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Akani Simbine, Zakithi Nene set for Diamond League return in London

Akani Simbine, Zakithi Nene set for Diamond League return in London

TimesLIVE2 days ago
Relay sprint stars Akani Simbine and Zakithi Nene return to Diamond League action in London on Saturday as they step up their preparation for the world championships in Tokyo in September.
The duo, who anchored the South African men's 4x100m and 4x400m teams to gold at World Relays in China in May, have spent more than the past month in training, away from competition.
Simbine, winner of the 60m bronze at the world indoor championships in March, has gone unbeaten over 100m so far this season with six wins out of six.
But he'll do well to make it seven on Saturday when he goes up against Olympic 100m and 200m champions, American Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana.
At this meet last year Simbine finished second behind Lyles — but ahead of Tebogo — while dipping under 9.90sec for the second time in his career.
The South African speedster achieved that two more times during the Paris Olympics the next month, lowering his national mark to 9.82 while finishing fourth in the final.
Also in the line-up are Jamaicans Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake as well as the British trio of Zharnel Hughes, world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu and Louie Hinchliffe, all members of the relay outfit that took bronze behind South Africa in Paris.
Nene, who has notched up two second places in Diamond League meets this year as well as a victory in Nairobi, faces five Olympic medallists as well as Zambian Commonwealth Games 400m champion Muzala Samukonga.
Vernon Norwood was part of the victorious US 4x400m ensemble in France, with Bayapo Ndori and Busang Kebinatshipi competing for runners-up Botswana.
Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith and Charlie Dobson ran for the third-placed British team.
But Nene owns the fastest season's best in the field, courtesy of the 43.76 he clocked in Kenya.
The meeting will be broadcast on SuperSport channel 208 from 3pm.
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