USEGXILE ekwenzeni kahle emjahweni we-relay u-Akani Simbine ngemuva kokuphuthwa yindondo koka-100m wabagijima ngabodwana kuma-Olympic aseParis, eFrance umsubathi wakuleli, u-Akani Simbine.
USimbine (30) obengelinye lamathemba eNingizimu Afrika ukuthola indondo kule midlalo, uphume endaweni yesine kowamanqamu eStade de France ngeSonto ebusuku ngesikhathi esingu-9.82, nokuyiso isikhathi esihamba phambili esake sagijinywa owakuleli kuleli banga.
Indondo yegolide ithathwe nguNoah Lyles wase-USA ngo-9.79, uKishane Thompson waseJamaica wathola isiliva (ngesikhathi esifanayo) kwathi uFred Kerley wase-USA wathola ithusi ngo-9.81.
Kuma-Olympic ayeseRio ngo-2016 uSimbine walala isihlanu kowamanqamu, waqeda endaweni yesine kwayeseTokyo ngo-2021.
“Okwenzekile kuwumlando. Akekho owaseNingizimu Afrika oseke wafinyelela kowamanqamu kuma-Olympic amathathu noma owaphuma phambili kunami kulo mjaho. Yimi engiqophele iNingizimu Afrika lo mlando. Kusho lukhulu kukodwa,” usho kanje uSimbine ekhuluma nethimba labezindaba leTeamSA ngemuva komjaho.
“Yize ngingabuyanga nendondo kodwa engikwenzayo wukushintsha indlela okubukwa ngayo ukugijima eNingizimu Afrika futhi ngikhuthaza nentsha.”
USimbine usezozama ukuqopha umlando neqembu le-relay elizoqala ukuqhudelana emjahweni ka-4x100m relay ngoLwesine. Kulindeleke ukuthi abambisane noBenjamin Richardson noShaun Maswanganyi, abafinyelele kowandulela owamanqamu emjahweni ka-100m, nomunye umgijimi wesine kwabakuleli abaseParis.
“Asikakaqedi, sisazobuya emqhudelwaneni we-relay. Sinabasubathi abathathu abasezingeni eliphezulu. Ababili bangenile kweyandulela owamanqamu, mina ngafinyelela kowamanqamu. Leli yithuba lokuthi senze kahle kwi-relay futhi sizokwenza konke okusemandleni,” uphethe kanje.
Iqembu lakuleli lashaya isikhathi esingu-38.08 emjahweni wokuhlungela ama-Olympic owawuseBahamas ngoMeyi. Isikhathi esihamba phambili kulo mjaho kulo nyaka u-37.08, owashaywa i-USA khona kumaWorld Athletics Relay Championships.
Khonamanjalo, abasubathi ababili bakuleli, uZakithi Nene noLythe Pillay, balisebenzisile ithuba lesibili lokuzibekisela indawo kweyandulela owamanqamu ku-400m.
UNene unqobe umjaho wakhe wokuhlunga ngo-44.81, uPillay naye waphuma phambili kowakhe ngo-45.40. Imijaho eyandulela owamanqamu izoba kusihlwa kusukela ngo-7.35pm.