Not even a technical setback could hold back the relentless Marioné Fourie as she stormed to a world-leading time in the 100m hurdles at the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix 2 in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Fourie proved why she remains a force to be reckoned with, clocking an impressive 12.69 seconds. Her time was significantly faster than the previous 2025 world-best mark of 12.91, set by Cuba’s Greisys Roble in February.
The 22-year-old Pretoria athlete, who reached the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics last year, has set her sights on making the final at the World Championships in Tokyo this September. With a strong start to the season—having already run 12.77 at the Grand Prix 1 in Pretoria and 12.81 at the Gauteng North Championships—she is building momentum towards her ambitious goal.
Fourie’s decision to skip the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, paid off handsomely. Despite encountering an issue with her starting blocks at the University of Johannesburg stadium, she recovered swiftly to surge past her competitors and clinch victory.
“I had a bit of a technical difficulty at the start,” Fourie revealed to SuperSport TV after the race. “The blocks didn’t adjust properly, and my back leg wasn’t stable, so my start was slower than usual. That just means I can go even faster.”
Her competitive nature came through as she chased down 17-year-old rising star Tumi Ramokgopa, who had the better start. The Prestige College schoolgirl delivered a remarkable performance, finishing second in 13.22 seconds—a new South African Under-20 record.
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m in disbelief,” Ramokgopa told Athletics SA, having earlier set a personal best of 56.48 in the 400m hurdles during the Grand Prix pre-programme. “I knew racing against Marioné would push me to run a record, but I didn’t expect to go this fast. Breaking the record in my first year as a junior is an incredible feeling.”
As the season progresses, Fourie now turns her attention to bigger goals. With the South African national championships in Potchefstroom set for April 24-26, she has her sights on not only claiming her fifth national title but also challenging her own SA record of 12.49 seconds.
“Winning my fifth national championship is definitely a priority,” she said. “If I can consistently hit 12.6, it’ll be much easier to compete in the Diamond League events and in Hengelo. So, I’m really excited for what’s ahead.”
With her competitive spirit and unwavering determination, Fourie continues to raise the bar—proving that no hurdle, whether technical or physical, can slow her down.
Bayanda Walaza, the 19-year-old South African sprinter, continues to make headlines with his remarkable performances on the track. On March 15, 2025, Walaza broke the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters, clocking a time of 9.99 seconds in Pretoria. This achievement places him fifth on the all-time junior rankings for the event.
Just days later, on March 19, 2025, he set a personal best in the 200 meters with a time of 20.08 seconds during a meet in Johannesburg.
These accomplishments build upon his earlier successes, including winning silver in the 4×100 meters relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics and securing gold in both the 100 meters and 200 meters at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
Walaza’s decision to remain in South Africa for his training and education has been a topic of discussion. Despite receiving numerous offers from U.S. colleges, he chose to enroll at the University of Pretoria to continue working with his current coach and support system.
