Akani Simbine Makes History at Botswana Grand Prix

• Akani Simbine broke Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell’s 100m record at the Botswana Grand Prix with a time of 9.90 seconds, the world’s fastest this season
• He finished ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (10.00s) and South Africa’s Retshidisitswe Mlenga (10.15s), cementing his status as Africa’s sprint king
• Mzansi flooded social media with praise, with fans on X celebrating Simbine’s historic feat and hailing him as South Africa’s greatest sprinter

South African sprinting legend Akani Simbine cemented his status as one of the continent’s fastest men after breaking Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell’s long-standing record at the Botswana Grand Prix in Gaborone. The veteran sprinter clocked a world-leading time of 9.90 seconds (-1.4 m/s), securing a dominant win in the men’s 100m. Simbine's electrifying performance stunned fans and rivals alike as he powered through the track, finishing well ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who recorded a fast 10.00s, and South Africa’s rising star Retshidisitswe Mlenga, who came in third at 10.15s.

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Breaking legends’ records

With this victory, Simbine becomes the new sub-10 king, breaking through a barrier that was previously dominated by Jamaican icons Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. At 30, Simbine continues to defy age and expectations, proving that consistency, experience, and hard work can keep you at the top of world athletics.

The time is not only a personal best for Simbine this season, but also a world lead, giving him significant momentum ahead of the upcoming Olympic season and bolstering hopes of a medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

Mzansi celebrates Simbine’s record-breaking run

South Africans took to social media platform X to praise Simbine’s milestone, with many hailing him as a national treasure and Africa’s sprinting hope.

“Akani Simbine is a generational talent.”

“Akani Simbine deserves way more credit than we give him.”

“Akani Simbine is Mr Consistent. A 9.90s run in April with -1.4 wind is world class.”

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“Simbine is the most consistent sprinter in the world. Easily.”

“9.90 in April and into a headwind… this man is going to drop a 9.7s this year.”

“Akani Simbine ran 9.90s in April with -1.4 wind and some of y’all don’t think he’s a 9.7s guy.”

“Simbine! This guy always delivers.”

How much Simbine earned after beating Omanyala

Briefly News previously reported that South African sprint star Akani Simbine walked away with $5,000 (about R96,000) after clocking a world-leading time of 9.90 seconds to defeat African champion Ferdinand Omanyala at the Botswana Continental Tour.

Simbine’s blistering performance marked the fastest 100m time globally so far this year, surpassing Bayanda Walaza’s 9.99s set last month. Fresh off a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, the 31-year-old’s outdoor season is off to a flying start. On social media, Simbine shared his excitement, thanking Botswana for the support.

Source: Briefly News