Cape Town – At last! There was relief among the group of South African athletes in Italy after they were cleared on Thursday to fly to the United States for the world athletics championships.
According to a post by Gift Leotlela on his Instagram page on Thursday morning, the 10 athletes are at the airport in Venice to make the long trip to Eugene, Oregon, where the world champs will start on Friday.
Apart from 100m sprinter Leotlela, the group includes Henricho Bruintjies (men’s 4x100m relay), Sinesipho Dambile (men’s 200m), Miranda Coetzee (women’s 400m), Clarence Munyai (men’s 100m), Carina Horn (women’s 100m), Sokwakhana Zazini (men’s 400m hurdles), Zakithi Nene (men’s 400m), Luxolo Adams (men’s 200m) and Taylon Bieldt (women’s 400m hurdles).
They have been battling to get US visas, as there were not enough appointments available for interviews with the US authorities over the last few weeks.
Athletics South Africa president James Moloi told IOL Sport on Wednesday that they had received assistance from World Athletics, who had issued “waiver letters” that had resulted in athletes from other affected countries to be allowed to travel to the US, where their visas would be issued upon arrival.
But Leotlela and Moloi told IOL Sport on Wednesday that the Italian airport authorities refused to accept the waiver letters, and insisted on a visa or documentation from the US government – which meant that the athletes missed their flight to Oregon.
Adams, Nene, Zazini, Horn and Munyai posted photos on their Instagram page showing the group sitting outside the airport with their bags.
Moloi said that he was going to contact Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Wednesday to assist, but while the ASA boss has not yet responded to requests for comment on Thursday, Leotlela expressed his delight.
“Been a frustrating few weeks heading up to the champs, but we are finally going, although some of us are going to arrive on the day we are racing… We will fight and represent our country with pride and honour,” the speedster posted on Instagram.
But Leotlela and Munyai will have to run in the 100m heats on the same day as they arrive in Oregon, though, with those races scheduled for Friday at 6.50pm Pacific Daylight Time (Saturday 3.50am SA time).
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