Cape Town - Wayde van Niekerk has backed his omitted team-mates from the South Africa squad for next month's IAAF World Championships in London.
On Monday, Athletics South Africa (ASA) confirmed the final 23-strong squad to represent the country at the championships from August 4-13.
As with SASCOC’s Olympic qualification, ASA's qualifying standards are stricter than those set by the world athletics governing body, the IAAF.
Van Niekerk, who memorably took gold in a new world record time in the 400m at last year's Rio Olympics, was joined by rising sprint sensation Akani Simbine in expressing their surprise at the ommission of several of their compatriots.
Those notables who missed out on selection include Henricho Bruintjies (100m)‚ Rynardt van Rensburg (800m)‚ 400m hurdlers Cornel Fredericks and LJ van Zyl‚ and 200m sprinters Alyssa Conley and Justine Palframan.
Van Niekerk and Simbine took to Twitter to voice their concerns.
The South African team to London will consist of 17 men and six women.
23-strong SA team for the IAAF World Championships in London from August 4-13:
Men
100m
Akani Simbine, Thando Roto
200m
Akani Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk, Clarence Munyai
400m
Wayde van Niekerk, Pieter Conradie
10 000m
Stephen Mokoka
Marathon
April Lusapho, Sibusiso Nzima, Desmond Mokgobu
110m hurdles
Antonio Alkana
Long Jump
Luvo Manyonga, Ruswahl Samaai, Zarck Visser
Shot Put
Oratio Cremona, Jaco Engelbrecht
Javelin
Rocco van Rooyen
20km walk
Shange Lebogang
Women
100m
Carina Horn
800m
Caster Semenya
Marathon
Mapaseka Makhanya, Jenna Challenor
400m
Wenda Nel
Javelin
Sunette Viljoen
We have the potential to be such a powerhouse in track & field but we keep missing it
— Akani Simbine (@AkaniSimbine) July 23, 2017
Wait ??????. But South Africa has so much potential right now and we still having team selection doubts and conflicts? pic.twitter.com/EVuB21Nfzl
— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) July 23, 2017
Too much talent bro selection should be our last worry. Guys work to hard for this type of rejection. https://t.co/9ziC74NN4y
— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) July 23, 2017