It was so close, yet so far for Akani Simbine on Sunday night during a blistering men’s 100m final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

On Sunday night, Simbine set a new South African national record as he narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing in fourth. His time would have been good enough to win the gold in 2008 when the great Usain Bolt won the first of his three 100m golds at the Olympics.

Noah Lyles of the USA won the gold in a PB of 9.79 seconds while Kishane Thompson of Jamaica ran less than a split second slower for silver.

Fred Kerley of the USA took bronze in 9.81 seconds, while Simbine ran a time of 9.82 seconds for fourth.

Men's 100m final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Photo: X

Speaking after his effort in Paris, Simbine said running a new South African record was somewhat bitter-sweet, but it’s part and parcel of the sport. “That’s sprinting, it’s part of the game,” said South Africa’s fastest man.

“I’m happy to have got a national record, I’m happy to have been in the final. I’m happy to be the fourth fastest man in the world and I’m happy to have raced in three Olympics finals. 

“When I saw my time it consoled me. No way am I leaving the sport now. I started it very late in my life and I still want to get more out of the sport.

“I’m now 30, and running the fastest I have ever done in my life. Between Fred and me there was 0.01 seconds. What more can I ask from myself to run faster than ever before? I was in the race right until the end.”

While a world record wasn’t broken in the 100m final, it was the fastest race of all time with all eight sprinters having recorded sub-10 second times.

 OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh