You can be from Jamaica, the United States, Kenya, wherever, but right now, nobody can deny that South African sprinter Akani Simbine is one of the hottest names in track and field in 2025. And it’s not just talk. Since the very start of the season, he’s been showing up and showing out, proving he’s not just, he’s on a mission. His first race of the year? That was back in early March at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, and he wasted no time dropping a world-leading 9.90 seconds in the 100m. Just like that, everyone knew Simbine wasn’t easing into the season; he came fully prepped, fully trained, and laser-focused on big goals. Even his rivals have taken notice!

We’re not talking whispers. On the Track World News podcast, Noah Williams, NCAA 400m champion, gives Simbine his props. “He’s been on fire this year,” Williams said, laughing as he tried to remember Simbine’s exact times. “Was it 9.98? 9.87? 9.88? Not 9.99?” That kind of confusion says it all. Simbine’s been so consistently fast, it’s hard to keep up. The season thus far proves that Akani Simbine is ready.

At the Adidas Atlanta City Games on May 17, he won the men’s 100m in a time of 9.86 seconds. Also, he was part of the South African team that won the 4x100m race at the World Athletics Relays one week before with a leading time of 37.61 seconds. But wait. There’s more. What about the Diamond League? He has been very successful there as well. In Xiamen on April 26, Akani Simbine won the 100m with a time of 9.99, and at the Shanghai meet, he won again, running 9.98.

Two straight victories, in less than 10 seconds each. Don’t overlook the World Indoor Championships in March, where Simbine got his very first medal in a global competition, the bronze in the 60m with a time of 6.54 seconds. Indoors or out, Simbine’s been locked in. Seeing all this made Williams even admit, “He’s putting belt to a** on everybody right now. He’s kind of the top dog—until we see Noah?” (referring to Akani Simbine)The effort for Simbine is heading toward one main goal: competing in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. His breakthrough with a world medal? He is doing everything in his power to achieve it. He hopes to make one more Olympic appearance in 2028 at the Los Angeles Games, if things go his way. Even after the U.S. team failed in the relay, Noah Williams was still full of praise for Simbine. It’s true, one American champion supporting another South African fighter. What! Yes!

South Africa’s team, including Akani Simbine, just changed the sprinting game

When Akani Simbine anchored South Africa to their first-ever gold in the men’s 4x100m at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, the track world felt the shift. Just a year after grabbing silver at the Paris Olympics, some had written off that performance as a lucky break. But this time? No fluke. On May 11, Simbine and his squad, Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, and Bradley Nkoana, came locked in.

At the final, American Brandon Hicklin looked strong, but as Simbine took over, he gave it an extra push. He rushed by the U.S. anchor and held off Canada, ending the race in a sizzling 37.61, now the fastest 4×400 in the world this season. “Once I got the baton and saw USA in front of us, I just said to myself, ‘I need to catch the guy in front,’” Akani Simbine said after the race. “I feed from chasing.”

That hunger brought gold to South Africa—and shook up sprinting’s global power structure. And the performance didn’t just wow fans, it earned genuine praise from across the ocean. Noah Williams took to Track World News to shout out Simbine and his squad. “That was an incredible job by South Africa, anchored by Akani.” But the respect went deeper. “Bro, South Africa’s on fire. They got a lot of talent,” Williams added.

“I was unfamiliar with their game, and I apologize for that, but it’s exciting to see a gem like that in the sport.” Meanwhile, the USA, despite posting a 37.66 for silver, once again found themselves analyzing a familiar weakness: baton exchanges. Canada settled for bronze in 38.11, but all eyes were on South Africa. Their chemistry, precision, and confidence made the difference.

And let’s be honest: in a world where the U.S. has long dominated sprint relays, this wasn’t just a victory, it was a message. South Africa isn’t chasing anymore. They’re leading.