ASA announces provisional squad for African U18 and U20 champs

Athletics South Africa have announced a provisional national squad of 70 athletes for the CAA African Under-18 and Under-20 Championships to be held in Abeokuta, Nigeria from 16-20 July.

The squad features all youth and junior athletes who won gold medals at the ASA Under-16, Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 Track and Field Championships held in Cape Town in March.

This provisional team includes 33 U18 athletes (16 girls and 17 boys) as well as 37 U20 athletes (18 girls and 19 boys).

They will be spearheaded by the likes of world junior champion Bayanda Walaza, who goes in the U20 men's 100m sprint, as well as Njabulo Mbatha (400m hurdles) and Sihle Mahlangu (400m), who both formed part of the 4x400m relay team that earned the silver medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru last year.

The SA team will be aiming to return to the top spot in the overall standings after raking in 30 medals (13 gold, 10 silver and seven bronze) at the 2023 African U18 and U20 Track and Field Championships held in Zambia.

The final national squad will be named closer to the biennial age group showpiece in Nigeria.