South Africa in shape is refusing to let his career define himself only by medals while preparing to lead his country in world relays of athletics
You can see why Akani Simbine has been labeled as a “almost man.” The South African sprinter has finished fourth in the last two 100 -meter Olympic finals, while it was a place outside the podium in the 2019 World Championship and took place fifth in 2017 and 2022. The gold of the Commonwealth of 2018 is the only individual title that has been presented in what has been a long race at the higher level of Sprint.
The medal collection of the 31 -year -old received a welcome impulse when he anchored his nation at 4x100m relevant to silver in Paris last summer, and will be the focal point of the team once, since he takes them to the world that the world comes in Guangs), where what he throws will be launched) World Championship in Tokyo in Tokyo later this year will be the maximum loan.
Simbine has been in China during the last three weeks and could barely enjoy a more positive start in the outdoor season, winning the three 100 million races he has played so far with 10 second grooves. That streak has included victories at the meetings of the Xiamen and Keqiao diamond league.
It is one of the most in a way that arrives for world relay and, although it admits that the Olympic medal did not harm its confidence levels, it refuses to be defined by the content of its trophy cabinet.
In a worldwide athletics video call with the world’s media before Guangzhou, when Ash felt that this label “almost man” had eliminated his leg last summer, he said: “Mentally, it is a good help for the medal, but the season.
“It was more to enter the season with a mentality of being happy and being in a place where I am happy with me, like Akani the athlete, and not letting my achievements define me in my career.
“I know what my career has shown athletics. I have put myself to the surface, I have proven to be an elite athlete and I have proven to be an elite sprin. I do not need a medal to confirm that. The medal is only the cherry only the cherry only the cherry is only the cherry.
“Having that label like man almost … for me, is the noise at the end of the day. People will say that I am the man almost, but I do not see it like that. I see that I am Sotone that is never renouncing a dream and I already do it.
“To be disappointed to be fourth in the world … My family told me:” That is a little crazy, because you are the fourth fastest person who is alive. That is a big problem. “So that’s where my mentality, Andy’re, and they are for me, and they are, and they, and they, and they have been there for me, and they, and they, but they have been there, and they have only been a change of mentality and a change of how I see myself.
Simbine has no problem identifying the reason for its excellent form of early season.
“I think it comes from having a great interior,” says the man who won 60 million bronze in the Indoor World Championship, also in China, in Nanjing. “That has put me in a position to execute what I am running now. I am executing the sub 10 due to the work that was done in the 60s, but also because, of course, my last 40m are really good by themselves.”
However, he adds: “I am running well, but I am running well for the beginning of the season. This is not a peak or anything. It is just the beginning of the season, it is only May, and I am not destined to run 9.8, we are fine, Sene Senene Senne Senne Senne Senne Senne Senne Sennn, we are in the best of the best in September.
Simbine is giving little credit to the idea of being the one who expires in the male sprint at this time, but is also interested in his national team leaves his footprint in the next few days. They will face the tastes of the United States defending champions, led by another Kenny Bednarek -shaped athlete, and with a tested point after their Olympic exhibition below the torque last year, the gold medalists of Paris, Canada and the British medal.
Simbine, the head of the National Registry of 100 meters, will be a key figure in what is a young South African squad. He will be joined by fellow Olympic medalists Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana, as well as the 200m -national champion Senesipho Dambile, retshidisitswe mlenga and Tsebo Matsoso.
However, the greatest statesman says: “I not only have to see Myelf as a team leader. That is the title they just given me. Everyone has a voice. Everyone has a job to do, but Beyt. I say to what I say.
“I will always return to South Africa to be better. At this time, I am excited about the South African team.”
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