South African Female Sprinter Becomes One of the World's Fastest 100m and 200m Racers

• Move over Usain Bolt, South Africa has its own sprinter who could burn track rubber without effort
• 17-year old female sprinter Viwe Jingqi announced herself on the world athletics stage with staggering sprint performances
• Jingqi set the South African youth record over 200 metres in a staggering time of 23.03s, setting tongues wagging

Jingqi pulled off the feat at the South African Junior and Youth Athletics Championships in Potchefstroom last weekend. She became the fastest woman under 18 over 100m and 200m in South African history.

In the process, she broke a record that previously belonged to Evette de Klerk at 23.30s, which she set in 1982. Jingqi also shattered the U20 100m record, which she clocked at 11.22s.

South African athletics statistician Danie Cornelius said, according to Cape Town ETC:

“The one thing that can’t be coached is big match temperament. Jingqi has got it. She proved it last year during the World Junior Championships in Nairobi when she finished third in the 200 metres semifinals being only 16.

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“I sort of felt sorry for her when she lined up to compete. She looked so small and vulnerable compared to the international athletes. But the moment the starter’s pistol was fired, she became a ‘giant’. She was not intimidated. All that mattered to her was to be fast.”

Of her physical traits and ability, Danie added:

“During the national championships in Potch, it was the same. Jingqi still has no physical traits distinguishing her from any other athlete. Only when she races will people realise that she is the real deal."

"Yesterday (Saturday 2 April), the conditions were far from perfect. It rained most of the morning. The track was heavy and slow, but it did not faze Jingqi. She ran brilliantly. She was ahead, coming out of the curve and then got even faster. I have no doubt that on a warm day and a dry track that she will come close to running 22.60s.”

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South Africa to lose gold medal after world relay champion Thando Dlodlo Is banned for doping

South Africa sprint relay world champion team is facing the bleak prospect of having its gold medal stripped.

As reported by Sports Brief, Thando Dlodlo, one of the quartet that stunned the world in 2021, received a two-and-a-half-year ban for using the prohibited substance testosterone "and its related compounds".

According to the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports, his anti-doping rule violation was "the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or makers in an athlete's sample.