Simbine focuses on fast start

Published Jul 29, 2016

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Johannesburg - The ladies may be swooning over his recent appearance on the cover of a magazine but Akani Simbine, pictured, reiterates he is in a committed relationship with the Rio Olympic Games.

The star sprinter has been hogging the headlines over the last few weeks starting with his record-breaking run 10 days ago in Hungary where he set a new national 100m record with a time of 9.89 seconds.

Posting the fifth fastest time this season, Simbine’s stock climbed dramatically and he’s regarded as one of the world’s top male sprinters this year.

Simbine earned some extra attention after he appeared shirtless on the cover of magazine, Men’s Health.

“There has been attention from it, the ladies are hollering but I am not focussed on them now,” Simbine said.

“I keep on telling everybody here (Gemona, Italy, where he is training) that my girlfriend is the Olympic Games, and my girlfriend is doing my best at the Olympic Games.

“That is where my focus is and I am not trying to get anything in the way of that, the attention from the ladies is good but that is not a priority right now.”

Breaking the 10-second barrier has for long been the magical mark for any sprinter worth his salt but the world is getting faster.

Dipping below 9.90s is now the new sub-10, and by reaching that feat, Simbine announced himself on the world stage in earnest.

 

The cover @MensHealthZA

Get yourself a copy if you want to BUILD POWER, BOOST STAMINA @ RUN FASTER pic.twitter.com/e2xM85GSlb

— Akani Simbine (@AkaniSimbine) July 25, 2016

 

“Going into the Olympics as one of the top five in the world is a great thing and a blessing knowing that should I run as well as I can and I could make the final,” the sprinter said from his training base, located in northern Italy.

“I knew I could run 9.80-something last year already, it was just a matter of getting into the right conditions and my body in the right time and it felt good.”

Weeks away from racing at his maiden Olympics, Simbine had no time to fully appreciate his achievement as he has his eyes fixed on Rio.

“I took in the moment and the day after I got over it telling myself that I need to get back to work,” Simbine said.

“I take every race as a new one, I am going into Rio and taking it as a competition where I have to make sure I make it through each round.

 

Get your copy of the August issue of Mens health . Proud. @AkaniSimbine. Ewe pic.twitter.com/yZw9BGnEjF

— Karabo Yibe (@KaraboYibe) July 24, 2016

 

“I need to make sure I execute all my phases from the heats to the semi-finals and into the finals.”

Since breaking onto the scene in 2012 when he shattered the South African junior 100m record at the Zone VI Games in Lusaka clocking 10.19s, Simbine has been threatening to make the step-up at international level.

Simbine made his strongest statement yet when he opened his 2016 season with a time of 9.96s in Pretoria in March.

With his performance in Hungary he joined an elite club of only 28 sprinters who have run faster than 9.90 seconds.

Simbine’s start had been somewhat of an Achilles heel but his sojourn in Jamaica in June training under the guidance of renowned coach Greg Mills has seen the South African make minor but important improvements.

His start in Hungary, Simbine believes, was key to his record-breaking sprint as it lay the foundation for the rest of the race in which he beat former world record-holder Asafa Powell of the Jamaica and 2003 World Champion Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

 

Top 100m sprinter @AkaniSimbine demonstrates a high knee exercise with an isometric hold for muscle Activation pic.twitter.com/KKTeim8oTA

— Speed Bands Training (@InstantSpeed_) July 27, 2016

 

“It made a huge difference, getting my start and getting out with everyone else, usually I am behind everyone where I need to catch up,” Simbine said.

“I know if I could just get out and be with everyone, that once I get up to my running everything will flow and I will compete for a medal position.”

The Star

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