Amajita, South African athletes shine with dominating performances in 2025
DOMINATING South African athletes have excelled so far in 2025 with Amajita's African Youth Championship victory, junior women's hockey triumph, and standout performances by sprinters Bayanda Walaza and Akani Simbine. Picture: Ayman Aref/BackpagePix
Image: Ayman Aref/BackpagePix
We’re only in the fifth month of the year and already it’s been a stellar one for South African athletes and teams on the world stage, with the men’s Under-20 football side the latest of these triumphs.
Amajita claimed the African Youth Championship title on Sunday, beating Morocco in the final in Egypt.
The victory of the junior side shows how strong SA football is at the moment, with Bafana Bafana on the verge of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the 2002 edition, and the team also having finished third at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
With the under-20s showing they too are among the best on the continent, it certainly bodes well for the future.
South Africa Shines in Junior Women’s Hockey and Track Events
Another SA code excelling at the moment is the junior women’s hockey side. The SA ladies triumphed last month at the Junior Africa Cup as they claimed the mantle of the best side in Africa in the junior ranks.
In athletics, the SA contingent are flying the SA flag proudly.
Already an Olympic silver medallist in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics last year, Bayanda Walaza is one of the top sprinting talents not just in South Africa but on the globe as well.
Having celebrated his 19th birthday in February, Walaza has already added two World Under-20 Championship golds to his name in both the 100m and 200m. Already gone sub-10 in the men’s 100m, there’s no telling just how quick Walaza will go in what should be a long career.
Meanwhile, SA’s headline act - Akani Simbine has also been dominating in 2025. Over the weekend, Simbine remained unbeaten in the men’s 100m this season with his victory at the Atlanta City Games.
The Olympic silver medalist surged over the line in 9.86 seconds (wind-assisted) for the win, which will add nicely to his Diamond League victories already this season.