Sekgodiso and Simbine target more after returning home with indoor medals

Already having delivered in the early stages of the year, track athletes Prudence Sekgodiso and Akani Simbine are confident of building momentum as they target medals at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

Competing at the World Indoor Championships for the first time in their careers, Sekgodiso and Simbine both delivered breakthrough results in Nanjing, China at the weekend.

Sekgodiso charged to an impressive victory in 1:58.40 in the women’s 800m final, clocking the fastest indoor time in the world this year and breaking her own South African short track record.

Having won two Diamond League races last year, before reaching the Olympic 800m final in Paris, Sekgodiso made further career progress in Nanjing, dominating proceedings with a powerful effort in the final.

Looking ahead

The 23-year-old middle-distance runner felt her latest achievement could catapult her to greater things, as she set her sights on a medal at the more prestigious outdoor World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

While some of the world’s top athletes did not compete at the World Indoor Championships, for various reasons, the global elite were expected to converge on the Japanese capital in search of the world outdoor title.

“On the outdoor circuit this year I think I will do even better,” Sekgodiso said after returning home yesterday.

“The plan is to run 1:55 by the end of this year, so now I’m going back to my training and I think everything will come together.”

Experienced sprinter Simbine still going strong

Simbine, who like Sekgodiso made his debut at the World Indoor Championships, ended a lengthy career drought by securing his first major global individual medal.

The 31-year-old sprinter clocked 6.53 seconds, equalling his personal best to take third place in the 60m final.

“My coach and I decided to do indoors for the first time this season, but for us it was more a case of trying to figure something out with my start,” Simbine said.

“So we went into the World Championships saying ‘we’ll just see what happens and figure it out round by round’. We didn’t have any expectations because there are people who are 60m specialists.

“But it went really well and I came back with my first global individual medal, which is really great. It doesn’t describe my career because there are still more medals I want to get and more things I want to achieve, but this is a great confidence booster for me and my team.”