Latest news with #AkaniSimbine
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
South African youth lead the way in international cue sports and athletics
South African youth lead the way in international cue sports and athletics South Africa continues to make a significant impact on the global sports stage, with notable achievements across a variety of international and continental competitions. On the continental front, South Africa topped the medal table at the 3rd CAA African U18/U20 Combined Championships held in Nigeria, showcasing the depth of young athletic talent on the continent. Internationally, South African sprinters Akani Simbine and Zakithi Nene competed at the prestigious Diamond League meeting in London, aiming for gold medals. ALSO READ: Sport minister vows action over missing Boxing SA retirement fund Simbine finished fifth in the men's 100m dash with a time of 10.11 seconds, while Nene secured third place in the men's 400m race, adding to the country's strong showing on the track. In a different sporting arena, pool enthusiasts gathered in Mauritius for the inaugural Commonwealth Billiards Championships, a week-long celebration of cue sports. Team South Africa featured a strong lineup, including Craig Bouwer, Marina Jacobs, Senzo Gumede, Suzette Booysen, Elzette Koen, Jason Theron, Joy Willenberg, Kris Pillay, and Kyle Akloo, among others. The championships featured four disciplines: Snooker, Blackball, 8-Ball, and 10-Ball. Back home, the Cue Sport Centre in Primrose hosted the 2024/2025 Junior SA Blackball Championships, managed by Flames Pub and Grill, which also runs its own leagues. In the U15 singles, Phumelo Marumulo took home the trophy, medal, and a special 43-year-old cue stick donated by Bruce Cilliers. In the U18 singles, Samkelo Khumalo from Gauteng was runner-up after a tough match against Western Cape's Irfaan Williams, who dominated with a whitewash victory. ALSO READ: Ithembelihle learners and teachers unite for sports day 'Winning was amazing because I'd put in countless hours of practice,' Williams said. 'I practiced for nearly ten hours, and after winning the third round, I knew the title was mine.' Williams, who turned 17 on July 18, had previously won the U15 title without a coach, practicing with his brother at home. Khumalo admitted that he lost due to silly mistakes. 'After losing the third round, I knew I'd lost. Coming from Zone 1 Soweto, my goal is to continue learning and become more comfortable with the game, overcoming my nerves,' he said. 'I initially played for fun, but since 2021, I've taken it seriously. I've qualified for nationals four times in a row since then and represented South Africa at the World Championships in Morocco, reaching the semi-finals in 2022. As a learner from President High School, I would have dedicated the trophy to my family.' Billiards South Africa (BSA) Development Manager Liza Ngxenge highlighted that 13 South African players competed in Mauritius and noted that the country is set to host the Blackball World Championships in 2026, provided plans stay on track. Ngxenge emphasised the intensity of provincial qualifications, where a single bad day can cost players their spot. Life CueSports Academy was well represented, with 6-7 players on Gauteng's team, making the province a strong contender. Ngxenge pointed out that Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are growing rapidly and challenging Gauteng's dominance, although the main competition remains between Western Cape and Gauteng — with Western Cape edging ahead this time. 'This sport needs all the support it can get, as it is often still viewed as a tavern activity. However, with competitors as young as seven years old participating, it's clear that the younger generation is taking pool seriously and pushing it beyond its tavern roots,' Ngxenge said. Beatrice Monjake from Room 8 in Soweto, part of Team Gauteng and operating under Qlife, has been guiding young players. She praised pool for having a positive impact on children by keeping them off the streets and teaching discipline. Monjake brought nine players from Room 8 who have grown to match her skill level. She also commended BSA for supporting the children with essentials like food and accommodation during competitions. The Commonwealth gold medalists in billiards are Craig Bouwer (South Africa) in 10-Ball, Senzo Gumede (South Africa) in Blackball, and Chandiga Ceaser (Uganda) in Heyball.
