The inaugural SuperSport Simbine Classic at Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane was a resounding success, featuring stellar performances from international athletes, a full crowd, and Akani Simbine’s vision for future growth, with aspirations to host the Diamond League in South Africa. Picture: Roelien Geyser
Image: Roelien Geyser
With the crowd chanting his name – ‘Akani, Akani’ - in the background, a smile of contentment flickered across Akani Simbine's face as he addressed the media at the end of the inaugural SuperSport Simbine Classic at the Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane on Tuesday evening.
"I'm a happy man, I'm happy today went well. It was a success. We made it come out. We made it happen. The stand was full. It (the event) got broadcasted; we had the kids getting to see their dreams become a reality and we had our athletes running against international stars. I can't ask for anything more man. It was a successful day for athletics in South Africa."
Successful it really was, the brainchild of arguably South African athletics' most consistent performer taking place without a hitch and the athletes delivering stellar performances that had the crowd on their feet.
Simbine himself might not have won the marquee 100m event, the multiple Olympian cramped late in the race won by Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme in 10:03, to finish last (eighth place) in a pedestrian 11:25. But that should not be allowed to take away from what was an eventful and successful day of top class international athletics - a meet with the potential to grow into something great.
The inaugural SuperSport Simbine Classic at Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane was a resounding success, featuring stellar performances from international athletes, a full crowd, and Akani Simbine’s vision for future growth, with aspirations to host the Diamond League in South Africa. Seen here: Prudence Sekgodiso. Picture: Roelien Geyser
Image: Roelien Geyser
For starters, Simbine clocked yet another sub 10 run in the heats as he continued his incredible consistency that now sees him having completed the sprint under ten seconds for an incredible 12 seasons.
It was as an organiser Simbine was being tested this time around though and to say he came out smelling of roses would be putting it mildly. The 32-year-old pulled off a world class meet teeming with not just great runs and highly competitive field events but an overall properly organised one which ran as scheduled without any glaring hiccups. Understandable then that the sprint specialist who has remained at the top of his game with consistent great performances for a decade looked ahead to the future with confidence.
“Yeah man, we're growing this. We're making sure it gets better; making sure it becomes bigger and better. I'm just really grateful that everybody is believing in the story and believing in this and knows that this is possible, that we can do great things and knows that South Africa deserves these things you know. So I'm confident that we can grow this thing, I'm confident everybody believes in it and yeah we're happy man, I'm just content and happy really.”
While his next step is to ensure the Simbine Classic grows, he would love nothing more than to see the Diamond League being hosted in South Africa and he believes events such as his are an indication the country is capable of hosting major meets.
“Yeah it needs to come down south man,” he said of the Diamond League that is hosted only by Morocco’s Marrakesh on the African continent “It really needs to come down south and I think we can do that. I think we as athletics deserve that in South Africa but we have to start somewhere and this was the first thought of it. And we'll grow into it. We'll make sure it does grow, we'll make sure it is the product that we need it to be.”
Among the day’s highlights was Prudence Sekgodisho dishing out revenge on Karabo More pretty lukewarm as she outsprinted the blonde-haired athlete who beat her at the recent national championships to win the 1500m in a personal best time of four minutes and 08 seconds. The men’s 3000m provided an exciting finish which saw Tshepo Tshite just beating Luan Munnik to win in 7:54.
Both the South African men and women won the 4x100m relays while Long jumper Luvo Manyonga enjoyed great support from the crowd but could only finish in third place with his 7.86m jump behind winner Murali Skeeshankar of India (8:12m) and runner up and local boy Divan Manuel (8:07m).
As he lapped up the applause, Simbine gave his own acknowledgement to those who helped make the event the success it was.
“Everybody that came aboard, the sponsors - you know. Astron was big time on board supporting us you know. SuperSport, Adidas, World Athletics, Biogen, Dyschem, Chromtech and Sibanye-Stillwater. Like, every race had a sponsor you know and that just shows that people actually do believe in this thing and do see it you know, we just have to tap into them, just have to make it a reality for them.”