It was an anxious 10-minute wait track-side, but in the end, Akani Simbine qualified for the 100m final at the Rio Olympics on Monday morning (SA time).
South African record holder Simbine needed to finish in the top two in the first of the semi-finals to be guaranteed of a place in the final, but lost out to Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut and the Ivory Coast’s Ben Youssef Meité.
Simbine ended third in 9.98, but Vicaut won in 9.95, followed by Meité in 9.97. But there was still a way for Simbine to make it to the final as one of the two fastest athletes outside the top two in their respective semi-finals.
He had to watch Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt send out a warning to his main rival Justin Gatlin that there is still plenty of speed left in those long legs by running the fastest time of the semi-finals in 9.86.
It was a commanding performance by the defending champion, as he was first typically slow out of the blocks, but once he got into his stride, it looked so easy.
Bolt could have a look around at his fellow competitors as he jogged the last 30 metres or so, with Canada’s Andre de Grasse second in a quick 9.92 to qualify automatically for the final.
But crucially for Simbine, American Trayvon Bromell clocked 10.01 in coming third, which meant that Simbine was still the fastest athlete outside the top two of each of the semi-finals.
The South African received a hug from Bolt – having got to know Simbine during a June training camp in Jamaica – but the drama wasn’t over as Simbine had to wait for the last semi-final to see if he would make it.
American Gatlin cruised to victory in 9.94, followed by Jamaica’s Yohan Blake in 10.01. But the man in third, Frenchman Christopher Lemaitre, clocked 10.07, which secured Simbime’s spot as the sixth-fastest qualifier for the final.
While Bolt, Gatlin and Blake are the likely favourites for the medals, anything can happen in a final. The fact that Simbine’s SA record of 9.89 was run on July 18 in Hungary proves that he is in top form. If he repeats or improves on that time, he could easily finish in the top three when the final takes place at 3.25am SA time on Monday morning.
Simbine has been drawn in Lane 2 for the final.
Before that, Wayde van Niekerk will be going all out for gold in the 400m final at 3am SA time.
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