Akani Simbine has shunned his label as sprinting’s ‘nearly man’ after surpassing Usain Bolt in the record books.
The South African has earned a reputation in his career for falling just short, having missed the podium with three fourth-placed finishes at major championships – including twice at the Olympics.
Simbine is the world leader over 100m this year
Simbine is the world leader over 100m this yearCredit: AFP
But Simbine has refused to let the agonising near misses get the better of him, with his latest achievement proving this.
Last month, the 31-year-old stormed to victory at the Botswana Grand Prix with a world-leading time of 9.90 seconds for 2025.
In doing so, he became the first athlete in history to run under ten seconds in the 100m for 11 seasons in a row.
His achievement broke all-time great Bolt’s record of ten consecutive sub-ten second seasons, and has seen Simbine nicknamed ‘The sub-ten king’.
The impressive feat highlights the sprinter’s remarkable consistency at the very top of athletics, which has cruelly gone unrewarded for so much of his career.
After finishing fifth in the 100m final at Rio 2016, where Bolt sealed immortality with a third consecutive gold medal, Simbine came even closer at the next two Games, coming fourth in both Tokyo in 2021, and in Paris last summer.
Despite having nothing to show for his efforts, the South African 100m record holder has argued his continued presence at the top of sprinting is more important than medal success.
He told BBC Sport Africa: “I have literally put myself to the surface and I proved myself to be an elite athlete.
“I don’t need a medal to prove that. The medal is just the cherry on top.”
The sprint star was also quick to shut down his label as the sport’s ‘nearly man’, insisting his frequent close shaves are a sign of his refusal to give up on his dream.
Simbine has frequently fallen just short of some of sprinting’s biggest names, making the 100m final of the World Athletics Championship on three occasions
Simbine has frequently fallen just short of some of sprinting’s biggest names, making the 100m final of the World Athletics Championship on three occasionsCredit:
Despite this, he finally got his hands on an Olympic medal in the 4 x 100m relay at Paris 2024
Despite this, he finally got his hands on an Olympic medal in the 4 x 100m relay at Paris 2024Credit:
He said: “Having that tag as the nearly man, it’s noise at the end of the day.
“I don’t see it like that, I see it as an action that’s never given up on trying to be the best. I always show up.
“I get disappointed, but my family says to be disappointed being fourth in the world is a bit crazy – because you are the fourth fastest person alive.”
While an individual Games medal continues to elude him, Simbine enjoyed a long-awaited podium breakthrough last year.
He anchored his nation to a 4 x 100m relay silver medal at Paris 2024, while he also became the the first South African man to win a World Indoor Championship medal with bronze in the 60 metres in China in March.
Having seemingly entering the twilight years of his career, Simbine instead appears rejuvenated by his recent progress.
Simbine has stormed to Diamond League wins in China in Xiamen and Keqiao this year
Simbine has stormed to Diamond League wins in China in Xiamen and Keqiao this yearCredit: AFP
Though still early in the season, he is yet to lose so far, winning all three of his 100m outings this year, including his opening two Diamond League meetings.
And with the veteran star targeting a first ever World Athletics Championships podium in Japan in September, he promised the best is still yet to come.
Simbine said of his recent form: “I’m getting into my races, I’m winning my races and that’s all that needs to be done.
“I’m running well for the beginning of the season. This is not like a peak.
“Once I get into June, I’ve been training well, and I can build up to August and September.”
But it isn’t just short-term success that Simbine has on his mind, who is targeting one final Olympics bid at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, which would see him compete at the age of 34.
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