TRACK AND FIELD
1 MIN 17 SECONDS
A long-awaited medal win for Akani
Akani Simbine finally has an individual medal from a major championship. Over a shorter distance, and in a new discipline, Akani showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with after the 31-year-old stormed to third place in the 60m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
After coming so close at various major championships over the last decade, this performance saw Akani securing his first-ever individual podium place at a global event. This is now added to the incredible 4x100m relay silver medal at last year’ s Olympic Games in Paris.
In the race, Britain’ s Jeremiah Azu equalled his personal best to take the gold in a time of 6.49 seconds with Australian Lachlan Kennedy second by just one-hundredth of a second and Akani third in 6.54.
This is the first time Akani has competed at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, having only run one race indoors in the build-up to the event.
“ It’ s really good to get the medal as this is my first indoor championship ever in my life,” said an ecstatic Akani afterwards.“ Coming in, running and getting a medal, I cannot ask for anything more.
“ I came with no expectations, only trying to see how far I can get in this run. I had never done this before, it’ s all different, it’ s all new.”
He added that there is still plenty of work to be done ahead of the outdoor season.
“ Confidence-wise, this is bringing me up, but also, there is something I need to further work on, like the first 10 metres in the beginning of the race, and that would leave me less work to do at the end. I am now looking forward to the season, growing and getting better.”
Watch Akani’ s incredible race
Images & Video: Sona Maleterova for World Athletics & World Athletics
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