South African sprinter Akani Simbine looks dejected after the 100m at Paris Olympics. (Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)
- Akani Simbine earned the respect of the sporting community after his fourth-place finish in the Olympics 100m final.
- Simbine once again came agonisingly close to the Olympic podium, missing out on bronze by 0.01 seconds.
- The 30-year-old set a new national record as he crossed the finish line in 9.82.
- For more on Team SA’s Paris Olympics bid, visit our special hub.
An Olympic medal continues to elude South African sprinter Akani Simbine after he finished fourth by a whisker in the men’s 100m final at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
Simbine was racing in his third successive Olympics final, having finished in fifth place in Rio 2016 and fourth in Tokyo 2021. And claiming that medal wasn’t about to get any easier.
All eyes were on lane five where Simbine was third-fastest to burst from the starting blocks before he crossed the finish line in a personal best time of 9.82 seconds, just 0.01sec behind American bronze medallist Fred Kerley (9.81) in what was the closest finish in modern Olympic history.
American Noah Lyles took the gold in 9.79, pipping Jamaican Kishane Thompson by 0.005sec in a photo finish.
READ | Groundhog Day: A desperately unlucky Akani Simbine has again missed out on a major champs medal
The 30-year-old Simbine had broken his own South African record, which also restored him as the fastest man in Africa.
“It is a moment in history. There is no South African that has been in three Olympic finals and placed higher than me,” Simbine said 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.”
He’s not wrong.
Social media was full of praise for Simbine after the race:
We are proud of you @AkaniSimbine , you are a star with a very bright future. You fought hard.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) August 4, 2024
The 4th FASTEST MAN ON THE PLANET!!!! Our OLYMPIC 100m hero!!! 9.82 @AkaniSimbine ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/YLBBJWmchA
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) August 4, 2024
What an Olympic performance by Akani Simbine! Consistent, focused, and quicker than ever, running a National Record time in the 100m of 9.82, and coming agonisingly short of a medal.It’s not what you wanted, but we’re all incredibly proud of you because you gave it your all.???????? pic.twitter.com/O6ZMDMS0FR
— Maps Maponyane (@MapsMaponyane) August 4, 2024
Just to give you context, the time Akani Simbine just ran, which makes him the fastest African man in history, would have won him gold in every Olympics up to and including 2004. He would have been 0.01 behind Bolt in 2016. Great achievement!
— Acclaimed Journalist (@Jonathan_Witt) August 4, 2024
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