Maswanganyi, who performed well in the tough intercollegiate NCAA competition, was a member of South Africa’s 4x100m relay team that won Olympic silver in Paris last year, alongside Simbine, Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana.
Letebele has raced Walaza, who also matriculated last year, but admitted that he had never beaten him.
Walaza, who won the 100m and 200m double at the under-20 world championships in Peru last year, has a best of 10.13 which he set in March last year, also at Pilditch.
Letebele said the win over Omanyala, however, had boosted his confidence. “It just gave me more confidence knowing that I have what it takes, especially in my age group. I am just happy to see that my hard work pays off and I have what it takes to be number one.”
Letebele sports a scar over his right collarbone, the result of an injury sustained while playing soccer at school, falling after being tackled and landing awkwardly on the opponent’s knee.
“I underwent surgery. They put in a metal something in here.”
Letebele will compete at the Central Gauteng championships this weekend.
New SA teen sprint sensation slays African 100m king Omanyala in Pretoria
A new South African teen sprint star emerged out of the blue at the opening grand prix meet at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria on Wednesday evening as he downed Kenya’s African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala over 100m.
Karabo Letebele, 18, who matriculated from Grey College in Bloemfontein last year, was not surprised by his 10.19 sec personal best across the Pilditch stadium track, but he was surprised to finish ahead of the Kenyan star.
Omanyala, the holder of the 9.77 sec continental mark, who has beaten Akani Simbine seven out of eight times over the 100m, shook the shock winner’s hand afterwards, but didn’t say anything to him.
Veteran Emile Erasmus finished second, though was credited with the same 10.19 time, with Omanyala third in 10.22.
Omanyala was unbeaten in six previous races on South African soil.
“I didn’t expect to beat him,” said the smiling Letebele, who is planning to take up a scholarship to study business management at a US college later this year.
“I thought he was going to run like a nine-something so I just told myself ‘execute my own race, go through my phases and I will be fine’,” added Letebele, who ran for the Transvalia athletics club.
But the time — which makes him the fastest under-20 in the world so far this year — was expected.
“Last week I ran a 10.27 and in training two weeks before that I ran a 10.30 so I am confident that I can even go faster than this.”
Letebele said he was hoping to get into the University of California (UCLA), adding he was inspired by Shaun Maswanganyi to make the trek to the US.
“I would like to go to America because like Shaun, he really inspired me. He is also one of the reasons I do track and field.”
Maswanganyi, who performed well in the tough intercollegiate NCAA competition, was a member of South Africa’s 4x100m relay team that won Olympic silver in Paris last year, alongside Simbine, Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana.
Letebele has raced Walaza, who also matriculated last year, but admitted that he had never beaten him.
Walaza, who won the 100m and 200m double at the under-20 world championships in Peru last year, has a best of 10.13 which he set in March last year, also at Pilditch.
Letebele said the win over Omanyala, however, had boosted his confidence. “It just gave me more confidence knowing that I have what it takes, especially in my age group. I am just happy to see that my hard work pays off and I have what it takes to be number one.”
Letebele sports a scar over his right collarbone, the result of an injury sustained while playing soccer at school, falling after being tackled and landing awkwardly on the opponent’s knee.
“I underwent surgery. They put in a metal something in here.”
Letebele will compete at the Central Gauteng championships this weekend.
READ MORE