The dates of the World Relays (22nd-23rd April) overlap with that of the South African Championships which take place in Potchefstroom from the 21st-22nd April.
Most athletes prefer to race at the national championships. Some don’t have a choice as their sponsors give big incentive bonuses for a good result at the national championships.
Werner Prinsloo, who has been appointed to coach the men’s 4x100m relay-team and currently coaching Akani Simbine (SA record holder), said that this sad state of affairs could have been prevented by the decision makers of Athletics South Africa (ASA) if they moved the dates of the national championships.
The date of the IAAF World Relays was known well before the dates for the SA Championships had been announced. Therefore the decision to let the dates of the two championships overlap is foolhardy.
Prinsloo is of the opinion that the national championships should have been held in March.
As things stand at the moment Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies (TuksAthletics) won’t represent South Africa at the World Relays.
Simbine and Bruintjies were part of the 4x100m-relay team who ran a time of 38.47 seconds at the ASA Speed Series-meeting in Germiston on Wednesday night. The performance, 0.12s outside the national mark, is tied second on the all-time SA rankings in the event.
