Simbine: Athletics is not what you say but what you do

Former African 100m record holder and three-time Olympics 100m finalist, Akani Simbine says he is not one that goes on the social media to brag about a race and what he wants to do.

The Paris 2024 Olympics 4x100m silver medalist said on World Athletics’ Inside Track podcast that he will be acting out of character to be bragging on social media and talk down on his opponents when he knows the taste of the pudding can only be in the eating.

‘Sprinting is a physical thing, something that we do. It’s not more talking. I can talk and say I’m gonna beat you, I’m gonna do this or do that, but at the end of the day what matters is what happens on the track.

‘I see the guys doing that, you know, I see them going through their trash talking, their social media spells, and I watch it,’ said Simbine who revealed it’s actually entertaining what those other athletes do but he is not cut out for that.

‘It’s entertaining, at the end of the day, it’s entertainment, you know? But I feel like for me, it would be so out of character to join on that bandwagon and trash talk other athletes.

‘I have a lot of respect for everyone who lines up, a ton of respect because I know what you put in, to be here. I think my performances and my actual work that I actually put in speaks louder that what I would do on social media,’ he added.

At 30, the South African may not be thinking too far ahead to the next Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles but he will be keen to make it to the individual event podium when he races in Tokyo, Japan next year at the 20th World Athletics Championships.

Like he did at the Olympics, he has run thrice in the 100m final and will be targeting a medal next time to follow in the footsteps of Letsile Tebogo who won Africa’s first 100m title at the World Athletics Championships last year in Budapest.