South African sprint star Akani Simbine has dismissed the long-held ‘nearly man‘ tag after surpassing the legendary Usain Bolt in the athletics record books, and insists 2025 could yet be the most defining year of his career.
The 31-year-old sprinter made headlines last month after clocking a world-leading time of 9.90 seconds at the Botswana Grand Prix, marking a significant milestone in his storied career. With that performance, Simbine became the first athlete in history to run under 10 seconds in the 100m for 11 consecutive seasons, breaking Bolt’s previous record of ten.
Consistency Over Medals
Despite often narrowly missing out on major championship podiums, with three fourth-place finishes, including at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, as well as Paris 2024, Simbine has maintained remarkable consistency at the elite level.
In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Akani Simbine explained why his achievements go beyond medals.
“I have literally put myself to the surface and proved myself to be an elite athlete. I don’t need a medal to prove that. The medal is just the cherry on top,” he stated.
The South African 100m record holder also pushed back against the ‘nearly man’ label, framing his career as a testament to resilience rather than missed opportunities.
“Having that tag as the nearly man, it’s just noise at the end of the day, I see it as an action that never gives up on trying to be the best,“ Simbine added.
Eyes Set on 2025
So far in 2025, Simbine has enjoyed an unbeaten streak, claiming victory in all three of his 100m races, including his opening two Diamond League meetings. With the World Athletics Championships set for September in Tokyo, he believes the best is yet to come.
Acknowledging that time isn’t necessarily on his side as he enters the latter years of his career, Akani Simbine appears more motivated than ever to finally clinch a global championship medal.
“2025 is the year I’m targeting for everything to come together,” he hinted.
