It was another win, and another sub-10-second time in the 100m for South Africa’s sprint star Akani Simbine at the Atlanta City Games at the weekend.
The 31-year-old track star is enjoying a golden revival late in his career, and remains unbeaten over the short dash this season, boasting this year’s world-leading time of 9.90 seconds. He has also won both of his Diamond League meetings so far.
Fresh off anchoring the SA 4X100m team to victory in another world-leading time at the Athletics World Relays in Guangzhou, China, the jet-heeled star again showed he is the man to beat.
He blew the rest of the field away in the US as he clocked a wind-assisted 9.86 to take the win in Atlanta on Saturday.
“It’s no pressure,” Simbine told NBC after his victory. “I get to come enjoy something that is no stress; just run and have fun. I wasn’t expecting that (time) at all. Crazy.”
The race had been billed as a potential mouthwatering showdown with Olympic champion Noah Lyles. However, the American scratched from the race due to a “tight ankle” that has apparently affected him in the past two weeks.
“Unfortunately, I just have a really tight ankle. It kind of surprised us a couple of weeks ago,” Lyles told NBC.
“We came up (to Atlanta) thinking that anything could happen, it could loosen up. (But) it wasn’t getting better and I need to play it safe … It’s just a little inflammation.”
The decision only fanned speculation that Lyles is avoiding the red-hot Simbine, with earlier reports suggesting he was only set to run the 150m at the unique event in Piedmont Park.
Simbine seemed unfazed, powering to the line well ahead of Nigerian Udodi Onwuzurike (10.05) in typical fashion after a slow start.
He was asked after the race if not having someone to chase had made a difference.
“There’s always someone to chase,” Simbine responded, chucking.
“It’s a line, you know. We all start at the same place so there’s always somebody that’s going to get a centimeter or two centimeters ahead. But I know with my heat and in the final I was with that pack, and for me it’s good, the green, go!
“But I just need to watch the race again and see where I can improve on, where I can get better and what I can do to be better as the year goes on and the season goes on.”
He will return home to rest for next weekend’s Rabat Diamond League meeting, where he can make it a perfect three from three.
Source: Rowan Callaghan
