‘It’s all talk’: Simbine slams ASA after relay squad crashes out again

National sprint king Akani Simbine has lashed out at Athletics South Africa (ASA), warning the federation that it could throw away an Olympic gold medal in Paris next year if something isn’t done to help the 4x100m relay team prepare sufficiently.

In a shock repeat of the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, the relay squad crashed out again in the final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Saturday night.

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Though they coasted into the final and looked set to chase the SA squad’s first medal at the track and field showpiece, they flopped the second changeover (between 19-year-old Benjamin Richardson and national 200m record holder Clarence Munyai) and did not finish the race.

In their absence, the United States went on to win gold, but Simbine insisted South Africa could have given them a go if they had worked together as a team in the build-up to the championships. Instead, they had only three training sessions together after arriving in Budapest.

‘We can win’

“I think we could have won this, so that’s what irks me. We would have given America a run for their money,” said Simbine, who was left stranded on the anchor leg, closing out a disappointing campaign after he was disqualified for a false start in the 100m semifinals.

“Next year in Paris we can actually win. We just need time together. That’s the important thing.

“We always come into championships and have to figure it out when we get here.”

This was an ongoing concern, and Simbine said they were tired of hearing empty promises.

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With the country’s fastest men based in different countries, on different continents, the logistical challenges of getting them together for training camps were significant.

Simbine, however, felt they could work around their schedules if they had more assistance from ASA.

“We always talk about fixing it, and the federation says ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’, but what happens? It’s all talk,” he said.

“I’m a person who always keeps quiet, but now it’s gotten to a point where South Africa needs to know that the federation does not help us and does not bring us together.

“We are expected to run and we’re expected to be at our best, but we don’t have training camps together as a relay team, and they have to figure that out.”