World Championship dreams may be dashed

THERE was good news and bad news for South African sprinters in the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Final in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday night —with excitement at the return to form of veteran Akani Simbine tinged with sadness over the injury to teen sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza midway through the race.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

Simbine dipped below 10 seconds as he scorched to silver in a time of 9.98 seconds, just one-hundredth of a second behind American Christian Coleman, who won in 9.97. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica claimed third in 9.99.

The third South African in the race, Shaun Maswanganyi, finished seventh in 10.19.

Meanwhile, Walaza had started well in the inside lane, his head bobbing side to side in his trademark style, and looked to be turning on the afterburners when disaster struck.