Former world youth champion Retshidisitswe Mlenga achieved a career breakthrough on Wednesday night, becoming the 10th South African athlete to dip under 10 seconds in the 100m sprint.
Mlenga won his first-round heat in 9.99 at the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Eisenstadt, Austria.
The 25-year-old speedster went on to finish fourth in the final in 10.14, with 20-year-old compatriot Abduraghmaan Karriem taking second place in 10.07 (just 0.01 outside his personal best).
And while Mlenga missed out on a podium place, he sliced 0.05 off his career best and achieved the qualifying standard for the World Championships to be held in Tokyo in September.
Meanwhile, Kyle Rademeyer won the men’s pole vault competition in Eisenstadt.
Rademeyer cleared the bar at 5.70m, just three centimetres shy of his career best.
African record holder Antonio Alkana also produced a fine performance, taking third position in the men’s 110m hurdles race in 13.37.
It was a season’s best for 35-year-old Alkana, who clocked his fastest time since July 2023.
SA all-time 100m rankings
1 – 9.82 Akani Simbine (Paris, 4 Aug 2024)
2 – 9.86 Benjamin Richardson (La Chaux-de-Fonds, 14 Jul 2024)
3 – 9.91 Shaun Maswanganyi (Texas, 9 Jun 2023)
4 – 9.94 Wayde van Niekerk (Velenje, 20 Jun 2017)
4 – 9.94 Gift Leotlela (Johannesburg, 14 May 2021)
4 – 9.94 Bayanda Walaza (Zagreb, 24 May 2025)
7 – 9.95 Thando Roto (Pretoria, 18 March 2017)
8 – 9.97 Henricho Bruintjies (La Chaux-de-Fonds, 5 July 2015)
9 – 9.98 Simon Magakwe (Pretoria, 12 April 2014)
10 – 9.99 Retshidisitswe Mlenga (Eisenstadt, 23 July 2025)
* Featured image of Retshidisitswe Mlenga (centre) by Cecilia van Bers
