Akani Simbine keeps his 100m crown as he reclaims old Mr Cool image

Akani Simbine raised his arm in victory as he won his sixth national 100m crown at the South African championships in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, saying he had renewed his love for the sport by reclaiming his old Mr Cool moniker.

His 10.01 sec performance capped some fine performances at the meet.

Zeney Geldenhuys won a sensational 400m hurdles final that delivered two Olympic qualifying times and an age-group world lead.

Geldenhuys, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, was pushed all the way by North West University student Rogail Joseph to win in 54.72 sec.

Joseph, who had matched the defending champion hurdle for hurdle going into the final sprint, crossed the line in 54.84, just inside the 54.85 automatic qualifying standard for the Paris Olympics later this year.

Tumi Ramokgopa was third in 57.04, a time that stretched her lead atop the under-18 world list and also earned her the South African record in that category.

Geldenhuys smiled as she crossed the line, knowing she had secured her spot on the team for the Games from July 27 to August 11.

“I didn’t expect the race to be that close,” Geldenhuys admitted.

And Viwe Jingqi won the women’s 100m in 11.23, just one-hundredth of a second outside her personal best from two years ago.

Simbine, who heads to China to open his international campaign at a Diamond League meet next Saturday, said he was calm in his build-up to the Paris Games, where he is searching to land the first major medal of his career.

He’s made two Olympic and three world championship finals, finishing fourth twice and fifth on three occasions. No medal.

And yet he is feeling a lot more relaxed. “I’m far more calm, man. I don't have stress.

“Like for me, it's just as I was, I think, years ago when everybody was calling me Mr Cool and Mr Chill and all these things.”

He earned that nickname as a junior because of his relaxed attitude.

“I think I've picked that thing up again, but it's more relaxed, you know. I know what I need to do on the track. I know what I need to do when I race. I know what I need to do when I'm training.

“So I think I'm more content with myself as a sprinter and myself as what I want to achieve,” added Simbine, saying he had put too much pressure on himself.

“I forgot why I was in the sport and why I loved the sport. It became more of achieving goals and doing this thing and doing things that my heart wasn't in it for. I think now I'm in a really good space where my heart is in a good space and my heart wants to do this thing.

“I'm really calm and content as myself and I'm enjoying this thing again. I love running again.”

He was also confident about his condition.

“I think this year I'm in a way better shape than I've been before. Like the way I feel mentally and the way I feel emotionally and the way I feel in my body and the way I feel in the gym and on the track, it's different.

“I’m stronger in the gym. I'm moving the weights faster in the gym. I'm running PBs [personal bests] on the track. So everything is just gearing up for me to run fast.

“So I'm really happy with that and I'm really happy with where we're at right now.”

Cheswill Johnson won the long jump with an effort of 8.22m, 5cm short of the automatic Olympic qualifier, and Brian Raats claimed the men’s high jump title on countback, clearing 2.25m.

Lindukhule Gora won the men’s 400m hurdles in a 49.45 personal best. 

The men’s 400m semifinals delivered three fast winning times, which suggests the final on Saturday — even without Wayde van Niekerk — could be a cracker.

Lythe Pillay went 45.23, Zakithi Nene 45.28 and Gardeo Isaacs 45.76 in separate eliminators and the trio, when joined by Van Niekerk, could form a strong 4x400m team at World Relays in the Bahamas early next month.

Shirley Nekhubui set the pace in the women’s 400m semifinals, going 52.16 ahead of Marlie Viljoen in 53.46. Defending champion Miranda Coetzee won the other race in 53.50.