This is for you South Africa: Akani Simbine finally claims heroic bronze in Nanjing after seven attempts at global championship finals

South Africa's sprint legend Akaini Simbine finally has an individual medal to call his own after blazing to the 60m bronze medal in a thrilling contest to end day one of the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing.

In a highly contested men's 60m final, Great Britain's star sprinter Jeremiah Azu stormed to the gold medal matching his Personal Best (PB) of 6.49s to fend off a fast-finishing Lachlan Kennedy at the line, who settled for the silver medal in 6.50s.

Simbine, a six-time global fourth- and fifth-place finisher, finally got the first major international individual medal of his career, clocking 6.54s for bronze.

It was the South African's seventh individual final in nine years, demonstrating his consistency and resilience, which culminated in earning the first medal for his country in the event at the world championships.

Interestingly the thrilling final was a historic one for all medallists with Azu adding the world title to his European gold two weeks ago and winning Britain's first gold medal in the event in 10 years.

Kennedy proved his January world-leading 6.43s was no fluke by claiming Australia's first world 60m medal in history, and Simbine finally won his first global individual medal after a series of fourth- and fifth-place finishes in major international finals.