SA 4x400m relay bows out of the Olympics in Paris with new national record

Pillay, along with Zakithi Nene, Gardeo Isaacs, and Antonie Nortje, put up a strong fight, finishing fifth with a record time of 2:58:12.

Going into the final, they had nothing to lose after stepping in for the disqualified Nigerian team. They adjusted their order, with Isaacs and Nortje taking on the opener and anchor leg after a slip during the qualifying rounds.

While they didn’t make the podium, the team remains optimistic about what lies ahead.

"We knew we're capable of making the final and I mean, I won't say the SA record was a target for us but at the back of our minds, we knew it was attainable. Coming in, our goal was to do or die and we chose to die,” Pillay said.

“Seeing my teammates were willing to put their bodies through so much for us to do well together, I had to reciprocate that, we've done the best we could. What's nice and what's inspiring is that we know that we still have more potential, all of us still have a lot more growth to undergo and I mean see the same squad, breaking the same record again."

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Entering the final with nothing to lose and everything to gain, they captured the hearts of South Africans throughout a challenging competition.

"Coming in we had nothing to lose but we had something to prove and not just to our country that we can rank up against these top countries but to ourselves. To show ourselves that for myself as an example as well, I didn't perform as well but my team pretty much put me back in line,” he added.

“They told me that, you know what Lythe, the relay is a different vibe, we trust you, we back you as a teammate and seeing them put their hearts out, made me put all of mine out."