Dambile reveals 100m ambitions after breakthrough 200m season

South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile wants to add a stronger 100m focus to his sprinting career after winning Commonwealth 200m gold and lowering his personal best this season. In an interview reported by BBC Sport, the 24-year-old said he had asked his team to include him in their thinking for both distances, while the 200m remains his main event.

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Dambile's results have given that ambition a substantial foundation. He ran 19.74 seconds at June's Diamond League meeting in Doha, a performance the BBC identified as the fourth-fastest 200m time of 2026. That improved on the 19.97 he recorded in the semi-finals at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, where he subsequently finished eighth in the final after qualifying for the championships through victory at the South African national meeting.

His season also included a Commonwealth title in Birmingham in July, making him the first South African winner of the men's 200m at the Games. He followed that with second place at September's Diamond League final in Brussels, finishing behind American Kenny Bednarek but ahead of Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo. Dambile also placed fourth at the inaugural Ultimate Championships.

Speaking to the Warm Up Track podcast, Dambile welcomed comparisons with Usain Bolt and described pressure as something he enjoys. He recalled meeting Bolt at the Tokyo championships and taking encouragement from the Jamaican's advice to enjoy competing. His interest in contesting both sprints echoes Bolt's move from a primary focus on the 200m, but Dambile's comments expressed an ambition rather than a confirmed race schedule.

Dambile also credited the support around South African sprinting. He joined Bayanda Walaza, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine in winning 4x100m gold at last year's World Relays in Guangzhou. He described the squad's mutual encouragement and pointed to Simbine's repeated appearances in major finals as evidence that South African athletes could compete with the world's best.

A product of the University of Pretoria's TuksSport programme, Dambile has progressed despite injury restricting much of his 2024 season. He said planning was already under way for next year's World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with winning world and Olympic 200m titles among his goals.