On the second day of the 20th World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24, Bayanda Walaza of South Africa emerged victorious in the men’s 100m final on Wednesday.
Walaza clinched the gold medal with a time of 10.19 (-0.9m/s), dominating the race from the outset with an exceptional start.
Thailand’s Puripol Boonson secured second place with a time of 10.22, marking Thailand’s first-ever medal at the World U20 Championships.
Walaza’s compatriot and pre-event favourite, Bradley Nkoana, claimed the bronze medal, clocking 10.26 seconds.
The South African duo’s success bodes well for their nation’s 4x100m relay team in Lima, particularly as both Walaza and Nkoana were part of the silver medal-winning Team SA quartet at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris earlier this month.
“This is special, especially for my people from South Africa, this means a lot,” said Walaza after the race.
“This is an extremely emotional moment for me. This was the best thing – I have never felt like this before. Okay, the Olympics. But this one, it’s about me! It feels special.”