Simbine misses podium again as Leotlela finishes fifth in 100m final in Tokyo

Veteran sprinter Akani Simbine’s quest for a first major singles outdoor medal continues after a disappointing seventh-place finish in the men’s 100m final on Day 2 of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. National champion Gift Leotlela crossed the line in fifth.

Leotlela, who set a personal best of 9.87 seconds in the first-round heats the day before, recorded 9.95 seconds in Sunday’s blue-riband event, while Simbine clocked 10.04. Jamaican Oblique Saville won gold in a personal best of 9.77, with countryman Kishane Thompson taking silver in 9.82. Olympic champion Noah Lyles claimed bronze.

Simbine (9.96) and Leotlela (9.97) had finished third in their semifinals earlier in the day but still progressed to the final.

SA champion Zakithi Nene won his first-round 400m race in 44.34, while Lythe Pillay took second in his heat in 44.73. Both athletes safely advanced to the men’s one-lap semifinals on Tuesday.

Nene, who boasts the world-leading 400m time this year, looked back to his best after recovering from injury, easing up in the closing stages of his heat once the job was done. His qualification time was bettered only by Jacory Patterson (43.90) and Khaleb McRae (44.25) of the US.

“We went according to plan,” Nene’s coach, Victor Vaz, told Independent Media Sport exclusively from the National Stadium in Tokyo. "He ran very smoothly, looked very comfortable, and the basic idea was to produce the best result for the least effort, and he did just that.

"He literally put in what was required to win the heat and no more. The next round, the semifinals, are going to be very demanding.”

Marione Fourie, the SA record holder in the 100m hurdles, was second in her heat in 12.86 seconds, also qualifying for the semifinals on Monday.

Middle-distance runner Tshepo Tshite finished sixth in his 1 500m heat in 3:36.36 and will return for the semifinals on Monday. His compatriot, Ryan Mphahlele, placed 13th in 3:45.22 and was eliminated.

In the men’s 10 000m final, Adriaan Wildschutt finished 10th in a slow, tactical race in 28:59.47. French athlete Jimmy Gressier claimed gold in 28:55.77, kicking hard to win in a blanket finish.

Shirley Nekhubui, a member of SA’s mixed 4x400m relay team that finished sixth the day before, ended sixth in her first-round heat of the women’s 400m in 51.82, missing out on a semifinal place. Miranda Coetzee finished last in her 400m opening-round race.

Brian Raats failed to clear the opening height of 2.16m in the men’s high jump and was eliminated.

Schedule of SA athletes competing on Day 3

Early session

12.30am: marathon men, final (Elroy Gelant)

2.05am: pole vault women, qualification (Mire Reinstorf)

4.20am: 400m hurdles women, heats (Zeney van der Walt, Rogail Joseph)

Late session

12.35pm: 400m hurdles men, heats (Sabelo Dhlamini)

12.40pm: long jump men, qualification (Cheswill Johnson)

1.20pm: 110m hurdles men, heats (Mondray Barnard, Antonio Alkana, John Adesola)

2.05 pm: 100m hurdles women, semifinals (Marione Fourie)

2.30pm: 1 500m men, semifinals (Tshepo Tshite)

3.20pm: 100m hurdles women, final (Fourie).