King Bolt ‘proud’ that Games champ Simbine is taking it ‘slow’ for a change

AKANI SIMBINE has revealed that former sprint great Usain Bolt, was “proud” of the South African’s 100m title-winning run at the recent Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Speaking via teleconference arranged by his sponsor Liquid Telecom, Simbine said Bolt had noticed a change in his approach to his racing in Australia.

“Usain and I spoke a bit after the race and he just said he is proud of me and proud that I was able to get out there and run,” Simbine said.

“He said I didn’t look as nervous as I usually look when I raced in finals. I looked more relaxed and at peace, and I think that’s one thing that made a difference.

“I went out there and did the job, and he saw that and he was very proud of that.”

Simbine had confided in Bolt and his long-time coach Glen Mills before the Games when they advised him to start the season slower out of the blocks than usual.

The South African has been making a habit of running sub-10 second times early in the local season and battling to maintain that throughout the year.

He opened his 2016 season with a new national record of 9.96 seconds in Pretoria before lowering that to 9.89 a month before the Rio Olympics, where he finished fifth in the final with Bolt racing to his third consecutive Olympic 100m title.

Last year Simbine clocked six sub-10sec times by early May and ended up fifth in the final at the IAAF World Championships in London.

“I had conversations with coach Mills and Usain, they also said I need to start saving those times for later in the season instead of starting off so high and ending off low,” he said.

“It is something we are trying and we are happy where we are at right now and with what we are trying to do.”

He has yet to dip under 10 seconds this season but has his first major title in the bag before he opens his international season in earnest at the Boston Games next month.

Simbine’s coach Werner Prinsloo said it was not so much a cautious approach but a need to change things up compared to previous seasons.

“It is just a different approach to the season because we know it’s going to be a long season going up until September,” Prinsloo said.

“Running sub-10 takes a lot out of the body and to do that so early in the season, there is no point.

“We knew the Commonwealth Games was coming up early so his approach was that the times at this point don’t matter. It is about being ready for the big meets.”

Simbine was desperate to get the monkey off his back and win his first major title, which he believes will stand him in good stead for the next world championships and Olympics.

“The Commonwealth comprises of most of the sprinting countries and to be able to race against most of the guys like at the Olympic Games or world championships and come out as number one is really great,” he said.

“It showed me that if I get to stand at an Olympic final or world champs final, I know I’ve raced these guys before.”