Akani Simbine underlined his class as he obliterated friend and Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk to regain the South African 100m crown in Potchefstroom on Friday night.
There were fears that the chilly evening air that descended on the McArthur stadium on day one of the South African Senior Athletics Championships might freeze out sub-10 times‚ but Simbine rocketed across the track to win in 9.95sec.
That was just one-hundredth of a second slower than he did in the afternoon semifinals‚ and it was his fifth sub-10 of the season so far and the 12th of his career.
It warmed the crowd who packed out the grandstand to watch the greatest generation of South African male sprinters‚ not to mention javelin star Sunette Viljoen and Caster Semenya.
It was cold enough for Van Niekerk’s coach‚ Tannie Ans Botha‚ to instruct her charge to hold back on his start to ensure he didn’t risk injury.
The 400m Olympic and world champion‚ who is going for a double with the 200m at the world championships in August‚ was second in the 100m in 10.04sec.
Third-placed Thando Roto‚ the new star whose 9.95 personal best last month made him the second-fastest SA sprinter of all time‚ was credited with the same time.
Defending champion Henricho Bruintjies had to settle for fourth in 10.17‚ his best time of the season.
But there was disappointment for Anaso Jobodwana‚ the 200m bronze medallist at the world championships whose 2016 season was obliterated by injury.
He looked great in the heats‚ edging Bruintjies as they crossed in 10.19‚ but what really impressed was his attitude; he turned and stared across at his rival several times over the last 50m.
But Jobodwana‚ who ended third behind Bruintjies in the semifinals‚ pulled out just before the final‚ apparently struggling with cramp.
He will probably make a final decision on the 200m today.
The return of Simon Magakwe — the former six-time 100m champion who was out for two years because of a doping offence — ended 20 metres into the final when he dropped to the track injured.
“For me it’s good‚” said Simbine. “It’s really cold. While we were waiting outside we really felt it was super-cold.
“I’m pretty happy with my time‚ but I’m really happy with [regaining] my title. I came back here to get my title that I lost last year. For me‚ job one is done‚ [the 200m] is next.”
Simbine will go up against Van Niekerk again in the 200m‚ and while he will again be the favourite‚ given his sensational early season form‚ it could be more competitive.
Simbine and Van Niekerk were instrumental in the #FillupPotch social media campaign — even world No1 Usain Bolt gave them a shout-out in the build-up — and the athletes were chuffed to see that it worked.
“When we walked out I said to Wayde‚ look at the stands‚ it’s actually packed and he was yeah‚ we actually filled Potch up.”
Van Niekerk joked that he had not pushed as hard as he might. “I was a bit too much of an Akani fan today …”
“You’re lying‚” Simbine interjected. “You wanted to beat me.”
Van Niekerk‚ who had earlier splashed water on Simbine while he was addressing the crowd on the public address system‚ promised to make the 200m closer.
“Tomorrow I need to shift back to the focus‚ but it’s such an honour to give South Africans a show right here at home. We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”
Viljoen won her 12th national javelin title‚ and said afterwards she wanted to go to the world championships in London in August to bury her ghost of disappointment in the same stadium where she finished fourth at the 2012 Olympics.
“The drive behind my training is to go back to London and be successful and after the disappointment of 2012 — that is where I had the biggest disappointment of my career — so I really want to turn that around and make it one of my biggest victories.”
She added that she was still hunting for the 72.28m world record.
“That is something I know I have in my arm‚” said the 2016 Olympic silver medallist‚ who threw 63.49m for her win yesterday.
“It is something I will always chase‚ it is something I will always keep believing‚ it is something I will always work for. Whether it is in my destiny‚ I don’t know‚ but it is something I will try to throw.”
In other action‚ Le Roux Hamman dipped veteran LJ van Zyl on the line to win his maiden 400m hurdles title in 49.35‚ and Wenda Nel claimed her seventh crown in the women’s edition.
Alyssa Conley won the women’s 100m title after Carina Horn‚ the fastest in the heats and semifinals‚ scratched from the final.
