South African sprinter Akani Simbine has quietly, yet emphatically, built a flawless 2025 season, leaving some of the sport’s biggest names, including Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson, looking over their shoulders. Seven races. Seven wins. Two world-leading times. No theatrics, no chest-pounding. Just ruthless, clinical sprinting.
With the World Championships inching closer, Simbine’s momentum feels less like a hot streak and more like a seismic shift in the sport’s power dynamics. After years of near-misses on the biggest stages, including a heartbreaking fourth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, just 0.01 seconds off the podium, Simbine hasn’t folded. He’s forged himself into a force built on redemption, precision, and purpose.
The Winning Streak That’s Turning Heads
NBC Sports director Travis Miller who summed up the mood with a timely tweet:
“Akani Simbine remains undefeated in all seven of his races this outdoor season!”
Accompanying the tweet was a graphic listing each win like a quiet flex. But anyone who’s followed Simbine this year knows the numbers don’t tell the full story.
The fuse was lit back in Gaborone on April 12. Facing a stiff headwind and fierce rival Ferdinand Omanyala, Simbine dropped a commanding 9.90 seconds to snatch the world lead. And from there, the South African star has executed a relentless march through the global sprint circuit: Xiamen, Shanghai, the World Relays, Atlanta, and beyond.
Fast, but Not Fulfilled: The Pursuit of Perfection
If Gaborone was the spark, then Xiamen Diamond League was the ignition point. In a lineup packed with Olympic and world champions, Omanyala, Christian Coleman, Letsile Tebogo, Simbine delivered a polished 9.99 seconds to outclass them all.
Then came Shanghai, another victory at 9.98 seconds. But this time, Simbine’s post-race interview told a deeper story.
“I’m not happy with the start,” he admitted, visibly frustrated despite clinching yet another win.
That hunger propelled him into the World Relays in Guangzhou, where he anchored Team South Africa to their first-ever gold medal. Trailing Team USA on the final leg, Simbine hunted down the lead with unshakeable composure, surging past Brandon Hicklin to stop the clock at 37.61 seconds. It was a defining moment, not just for Simbine, but for African sprinting.
From Atlanta to the World Stage
Barely pausing to celebrate, Simbine headed to the Adidas Atlanta City Games, where he clocked 10.13s in the heat before uncorking a wind-aided 9.86s in the final. Another notch in the win column. Another statement made.
“It’s just about putting big pieces of my race together,” he told CITIUS MAG.
A Legacy Season in the Making
Since his breakthrough in 2016, Akani Simbine has been a fixture in global sprinting, a reliable, consistent force. But 2025 feels different. This isn’t about participation. This isn’t about “coming close.” It’s about rewriting history.
His bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, clocking 9.97s and toppling a stacked American contingent, silenced doubters. Now, with every performance this year, he’s edging closer to a career-defining moment.
“I came here to win,” Simbine declared before Xiamen.
Can He Break the Medal Curse in 2025?
With the World Championships now firmly in sight, one burning question remains: Is this the year Akani Simbine finally claims the elusive global title?
If his form, confidence, and cold-blooded execution this season are any indication, it’s no longer a matter of if, it’s when.
And as Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and the rest of the sprint world prepare for the showdown, one thing is certain: Akani Simbine is chasing legacy. And he’s coming for everything.
