Sprinter Akani Simbine has secured a new three-year‚ seven-figure sponsorship deal to replace the one that was cancelled prematurely late last year.

The company behind the agreement‚ UK listed satellite solutions provider Avanti Communications‚ is new for the speed king‚ but the chief executive behind the deal is familiar to him.

Kyle Whitehill was the then CEO of Liquid Telecom when he gave Simbine an R8m sponsorship in February‚ 2018‚ but he left that company a month or so later and the deal was scrapped by the end of the year.

Now he’s the Avanti chief executive.

“This is an exciting time for me and with Avanti’s support I can now be even more focused on my 2020 gold medal ambition‚” Simbine said in a statement issued on Wednesday by the company.

“Like me‚ Avanti wants to make a positive impact across Africa and inspire people to reach their full potential.” Whitehill described the new agreement as “Avanti’s first ever professional sponsorship deal”.

Liquid Telecom also cancelled a three-year sponsorship of a track-and-field series after Whitehill’s departure.