Gift Leotlela and Joviale Mbisha were crowned the men’s and women’s 100m sprint champions respectively, following standout performances at the McArthur Athletics Stadium.

In the men’s 100m final, Leotlela – who hails from Phuthaditjhaba in the Eastern Free State – stormed to gold in a blistering time of 9.99 seconds, securing qualification for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year. Earlier in the semi-finals, he clocked 9.94 seconds, marking his first sub-10 performance of the season.

The new South African men's 100m champion, the Phuthaditjhaba-born, Gift Leotela, speaking about winning the gold in 9.99 sec at the 2025 ASA Senior National Track & Field Championships in Potchefstroom #Athletics #NationalChampionships pic.twitter.com/UnsC2BtKQH

— OFM Sport (@OFMSport) April 25, 2025

Leotlela narrowly edged out the favourite, Bayanda Walaza, who took silver in exactly 10.00 seconds, while Benjamin Richardson from North West claimed bronze in 10.05 seconds.

After struggling with injuries in recent years, Leotlela was clearly relieved to secure his first SA senior title in the short sprint.

“I don’t know how to feel at the moment, but I’m very happy. I came here to win,” said Leotlela.

“You have to keep believing, no matter what. I knew that if I wanted to continue competing in track and field, I had to believe I could get back to this level.”

The new women's 100m champion Joviale Mbisha on winning gold in 11.48 in a final in which all three sprinters on the podium hail from the Free State. Gabriella Marais and Rumé Burger from Bloemfontein took the silver & bronze at the Senior National Championships in Potchefstroom pic.twitter.com/vfPheUcm6f

— OFM Sport (@OFMSport) April 25, 2025

In the women’s 100m, all three podium finishers originally hail from the Free State, although Mbisha now competes under the Central Gauteng Athletics banner. She beat Gabriella Marais and rising star Rumé Burger – both from Bloemfontein – to clinch the national title.

Mbisha, who comes from Sasolburg, claimed gold in 11.48 seconds. The hockey-player-turned-sprinter Marais, who earned bronze at last year’s national championships in Pietermaritzburg, stepped up this year to take silver in 11.58 seconds.

Gabriella Marais (middle). Picture: St Michael’s School

Burger, just 17 years old, rounded out the podium with 11.58 seconds in her first-ever senior national final. She recently broke four national school records at the SA High Schools Championships in Bloemfontein. The daughter of former Toyota Cheetahs winger and Blitzbok Philip Burger, she’s expected to shine in her favourite event – the 200m – later this weekend.

“I told myself before the race, ‘You’re the champ, you’re the champ’,” said Mbisha after her victory.

“Everyone can believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself – and I did.”

Rumé Burger. Picture: Morgan Piek

In other finals:

• Valco van Wyk (ACNW) took gold in the men's pole vault with a height of 5.40m.
• Douw Smit (ACNW) won the men's javelin throw with a best of 79.71m.
• Colette Uys (AGN) dominated the women’s discus throw with a 57.94m attempt.
• Alicia Khunou (AGN), runner-up in the discus, set a new South African U20 record with her throw of 55.06m.

In the mixed 4x400m relay, the ACNW team of Dean Muller, Jessica van Heerden, Juan du Plessis, and Carla Hattingh clocked 3:33.36 to take top honours.

With two days of competition remaining:

• AGN leads the medal standings with 11 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze).
• ACNW sits in second with 7 medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze).
• CGA are in third with 3 medals (1 gold, 2 silver).

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg