Exclusive: Hezekiel Sepeng Backs Akani Simbine-Led Relay Team for Tokyo and LA 2028 Success

Athletics South Africa's Head of Performance, Hezekiel Sepeng, is confident that come 2028, the current crop of South African sprinters, including Akani Simbine and the young Bayanda Walaza, will possibly be medalists at the Los Angeles Olympics.

SA's fastest sprinters

Today, South Africa sits with a talent pool that is easily the fastest set of sprinters in the country's history.

Akani Simbine, having reached the final of every 100m race at the Olympics since Rio de Janeiro in 2016, is currently leading the new generation of sprinters and is doing so by example.

Already this year, Simbine has led this young group to finish first in the recently concluded World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou in China.

This achievement further solidified the country's stake as a country to watch in the 4x100m relay category, as they finished second in the Olympics last year.

In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, Sepeng, admitted the country is currently enjoying a rare era of talent.

Sepeng added that the relationship between the federation (ASA) and the athletes has improved, further motivating the athletes to focus on their roles on the track.

"The athletes are doing very well. If you go back a few years, if you compare it to now, we're sitting with athletes now that are, come 2028, they will be possible medallists. We are one step ahead of the other countries. But it's only a matter of planning because the main goal here is the September World Champs in Tokyo. But overall, the athletes are doing very well, and I think we are in the right space when it comes to the performance of the athletes," Sepeng told SportsBoom.co.za. 

"The relationship between the athletes and the federation is in the right space. We listen to the athletes, and they share their goals with us. We needed to blend together. We need to get to that level where we are definitely confident for medals at the World Champs or the Olympics in 2028."

Working toward success

Before Akani Simbine, there hadn't been many South African 100m sprinters that have taken the world by storm.

Yes, South Africa has had many track stars, including the current world record holder, Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya. However, when it comes to the 100m category, Simbine is a pioneer.

Simbine's success has since inspired the likes of Shaun Maswangayi, Walaza, Bradley Nkoana and Sinesipho Dambile.

Sepeng told SportsBoom.co.za that their success in the 4x100m relays in the 2024 Olympics inspired the success that the country is currently enjoying.

"If you look at 2016, where we had Caster, Luvo Manyonga and Wayde, they were medallists at the Olympic Games and World Champs. After them, it faded. We introduced the relays because we thought that we could fast-track some of the athletes who cannot make the qualifying standards," said Sepeng.  

"We thought, let's put them in the relay, they can still go to World Champs in the relays and that kind of motivated them. I think one of the things that really motivated them was the four-by-one relays at the Olympic Games with the two young stars."

The goal - Tokyo World Champs

Simbine has already won three Diamond League 100m finals this year, with the most recent victory being last weekend's win in Rabat, where he beat Kenya's Ferdinand Omanayala, USA's Fred Kerley and the 2024 Olympics 200m gold medalist, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, who finished last.

Despite all the success, Sepeng emphasised that the real goal is the World Champs in Tokyo in September, where Simbine and the team are expected to dominate.

With the South African athletes having been incredibly active, Sepeng highlighted the imminent need for a break to train and condition the athletes for the World Champs.

Sepeng reiterated their need to sharpen up their imperfect relays so as to stand a chance in Tokyo in September.

"For the relays, I think we're going to go into a training camp again just prior to World Champs and make sure that we fine-tune. In the 4x100m men's, we need to make sure that our changeovers are smooth. We know that America is going to come out, Jamaica will be there, Great Britain, Japan and Canada will also be there. So, everybody will need to be in top shape," said Sepeng.

"Individually, the athletes who are running in the Diamond Leagues know that it's a long season. The World Champs are in September, and they will have to take a break. They cannot participate from March all the way to September."

"Somewhere, somehow, there's going to be a break where these athletes will choose competitions, where to run and not to run or maybe three weeks of training without a competition. We will go to Japan for acclimatisation about 10 days before the events start, just to do our final preparation with the whole team." he concluded.