Lythe Pillay ready to compete on Olympic stage

Pillay, currently in Paris with Team South Africa, is set to compete in his specialised 400m event on 4 August at Olympic Stadium, before also looking to challenge in the 4x400m relay. 

At 21, Pillay emphasises that his primary goal is to enjoy the experience, but he admits, having gotten a taste with no real expectations on him in Tokyo three years ago, he is now ready to compete among the best.

"I'm looking to be more competitive than a participant this year, so that's as much as I'll say when it comes to that question [of what can be expected]," said Pillay.

"I've been progressing quite well, and luckily I've been exposed to competitions before and I have a good team and support system around me, so at least I can say I've had a very good and gradual transition into it.

"I was exposed to Olympics at a young age, when there wasn't really much expectation on me, so I could sort of get a feel for it and taste of the dream, and now I can go and capitalise on it."

Pillay has participated in several races as part of his training regimen for the Games, including the Marrakesh Diamond League, which he feels helped him measure his performance against some of the top athletes he will face in the Olympic Games.

"I've competed in three Diamond League [meetings] this year – Marrakesh, Oslo, and Monaco, and then the Golden League in Budapest before that," he pointed out.

"And it's nice running at that level where I'm exposed to the competition that I'll be confronting now in Paris.

"And the whole thing is just about getting exposure, getting myself ready, and also learning to remain calm, composed and stick to my race plan in spite of whoever might be running against me."

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