The South African
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Akani Simbine suffers rare off day in London Diamond League
South Africa's sprint king Akani Simbine suffered his first loss of the season in the men's 100m on Saturday, finishing fifth at the London Diamond League in a tightly contested race that brought together several of the fastest men in the world. Simbine, who had been unbeaten in Diamond League races this year and carried impressive momentum after clocking 9.95 seconds in Rabat, crossed the line in 10.11 seconds. The race was won by Jamaican Oblique Seville, who stunned the crowd at the Olympic Stadium with a blistering 9.86, finishing ahead of Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles, who took second in 10.00. Simbine entered the race with a strong pedigree: 12 Diamond League victories and years of experience at the highest level. But in London, he struggled to match the explosive starts and finishing power of his rivals. Despite a clean break from the blocks, the 30-year-old lacked his usual drive in the final 40 metres and was overtaken by a surging pack. 'It wasn't my best race,' Simbine said in a post-race interview. 'I felt good coming in, but I didn't execute the way I needed to in the final stretch. Still, it's all part of the process building towards the World Championships.' While Saturday's race was a setback, Simbine remains a top medal contender for the upcoming World Athletics Championships. His consistent sub-10 second form throughout the season – and a track record of delivering when it counts – keep him in the conversation among sprinting's elite. His coach, Werner Prinsloo, echoed this sentiment, saying, 'We've always known London would be tough. 'But Akani's training, his focus, and his body are all in peak condition. This was just a sharpen-up – not a stumble.' Simbine, a finalist in multiple Olympic and World Championship events, remains South Africa's most accomplished 100m sprinter and a beacon for the next generation of athletes. Elsewhere, Zakithi Nene, who holds the fastest 400m time in the world this year, had to settle for third behind British duo Charles Dobson, who was a surprise winner in 44.14, with Matthew Hudson-Smith who took second in 44.29. Nene stopped the clock in 44.29. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Star sprinter Akani Simbine struggles on wet London track, while Zak Nene takes bronze
Akani Simbine (centre) struggled to a lowly fifth place in the 100m at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday. Image: AFP Two of South Africa's top sprinters struggled to repeat their recent heroics at a wet and gloomy London Diamond League meeting on Saturday afternoon, as 100m star Akani Simbine's winning streak ended and 400m ace Zakithi Nene had to settle for bronze. The 100m at London Stadium with a capacity crowd of 60 000 had been billed as a showdown between Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles and 200m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana. Yet the star-studded field – with Simbine boasting the world lead this year – was upstaged by Jamaican Oblique Seville, who took the gold in a fast 9.86 seconds. Lyles finished second, in 10 seconds flat, while British runner Zharnel Hughes was third in 10.02. Simbine was fifth, in a time of 10.08 while Tebogo finished in seventh. There was another upset result in the 400m, where British runner Charles Dobson secured the win in a personal best time of 44.14sec with a late surge. His compatriot, and pre-race favourite Matthew Hudson-Smith, the Olympic silver medallist, took silver in 44.27 and Nene the bronze in 44.29. The race marked a return to competition for the South African one-lap star after a six-week absence. South Africa's Zakithi Nene, centre, took bronze in the 400m event of the Diamond League athletics meeting at the London Stadium on Saturday. Image: AFP Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading His coach Victor Vaz feels Nene – who boasts this year's world-leading time of 43.76 at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi – may have paid the price for a relatively pedestrian first 200m, by his high standards. The official race statistics bear testimony to that, listing his 200m split time at 21.23. 'He was a little bit casual in the first 200 and Hudson-Smith on his inside closed the gap, and that told me Zak was relaxed,' Vaz told Independent Media Sport exclusively from his KZN base after the race. 'If you look at the timing splits, you can see that when he ran that Kenyan best or world's fastest time, he ran a sub-21 for the 200, and this time he was just over the 21. And if you look at Hudson-Smith's 200 time, it was faster (21.03). So he closed the gap. 'And Zak usually is up in the first three when he comes out of the 300, and he wasn't this time. He had enough in the tank, but just not enough to possibly get him into a higher position.' The veteran coach, who lives on the KZN North Coast, still takes comfort in the fact that the 27-year-old Nene continues to post impressive times over the one-lap race. 'If you look at the times, they look phenomenal. Not a single 400m runner in the world except for Zak has run under 44, so maybe it was the day, maybe the weather, maybe the wet tartan, but I don't think it would have affected Zak. I just think he was a little bit casual in that first 200, that's all. But it was a good race.'
