'You fought hard': Simbine earns respect of SA in closest Olympic men's 100m final

An Olympic medal continues to elude South African sprinter Akani Simbine after he finished fourth by a whisker in the men's 100m final at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.

Simbine was racing in his third successive Olympics final, having finished in fifth place in Rio 2016 and fourth in Tokyo 2021. And claiming that medal wasn't about to get any easier.

All eyes were on lane five where Simbine was third-fastest to burst from the starting blocks before he crossed the finish line in a personal best time of 9.82 seconds, just 0.01sec behind American bronze medallist Fred Kerley (9.81) in what was the closest finish in modern Olympic history.

American Noah Lyles took the gold in 9.79, pipping Jamaican Kishane Thompson by 0.005sec in a photo finish.

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The 30-year-old Simbine had broken his own South African record, which also restored him as the fastest man in Africa.

"It is a moment in history. There is no South African that has been in three Olympic finals and placed higher than me," Simbine said after the race.

"I am the one that is doing these things for the first time for every South African. That is a great thing on its own."

He's not wrong.

Social media was full of praise for Simbine after the race:

We are proud of you @AkaniSimbine , you are a star with a very bright future. You fought hard.

We still proud Champ ???????????? pic.twitter.com/F4veIPz71x

What a race, what an event that 100m final. So close for @AkaniSimbine who broke the National Record.Salute my brother ????????????????????#OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/vksjZ2DkWC

Well done SIMBINE! What a brilliant performance.
???????????? Such a wonderful ambassador for SA