Rising sprint star Bayanda Walaza will not compete at the World Athletics Championships starting in Tokyo on Saturday.
Walaza earned 100m and 200m gold at the World Student Games in Germany earlier this year and set a national junior 100m record of 9.94 in Zagreb in May.
However, the 19-year-old athlete’s ambitions at his first World Championships at senior level were cut short after he could not shake off a hamstring injury which he sustained at the recent Diamond League final in Zurich.
Not ready to race?
Last week, Walaza’s management team had issued a statement claiming he would be ready to race in the Japanese capital.
Soon afterwards, however, Athletics South Africa revealed that Walaza still needed to pass a fitness test, proving he had fully recovered.
And ASA said on Wednesday that Walaza had officially been withdrawn, three days out from the men’s 100m heats.
“Following a comprehensive medical evaluation, ASA has determined that Walaza’s hamstring injury… will prevent him from participating in the championships,” the federation said.
ASA said the decision had been made “in the best interest of the athlete and the integrity of the national team”.
Mlenga to replace Walaza in 100m sprint
The national governing body confirmed Walaza had been replaced in the men’s 100m event by compatriot Retshidisitswe Mlenga, who was set to join Akani Simbine and Gift Leotlela in the national team for the short dash.
A former world youth 200m champion, Mlenga clocked a 100m personal best of 9.99 in Zagreb in July.
He was also among the athletes in line to replace Walaza in the men’s 4x100m relay event, with the national coaches needing to patch the gap left by the teenager on the first leg as they looked to secure a place on the podium.
* Featured image of Bayanda Walaza by Cecilia van Bers
