South Africa's Akani Simbine denies Omanyala victory in Botswana
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 12.04.25. | 18:36
Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme took third with a strong 10.11 finish, confirming his rising status on the continental sprinting scene
South Africa’s Akani Simbine lit up the track at the FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix on Saturday, clocking a blistering 9.90 seconds to win the men’s 100m final and claim the world lead for the season.
In a highly anticipated showdown featuring some of Africa’s fastest men, Simbine edged out Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who finished second in 10.00 seconds.
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Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme took third with a strong 10.11 finish, confirming his rising status on the continental sprinting scene.
The race, held at the University of Botswana Stadium in Gaborone, had been billed as a clash of titans—pitting the former African 100m record holder Simbine against Omanyala, the current record holder and fastest man on the continent. And it did not disappoint.
Simbine, fresh off his maiden individual global medal—a bronze from the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing—showed he is still a dominant force in African sprinting.
The 31-year-old, who holds a personal best and South African record of 9.82 seconds, surged ahead in the final 20 meters to take the win, echoing his stellar form from last year's Atlanta City Games.
Omanyala, 29, opened his 2025 outdoor campaign with runs of 10.08 in Johannesburg and 10.09 in Kampala. Although he looked sharp in the heats, he could not quite match Simbine’s explosive finish in the final.
Benjamin Richardson, another highly-touted South African sprinter and 9.86-second man, surprisingly did not make the podium, while Eseme—Cameroon’s national record holder with a PB of 9.96—impressed with his strong showing.
Simbine’s win not only marks a statement of intent ahead of a competitive year but also reaffirms his status as one of the most consistent sprinters globally over the last decade.
For Omanyala, the race serves as a valuable early-season test as he fine-tunes his preparations for the international circuit.
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