Hezekiel says relay door remains open for all athletes

With the World Senior Championships in China next year and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles on the horizon, Sepeng says there could be changes to the relay squad as ASA continues to identify the best combinations.

The depth in the sprint ranks is also growing, with Bayanda Walaza returning from injury to winning ways, while Gift Leotlela, Sinesipho Dambile and Bradley Nkoana are all showing good form.

Sepeng says there is still a chance for athletes to force their way into the relay squad. 

"The door is not closed and there is still room for other athletes to come in. Selection is based on the performances of the athletes. We have a very big squad, and when we do select the teams we don't only focus on a specific group of athletes."

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Sepeng, who has the Continental Tour Challenger named after him, is pleased with the depth in South Africa's relay squad.

Dambile was replaced by Mfuyo Moss in Botswana, but the team still managed to deliver a strong performance.

South Africa’s men’s 4x100m relay team were disqualified for a lane infringement at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where they were among the favourites for a medal.

However, Sepeng says there is no reason to panic, with the team expected to learn from the mistake and bounce back in future competitions.

"We shouldn't be worried you know, it's just a split of a second that can lead to a mistake and you can lose the race, so we shouldn't be worried because it's a learning curve for us. Our main target is the 2028 Olympic Games and we have a lot of options, we just need to go back and fix our mistakes before the olympics."

The South African athletics legend says being selected for the relay team is not only about speed.

He says commitment to the team and attending training camps are just as important, even if an athlete is not the fastest runner.