Maxime Chaumeton and Akani Simbine shine on the road and the track

Picture of Wesley Botton

By Wesley Botton

Chief sports journalist


Akani Simbine won his second successive 100m race in the top-flight Diamond League series.


One week after both athletes flaunted their impressive form, South African athletes Maxime Chaumeton and Akani Simbine were at it again on Saturday, producing impressive performances in Asia.

In Tokyo, Chaumeton broke his own South African 5km record on the road, clocking 13:13 to finish fourth at the Asics Speed Race.

He sliced five seconds off his national mark of 13:18 set in Saudi Arabia in 2023, with Ugandan athlete Herbert Kibet taking the win in 13:00.

In Potchefstroom last week, Chaumeton had delivered a stunning performance, beating SA 5 000m record holder Adriaan Wildschutt to secure the national title on the track.

Simbine wins again

Meanwhile, Simbine continued his dominance in the early stages of the Diamond League series, winning the men’s 100m race in 9.98 seconds at the top-flight meeting in Shanghai.

Simbine, who won the short sprint at the opening leg of the Diamond League in Xiamen last week, edged out Jamaican athlete Kishane Thompson who took second place in 9.99. Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana was third in 10.03.

In other events at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, Marione Fourie finished third in the women’s 100m hurdles race in 12.62, Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis took third place in the javelin throw competition with a best attempt of 62.53m, and Lythe Pillay ended seventh in the men’s 400m race in 45.39.

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