South Africa’s Bayanda Balaza sprints to gold at FISU World University Games

At just 19-years-old, Bayanda Balaza is already making waves on the international athletics stage.

The first-year student from Tshwane University of Technology delivered a stunning performance at the ongoing FISU World University Games in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr region, clinching gold in the men’s 100m final at Lohrheidestadion in Bochum.

Balaza clocked 10.16 seconds, edging out Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (10.22) and Japan’s Hiroki Yanagita.

Coming into the tournament as a top contender, the young sprinter proved exactly why he's seen as the future of South African athletics. “Being the best at the World University Championships is going to motivate me to do even more,” Balaza said post-race, flashing a confident smile.

His time fell just 0.29 seconds shy of the FISU Games record—9.87 seconds—set by fellow South African Akani Simbine during the 2015 Games in Gwangju, Korea.

Balaza’s composure was just as noteworthy as his speed. The race saw two false starts, enough to shake even seasoned competitors, but he remained unfazed.

“You get fired up, then a false start happens—you feel irritated,” he admitted. “But I’m glad I went through it. Next time, it won’t shake me.”

He credits positive self-talk for keeping him grounded. “I kept telling myself I’m a warrior, not a failure. I have fire in me—I’m a supernatural person. I knew I had what it takes,” Balaza said, elated.

Looking ahead, Balaza teased more fireworks in the 4x100m relay: “There’s more fire coming.”

Already a rising star, Balaza helped South Africa win silver in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics and holds the title of U20 world champion.

His gold added to South Africa’s medal haul, bringing their total to 13 (4 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze), placing them 8th in the overall standings.

As of now, the USA leads the table with 72 medals, followed by China (44), South Korea (38), Japan (33), Italy (29), and host nation Germany in sixth with 24.