South African sprinter Akani Simbine
Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
South African sprinter Akani Simbine finished second in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday.
It star-studded line-up with six of the eight men in the 100m start list running under 10 seconds this season.
At Stade Louis II, the men’s 100m got off to a shaky start with France’s Jimmy Vicaut disqualified for a false start.
Simbine, who clocked 9.84 seconds in Hungary on Tuesday, came second in 9.98 seconds behind American Ronnie Baker (9.91).
READ | SA sprint sensation Akani Simbine on track for Tokyo podium: ‘No one has the upper hand’
Meanwhile, Ruswahl Samaai failed to make the men’s long jump podium in a highly competitive event.
Samaai finished fifth with a leap of 7.95m as Greek’s Miltiadis Tentoglou took gold after being the only one to hit the board in the Final 3 with an 8.24 jump.
Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle took second (8.29) and Sweden’s Thobias Montler (8.27) rounded up the podium as both received red flags in the final round to hand Tentoglou victory.
“Congratulations to Akani for another sterling performance. He put up a fight and the result he achieved will give him the necessary confidence before the Olympics,” said James Moloi, the President of Athletics South Africa.
“We congratulate him, his coaches and support staff for another job well done on the day.”
The seventh leg of the Diamond League series will be held in Gateshead, England on Tuesday, 13 July.
Simbine and Samaai will set off shortly to Tokyo for this month’s Olympic Games, scheduled from 23 July to 8 August.
The duo are medal prospects at the Tokyo Olympics as they both compete in the second Games.
ALSO READ | SA long jumper Samaai eyes Olympic podium: ‘It’s nice to know that my country backs me’
9.91!@ronnie_baker14 picks up a second win in two #DiamondLeague meetings at #MonacoDL.?? @matthewquine pic.twitter.com/5A7DMuZ5Gt
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) July 9, 2021