Beating Noah Lyles & Others, 26-Year-Old Track Star Confesses Past Medical Struggle After 100M Heats

You often hear of the many legends that are made at the Olympics, but what about everyone else? Well, one such case was South Africa’s sprint ace, Gift Leotlela, who was gunning for gold in 2021 when a grade-2 hamstring tear crushed his dream, knocking him out of the 100m and robbing the relay team of its firepower. For years, that injury has loomed like a shadow over one of the nation’s fastest men. But 2025 tells a different story. At the ASA Championships in Potchefstroom, Leotlela roared back under 10 seconds, blazing to 9.99s for the national crown. And he didn’t stop there. At the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, he shattered the season marks of Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and the rest, proving he’s not just back, he’s a force.

At Tokyo, South Africa’s sprint star lit up the track, storming to victory in the 100m heats with a blistering 9.87s, a new personal best. Kenya’s Kanyinsola Ajayi followed close behind with 9.88s, also a lifetime best, while Oblique Seville, despite a shaky start, secured third in 9.93s. The significance? That time is quicker than Noah Lyles’ 9.95, Kishane Thompson’s 9.95, and Kenny Bednarek’s 10.01, in the heats.

After his victory in the heats, the South African speedster addressed the media with a smile, finally breaking free from the haunting memories of Tokyo. A city that once marked his downfall but had now become the biggest chapter of his comeback story. But what’s more is that during his media duties, he revealed the shocking truth that he had been battling tuberculosis while still competing, pushing through pain and adversity to keep his dream alive. “Last year, around March, April, I had to be on antibiotics for like six months,” said Leotlela.

He added, “And I still went to Europe to run a few races. But yeah, it was a really tough couple of years. The last time I was here in Tokyo, I tore my hamstring in the semifinal just before the line, on this very same track. So, it’s been really tricky for me.” Gift Leotlela’s 2025 campaign has been nothing short of a redemption tour. Four years ago, his Olympic gold dreams were shattered, but after years in the shadows, Leotlela has returned with a thunderous comeback. He stormed back at the ASA Championships; however, the drama didn’t end there.

Later in the meet, he raced in the 200m heats, where he suddenly pulled up, clutching at his hamstring with a jolt, which had fans biting their nails, fearing the repeat of Tokyo 2021. However, later his camp revealed that it was just a nerve twitch rather than a tear. But now that his performance has shaken up the track and field world, what was his reaction to it?

Gift Leotlela shares his thoughts on his new personal best

Gift Leotlela has endured years of setbacks, but when it truly mattered, he proved why he’s regarded as one of the finest in the game. After running sparingly for years, to suddenly outclass stars like Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and Kishane Thompson is no small feat.

In his post-race interview, when asked about the performance, he simply said, “I’m very happy. Uh, but I knew I just had to execute, focus on myself, get all my phases correct in the race, and I knew the time would come.”

When pressed about his South African championship run, he confidently reflected on the moment, highlighting what it meant in his journey back to the top.“Oh, yeah. The big goal was always the world champs, and at the beginning of the season, I was training really well. I knew I just had to have that one race where everything clicks. Even in Europe, I was winning all my races. I wasn’t running fast in all the races, but I was winning them, and it gave me a lot of confidence going into the world championships.”

With this victory, Gift Leotlela has earned a moment to rejoice, but the real question lingers: Can he replicate this brilliance in the races ahead? For now, all we can do is wait and watch