Justin Gatlin, Rodney Green heap praise on 'Mr Consistency' Akani Simbine
FILE - South Africa's Akani Simbine celebrates winning the men's 100m event during the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting in Xiamen, China.
Image: Adek Berry / AFP
Following yet another sub-10 second run at the Diamond League event in China on Saturday, Akani Simbine solidified the claims that he is currently the fastest man in the world.
The South African star backed up his recent victory in Botswana when he stormed to victory in the 100m in Xiamen on Saturday in a field that included Kenya star Ferdinand Omanyala, Botswana's 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, American speedster Christian Coleman and 60m world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu of Britain.
Simbine clocked a time of 9.99. While it was short of the 9.90 world lead he clocked in Botswana, he again showed his class.
'The race felt good. I stumbled a bit after the 60, so I had to catch myself, but happened to catch the wind while catching the win,' Simbine told the Diamond League website afterwards.
'Keep going with the momentum... I am now going back to the basics, (and) putting myself in a position to learn.'
Former US great Justin Gatlin and former Bahamas sprinter Rodney Green praised Simbine for his longevity and consistency on their Ready Set Go podcast after he delivered a sub-10 second 100m for the 11th consecutive year.
'That's why they call him Mr Consistency. He is consistently in every final, in medal contention almost every time he competes,' Green said.
'He won the bronze in the indoor final this year, something that he doesn't really compete in a lot. I think that will transition him to the outdoors. Him and his coach have a plan … 'by hell or by high water, we are getting on this podium'.
The podium Green is referring to is the 100m event at the World Championships to be held in Tokyo, Japan from September 13-21.
The concern with Simbine has always been peaking too early because the South African season starts much earlier than those in the United States and Europe due to our December to February summer season.
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