George poised to push the pace even faster

When discussing South Africa's top female sprinters, Anestayshia George's name might not immediately come up, but that doesn't mean she's not fast.

The past weekend, she won the 200 metres (23.54s) at the USSA Championships at Pilditch and finished third in the 100 metres (11.65s). The Tuks student ran personal best times in both events. She was fourth in the 200m at the South African Senior Championships and third at the South African under-23 championships.

George's performances are 100 per cent better than last year. In 2024, she was not in action in a final at any of the national championships. The improvement should come as no surprise, as the legendary Caster Semenya is her coach.

"'One of the most important things I've learned from Caster is to back myself every time I compete. If you don't believe in your own abilities, the chances of you winning are slim."

There's a good reason why George enjoys testing herself to her limits against the stopwatch between two white lines.

"I'm naturally shy and struggle with low self-esteem. Athletics has helped me become a stronger person. When I run, I have confidence.

"In the final round of the 200m at the USSA championships, I ran in lane eight. My first thought was that the other athletes were all better than me. But then I decided I was not just going to give up.

"I have to prove to them I am not a person they should take lightly, even though I am one of the smallest athletes in the final. There is a reason it's said that; it's not the dog's size that matters; in the end, it is all about the fight in the dog that counts."

George is considering scaling back her participation in the 100m from now on and focusing instead on the 200 and the 400m.

"As I have long strides when running, I might be more suited to run the 400m. The first time I met Caster; she thought I was a 400m specialist."