American sprinter Noah Williams has found himself at the center of fan backlash after a bold, and some say dismissive, take on Akani Simbine’s chances.
In a season where the 100m sprint conversation has been dominated by records, rivalries, and rising stars, Akani Simbine has quietly rewritten the script. Seven races. Seven wins. No theatrics. No post-race struts. Just icy, efficient excellence.
Yet, somehow, the South African sprint star continues to be overlooked in the pre-World Championships buzz.
A Blistering Season Ignored
At the recent Rabat Diamond League meeting, Simbine clocked a clean 9.95 seconds to extend his perfect 2025 record. The field wasn’t light either, Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala were left chasing shadows. Still, much of the media chatter remains fixed on Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek as favorites for the upcoming Worlds in Tokyo.
That simmering frustration among fans reached a boil after Track World News released a YouTube video featuring Williams sharing his medal predictions. His words were clear:
“No disrespect to Akani, but I don’t see him walking away with a gold medal. I can see him getting a bronze or maybe a silver at best.”
While Williams maintained a firm but not malicious tone, fans weren’t having it, especially given Simbine’s relentless form this season.
That One Line That Sparked a Storm
What really set fans off was Williams’ follow-up:
“He’s super consistent, he’s running well, and I don’t expect him to be running this fast in September. If he is, maybe he’ll prove me wrong.”
For many sprinting followers, it was a clear case of dismissing evidence right in front of them. This isn’t the Simbine of past seasons, the one who peaked too early or faded in finals. In 2025, the South African has improved his start, sharpened his finish, and has been unshaken against stacked line-ups.
And while Lyles rightly deserves praise for his historic double in Budapest (9.83 and 19.52) and remains the 200m king, the 100m is shaping up as Simbine’s private hunting ground this year.
Fans Fire Back
The track and field community wasted no time voicing their opinions. One commenter shot back:
“He ran a 9.82 in the final last year. Times not translating is Omanyala, not Simbine.”
A reminder of Simbine’s scorching national record set in the 2024 Paris Olympic final, where he agonizingly missed a medal by 0.01 seconds.
Another fan jabbed at Williams’ Kenny Bednarek comparison, stating:
“I don’t know what this is based on because he was better than Kenny when it mattered in the 100 Olympic final.”
It’s a tough point to argue. Bednarek, while explosive on the Grand Slam Track circuit, has yet to stamp his name in the 100m gold conversation at major meets.
Another fan added with exasperation:
“You’re saying you don’t expect Simbine to be running 9.9 (at least!) in September and that he’s worse than Kenny at the 100??? Lord, have mercy, did y’all even watch the Olympics last year?”
It’s clear that Simbine’s consistency and big-race composure are earning him loyal backers, ones who aren’t afraid to challenge mainstream narratives.
The Bigger Picture
While Kenny Bednarek continues to light up GST events and Noah Lyles remains the sport’s showman, Simbine is quietly doing the one thing every sprinter aspires to, winning, everywhere, against everyone.
His 2025 dominance hasn’t just been about times. It’s been about timing. From a wind-aided season opener in Botswana to victories in Xiamen, Shanghai, Atlanta, and Rabat, Simbine has displayed a season-long resilience that, as one fan put it, “shows up when it matters.”
A measured but supportive viewer summed up the sentiment perfectly:
“On Akani, I don’t think he underperforms on the biggest stage; the man ran his PB in the Paris finals after a long season. Besides, he can’t run more than the field he is given.”
And therein lies the heart of the debate. Not flash. Not noise. Just results. If Simbine continues on this trajectory, the Tokyo Worlds could see one of the sport’s most overlooked assassins steal the show.
Noah Williams might want to keep an eye on that. Because if this Akani Simbine shows up in September, there’s no maybe about it.
