Emotional Akani Simbine Sprints to Sixth SA 100m Title at National Championships
Emotional Akani Simbine Sprints to Sixth SA 100m Title at National Championships. Photo: Team SA

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Emotional Akani Simbine Sprints to Sixth SA Title at National Championships

A super-charged and emotional Akani Simbine won his sixth South African 100m title at the National Championships being held at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. The 28-year-old out-sprinted his rivals to hit the line in 10.30 seconds and then slapped his chest five times as if to show, “I’m still the best!” Settling […]

By SAPeople
22-04-22 08:45
in Fab South African Stuff
Emotional Akani Simbine Sprints to Sixth SA 100m Title at National Championships
Emotional Akani Simbine Sprints to Sixth SA 100m Title at National Championships. Photo: Team SA

A super-charged and emotional Akani Simbine won his sixth South African 100m title at the National Championships being held at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. The 28-year-old out-sprinted his rivals to hit the line in 10.30 seconds and then slapped his chest five times as if to show, “I’m still the best!”

Settling into the blocks in lane four, the two-time Olympic 100m finalist didn’t get the best of starts, but he powered through in the second half of the race to win comfortably. Afterwards Simbine, who was fifth at Rio 2016 and fourth at Tokyo 2020, dedicated the title to his coach Werner Prinsloo.

“Mentally, it’s been a rough couple of weeks because everyone comes to me and says ‘Akani is gone, he isn’t the same since the Olympics’,” Simbine told the media afterwards.

“For me, it’s been trusting the program that we’re on with the coach and trusting the long plan. And not letting those words affect us and I came back and said I’m going to do it at SA’s and I did it … It’s a goal ticked.

“Emotional yes, really grateful for everything else and everyone who has believed in me. This is for my coach. Everyone said to him that he is a one athlete coach and now he can prove to everyone that,” he added.

Bradley Nkona finished second in 10.34 and Neo Mosebi was third in 10.34.

In the women’s 5 000m it was a case of mission accomplished for Dominique Scott-Efurd who re-claimed the 5 000m title that she last held in 2018. She gained a major victory when beating track legend Caster Semenya in 15min 28.10 seconds. It was the second National 5 000m title for Scott-Efurd who is in the best form of her career.

Elsewhere on Thursday afternoon, sprinter Carina Horn defended her 100m national title by winning in 11.54sec.

Source: TeamSA

Tags: Akani Simbine National Championships