Sinesipho Dambile going for the double at the Commonwealth Games

Sinesipho Dambile going for the double at the Commonwealth Games

World 200m finalist Sinesipho Dambile has revealed his ambition to compete in both the 100m and 200m events at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

The national 200m champion, who made history by qualifying for his first major international final at the World Championships in Tokyo, says his breakthrough performance has boosted his confidence to take on more challenges.

Inspired by the likes of Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles, Dambile believes he is ready to embrace the responsibility that comes with doubling up at major championships. Speaking to SABC Sport, the 23-year-old sprinter said he wants to test his limits as a complete sprinter.

"Next year, I'm definitely going to do a lot of 100m events, which will improve my acceleration in the 200m event."

READ: Lythe Pillay - Team SA not relying on relay for medal success

Dambile clocked 20.23 seconds in the Tokyo final, which was won by American star Noah Lyles, and expressed pride in his performance despite finishing eighth.

His standout moment came in the semi-final, where he ran a personal best of 19.97 seconds to finish third — his best race of the competition.

The season has been one to remember, as he also reclaimed his national 200m title, which he last held in 2022.

Reflecting on his season, the Eastern Cape-born sprinter said that while he was nervous at the start, he gradually settled in as he lined up against some of the best sprinters in the world.

Competing on the global stage helped him gain invaluable experience and composure.

"I was really nervous in the heats. I only ran on Day 5, so it was a different kind of pressure because it was such a long wait, and all I wanted to do was run and be free.
"I did feel a lot better in the semifinals when everything started to come together and I managed to settle my nerves."

Dambile, who trains under Coach Thabo Matebedi, popularly known as “Coach T”, admitted that missing out on the 4x100m relay final was disappointing.

South Africa’s team was impeded by Marcell Jacobs, leading to a successful appeal that allowed them to rerun the race alone in lane one the next day. However, they fell short of advancing further.