US star Noah Lyles talks up the rise of African sprinting

Injured US sprint star Noah Lyles says he’s enjoying the rise of African sprinting, though he was reluctant to delve into specific contributions by South Africa’s speedsters.

He was talking to journalists on a video call from Budapest, Hungary, where he will be an MC and creative adviser at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships from Friday to Sunday.

Of the six South Africans who qualified for the showpiece, four are sprinters, with the exception of Prudence Sekgodiso in the women’s 800m and Marioné Fourie in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Sinesipho Dambile, who finished second in the 200m at the recent Diamond League in Brussels and is the second seed behind American Kenny Bednarek, didn’t get a mention.

Neither did 100m stalwarts Akani Simbine and Gift Leotlela nor 400m star Zakithi Nene.

Mind you, it was a bit like the Netflix documentary Sprinter which was largely Lyles-centric, with Simbine — who has dipped under 10 seconds every year since 2015 and has achieved the feat more than 50 times — not getting more than a peripheral glance in race footage.

Lyles has raced against Simbine 15 times — more than he has against most international competitors — but the South African, who won one of those encounters, still couldn’t draw a comment.

“I’ve seen a lot of South Africans who’ve done well throughout the year,” he said in reply to a question on the country’s top sprinters.

“I will say that I’m not here to be a commentator of sorts today. That’s not really my goal, but I have seen … what has been happening with all of Africa in general.

“It’s been fun to watch the rise of African sprinting little by little over these last, I’d say, probably five years.”

In the preceding five years Simbine, who ran one of the fastest anchor legs in history to secure South Africa’s 4x100m silver at the 2024 Paris Games, was the top-placed African over 100m at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics as well as at the 2017 and 2019 world championships.

Lyles also didn’t mention Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who won the Olympic 200m gold at Paris 2024 ahead of Bednarek and Lyles and will be competing in Hungary too, though he admittedly didn’t show great form in Belgium at the weekend.

But Lyles did mention US-based Nigerian Kayinsola Ajayi as he offered his thoughts on Bednarek, though he stipulated the following caveat: “I usually focus more on myself than other people, so anything I say is based on speculation.”

He had been asked about Bednarek’s chances in the 100m-200m double in Budapest.

Bednarek was the favourite in the 200m, he said. “With me out of the picture, I’d say his chances of being able to win the 200 drastically go up.

“In terms of the 100 I would say it’s not impossible [for Bednarek to win] … but Oblique [Seville of Jamaica] and Ajayi look like very strong contenders.”

If Simbine, Dambile, Leotlela and Bayanda Walaza can get to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in top form, they could have the potential to shock Lyles and his compatriots in the 4x100m relay.

Maybe then he’ll have something to say.

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