RIDING the momentum of his breakthrough global indoor medal, South African sprinter Akani Simbine stormed to victory in the 100m at the Diamond League season opener in Xiamen, China.
Simbine, fresh off a bronze medal in the 60m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, proved his world-class pedigree once again by dominating a stacked field on Saturday. The 31-year-old surged ahead in the final metres, crossing the line in 9.99 seconds-making him the only man to dip under 10 seconds on the night. Kenyan star Ferdinand Omanyala finished second in 10.13s, with Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu third in 10.17s.
The South African’s victory was all the more impressive considering the calibre of his rivals. Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo and former world champion Christian Coleman were both in the field, but neither could match Simbine’s finishing speed. Tebogo, a rising force in global sprinting, had to settle for seventh in 10.20s.
Simbine’s consistency in running sub-10 times this season has been remarkable. Earlier in April, he set a world-leading mark of 9.90s at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone, underlining his status as the current world leader in the 100m. This form is a significant boost for his confidence as he builds towards the World Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics later this year.
Reflecting on his performance, Simbine said: “The race felt good. I stumbled a bit after 60, had to catch myself. Quite happy with catching the win and keeping the momentum I have right now. Going back to basics and putting myself in a position to learn has really helped. If conditions are good, we’ll run fast, but I’m just happy to put the race together and get the win”.
Simbine’s early-season dominance is also a positive sign for South Africa’s 4x100m relay team, who are targeting medals at the upcoming World Relays in China. Athletics South Africa president James Moloi hailed Simbine as a “true icon of South African sprinting,” noting that his international exploits continue to inspire a new generation of local talent.
Elsewhere at the Xiamen Diamond League, world number one Beatrice Chebet of Kenya stormed to a meeting record and world-leading time of 14:27.12 in the women’s 5000m, ahead of Ethiopians Gudaf Tsegay and Burke Haylom. In the women’s 200m, Ivorian sprinter Jessica Gbai finished sixth with a time of 23.14s.
With his trademark composure and relentless drive, Simbine is peaking at just the right time. His Xiamen triumph sends a clear message: the South African star is a serious contender for global gold in 2025.
