SA record still standing after onslaught from unit anchored by Simbine

A Team South Africa relay unit anchored by Akani Simbine came close‚ but could not break the South African record at the fourth and final leg of the Athletics South Africa Speed Series.

Their time of 38:47 was not too far from the national record of 38:35 and they displayed enough to show they will be a decent fighting force should they qualify for the World Championships in London later this year.

With Henricho Bruintjies‚ Thando Roto and Clarence Munyai also part of the quartet‚ it was a case of how fast they were going to run and not about those who were going to challenge them.

If they are able to shave two-tenths of a second from their times‚ they will be a formidable combination.

• Simbine: something big is on the wayAkani Simbine is predicting big things this year — a massive 100m final at the SA championships and then a fast time later in the season. 

2015 Beijing World Championship 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana continued his gradual return to form with a 10:36 in his 100m heat.

While his start again showed how much work he need to put ahead of next month's National Championships in Potchefstroom‚ the manner in which he powered away in the last 50m from Le Roux van Tonder (10:51) and Ethan Noble (10:61) showed how he is still a sprinting force despite the emergence of a star like Roto.

Jobodwana himself admitted he needed to up his intensity at the start of his races but felt he was returning to some sort of form that will see him fight for a spot on the team that will be going to the IAAF World Championships.

Jobodwana had a forgettable 2016 blighted by injury‚ which affected his performances but improved with each showing after the first leg in Durban.

• Fasten your seatbelts‚ Simbine planning to light up the track in 2017Akani Simbine is predicting big things this year — a massive 100m final at the SA championships and then a scorching time later in the season. 

With the kind of form being shown by the likes of Munyai‚ Roto and Simbine‚ South Africa has a reasonably bright sprinting future even though the hegemony will still lie with the United States of America and Jamaica.

Antonio Alkana also ran a decent 13.55 on his way to winning the men's 110m hurdles where two athletes did not finish the race due to collisions with their hurdles.

Rushwahl Samaai also won the men's long jump with an even eight metre jump.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport