(SATSports) – Akani Simbine ran a storming anchor leg to help Team South Africa clinch the gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay by the narrowest of margins at the World Relays in Poland on Sunday night.
National 100m champion Simbine received the baton from Clarence Munyai for the final leg with South Africa slightly behind Brazil.
The 27-year-old drifted further behind as he tried to secure the baton in his left hand, and it took at least another 30 or so metres for him to get into his full stride on a chilly night in Silesia.
But Simbine, who ran a wind-assisted 9.82 seconds in Pretoria last month, showed his class in the last 50 metres as he chased down the Brazilians’ finisher, Paulo André Camilo de Oliveira.
Simbine clinched the gold medal, with South Africa winning in 38.71, one-hundredth of a second quicker than Brazil, who were initially credited with second place in 38.72.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa in a tweet Congratulated the team saying ‘congratulations to team South Africa for securing our first ever gold medal and making us proud at the World Athletics, World Relays Championships.
