Bayanda Joy Walaza (born 9 February 2006) is a South African sprinter. He won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics as part of South Africa's 4 x 100 metres relay team.
Early life From Katlehong in Gauteng, he attended Monde Primary School, Hoërskool Vorentoe and received a scholarship to Curro Hazeldean High School in Pretoria.
Career Walaza runs for Athletics Gauteng North. He won the SA U18 200m title in 21.10s and took silver in the 100m in 10.63s at the Athletics South Africa U18 Championships in Pietermaritzburg in January 2023. He won the bronze medal in the 100m at the African U18 Championships in 10.59s in April 2023 in Zambia.
He ran 10.36 seconds to win the U19 boys 100m race at the Curro Hazeldean Top 14 Athletics Meet which took place at the Pilditch Stadium, Pretoria on 28 January 2024. He won the South Africa U20 Championships over 100 and 200 metres in personal bests of 10.13 and 20.34 in March 2024. He was runner-up at the South African Championships over 100 metres in April 2024 in a time of 10.27 seconds.
He ran as part of the South African relay team which qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas. In June 2024, he was selected for the South African team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On 9 August 2024, Walaza won an Olympic silver medal as part of South Africa's 4 x 100 metres relay team at the Paris Olympics while still only 18 years old, becoming the first South African to win an Olympic medal while still in high school. He won gold in both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in August 2024, running 10.19 and 20.52 respectably.
Walaza opened his season with a 46.61 personal best in the 400m in Pilditch Staduim, Pretoria on February 5. He would then win the AGN Provincial Championships in a massive personal best of 9.99 in the 100m on March 15 and run another personal best in the 200m in 20.08 at the ASA Grand Prix in Johanesburg on March 19. Walaza won the 100 metres at the South African U20 Championships in Cape Town at the end of March 2025 in 10.26, finishing ahead of Karabo Letebele. He ran 10.00 seconds for a second place finish behind Gift Leotlela at the 2025 senior South African Athletics Championships over 100 metres the following month. He competed at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China in the Men's 4 × 100 metres relay in May 2025 and helped South Africa win the event. Later that month, he lowered his 100 metres personal best to 9.94 seconds whilst racing in Zagreb into a headwind of -0.3 m/s. He finished sixth in 10.04 seconds at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic on 5 July. That month, he won the sprint double over 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Germany, as well as a silver medal in the men's 4 x 100 metres relay.
He suffered an injury running the 100 metres at the Diamond League Final in Zurich in August 2025. Despite this, he was selected for the South African team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, although he late had to withdraw from the team due to the injury.
Walaza returned from his injury to compete in the European summer in 2026, setting a meeting record of 10.03 seconds at the Triveneto Meeting Internazionale in Italy, and placing fourth over 100 metres at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on 3 June. On 16 June, he equalled his personal best to win the 100 metres in 9.94 seconds at the Golden Spike Ostrava. Walaza would lower his personal best again on July 21st, running 9.89s at Banska Bystrica
Achievements Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Personal bests Distance Time (s) Wind Location Date Notes60 metres6.58 -1.8 m/sPretoria, South Africa8 February 2025100 meters9.89 +1.0 m/sBanská Bystrica, Slovakia21 July 2026200 meters20.08 +0.5 m/sJohannesburg, South Africa19 March 2025400 meters46.61Pretoria, South Africa1 February 2025
International competitions 2023African U18 and U20 Championships in AthleticsNdola, Zambia3rd100 m10.592024Olympic GamesParis, France2nd4 × 100 m relay37.57World U20 ChampionshipsLima, Peru1st100 m10.191st200 m20.522025World RelaysGuangzhou, China1st4 × 100 m relay37.61World University GamesBochum, Germany1st100 m10.161st200 m20.632nd4×100 m relay38.80
Circuit wins and titles World Athletics Continental Tour 2025: Hanžeković Memorial (100 m) 2026: Golden Spike Ostrava (100 m), TIPOS P-T-S Meeting (100m)
References