The men’s 4x100m relay at the 2025 World Athletics Relays Guangzhou, delivered pure, unadulterated drama thanks to South Africa’s Akani Simbine. It came down to the wire, with Team USA’s Brandon Hicklin looking strong on the final leg, seemingly clear of the pack. But, even in the thrill of victory, there was a moment of imperfection noted.

There were some nervously hesitant moments when the baton was passed to Akani by Nkoana for the final leg. Justin Gatlin observed that the team “bobbled the handoff on that last exchange of baton to Akani.” Yet, despite this less-than-smooth transition, Simbine’s sheer speed after receiving the baton was enough to overcome the deficit and the minor stumble. Akani Simbine had other ideas. Suddenly, he found a gear nobody saw coming, unleashing an explosive surge that swallowed up the track between him and Hicklin. As Akani later said, “Once I got the baton and I saw that USA was in front of us, I just said to myself, ‘I need to catch the guy in front’,”. He added, “I knew I could do it, and I just chased him. I feed from chasing, I feed from being able to chase.”

Well, Justin Gatlin highlighted this as something for the team to work on, adding, “I want to see a better feel from them to do that more confidence going into Japan for the World Championships.” . Justin Gatlin excitedly put it, “Here comes Akani Simbine, baby!” He was stunned, admitting, “You didn’t even know that Team USA was out in front that far. And then he hits that gear.” It was a breathtaking display of raw speed and determination.

With every stride, Simbine clawed background, described by Justin as him just being “in his bag right now, bro.” He started to “eat up that ground, the meters to catch up with Brandon,” relentlessly closing the gap before finally “surpassing him to get to that finish line first.” The result? South Africa crossed the line in a scorching world-leading 37.61 seconds, just 0.05 ahead of the strong U.S. team’s 37.66. It was a historic moment, as the South African quartet – Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and the hero Simbine – became the first African team ever to clinch this prestigious title.

While Simbine‘s anchor leg was the stuff of legends, Team USA also deserves some credit. Their baton exchanges were described as “amazing” by Justin, who praised them for having “handled business” and putting together a “good relay squad.” But Simbine, fresh off a swift 9.98 in Shanghai and with Olympic silver experience, was undeniably the “difference maker.”

This victory on May 11, 2025, isn’t just a medal; it signals South Africa’s powerful arrival on the global sprinting stage. Beating a formidable U.S. squad hints at incredible potential ahead of the 2025 World Championships. Can Simbine and this dynamic team keep rewriting history? Based on that epic run, you wouldn’t bet against them.

Akani praises the team’s partnership approach

South African sprint star Akani Simbine is flying high – running sub-10s and anchoring that killer relay team to a world-leading time! But he says his speed isn’t just about him; it’s all thanks to the amazing crew behind him.

Speaking before the Adidas Atlanta City Games, the 31-year-old stressed, “A good team, like a good support structure… like my coach is very awesome, my official is amazing, my manager… having, like a team that understands me.”

It’s not a top-down system; Simbine feels like his voice genuinely matters. He loves “Being able to put together what I feel like I want to do and listening to me.” He sees it as “our training and what we’re trying to do and our business,” not just some standard academy. This close-knit, collaborative family vibe is propelling South Africa’s sprinting efforts. Can this powerful teamwork push Simbine to even more glory at the World Championships?