The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games are in full swing in Bochum, Germany, with top university athletes from across the globe showcasing their talent. Flying the flag high for South Africa is 18-year-old sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza, who has delivered a stellar performance on the track.
Walaza captured two gold medals in the menโs sprints, making him one of the standout stars of the Games.
On Tuesday, the Paris Olympic silver medalist stormed to victory in the 100m final, clocking an impressive 10.16 seconds. He narrowly edged out Thailandโs Puripol Boonson (silver, 10.22s) and Japanโs Hiroki Yanagita (bronze, 10.23s).
After his 100m triumph, Walaza dominated his 200m heat, qualifying for the semifinals with a time of 20.93 seconds, the third-fastest overall. He continued his winning form on Thursday, racing to another gold in the 200m final with a time of 20.63 seconds, a significant improvement on his earlier times of 20.93 (heats) and 20.76 (semifinal). He edged out Medero (20.70s) and Lee Jaesong (20.75s) in a thrilling finish.
Speaking to SABC after his victory, Walaza said:
โItโs wonderful to say that Iโm the fastest in all of the universities around the world. Itโs a great honour to be here and to win this.โ
In the 100m final, teammate Kyle Zinn also put in a strong performance, finishing fifth with a time of 10.42 seconds. The two South African stars are set to join forces in the 4x100m relay later this week.
The 12-day event wraps up on Sunday, with South Africa hoping for more podium finishes.