South Africa closed their 2025 World Athletics Championships campaign in Tokyo with a bronze medal in the men’s 4x400m relay on Sunday.
Botswana took gold in the pouring rain with the United States claiming second by two-thousandths of a second over South Africa.
Botswana became the first African nation to ever win a men’s 4x400m relay gold medal.
They stopped the clock in a time of 2:57.76.
The United States and South Africa were credited with the same time, but officials had to look at the thousandths of a second in order to separate the two line-ups.
In the end, the United States were credited with a time of 2:57:822 compared to South Africa’s 2:57.824.
After 1 600m of running, South Africa were just 0.07 off winning the gold medal.
South Africa’s relay squad comprised Lythe Pillay, Udeme Okon, Wayde van Niekerk and Zakithi Nene.
Handed a lifeline
Meanwhile, South Africa’s men’s 4x100m relay team were handed a lifeline after failing to finish their heat due to a collision with Italy during the first baton change.
Following a successful appeal, the referee granted the quartet an additional chance to qualify for the final in a solo time trial scheduled for the early hours of Sunday morning.
However, needing to post a time of 38.34 or faster to book a lane in the final, the quartet of Shaun Maswanganyi, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine came up well short, finishing in a time of 38.64.
The splits for the four runners were: Maswanganyi (10.50), Dambile (9.27), Nokana (9.68) and Simbine (9.19).
The final was won by the United States, with Canada in second and the Netherlands in third.
It was a forgettable championship for Team South Africa who head home with a single bronze medal.
That placed them in a tie for 41st place among the 53 nations who won a medal.
The United States predictably topped the medal table with 26 medals, comprising 16 golds, five silvers and five bronze medals.
