OLYMPIC Games 400m world champion Wayde Van Niekerk’s coach Ans Botha, says the future of South African sprinters looks bright.
Botha, who is the mastermind behind Van Niekerk’s record breaking achievement at the Olympic Stadium, in Brazil earlier this week, is already planning for Japan, Tokyo 2020 Games.
The veteran coach said SA sprint king Akani Simbine, Van Niekerk, sprint teenagers Gift Leotlela, Clarance Munyai, Carina Horn and Henrico Bruintjies, will be a force to be reckoned with in Japan.
The Namibian-born coach said the experience the young athletes have gained in Rio will do them a world of good in the coming four years.
Most of them had to battle some nerves and the stage became too big for them. But still left the Olympics with their heads held up high!
Botha, who cashed R100 000 as part of the gold medal incentive for coaches when athletes win gold medals, courtesy of the SA Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee, also urged the sprinters to build on from their performance in Rio.
For his efforts, Van Niekerk bagged a cheque of R400 000.
Botha said: “They just need to get their heads in the right places. The future of SA sprinters looks bright.
“They’ll hold their own in 2020. They have learned a lot here in Brazil. I was impressed by Akani as well and it’s just a matter of time before he too can win a medal.”
Simbine said: “In the beginning she (Botha) didn’t know me, but once she got to know me she started to encourage me and taught me a lot of things as well.”
