Central Gauteng Athletics runner shines on world stage
Central Gauteng Athletics 2024 senior men athlete of the year Akani Simbine continues to break records on international stages.
He recently became the first athlete to run the 100m race in less than 10 seconds for 11 years in a row, breaking Usain Bolt's record.
On April 26, in Xiamen, People's Republic of China, Simbine won the opening 100m event of the Diamond League season by dominating a stacked field.
The South African speedster crossed the finish line ahead of former world champion Christian Coleman and Olympic 200m winner Letsile Tebogo.
With a time of 9.99 seconds, Simbine, the world's indoor bronze champion, crossed the finish line far ahead of the competition.
Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya came in second in 10.13 seconds, and Jeremiah Azu of the United Kingdom came in third in 10.17 seconds.
With a time of 10.20 seconds, Tebogo had to settle for seventh place in the 10-man competition.
At the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone on Saturday, April 12, Simbine posted a world lead of 9.90 seconds, demonstrating his excellent form early in the season.
The South African also won his first global sprint medal, taking bronze in the 60m at the recent World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing in his competitions debut.
This was a career defining win for him as he previously had failed to reach the podium in three world championships and one Olympic final.
The former Edenglen High learner is looking to continue his form at the World Athletics Relays championship to be held in Guangzhou, China.
A total of 19 athletes have been included in the South African team for the championships.
The national squad will compete in four events, including the men's 4x100m, the men's and women's 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m.
The men's 4x100m team will be anchored by national 100m record holder Simbine.
He will be joined by junior sensation Walaza and fellow rising star Bradley Nkoana, both of whom joined Simbine in the sprint relay team that earned South Africa the silver medal at last year's Olympic Games in Paris, as well as national 200m champion Sinesipho Dambile, Retshidisitswe Mlenga and Tsebo Matsoso.
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