Star South African 400m athlete Lythe Pillay surged to victory at the CGA Championships in Johannesburg, clocking 44.32 sec to set the fastest one-lap time in the world this year. The time was 0.03 seconds off of his PB set in 2024.
Context needs to be applied in that it’s still March and the global athletics season hasn’t started, but the 23-year-old could not have made a bigger statement this early in 2026. He is ranked No2 in South Africa behind Zakithi Nene, but is also an integral part of the Team SA relay squad that took World Relays gold in 2025 and silver the year before.
South Africa is already the world champions in relay running and clinched bronze in the 400m, and Pillay was at the heart of it all in Tokyo.
Pillaty’s sights are set on the upcoming World Relays in Gaborone, as well as an individual medal in the 400m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
“I do feel like I was robbed of the time to really see what I can do last year [due to injury], but I am truly blessed and grateful I was able to tie things up at the World Champs in the relay.
“But I know that I can do more, and there are big changes ahead, and I feel like I have an exciting three months coming where I can tie things together and put the pieces together to show the world what I really am capable of. I have a point to prove this year,” he told Sunday World.
Pillay also finds himself in somewhat of a position of pressure, where he has been, in recent years, touted as the prodigy of Wayde van Niekerk.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that the more dividing the limelight between us [Van Niekerk] has made the pressure easier, but I have had a shift in perspective,” he said.
“I think I got very used to being the young junior punting up against the seniors, and I was pretty much … if I run against Zak [Zakithi Nene] or Gardeo [Isaacs], even if they beat me, I have nothing to lose.
“So, my role has changed in the sport. I think I’ve become more of a middle child now, and I am almost an ‘old topi’ (old man}. I’m racing guys like Wayde, Zak, who are still pushing their prime, and then we have young talents like Udeme [Okon] and Leendert [Koekemoer] coming up.
“So, I do think I have transitioned well in terms of how I approach the sport scene that I serve both the role as a bigger and a little younger brother, and not only am I chasing,
“I’m also being chased. I wouldn’t say the pressure has changed, but I think I’ve had to change my approach and my perspective on the sport to navigate through the pressure,” he added.