Having clinched his first individual global medal with bronze in the 60-metre race at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, on Friday, SA sprinter Akani Simbine feels this will be a confidence booster heading into the season.
Simbine, who was part of the relay team that won silver at the Paris Olympics last year, had never won a major individual medal after missing out on a few occasions.
But on Friday, he got his first individual medal when he finished third in 6.45 seconds and he was pleased after he ticked all the boxes during his first indoor championship. “Coming into the indoors for us [him and his coach Warner Prinsloo], it was more of trying to figure something out with my first start,” Simbine told the media during their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday.
“We came in and said, see what happens, we will figure it out around not having big expectations because there are people who are specialists in the 60m indoors. It went well, I came back with a medal. For me, yes, it is my first world individual medal, which is great. But it doesn't describe my career.
“Yes, I have it now, there are still more medals that I want to get. I'm looking forward to the season, and it is a great morale booster and confidence booster for myself, the team and SA, believing in us going into the season and going into championships.”
Simbine wants to build on the World Athletics Indoor Championships success. “The goal was to get into the final because it gives me three races to work on my first 60m; and that was the whole plan. Take it round by round, use the 60m and work on certain aspects of the race and don't try to change so many things because the 60m indoors makes you change a lot of things in your race.
“For me, that was a big thing — not to change a lot but make sure I'm executing what we came to execute in rounds one, two and the final. For us, that was important and it is showing where we are at training. We are good with it and now we can move on to the next and build up to the rest of the season.”
SowetanLIVE
Akani Simbine aims to build on 60m victory in new season
'Winning bronze is a morale booster'
Image: Veli Nhlapo
Having clinched his first individual global medal with bronze in the 60-metre race at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, on Friday, SA sprinter Akani Simbine feels this will be a confidence booster heading into the season.
Simbine, who was part of the relay team that won silver at the Paris Olympics last year, had never won a major individual medal after missing out on a few occasions.
But on Friday, he got his first individual medal when he finished third in 6.45 seconds and he was pleased after he ticked all the boxes during his first indoor championship. “Coming into the indoors for us [him and his coach Warner Prinsloo], it was more of trying to figure something out with my first start,” Simbine told the media during their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday.
“We came in and said, see what happens, we will figure it out around not having big expectations because there are people who are specialists in the 60m indoors. It went well, I came back with a medal. For me, yes, it is my first world individual medal, which is great. But it doesn't describe my career.
“Yes, I have it now, there are still more medals that I want to get. I'm looking forward to the season, and it is a great morale booster and confidence booster for myself, the team and SA, believing in us going into the season and going into championships.”
Simbine wants to build on the World Athletics Indoor Championships success. “The goal was to get into the final because it gives me three races to work on my first 60m; and that was the whole plan. Take it round by round, use the 60m and work on certain aspects of the race and don't try to change so many things because the 60m indoors makes you change a lot of things in your race.
“For me, that was a big thing — not to change a lot but make sure I'm executing what we came to execute in rounds one, two and the final. For us, that was important and it is showing where we are at training. We are good with it and now we can move on to the next and build up to the rest of the season.”
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