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With the World Athletics Championships just around the corner, South Africa’s relay members Bradley Nkoana and American-based sprinter Shaun Maswanganyi believe they have a strong chance of medalling in Tokyo.
The Championships take place in Japan from 13–21 September, with Athletics South Africa expected to confirm its final squad this week for the men’s 4x100m, 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m relay events.
But the spotlight will firmly be on the Paris Olympic 4x100m silver medallists and reigning World Relay Championships gold medalists, and Maswanganyi believes the team is ready to handle the pressure of expectations.
"You know what, once you rise to the occasion, it’s expected that you maintain that same calibre. Looking at the depth we have, with six sprinters qualifying individually, it shows the talent in our squad," noted the 24-year-old.
People expect a lot because we’ve already proven ourselves – from winning silver at the Olympics to gold at the World Relays, but pressure makes diamonds, and we have no choice but to rise to the occasion."
Meanwhile, Nkoana highlighted the strong team dynamic that has carried the relay squad through the last year.
"As a team we put egos aside. Not everyone gets along off the track, but once we line up it’s all about the relay," he revealed.
"We compete against each other individually, we push each other, and we leave the rest behind to focus on winning for South Africa."
With the Championships now two weeks away, the nation is anxious to see if the relay team, which also features veteran star Akani Simbine and rising star Bayanda Walaza can deliver another historic performance on the world stage.
