.26, she still has two years ahead in the junior age group and she is expected to continue breaking new ground.
Alicia Khunou
Having shown steady improvement over the last couple of years, Khunou has emerged as a real prospect at elite level.
A versatile thrower, Khunou is a former shot put and discus throw gold medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games and the African U18 Championships
Last year she was ninth in the shot put at the World Athletics U20 Championships, and she finished ninth in the discus throw against senior opposition at the African Athletics Championships, and she will hope to shine even brighter in her last season as a junior.
Matodzi Ndou
At the Curro Podium North schools meeting in Pretoria last year, Ndou clocked 12.98 to win the U18 110m hurdles race, shattering the national youth record.
In the process, he became only the third U18 athlete in history to dip under 13 seconds in the event.
In addition, Ndou formed part of the Curro Hazeldean 4x100m relay team that set a world record of 39.92 at the NWU Top 30 schools meeting in Potchefstroom.
Ndou is also capable in the 400m hurdles event, and like Tumi Ramokgopa, he will be eager to shine in his first season in the U20 age group.
Temoso Masikane
Masikane is one of the most promising long jumpers South Africa has ever produced.
He finished fourth at the World U20 Championships last year, landing at 7.74m with his last attempt in the final, falling just six centimetres short of a place on the podium.
Having already cleared eight metres, which he did in 2023 when he set a South African youth record of 8.06m, Masikane will be hoping to go even bigger in 2025.
Njabulo Mbatha
At the World Athletics U20 Championships last season, Mbatha finished fourth in the 400m hurdles final at the age of 17, clocking 49.68 and crossing the line just 0.07 outside a place on the podium.
He made up for it, however, by playing a key role in helping the SA men’s 4x400m relay team secure a silver medal.
Mbatha also earned bronze in the 400m hurdles final at last season’s SA Senior Championships, at just 16, and he will join Tumi Ramokgopa and Matodzi Ndou as they look to shatter more barriers in junior hurdles events this year.
* Featured image of Bayanda Walaza by Cecilia van Bers
Well done Wesley, our hurdling talent is deep.
Best wishes to all of the.!
Thanks Lux. Yes, we’ve got some incredible talent among our junior hurdlers. Let’s hope they keep making the same progress they made last year.