In this follow up to the 100 meter pieces, Stuart Weir writes about the long history of the 100 yards and 100 meters at the Commonwealth Games. My only instructions ever to Stuart are to write about what he feels. It always seems to work.
Akani Simbine, Commonwealth Games 2018 100 meters, gold medal, photo by PhotoRun.net (Beijing 2015)
The Commonwealth Games 100m has a long history – back to 1970. From 1930 to 1966 the sprint was the 100 yards. Akani Simbine follows an illustrious list of previous winners like Don Quarrie, who won it three times (1970-78). Asafa Powell (2006), Ato Boldon (1998), Linford Christie twice (1990 and 1994) are also previous winners as is a certain Ben Johnson (1986)
Four finals have been won sub 10 seconds with Ato Boldon’s 9.88 in 1998 still the Commonwealth record. One name missing from the winners’ list is Usain Bolt. While he has run a Commonwealth relay, he has not contested the 100. Jamaica has won six of the 13 finals, with England taking two, St Kitts, Trinidad, Canada and Scotland also winning a gold. That brings us to 2018 when Akani Simbine added South Africa to the list of winners.
Running 10.03, Akani Simbine became the first South African to win the event in the Commonwealth Games 100 meters. And just to rub it in, another South African, Henricho BRUINTJIES (10.17) took silver. Simbine said of his win, “It’s an amazing feeling, I’m really excited, I’m really humbled by the experience. I knew it was something I could do. It was just a matter of me coming in here and making sure I put the perfect race together. I was focused on myself and making sure I got out fast and that I got to the 50m as quick as I could. I knew if I could put that together, the rest of my race would come together smoothly and I’d win”.
And finally, the secret of his success – perhaps? “I actually ate a lot of broccoli while I’ve been here”. Perhaps that is what I have been doing wrong.
