Simbine powers Team SA to 100m relay silver medal

Akani Simbine once again unleashed a display of awesome power as he anchored South Africa to the 4x100m relay silver medal at the Gold Coast.

And Clint Hendricks bagged a second medal for SA on Saturday‚ taking bronze in the men’s road where he snatched third spot in a sprint for the line.

Team SA finished the games in sixth spot on the medals table with 13 gold‚ 11 silver and 13 bronze.

Gold Coast 100m champion Simbine‚ silver medallist Henricho Bruintjies‚ Emile Erasmus and Anaso Jobodwana claimed SA’s first medal in this event since the last time the games were held in Melbourne, Australia in 2006.

The 35.24sec national record the class of 2018 clocked was more than half a second quicker than the 38.98 Lee-Roy Newton‚ Leigh Julius‚ Snyman Prinsloo and Sherwin Vries ran 12 years ago.
Simbine was in fourth position when he took the baton from Anaso Jobodwana‚ trailing England’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey‚ Yohan Blake of Jamaica and Australian Josh Clarke.

He hit the turbo and overhauled two of them‚ but did not have enough time to catch the Englishman.

“All that was in my head was just get in front‚ just catch,” Simbine said.

“I saw Blake coming up and I was like no ways he’s going to get me this time. “I was getting closer to Harry and I was saying give me 10 metres more‚ but the 10 metres didn’t come.”

Simbine ran the anchor leg when SA set the last national record‚ 38.35‚ at the previous games in Glasgow. – TimesLIVE