Olympic silver lining for deserving Simbine while Van Dyk bumps up SA medal tally

After years of being the nearly-man of world athletics, 100m sprinter Akani Simbine finally has an Olympic medal as a symbol of his excellence, consistency and longevity in the sport.

On the penultimate night of action in the Olympic stadium, 30-year-old sprint star Simbine, who led youngsters Shaun Maswanganyi (23), Bradley Nkoana (19) and Bayanda Walaza (18) – Walaza is still in high school – to a silver medal in the men’s 4x100m sprint relay.

The youngsters held their own against a competitive field of athletes, but Simbine, running the anchor leg, ensured the medal for South Africa with a blistering run of 8.78s. He took the team from fifth to second in that time.

Simbine received the baton with Italy, Japan, France and Canada ahead and Great Britain tight on his heels. He managed to haul in France, Japan and Italy – as did Great Britain – but just ran out of track to catch up with Canada’s Andre De Grasse.

Canada closed in 37.50sec, South Africa in 37.57sec and team GB claimed bronze in 37.61sec.

Silver medallists (from left) Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana, Shaun Maswanganyi and Bayanda Walaza of Team South Africa celebrate on the podium at the men’s 4x100m medal ceremony on 9 August during the 2024 Paris Olympics at Stade de France. (Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

“I’m so happy that we came out here and ran and got a medal,” Simbine said after the race. “We got the silver medal and the African record to top it up.

“Finally, I have a major championship medal. I’m hungry for more and I’m excited.”

Simbine’s athletics career has been marred by finishing just outside the top three in major championships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw5xlvbiBPI

At the Athletics World Championships in the 100m individual race, he has two fifth-placed finishes and one fourth.

At the Olympic Games, he finished fifth once and fourth twice — including his fourth-place finish in Paris. But with the relay silver, he has finally claimed a deserved major championship medal.

“My career has not been about the medals, it’s just been about a lot of consistency,” Simbine said.

“I’ve shown that I will always be there. I’ve shown that I will always be an athlete that steps up to the plate and that I’ll fight. My name will always be there. The medal is just the cherry on top. I’ve proven myself to the game.

“I’ve proven myself to my competitors. That for me is enough. I’m inspiring a new generation in Africa, that’s really huge, I don’t take that very lightly.

“Now I have a medal to add to that, but it doesn’t describe me.”

Javelin Jo

Team South Africa bumped up their medal haul in fine style this weekend after Jo-Ané van Dyk added to the men’s 4x100m relay team silver medal, with one of her own in the women’s javelin final.

Their feats took the country’s total medal tally to six overall with one gold, three silver and two bronze.

On Saturday evening, Van Dyk placed second with a distance of 63.93m with her third-round effort while Japan’s world champion Haruka Kitaguchi claimed gold after launching the javelin 65.80m in the first round.

Nikola Ogrodnikova of Czechia took bronze with 63.68m. None of the three medal-winning distances was particularly long, suiting Van Dyk who had thrown over 64m only once before — in the qualifying round for the final of the Olympics.

Van Dyk threw her personal best in the qualifiers with her opening throw of 64.22m. It was the best distance in her group, but four women in the other qualifying group had a greater distance.

Nonetheless, in the final, several of Van Dyk’s competitors failed to hit their straps — a distance of under 64m has not won an Olympic medal since the latest specifications were introduced in 1999.

It’s been a breakout year for Van Dyk whose best throw before 2024 was 61.61m, launched in 2022. She’s beaten that distance six times this year — including twice at the Olympic Games.

“I dreamed of it. I didn’t expect it [but] I hoped for it… I’m just still amazed.

“I knew what some of the other girls were capable of. In throwing [events], up until the last throw you can’t be sure of anything,” Van Dyk said.

“Only until the fourth girl threw I knew I was in the medals then I started thinking ‘woah I have a medal’.

“It was crazy seeing everyone in the crowd. I haven’t seen my fiancé cry ever, he cried.

“I haven’t seen my father cry except for maybe once or twice, he cried. Everybody cried. It was just amazing.

“I’m happy. I’m happy for the country and for the team.”

Van Dyk follows in compatriot Sunette Viljoen’s footsteps, having also claimed a silver medal in the event in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Games. DM