Newly crowned SA champion Gift Leotlela pulls up in 200m heats

Champion yesterday, out today! Newly crowned South African 100m champion Gift Leotlela pulled up in the 200m heats at the national showpiece in Potchefstroom on Friday morning.

The 26-year-old overcame years of injuries to claim the first senior title of his career, winning the 100m on Thursday afternoon in a 9.99sec burst of speed that earned him a qualifying time for the world championships in Tokyo in September.

Less than 18 hours later, however, Leotlela pulled up coming off the bend, dropping to the track and bowing his head.

He immediately underwent a massage on his left leg and later admitted he had felt something go. But there was no noticeable limp as he walked out the stadium, heading off to get a diagnosis.

Coach Thabo Matebedi believed the injury was a nerve twitch in the hamstring and wouldn’t keep the sprinter out for more than three days, adding he would undergo a scan. 

The World Relays, where the men’s 4x100m team will attempt to qualify for Japan, takes place in China in two weeks’ time.

A team featuring Leotlela, Akani Simbine, Benjamin Richardson and Bayanda Walaza would give South Africa a full-house of sub-10-second sprinters. 

Walaza was the quickest in the morning 200m heats in 20.21, ahead of hurdler Naeem Jack in 20.37 and pre-race favourite Sinesipho Dambile, who won his heat in 20.67.