‘You fought hard’: Simbine earns respect of SA in closest Olympic men’s 100m final

Akani Simbine finished ninth in a thrilling Olympic men’s 100m final on Sunday evening in Tokyo.

The 27-year-old South African clocked 9.93 to equal his season’s best, but it was not enough to trouble the medals.

Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs won the gold in a European record of 9.80.

America’s Fred Kerley pipped Andre De Grasse of Canada for silver, with both athletes recording 9.84.

Simbine’s time was still his second-fastest in what has been an injury-hit season.

The Tuks product has made a remarkable recovery from a hamstring tear in May.

He has consistently run under 10 seconds this season and was the quickest sprinter in the world over 100m in 2021.

Simbine has, however, come up short in the big races.

He ran in the final of the World Championships in Doha in 2019, but a back injury hampered him, and he ended up finishing seventh.

He also failed to reach the semi-finals at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Despite his disappointment at not winning a medal in Tokyo, Simbine’s performance was still a triumph for South African sprinting.

He is now the fastest South African over 100m since 2004 when his Tuks coach, Hendrick Mokganyetsi, clocked 9.96.

Simbine’s performance also earned the respect of South Africans, who took to social media to praise his effort.

“You fought hard,” said one fan.

“You made us proud,” said another.

Simbine will now turn his attention to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, set for Birmingham in the UK, and the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, United States.