Akani Simbine downed African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala as he stormed to victory in the 100m at the Botswana golden league meet in Gaborone yesterday afternoon, clocking the fastest time in the world this year.
Simbine and Omanyala were neck and neck until the final 15 metres, when the South African 60m bronze medallist at the recent world indoor championships found another gear and accelerated to hit the line in 9.90sec. Omanyala, who set his 9.77 African record in 2021, was second in 10.00.
The 1.4m/s head wind suggests there’s a lot more speed for Simbine, owner of the national 9.82 mark. Local track and field fans should cherish the 100m world list for 2025 because there are two South Africans at the top, with teenager Bayanda Walaza second on 9.99.
It’s going to change pretty soon, especially with the Diamond League scheduled to kick off in China within two weeks.
In the men’s 100m B race, Karriem Abduraghmaan swept to victory in 10.07, placing him tied eighth on the world list.
In the main event of the day, Olympic champion and home hero Letsile Tebogo easily won the 200m in 20.23, with Luxolo Adams second in 20.42. But Tebogo’s time was bettered in the 200m B contest, where Sinesipho Dambile won in 20.01, with Gift Leotlela third in 20.13.
Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis won the women’s javelin with a throw of 61.23m, to cap a good day by South Africans, with two notable performances by two 17-year-olds.
In the women’s 100m A race, Hannah Vermaak edged Viwe Jingqi, earning the victory by thousandths of a second after both were credited with the same 11.44sec time.
And in the men’s 400m hurdles Njabulo Mbatha, silver medallist at the under-20 world championships last year, won in a 49.06 personal best.
Hannah van Niekerk, third at the 2024 junior world championships, unleashed a late burst to overtake compatriot Precious Molepo and win the women’s 400m B race in a 52.72 personal best.
Olympic semifinalist Zeney Geldenhuys finished third in the women’s 400m hurdles behind Americans Dalilah Muhammad, the former world record-holder, and Cassandra Tate.
Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay were unable to dislodge Motswana Bayapo Ndori, a two-time Olympic relay medallist, in the men’s 400m A final. Ndori powered to victory in 44.35 ahead of Nene in 44.48 and Pillay in 44.97.
In the main women’s 400m race Miranda Coetzee and Shirley Nekhubui finished second and third behind Egyptian winner Basant Hemida in 50.77.
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