Eyewitness News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Akani Simbine snatches a 3rd Diamond League win
Palesa Manaleng 26 May 2025 | 12:29 Diamond League Akani Simbine FILE: South Africa's Akani Simbine at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo: Jewel SAMAD / AFP JOHANNESBURG – Akani Simbine claimed his third 100m Diamond League win of 2025 in Rabat on Sunday., The 31-year-old sprinter stretched his unbeaten 100m record to five international meets. His pace over the final 30 or so metres was too much for the field as he streaked to an easy win, clocking 9.95sec ahead of Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala (10.05) and Olympic bronze medallist Fred Kerley of the US (10.07). "I feel great, I feel confident, I am happy that I could take the win today and that I can finish this month strong and healthy. Another sub-10 in the bag, so slowly we go down in time which is really great. I am looking forward to the rest of the season and going back to training in Italy to get ready for the next Diamond League' said Simbine to reporters afterwards. READ MORE: Akani Simbine sprints to a world-leading time at Botswana Golden Grand Prix Akani Simbine burns rubber at the Diamond League series in Xiamen Akani Simbine continues to dominate 100m with win at Atlanta City Games Simbine's 9.90 seconds from the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in April remains as the official world lead for 2025. "It's amazing to have this kind of competition in Africa. I wish we had so much more of them. Look at the stands, people love watching sports. It's really great to run on this continent, showcasing African talent and show the world that we can host great meets." The Olympian has won three 100m Diamond League events this season and a medal at the World Indoors and anchored Team SA to gold in the 4x100m World Relays. Pure Power 💥 Akani Simbine 🇿🇦 continues to lay down the law in the men's 100m, dropping a cool 9.95 seconds ⏱️ last night at #RabatDL 🇲🇦#DiamondLeague 💎 — Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) May 26, 2025
Independent Singapore
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Letsile Tebogo's plan to win two sprints at the Rabat Diamond League did not end as he hoped
RABAT, MOROCCO: Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo did not succeed in his attempt to win both sprint races at the Diamond League meet in Rabat. He finished last in the 100 meters and dropped out of the 200 meters race. From Botswana, Tebogo finished the 100-meter race with a final time of 10.43 seconds. However, South Africa's Akani Simbine finished with a time of 9.95 seconds, winning his third Diamond League win this season. Tebogo won gold in the 200-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it was his first time competing in both 100 and 200 meters at a Diamond League event. He also admitted that he was looking forward to it. However, 70 minutes after running the 100 meters, the athlete did not show up for the 200-meter race. With this, American sprinter Courtney Lindsey won the race with a final time of 20.04 seconds, and it was his f irst victory of the season. In a social media post, Tebogo expressed: 'Today's performance wasn't what I had hoped for, I'm currently dealing with a recurring injury, which hasn't been easy. However, I'm channeling this disappointment and pain into resolve. I'm already focused on recovery and growth, and I know I will come back a stronger man. See y'all soon❤️🩹' Netizens shared their support in the comments section and said: ' Rallying behind you champ! Get well soon 🎉🎉', 'We know what you're capable of and know you'll be back at your best soon ❤️', 'Wish u speedy recovery our babe .May almighty give you strength always. We love you more and more. Have a good rest and come back strong, we shall miss you but your health is important to us as your fans💎🩵💐💐💐', '🫂🫶Wishing you a peaceful mental, emotional, and physical recovery', 'You will bounce back Champ 👏❤️', and 'Wishing you strength, healing, and a full recovery. Your courage and dedication inspire us all—you will be back stronger!' Other tournament updates In similar news, Botswana's Tshepiso Masalela celebrated his 26th birthday by winning with a world-leading time of 1:42.70 in the men's 800-meter race. He is ahead of Britain's Max Burgin, who won second place, and Kenya's Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who won third place. Furthermore, in the 400-meter race, American Jacory Patterson beat South Africa's Zakithi Nene, finishing with a final time of 44.37 seconds. Another impressive American performance came from Jonah Koech, who finished the 1500-meter category in 3:31.43 and set a new meeting record. Beatrice Chebet of Kenya also won the women's 3000-meter race with a thrilling time of 8:11.56. This record is the second-fastest time ever, behind Wang Junxia's 1993 world record of 8:06.11.
