By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GettyImages.
Team SA sprint star Akani Simbine and the rest of the 4x100m relay team kept the country’s hopes of an athletics medal at the Paris Olympics alive by qualifying for Friday’s final.
With Benjamin Richardson out injured, the team had to reshuffle the order, taking starter Shaun Maswanganyi to the second leg on the back straight.
That finish from Akani Simbine in the Men’s 4x100m Relay heat ??
He passed four other sprinters to take South Africa from sixth to second in a matter of seconds ???#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/GMX5o4I5H5
— SuperSport ? (@SuperSportTV) August 8, 2024
Bayanda Walaza started with Bradley Nkoana running the bend and 100m star Simbine in his usual anchor role, where he rocketed through the field to finish second in 37.94 sec to secure a spot in Friday’s final.
Benjamin was a key part of the team, especially after the struggles the likes of Wayde van Niekerk and Shaun Maswanganyi have endured this week.
Both Van Niekerk and Maswanganyi failed to make the final of the 200m, fading badly towards the end of their respective races.Maswanganyi will now have to pick himself up ahead of the 4x100m relays.
American Noah Lyles’ bid for a first triple sprint gold since Usain Bolt at the 2016 Rio Games remains on track thanks to his US teammates Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kyree King and Courtney Lindsay.
That American quartet clocked 37.47sec to win their semi-final ahead of South Africa and Britain and book a place in the final.
Lyles won the 100m in a dramatic photo-finish on the weekend and goes into the final of the 200m later Thursday as the hot favourite.
In the women’s race, 100m silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson and 200m champion Gabby Thomas steered the United States into the final of the women’s 4x100m relay after winning their heat on Thursday.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Marioné Fourie won her repechage heat to sneak in the backdoor for the semifinal of the 100-metre hurdles for women.
Elsewhere Women’s 3m springboard semi-final: Julia Vincent produced a fine effort of 297.30 points from her five dives, the same she had recorded at the world championships last year when placing 10th. She qualified for the Olympic final here in 6th position.