Bayanda Walaza explains false start scare at World Relay Championships in China

During the final on Sunday, Walaza came dangerously close to disqualifying the South African 4x100m relay team after being flagged for a false start.

Fortunately, a green flag saved him, offering both him and the team a crucial lifeline. The team went on to claim a gold medal, becoming the first African nation to achieve such a feat with a world-leading time of 37.61 seconds. 

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Walaza admitted feeling terrified during the tense moment, explaining that his body instinctively reacted to burst out of the starting blocks quickly.

"In that moment, fear overtook my body. I was too excited about us having a really good chance of winning the race, so much so that I started experiencing fear. Being scared is what actually made me twitch, but luckily, my whole body didn't move," said Walaza. 

The World Under-20 100m and 200m champion displayed remarkable composure during the restart, running as if nothing had happened. 

There was no indication that he had just been spared by the green flag.

"After getting that green card, I told myself that I'm not going to do that again, even if it meant that I had to come out of the blocks a little later," explained the relieved sprinter.

The Katlehong-based athlete admits that everything is happening too fast for him. Not long ago, he was competing pressure-free among juniors, but now he suddenly finds himself racing as a senior. 

He reflected on how quickly things have changed, pointing to his false start at last month’s senior national championship, which cost him the 100m title, and a near-repeat of the mistake during a race in China.

"I'm trying to find my way or my comfort zone in the senior category. I've been in the junior competition for so long that I thought it would be easier to adjust to the senior circuit. 

"I now realise that it is no longer going to be easy, I'm not yet in a position to say that I'm strong enough to be a senior, " declared the young sprinting sensation. 

The relieved first-year student at the Tshwane University of Technology told SABC Sport that he almost gave his teammates a heart attack during the race. Although they won the gold medal, the incident sent him into a panic. 

His teammates, however, quickly turned the moment into a joke to lift his spirits and ease the tension.

The former Curro Hazeldean High School learner believes that the relay success, which saw all four teams secure automatic qualification for the World Championships later this year, will give the athletes a confidence boost in their individual events and inspire them to aim for podium finishes at major global competitions.

During his university holidays, the national junior 100m and 200m record holder will compete in the Diamond League and several European league meetings, using the opportunity as a valuable learning experience against some of the world’s fastest sprinters.