When you think of sprinting legends, Usain Bolt is likely the first name that pops up, right? His 100m and 200m records have been untouched since his retirement, and honestly, a lot of people thought they’d stand the test of time. Sure, sprinters like Noah Lyles have talked big about breaking Bolt’s records, but when it came down to it, those records still stand. But there’s a 31-year-old South African sprinter who’s now shattering one of those records. Yep, you heard that right.

It all went down on April 12, 2025, at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix. That’s where this veteran sprinter, Akani Simbine, clocked a smooth 9.90 seconds in the 100m final—fast enough to win the race and fast enough to make history. By completing that run, he became the first person to break ten seconds for running eleven consecutive years. The speed standard of 10 seconds was achieved by Bolt a total of 10 times, yet he never maintained it in a single consecutive decade.

That’s the key difference. This streak? It’s built on consistency, longevity, and showing up with world-class speed year after year. The complete list of sprinters who achieved sub-10 times in the 100m throughout multiple consecutive years demonstrates how unusual this achievement is. Behind Simbine? The most famous sprinters include Usain Bolt with 10 streaks and Asafa Powell with 9, as well as Maurice Greene with 8 streaks and Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay, who each had 7 streaks. But when did Akani achieve all this?

Well, for that, we might need to go back to 2015. It was then that, with a 9.97-second victory, he started his streak. From then on, the South African made it his duty to do it again and again. In the process, he achieved his career best of 9.82 last year. With this year’s 9.90, that’s 11 years of sub-10 performances. Noah Lyles, together with other sprinters, continues to push for Bolt’s 100 and 200m records, while Simbine solidifies his position as a leader in the 100m sprint category.

And honestly, who knows? He may have only just started his journey to establish this legacy. This athlete has demonstrated that great achievements can emerge from unexpected sources. History gets rewritten by something that arrives quietly while being constant before people suddenly discover its historical impact. Simbine’s Performance at the start of 2025 suggests that he is building something greater than his previous achievements in track and field.

Leaving Noah Lyles in the dust, Akani Simbine is the king of 2025

The opening race of the 2025 track season centered on Noah Lyles, yet most observers were expecting him to prevail from the start. After securing the Paris Olympic gold and giving his best time, 9.784, in that history-making Olympic final, Lyles seemed poised to become the new champion. But the track season has seen Akani Simbine take command as the major athlete instead of Noah Lyles.

At the FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix, Simbine produced a world-best 9.90 result with a tailwind speed of -1.4 meters per second. The circumstances in that environment make this performance impossible to predict in similar challenging weather conditions.  Add a -1.4 headwind to his way as Simbine took the lead against Omanyala and crossed first, maintaining his composure throughout the race.

That 9.90 is now the fastest 100m time in the world for 2025, edging out Bayanda Walaza’s 9.99 from March. Noah Lyles hasn’t opened his 100m season yet, but he still leads the World Athletics rankings thanks to his Olympic win and steady podium finishes. While Lyles remains the reigning champ on paper, Simbine is making a serious case with his early-season form. If this is how he’s starting the year, the rest of the sprinting world better be ready.