It is often said third time lucky, but the 2016 Olympian sprinter, Tlotliso Gift Leotlela (TuksSport High School matriculant & TuksAthletics Academy graduate), hopes that his fourth comeback will be the one he gets to fulfil his true potential.

On Saturday, 27 March, he finished second with a time of 10:20 seconds in the men’s 100m final of the 2021 Athletics Gauteng North Championships at the Bestmed TuksAthletics Stadium. The final was a humdinger as most of South Africa's top 100 metre sprinters - Akani Simbine, Thando Dlodlo and Emile Erasmus - were racing. 

There are indications that the Tuks sprinter is in good form. Last week during the Newton Classic Shootout in Johannesburg, he clocked a time of 6.53s over 60 metres. It roughly equates to a time faster than 10.10s over 100 metres. 

Unfortunately, the wind from behind was too strong, but that does not faze the Tuks sprinter. All that mattered to him was being on the athletics track and doing what he loves most. That is sprinting at speed. 

"I did not want to race, as I still have a slight knee-injury niggle. My coach, Hennie Kriel, convinced me to give it go as he was excited about the times I am running during training. 

"On crossing the finish line and seeing my time, it was like a 'weight lifted off my shoulders. I so needed the result. I am now more confident and excited to be back and running quality times," the 23-year old sprinter said.

Up to 2017, Leotlela seemingly could do no wrong. He kept setting personal best times. In March, at Tuks, he set a new South African 100m junior record, clocking 10.12s. During the national championships in Potchefstroom, he finished third behind Wayde van Niekerk and Simbine, running 20.20s in the 200 metres. It was also a personal best. 

During the 2016 World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, the Tuks sprinter won a silver medal in the 200m (20.59). He was fourth in the 100m (10.28). He had qualified in the 200m to compete at the Rio Olympics. Being 18 years and two months old meant he was the youngest track and field athlete to represent South Africa.

He did not know that his 20.20s in the 200 metres would be his last noteworthy result. Since April 2017, he hardly raced. First, it was due to a lower back fracture. Then his hamstrings started to act up. November last year, he tore the tendons in his knee. 

The easy option would have been to quit and get on with real life, but that is not who Leotlela is. 

"How could I just quit when I was running 'PB's' virtually every time I raced. I know I can be even faster. There is so much more I can give to the sport. Sub ten seconds in the 100 metres and sub 20 seconds in the 200 metres is doable. It is what motivates me." 

Asked about his strength as a sprinter, Leotlela said he thought it was his top-end speed. He, however, surprised himself during the recent 60 metres with how fast he was out of the starting blocks. He hopes it bodes well for the season.