Jamaica's Kishane Thompson (C) reacts as he crosses the finish line next to South Africa's Akani Simbine and US' Fred Kerley in the men's 100m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris Jamaica's Kishane Thompson (C) reacts as he crosses the finish line next to South Africa's Akani Simbine and US' Fred Kerley in the men's 100m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on August 4, 2024. Picture: Jewel SAMAD/AFP
Despite finishing fourth for a second successive Olympics in the men’s 100m, South Africa’s Akani Simbine was proud of his performance in Paris on Sunday.
Though the 30-year-old Team SA star did not manage a podium position at the Paris Olympics, there was no faulting his performance as he improved his own South African record to 9.82 seconds - which he had set three years ago.
In fact, it was the third Olympic final in a row for Simbine.
American Noah Lyles claimed gold in 9.79, Jamaica's Kishane Thompson took silver as he was credited with the same time but just five thousandths of a second behind. American Fred Kerley was narrowly ahead of Simbine in 9.81.
“It is a moment in history. There is no South African that has been in three Olympic finals and placed higher than me,” Simbine told olympics.com after the race.
“I am the one that is doing these things for the first time for every South African. That is a great thing on its own.
“I might not be getting the medal but what I am doing is changing how sprinting is seen in South Africa and motivating a lot of kids.”
Before he looks forward to the next Olympics in Los Angeles when he will be 34, Simbine still has the chance of winning a medal in Paris. Simbine will be part of a strong South African relay team alongside Shaun Maswanganyi and Benjamin Richardson. The 4x100m relays start on Thursday.
“We’ve got another shot in the relay and we are going to go for it!”