Adnaan Mohamed in Paris
South African Sprinter, Akani Simbine, chatted to us on the top floor terrace of Adidas House in the centre of Paris.
Simbine placed 4th in the most hotly contested 100m final in history. He was desperately unlucky to miss out on a medal, but made up for it in the 4 x 100m final where he was deservedly rewarded with a silver medal.
At the age of 30 Akani played the senior role in a particularly young team.
South Africa’s men’s 4x100m relay team stormed to a silver medal, setting an African record with a blazing time of 37.57 seconds.
The quartet, comprising Akani Simbine, Shaun Maswanganyi, and the young talents Bradley Nkoana and Bayanda Walaza, delivered a performance that will be remembered for years to come.
In the final leg of the race, Simbine—who had narrowly missed out on a medal in the 100m final just days earlier—unleashed a burst of speed that left fans breathless.
Passing the other teams in an electrifying sprint, Simbine’s anchor leg was clocked at a staggering 8.78 seconds, sealing the silver medal for South Africa and setting a new African record.
This incredible achievement also marked South Africa’s first-ever Olympic medal in this event, a historic moment for the Rainbow Nation.
