The first round of the men’s 100m got underway on the distinctly purple track in Paris on Saturday with all three South Africans involved – Akani Simbine, Shaun Maswanganyi and Benji Richardson – safely making it through to tomorrow night’s semifinals.
Simbine in particular remains a major medal prospect, having finished fifth in Rio in 2016 and fourth in Tokyo three years ago.
Akani Simbine wins heat 6 of the men's 100m and is semi-finals bound 🇿🇦
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 3, 2024
📺 LIVE on ch.203 (SA) & ch.223 (ROA): https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw #Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/fOuvMrORYd
Beyond South Africa’s borders, however, several more African athletes made their presence felt in the 100m heats with 11 of the continent’s sprinters making it through to the semifinals. That’s four more than in Tokyo in 2021.
“Africa is standing up right now in sprinting which is a really great thing,” said Simbine, who cruised through his heat in 10.03 seconds. “We’ve never had that before so it looks good for Africa.
“I’m just really excited about the South Africans who are going through… because it gives us a boost back home and uplifts sprinting in South Africa,” added Simbine whose teammates Maswanganyi and Richardson finished third and fourth respectively in their heats but both ran 10.06 seconds to make it through.
The South African was one of three athletes from the continent to win their heats on Saturday – the other two being
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (in 10.08) and Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi (10.02).
Kayinsola Ajayi 🇳🇬 wins heat 5 of the men's 100m with defending champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs 🇮🇹 in 2nd and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu 🇬🇭 in 3rd.
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 3, 2024
Benjamin Richardson 🇿🇦 finishes in 4th place.
📺 LIVE on ch.203 (SA) & ch.223 (ROA): https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw #Paris2024 |… pic.twitter.com/1RVE5xhxR1
The other countries from the continent who will have representatives in the semifinals are Cameroon (Emmanuel Eseme, who was the quickest of the Africans in 9.98), Botswana (Letsile Tebogo, who claimed 100m silver behind Noah Lyles at last year’s World Championships), Ghana (Abdul Rasheed Saminu and Benjamin Azamati) and Liberia (Emmanuel Matadi), with Favour Oghene Tejiri Ashe the other Nigerian to make it through with Ajayi.
That men's 100m semi-final line-up 🤤💨
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 3, 2024
Who are your early favourites?#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/fPSbTgyDnX
Speaking specifically about Kenyan sprinting, Omanyala reckoned: “It’s been a long time trying to get sprinting on the up. It will take a while but now it’s going in the right direction. I think in three or four years we’ll have more sprinters at the highest level.
“Getting on the podium here would mean a lot. It would give us a real boost.”
As for the fuel that might get him there, the second fastest man in the world this year added: "My wife is here so I have my own food. I don't know what she has prepared for me to eat before tomorrow but I'm sure it is a good meal."
Just two African sprinters featured in the 100m final in Tokyo – Simbine and Nigeria’s Enoch Adegoke, who pulled up with a hamstring injury and did not finish.
The last man from the continent to feature on the 100m podium at the Olympics was Namibian Frankie Fredericks who claimed silver in Atlanta in 1996 and 1992 and the last to win Olympic gold in the event was South Africa’s Reggie Walker in 1908. Then just 19 years old, Walker was a surprise winner in a time of 10.8 seconds and remains the youngest ever men’s Olympic 100m champion.
The 100m semifinals in Paris are scheduled for 8.05pm tomorrow night with the final set for 9.50pm.