Athletics South Africa (ASA) has recently announced a squad of 17 athletes to compete at the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Silesia, Poland on 1-2 May 2021.

The selected squad will compete in the men's 4x100m and 4x400m events and the 4x400m mixed relay. 

There are not really any surprises. The core of the 4x100m-relay team - Akani Simbine, Clarence Munyai, and Thando Dlodlo (all Tuks) are racing again. 

In 2019 during the Doha World Championships, they clocked a time of 37.65s in the heats. It is a South African record. They finished fifth (37.73s) in the final. In doing so, they assured that the team qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

Simbine proved he is in great form when he won the 100 metres in 9.99s during the Gauteng North Championships.

Emile Erasmus (Tuks) was part of the SA team that won silver during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. If it was not for ongoing injury woes, Erasmus might have dipped under 10 seconds already. In 2015 his best time was 10.43s; in 2016, he ran 10.21s; in 2017, his time was 10.08s, and in 2018 he ran 10.01s.

The 21-year old, Dlodlo is one of the most exciting prospects in South African sprinting. Statistics will show that he is getting faster each year. In 2014, he dipped under 11 seconds for the first time clocking 10.96s over 100 metres. By 2019 he has improved his personal best time to 10.08s. He is one of only 13 local sprinters to have gone faster than 10.10s.

The Tuks sprinter believes he is capable of running faster times, even dipping under ten seconds. It is only a matter of working on a few specifics of his technique to gain those extra hundredths of a second.

"My best trait as a sprinter at the moment is my start. That is why I ran the first leg of the relay during the Doha World Championships. During the final, I got to race against Christian Coleman. For years I have been following the careers of the world's best sprinters on television. To be running shoulder to shoulder with them is something I will remember for some time to come."

Gift Leotlela (Tuks) and Luxolo Adams (Tuks) are the new guys in the team. Both seem to be in form. 

Leotlela, a former Junior World Champs medallist, has already clocked 10.20s in the 100 metres. Officially it is the second-fastest time by a local sprinter for the season. He has got the best time of 10.12s over 100 metres.

Adams could well be South Africa's next sprinter to dip under 10 seconds over 100 metres. Earlier this season in Potchefstroom, he won in a time of 10.07s. Unfortunately, the wind from behind was 2.1m/s. In his next race at Ruimsig, he ran 10.08s. The wind is again the reason why his time is not official.

Still, Adams did not expect to be that fast as he does not consider himself to be a 100-metre sprinter. Racing in Potchefstroom was only the second time he competed in the short sprint. In 2017, he clocked a hand time of 10.33s.

The Tuks sprinter considers himself a 200m specialist. In 2018, he won a silver medal during the World Cup event in London. The following year, disaster struck. Adams injured his hamstring. It got so bad that he could hardly race. Gorries convinced Adams to start competing in the 100 metres.

South Africa's 4x400m-team includes Wayde van Niekerk, Lythe Pillay, Berend Koekemoer, Zakithi Nene, Oscar Mavundla and Ranti Dikgale.

The mixed 4x400m-relay team is Simon Khuzwayo, Ranti Dikgale, Taylon Bieldt, Marli Viljoen and Deleen Mpiti.

Paul Gorries is the ASA relay team coach and Danie Cornelius (TuksAthletics Head of Programme) serves as a Team Manager of the relay team.