South African quartet smashes National 4x400m record again
South Africa’s women’s 4x400m relay team—Shirley Nekhubui, Hannah van Niekerk, Precious Molepo, and Zeney Geldenhuys—rewrote their own record books at the World Relays qualifiers in Guangzhou, China. The squad blazed to a new national record of 3:28.01 in their heat, outpacing Germany (3:28.63) to secure lane priority for the final.
The momentum carried into the championship race, where the team clinched bronze behind powerhouses USA and Spain. Their podium finish not only marked a historic milestone but also guaranteed qualification for the upcoming World Championships.
This latest feat underscores South Africa’s rising dominance in women’s middle-distance running, with the quartet proving their consistency after previously holding the continental record.
Coaches praised their tactical discipline and baton exchanges—key factors in shaving critical milliseconds off their prior best.
“Breaking the record twice in one meet shows our growth,” said anchor runner Geldenhuys. “Now we’re eyeing a global breakthrough.”
With this momentum, the team heads to the Worlds as dark horses—ready to challenge track royalty.
