SA rising sprinter Bayanda Walaza has opened up about the false start scare during the final of the men's 4X100m relay at the World Relays in China on Sunday.
Walaza survived the false start that could have cost SA gold and recovered to help them make history as the first African country to win first prize at the world event.
Disaster loomed when Walaza was flagged for a false start, but subsequently, the green flag gave him and his teammates a lifeline. They capitalised on the lifeline to win, as SA clinched two golds and a bronze at the relay championships.
"Fear overtook my body. But at that moment I think I was at a point where I believed that we could actually win this," Walaza explained to the media after they arrived to a thunderous welcome at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday.
"I was too excited about it and I became anxious. That fear actually took over because when I was there I had too much adrenaline and I'm not used to that. I had that feeling of wanting to come out fast knowing very well that we have the capability of winning this."
Walaza was disqualified for the same offence in the 200m final at the national championships in Potchefstroom recently and promised not to repeat the mistake.
"My teammates came to me and said I gave them a heart attack. What I like about them is that they are not those people who will make you feel down. They won't make you feel like you disappointed them," he said.
"Even when they came to me they were cool and said next time don't do that. We were joking about it but I was not feeling good."
WATCH | I was anxious, golden Walaza explains that 'false start'
Image: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
SA rising sprinter Bayanda Walaza has opened up about the false start scare during the final of the men's 4X100m relay at the World Relays in China on Sunday.
Walaza survived the false start that could have cost SA gold and recovered to help them make history as the first African country to win first prize at the world event.
Disaster loomed when Walaza was flagged for a false start, but subsequently, the green flag gave him and his teammates a lifeline. They capitalised on the lifeline to win, as SA clinched two golds and a bronze at the relay championships.
"Fear overtook my body. But at that moment I think I was at a point where I believed that we could actually win this," Walaza explained to the media after they arrived to a thunderous welcome at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday.
"I was too excited about it and I became anxious. That fear actually took over because when I was there I had too much adrenaline and I'm not used to that. I had that feeling of wanting to come out fast knowing very well that we have the capability of winning this."
Walaza was disqualified for the same offence in the 200m final at the national championships in Potchefstroom recently and promised not to repeat the mistake.
"My teammates came to me and said I gave them a heart attack. What I like about them is that they are not those people who will make you feel down. They won't make you feel like you disappointed them," he said.
"Even when they came to me they were cool and said next time don't do that. We were joking about it but I was not feeling good."
Walaza added that the gold he won on Sunday will help to make him stronger this season.
"I believe this medal is the key that will make my season much stronger because I don't see myself as a loser. I see myself as a winner because we won there and everywhere I go I know I have a gold medal in world athletics and it means I'm one of the best in the world."
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