5 Reasons South African Akani Simbine Deserves More Global Recognition

Sub-10s king Akani Simbine has been tippped to win gold at 2025 World Championships. Photo: Imago

5 Reasons South African Akani Simbine Deserves More Global Recognition

Abigael Wafula 10:19 - 14.05.2025

Akani Simbine's journey in sprinting reveals why he continues to stand out on the global stage.

Akani Simbine has been making headlines in the world of sprinting for over 10 years now, trying to make a name for himself amid sprinting giants like Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles, but remains one of the most underrated sprinters of all time.

The South African sprinter has placed Africa on the world map when it comes to sprinting, beginning his career in 2010 as a youngster.

Akani Simbine turned professional in 2015, just after winning the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, with a time of 9.97 seconds. Since then, the 31-year-old has become one of the most consistent sub-10-second sprinters.

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In this article, Pulse Sports Kenya details five reasons why the world needs to start giving Akani Simbine the recognition he truly deserves.

1) Akani Simbine: Consistent Top-Five Finishes at Major Championships

Akani Simbine
Akani Simbine. Photo. Imago

Akani Simbine has consistently reached the finals in the Olympic Games and World Championships since the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

In all these events, Akani Simbine has managed to finish in the top five. The only time he failed to get to the final of a major championship was at the 2013 World Championships and the 2015 World Championships in China.

For all those years, Akani Simbine failed to win a medal, but his consistency remains unmatched. The 2025 season has begun on a high for him as he looks forward to making an impact at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Akani Simbine claimed a bronze medal in the men’s 60m at the World Indoor Championships before claiming a gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Relays.

2) Akani Simbine: Sub-10 Second King

Akani Simbine
Akani Simbine anchors the race.

Akani Simbine is in a class of his own, and he currently holds the record for the most sub-10-second runs by an African sprinter.

He has consistently managed to break the 10-second barrier, placing him among the elite athletes globally as he joins the ranks of Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.

At the start of the 2025 season, Akani Simbine became the only athlete in history to run a sub-10 seconds over 100m for 11 consecutive years when he won the 100m at the Botswana Grand Prix in Gaborone. He surpassed Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell following his impeccable run.

Akani Simbine achieved the feat in his first 100m race, competing at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix where he clocked a world leading time of 9.90 seconds.

3) Akani Simbine: Commonwealth and African Champion

Akani Simbine
Akani Simbine. Photo: Imago

Akani Simbine has not only represented South Africa but also dominated the regional competition, winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and multiple African Championships.

The South African sprint sensation failed to defend his title at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, finishing second behind Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala.

He was also an African record holder for a long while, having dominated the 100m before the rise of Ferdinand Omanyala.

Akani Simbine was the previous holder of the African 100m record, a time of 9.84 seconds set at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial Meet in Hungary in July 2021.

Ferdinand Omanyala would then break the record at the 2021 Kip Keino Classic, clocking 9.77 seconds. His success outside of global majors is often underappreciated.

4) Akani Simbine: A Pioneer for African Sprinting

Akani Simbine
Akani Simbine

Sprinting was historically dominated by North American and Caribbean athletes, but Akani Simbine changed the narrative.

Akani Simbine has helped put African sprinters on the map and is steadily inspiring a new generation across the continent to believe in their global potential.

He has managed to show up consistently, being a source of hope for South African youngsters, including the likes of double world under-20 champion Bayanda Walaza and Karabo Letebele.

5) Akani Simbine: Resilience in the Face of Setbacks

Akani Simbine
Akani Simbine. Image source: Imago

Akani Simbine has endured a lot of challenges, including missing the podium finishes in most of his events, including the Paris Olympic Games 100m final, where he finished fourth.

The South African has faced near-misses and controversial disqualifications, like at the 2023 World Championships, but has never given up.

Despite the challenges, Akani Simbine has bounced back each time with renewed focus and performance, with his mental toughness and professionalism deserving more spotlight.

This season has been proof that consistently showing up pays off eventually, following his recent hot streak that has seen him achieve historic feats.