'Age doesn’t matter. If God gives you a gift, it’s yours" - Teenager Bayanda Walaza ready for Olympic debut
In many ways, being selected for an Olympic team is all about timing. Being at the right place at the right time, which in athletics terms is better understood as being in the right place in a fast time. That’s the story of 18-year-old Bayanda Walaza who will represent South Africa in the 4x100m relay at the Olympic Games which get underway in Paris later this month, because only six months ago the matric pupil at Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria, had never even entertained the thought that he would be taking part in his first Olympics this year.
“I didn’t expect it, but I started thinking about it when they added me to the team that took part at the World Athletics Relay Championships in the Bahamas. I saw that it could be my route to the Olympics so I made sure not to mess it up. I’m happy. I’m truly grateful about what’s happening,” explained the young man who hails from the township of Katlehong in Ekhurhuleni and attended Höerskool Vorentoe in Johannesburg before moving to Tshwane at the beginning of this year.
Although Walaza’s inclusion to run in the Caribbean alongside Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana and Benjamin Richardson may have surprised some, many expected it after his commanding 10.13 performance to take the national U20 title in March. Holding his nerve in a tense race where Olympic qualification was on the line, the 2023 African U18 Championships silver medalist ran the lead-off leg and got the team off to a good start as Simbine crossed the finish line in 38.08. His Olympic spot was secured, making him the first ever Curro pupil in the School Group’s 25-year history across almost 190 schools, to be named in an SA Olympic team while still at school.
“We have a large organisation and we really have developed and driven our sporting ambition over the last few years. What Bayanda represents is the opportunity which will lead every child to believe that they can also achieve greatness. It’s incredibly powerful for us and we are super proud of being a little part of his story because he’s done this. It’s him. He put in the work and we are delighted that we’ve been able to support him,” said Curro Holdings CEO Cobus Loubser who presented Walaza with a new blazer during an emotional capping ceremony in the school hall in the presence of Bayanda’s mother Tholiwe.
A popular man in his school whose success has seen scores flocking to join the Curro Hazeldean Sprints programme lead by coach Thabo Matibidi, Walaza will face the pressure of competing against some of his heroes while carrying the hopes of over 73 000 Curro learners and many millions more ordinary South Africans who will sit in front of their televisions to support the national relay team. How will he deal with the immense pressure just a few months before sitting for his final Matric examinations?
“I’m still young. I still have a lot of time to learn. The only thing I’m there to do is represent my country and do it very well. I just want to do well. I’ll make sure I go in there and give it my best so that my country can be proud. Age doesn’t matter at this point. If God gives you a gift, it’s yours. No one can take it away from you.”
Comments