Benjamin Richardson delivered a timely boost to South Africa’s 4x100m relay Olympic medal hopes as he became only the second South African to dip under 9.9 sec in the 100m.
The 20-year-old clocked an impressive 9.86 to win the 100m in the Swiss town of La Chaux-de-Fonds on Sunday before running 19.99 while running second in the 200m.
Akani Simbine owns the 9.84 South African 100m record.
Richardson’s effort, which was aided by a 1.9 metre-per-second wind, elevates him to fifth on the world list for 2024 so far and makes him the country’s second-fastest sprinter of all time, overhauling US-based Shaun Maswanganyi on 9.91.
Number four on the national all-time list is Wayde van Niekerk on 9.94 — and all four men will be available for the relay at the Paris Games next month.
Behind Richardson, 19-year-old countryman Bradley Nkoana ended fifth in Switzerland in a 10.03 national under-20 record, which had previously been held by Maswanganyi.
Nkoana is in the relay mix as is matric pupil Bayanda Walaza, who finished second in the 100m at the South African championships in April, behind Simbine but ahead of Nkoana.
La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1,000m above sea level, is known for producing fast times, but there can be no doubting the talent of Richardson, a three-time medallist at the under-20 world championships.
Outside the US and Jamaica there aren’t many nations that can boast two sprinters capable of breaking 9.9 sec — and that is an advantage the South African sprinters will have to make count at the Olympics come the relay heats on August 8 and the final on August 9.