Fireworks In Botswana As Bayanda Walaza Faces Akani Simbine, Wayde Van Niekerk Returns

This is the race weve all been waiting for: Akani Simbine versus Bayanda Walaza.

The two Olympic silver medallists will go head-to-head next Saturday when they line up in the 100 metres at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone.

The event organisers announced this week that the South African 4x100m relay teammates will square off at the National Stadium, and will have star Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala for company as well.

Simbine and Omanyala have had some terrific duels in Mzansi over the years, and will begin their preparations for the world championships in Tokyo in September in earnest next weekend.

Simbine has focused mainly on the indoor arena for the first time in his career in 2025, and the hard work paid off as he clinched a 60m bronze medal at the world championships in Nanjing, China at the end of March.