Bayanda Walaza of South Africa beats second-placed Puripol Boonson of Thailand and third-placed Hiroki Yanagita of Japan during the Men's 100m Final on day seven of the World University Games Rhine-Ruhr 2025 at Lohrheidestadium on 20 July 2025 in Bochum, Germany. (Photo: Lars Baron / Getty Images) 
One starred for South Africa in the swimming pool, the other starred for his country on the track. Both swimming sensation Pieter Coetzé and teenage sprinter Bayanda Walaza were instrumental in ensuring Team SA walked away with 19 medals at the recent World University Games in Germany.
Coetzé — who has already turned his University Games form into 100m backstroke gold at the ongoing World Aquatics Championships in Singapore — walked away with two golds and a silver medal at the tournament. Walaza earned the same number of medals at the student Games.
Walaza, who is an Olympic silver medallist, claimed double sprint gold in Germany. The former Curro Hazeldean student recorded times of 10.13 seconds (100m) and 20.63 seconds (200m) on the way to emulating the incredible feat he managed at the junior World Championships in Peru a year ago.
He then ended his time in Germany with a 100m relay silver medal — which would have earned him a third gold were it not for a mishap in the passing of the baton in a tight race.
Continued growth
Slowly, but surely, Walaza is carving out a legacy for himself and he will be hoping that his recent achievements in Germany can add a bit of mystique to his name. September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo present the teenager with another opportunity to do this.
“[My goal] is showing up on the world stage and showing people that South Africa can produce other sprinters [in addition to Akani Simbine],” Walaza told Olympics.com after his success in Germany.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TL_2388871.jpg "Bayanda Walaza from Athletics Gauteng North, centre, during the Men's 100m race on day one of the ASA Track and Field Senior Champs at NWU McArthur Stadium on 24 April 2025 in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)")
“I want to showcase my talent to the world and make sure that I am being recognised by the end of this year. So, I’ll say my goal is to make sure that I get into the finals and get a medal,” he said of his ambitions for the upcoming championships.
“The future is Los Angeles 2028, that’s the main goal. Beyond that, my goal is to be the best sprinter for the next decade,” Walaza said.
These are massive goals for someone who could not have imagined the situation he finds himself in as recently as 2023.
Humble beginnings
Walaza was moulded by Hoërskool Vorentoe in Johannesburg, which he attended until Grade 11. Then for his matric year he earned a scholarship to Curro, courtesy of the Ruta Sechaba Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town.
“I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn’t quite know how to reach them,” Walaza said on life before Curro. “Emotionally, I was hopeful, but also anxious. Academically, I tried hard, but it was tough without access to the right resources.
“It hit me that no matter how hard I worked, without support I might not make it,” the 19-year-old said. “Mentally, I was determined, but sometimes it felt like the odds were stacked against me.”
Then the ball began rolling for Walaza as he was exposed to a larger audience, more resources, and he met his beloved coach Thabo Matebedi.
A change of fortunes
Since then, it’s been international medals at every turn for Walaza, who remains a raw talent despite his achievements to date.
“The scholarship gave me confidence. It showed me that people believed in my potential, even when I didn’t fully believe in it myself. It opened the door to a better future. I went from surviving to dreaming big,” Walaza stated.
“I started to believe that I could compete internationally — not just in sport, but in life. It also made me realise that success is not just for certain people, it’s for anyone who is given a chance,” the junior world champion added.
Walaza can run, even with his unorthodox “galloping” style. He might have been a bit slow at the University Games, but in 2025 he has run personal bests in both the 100m and 200m. In May he crossed the finish line in 9.94 seconds for the shorter sprinter distance, while his personal best in the 200m is 20.08 seconds.
As his determination and hunger for success continue to fuel him, he will probably shave off some time from these personal bests in the years to come. Or even as early as the World Championships in September 2025. DM