Young sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza had to settle for fourth at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on Wednesday as he continues his comeback from injury.
Star sprinter Bayanda Walaza took another significant step on his comeback trail when he finished fourth in the men's 100m final at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on Wednesday.
Walaza clocked 10.26 seconds, with fellow South African Abdurahman Karriem taking second place in 10.22 seconds. Britain's Romell Glave won the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in 10.16 seconds after overtaking Walaza, who had led the field at the halfway mark.
The race marked Walaza's second successive appearance on the European circuit following a grueling nine-month recovery from the serious hamstring injury he suffered at the Zurich Diamond League final last year. The 20-year-old had already shown encouraging signs of a return to top form when he won his 100m heat at the Triveneto Meeting Internazionale in Italy on Saturday, setting a blistering meeting record of 10.03 seconds.
The injury cruelly forced Walaza to miss the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, temporarily halting a remarkable rise that had previously seen him help South Africa secure Olympic 4x100m silver and World Relays gold in the same event in China. Coach Thabo Matebedi opted to delay Walaza's return until June to ensure he was fully fit for the second half of the season, with the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow looming as his major target.
