Shaun Maswanganyi Set to Shine at Paris 2024 Olympics
South African sprinting sensation Shaun Maswanganyi is gearing up for his second Olympic appearance at the upcoming Paris 2024 Games. The 23-year-old phenom will compete in the 100m, 200m individual events and is part of South Africa’s 4x100m relay pool.
Maswanganyi, who hails from Soweto, narrowly missed out on the 100m final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) but reached the semi-finals in both the 100m and 200m. Despite initial feelings of “imposter syndrome”, the young sprinter raced with confidence and swagger, showcasing his immense talent on the world stage.
In the lead-up to Paris 2024, Maswanganyi has been making waves on the track. He set the South African record in the 100m with a time of 10.06 seconds, just shy of the Olympic standard of 10.05. The rising star also became only the second South African after Akani Simbine to dip under 10 seconds in the 100m and 20 seconds in the 200m on the same day.
At the 2023 NCAA Championships, Maswanganyi made history by becoming the second-fastest South African sprinter behind Simbine. He won the bronze medal in the 100m final with a time of 9.91 seconds.
The University of Houston athlete also finished as the runner-up in the men’s 100m at the World University Games in Chengdu, China. Despite facing challenges, including a hamstring injury at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and food poisoning at the 2023 World University Games, Maswanganyi has remained resilient and focused on his goals.
As he prepares for the next phase of his career, Maswanganyi is set to turn professional, which will signal the start of his plan to “become bigger than the sport”. The young sprinter aspires to be known not just for his fast times but also for his ability to motivate and influence people to reach their own goals and aspirations.
With his sights set firmly on the Paris 2024 Olympics, Shaun Maswanganyi is poised to make his mark on the world stage once again. South Africa and the global athletics community eagerly await his performances as he aims to bring home medals and inspire the next generation of sprinters.
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