South African sprinter Akani Simbine continued his dominance on the international stage, clinching his third Diamond League 100m victory of the season in Rabat on Sunday night.
Simbine clocked 9.95 seconds, comfortably outrunning Kenyan rival Ferdinand Omanyala (10.05) and US Olympic bronze medallist Fred Kerley (10.07). Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme came fourth while Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo placed last.
“Another sub-10 in the bag. So slowly we go down in time which is really great,” Simbine told reporters after the race.
“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.”
The South African’s triumph extended his unbeaten streak to five international meets, cementing his status as one of the world’s premier sprinters this year.
Sunday’s victory marked Simbine’s 12th Diamond League win, tying him with South African high-jump legend Hestrie Cloete for the athletes with the second highest career Diamond League triumphs.
Only Caster Semenya has a higher tally, with 21 Diamond League event wins, 18 of which are in the 800m race.
Simbine’s focus now shifts to the world championships in Tokyo in September where he hopes to clinch his first global 100m medal.
His flawless start to the season—securing wins in Botswana, two in China and one in the US – sets the stage for a highly anticipated campaign as he seeks to solidify his legacy in South African sprinting history.
JN/APA