The Tuks athletics track and speedy performances by the South African sprinters over 100 metres have become synonym over the last four years. 

In 2014 Simon Magakwe became the sprinter to dip under 10 seconds when he won the 100 metres in 9.98s during the national championships at Tuks. 

Last year local athletics history was made again when for the first time two sprinters clocked sub 10 second times in the same race. Akani Simbine (Tuks) ran 9.92s and Thando Roto (Tuks) 9.95s. 

Simbine also became the first local sprinter to run two sub 10-second races on the same day. He won his heat during the Gauteng North Championships in a time of 9.98s.

Fans might be disappointed to hear that Simbine won’t be competing over the weekend at the Gauteng North Championships. He will start his season’s campaign on 8 March when he competes in the 100m at the Grand Prix Meeting at Tuks.

Roto who won a silver medal at last year’s World Student Games is still battling a few niggles and will also not be racing. 

The fact that two of South Africa’s top sprinters are not competing does not mean that on Saturday the 100m is going to be a dull affair. 

If Hennie Kriel (coach) is to be believed, there could be another exceptional performance in the short sprint. It indeed would be a mistake to ignore what Kriel is saying. He was the one who predicted a few years back there will be a race at Tuks where two or more sprinters will dip under 10 seconds, and he got proved right last year. 

Kriel did not want to elaborate as to who the athlete is he expects to be exceptionally fast.

“Just be sure not to miss the 100 metres on Saturday. If the weather plays along it could already happen during the semi-finals,” was all he was prepared to say.

It is interesting to note that Clarence Munyai (Tuks) who is coached by Kriel and who is more known for his speedy performances over 200 metres has opted to race the 100 metres over the weekend and at the Grand Prix Meeting at Tuks. 

He is adamant that he wants to improve on his best time of 10.20s. 

"If I can come close to running the perfect race I know I am capable of clocking a fast time," said the Tuks-athlete hinting at time of close to 10.0s. 

The fact that Henricho Bruintjies is also racing might be conducive to helping Munyai set a fast time. 

Munyai proved that he is good form when he ran a time of 32.08s over 300m earlier this season.

Thembo Monareng (TuksAthletics) is according to Kriel another athlete to watch. Last year as a junior athlete his best time was 10.34s. He is now apparently a lot stronger and faster.