WATCH: Walaza streaks to gold at U20 World Champs

JOHANNESBURG - Bayanda Walaza picked up his first major title when he won the gold medal in the 100 metre sprint final at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Lima on Wednesday night.

Walaza dominated the race, finishing in a time of 10.19 ahead of Thailand's Puribol Boonson and compatriot, Bradley Nkoana. At one point it looked like South Africa would get the top two podium spots but Boonson surged over the closing stage of the race to get the silver medal ahead of Nkoana.

The podium results for Walaza and Nkoana cap off a memorable few weeks for the South African sprinters, after they bagged the silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The pair are set to compete in the 4x100m relay later at the championships.

South Africa's medal tally now stands at three after JL van Rensburg claimed the silver medal in the shot put with a throw of 20.74m.