Akani Simbine will return to the Caribbean to line up against Usain Bolt in what would be the iconic Jamaican sprinter’s final 100m race on home soil at the JN-Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston on June 10.
Simbine, pictured, and world 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk have been named among a star-studded start list for what is billed as a farewell to the sprinting legend.
At last year’s meet Van Niekerk posted the third fastest time ever over the odd 300m distance in the Jamaican capital city Kingston when he clocked 31.03 seconds.
His time was 0.18s short of Michael Johnson’s world record over the distance while Bolt boasts the second fastest time with his 30.97s.
Last year Simbine came close to dipping below 10 seconds at the Racers meet when he clocked 10.01s to finishi sixth behind Bolt who won the race in a time of 9.88secs.
Simbine said it would be an honour for him to line up against Bolt in his last 100m at a packed National Stadium.
“It is really special to be able to be running with Bolt in his last race in his home country, it is something very special,” Simbine said.
“For me, just being part of that race that is also history, it is going to be a pretty fast and intense race. So I’m pretty excited about that race as well.”
The 23-year-old Simbine has set the pace this early in the season clocking three of the four fastest times in the world so far this year.
Over the weekend Simbine and Thando Roto made history as the first South Africans to dip below 10 seconds in the same race at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships at the Tuks Stadium in Pretoria.
Simbine’s time of 9.92secs is the fastest time in the world while Roto’s new personal best of 9.95secs is the third fastest.
“It is a fun experience (racing in Jamaica) there, it is not just about serious racing, you get to the track and the stadium is full, they play music and it is about the atmosphere.
“The atmosphere I got from there was even better than the atmosphere from the Olympics, it is crazy. I am pretty excited about going there.”
The meeting will include Kenyan world 800m record holder David Rudisha and double Olympic distance gold medallist Mo Farah of Great Britain while the sprint events will include Jamaicans Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell as well as world 100m bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell of the United States.