If there is a year for sprint ace Akani Simbine to shine on the world stage, this is the year.
He has promised a lot and delivered little in the past, but his coach Werner Prinsloo said he is ready to produce the best performance of his life at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
The 10-day athletics schedule at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo will start on Friday, and all eyes will be on the fastest man in Africa.
Sokwakhana Zazini will open for Team SA in the track and field events in the 400m hurdles heats on Friday.
Simbine, 27, will do the heats on Saturday, and the 100m final will take place on Sunday and hopefully he will line-up for the final.
Prinsloo said he was relaxed, his focus is on the weekend, and that he will handle the pressure.
Speaking via Zoom from Tokyo, Prinsloo said they did everything and they are waiting for events to start.
“The preparations went well. It took a lot of planning for us to get to this point. Akani is an experienced athlete, and he understands the pressure. He is relaxed and taking it one day at a time. There are expectations for him to win a medal back home, and he knows that,” said Prinsloo.
“This is the year for him to win a medal at the Olympics in an individual event. We ticked all the boxes going into the Olympics. We worked long and hard for this. He needs confidence and to believe in himself,” explained Prinsloo.
Simbine will also feature in the 4x100m relays later in the competition. “We are going for that medal. We want to go home with a medal. We cannot settle for anything less,” Prinsloo told Sowetan yesterday.
Simbine ready to go for gold at the Olympics
It's time to do the talking on the track, says coach Prinsloo
If there is a year for sprint ace Akani Simbine to shine on the world stage, this is the year.
He has promised a lot and delivered little in the past, but his coach Werner Prinsloo said he is ready to produce the best performance of his life at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
The 10-day athletics schedule at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo will start on Friday, and all eyes will be on the fastest man in Africa.
Sokwakhana Zazini will open for Team SA in the track and field events in the 400m hurdles heats on Friday.
Simbine, 27, will do the heats on Saturday, and the 100m final will take place on Sunday and hopefully he will line-up for the final.
Prinsloo said he was relaxed, his focus is on the weekend, and that he will handle the pressure.
Speaking via Zoom from Tokyo, Prinsloo said they did everything and they are waiting for events to start.
“The preparations went well. It took a lot of planning for us to get to this point. Akani is an experienced athlete, and he understands the pressure. He is relaxed and taking it one day at a time. There are expectations for him to win a medal back home, and he knows that,” said Prinsloo.
“This is the year for him to win a medal at the Olympics in an individual event. We ticked all the boxes going into the Olympics. We worked long and hard for this. He needs confidence and to believe in himself,” explained Prinsloo.
Simbine will also feature in the 4x100m relays later in the competition. “We are going for that medal. We want to go home with a medal. We cannot settle for anything less,” Prinsloo told Sowetan yesterday.