Akani Simbine finally has that elusive Olympic medal he cherished and deserved after inspiring the South African men’s 4x100m relay team to a silver medal win on Friday.
Simbine, who has placed fifth and twice fourth in the men’s 100m final, was once again the relay star after producing a searing run ever seen by a South African in front of a fully packed and boisterous Stade de France crowd.
The sprinter took the baton from Bradley Nkoana, with a wall of runners in front of him and plenty to do in the men’s 4x100m final.
With that 100m remaining, Team SA was fifth, and hopes fading fast. Step forward Simbine, consistently one of the elite sprinters over the last decade, to re-ignite the dreams of a nation.
Japan was leading Italy, France, and Canada, with South Africa in fifth spot. Some 8.78 seconds later Simbine flashed across the line, chasing Andre De Grass who helped Canada to win gold. The clock was stopped for Canada at 37.50, but South Africa’s 37.57 was an African record.
Great Britain took bronze while pre-race favourites the United States of America were disqualified.
18-year-old and schoolboy Bayanda Walaza had started for Team SA and ran his leg around the bend in 10.41. He handed over to Shaun Maswanganyi in fourth spot and he ran down the back straight in 9.06.
The changeover to Nkoana was smooth and he impressed with his 9.32 leg, but still, when the baton was handed to Simbine, who still had plenty to do with three men ahead of him.
However, Simbine knew what was at stake and anchored the race in style by producing the fastest 100m in the country’s history of 8.78 seconds.
The sensational victory means that South Africa’s medal tally at the 2024 Paris Olympics now goes to five after Tatjana Smith produced two (gold and silver), mountain biker Alan Hatherly and the seven’s men’s rugby team won bronze medals, respectively.
The win also brings to an end a possible eight-year-long medal drought in track and field, which was last delivered by Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya in 2016 before today.