And Semenya comfortably won her 400m and 800m heats to qualify for today’s finals.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Akani Simbine obliterates Wayde van Niekerk in Potch
Akani Simbine underlined his class as he obliterated friend and Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk to regain the South African 100m crown in Potchefstroom on Friday night.
There were fears that the chilly evening air that descended on the McArthur stadium on day one of the South African Senior Athletics Championships might freeze out sub-10 times‚ but Simbine rocketed across the track to win in 9.95sec.
That was just one-hundredth of a second slower than he did in the afternoon semifinals‚ and it was his fifth sub-10 of the season so far and the 12th of his career.
It warmed the crowd who packed out the grandstand to watch the greatest generation of South African male sprinters‚ not to mention javelin star Sunette Viljoen and Caster Semenya.
It was cold enough for Van Niekerk’s coach‚ Tannie Ans Botha‚ to instruct her charge to hold back on his start to ensure he didn’t risk injury.
The 400m Olympic and world champion‚ who is going for a double with the 200m at the world championships in August‚ was second in the 100m in 10.04sec.
Third-placed Thando Roto‚ the new star whose 9.95 personal best last month made him the second-fastest SA sprinter of all time‚ was credited with the same time.
Defending champion Henricho Bruintjies had to settle for fourth in 10.17‚ his best time of the season.
But there was disappointment for Anaso Jobodwana‚ the 200m bronze medallist at the world championships whose 2016 season was obliterated by injury.
He looked great in the heats‚ edging Bruintjies as they crossed in 10.19‚ but what really impressed was his attitude; he turned and stared across at his rival several times over the last 50m.
But Jobodwana‚ who ended third behind Bruintjies in the semifinals‚ pulled out just before the final‚ apparently struggling with cramp.
He will probably make a final decision on the 200m today.
The return of Simon Magakwe — the former six-time 100m champion who was out for two years because of a doping offence — ended 20 metres into the final when he dropped to the track injured.
“For me it’s good‚” said Simbine. “It’s really cold. While we were waiting outside we really felt it was super-cold.
“I’m pretty happy with my time‚ but I’m really happy with [regaining] my title. I came back here to get my title that I lost last year. For me‚ job one is done‚ [the 200m] is next.”
Simbine will go up against Van Niekerk again in the 200m‚ and while he will again be the favourite‚ given his sensational early season form‚ it could be more competitive.
Simbine and Van Niekerk were instrumental in the #FillupPotch social media campaign — even world No1 Usain Bolt gave them a shout-out in the build-up — and the athletes were chuffed to see that it worked.
“When we walked out I said to Wayde‚ look at the stands‚ it’s actually packed and he was yeah‚ we actually filled Potch up.”
Van Niekerk joked that he had not pushed as hard as he might. “I was a bit too much of an Akani fan today …”
“You’re lying‚” Simbine interjected. “You wanted to beat me.”
Van Niekerk‚ who had earlier splashed water on Simbine while he was addressing the crowd on the public address system‚ promised to make the 200m closer.
“Tomorrow I need to shift back to the focus‚ but it’s such an honour to give South Africans a show right here at home. We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”
Viljoen won her 12th national javelin title‚ and said afterwards she wanted to go to the world championships in London in August to bury her ghost of disappointment in the same stadium where she finished fourth at the 2012 Olympics.
“The drive behind my training is to go back to London and be successful and after the disappointment of 2012 — that is where I had the biggest disappointment of my career — so I really want to turn that around and make it one of my biggest victories.”
She added that she was still hunting for the 72.28m world record.
“That is something I know I have in my arm‚” said the 2016 Olympic silver medallist‚ who threw 63.49m for her win yesterday.
“It is something I will always chase‚ it is something I will always keep believing‚ it is something I will always work for. Whether it is in my destiny‚ I don’t know‚ but it is something I will try to throw.”
In other action‚ Le Roux Hamman dipped veteran LJ van Zyl on the line to win his maiden 400m hurdles title in 49.35‚ and Wenda Nel claimed her seventh crown in the women’s edition.
Alyssa Conley won the women’s 100m title after Carina Horn‚ the fastest in the heats and semifinals‚ scratched from the final.
And Semenya comfortably won her 400m and 800m heats to qualify for today’s finals.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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