Akani Simbine wins big at the Central Gauteng Athletics awards

He received the prestigious presidential award from CGA acting president Karabo Mabilo, as well as the CGA's top male athlete of the year honour.

Simbine played a key role in leading the national 4x100m relay team to a historic silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games in August and narrowly missed out on a podium finish, securing fourth place in the individual 100m final.

His exceptional season was celebrated during the gala dinner, where he was rightfully recognized for his achievements.

"It is a great honour, I think the presidential one came as a great shock to me because I'm still an active athlete and I think those awards are supposed to go to the guys that are out of the game,” Simbine said.

“I think it's just a testament to the impact that I'm having on the sport not just my performances but the fact that I'm very vocal and very pro the youth and pro us developing more athletes and making sure there's support for athletes and making sure that we actually are developing the next generation of athletes and looking after them.

“I think that's one thing that my generation didn't have and we know how difficult it is to actually make it in this sport. If I can make a way or I can speak up and say what I need to say just to get attention to it and have a difference made then cool you know. I think that's where my thing is coming from and just inspiring youth

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Simbine initially joined Athletics Gauteng North and spent a few years studying at the University of Pretoria.

However, three years later, he returned to Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA), describing it as his home and crediting the province for supporting his athletics ambitions.

"Here it's actually where it is at home. Here is where I'm at home, I'm looked after, the president looks after me, Mandla looks after me, the GM, we always have conversations where we can actually look at how we can improve sports,” he added. “That's a big thing now that we are doing and them assisting me with my athletics programme that I've just started. It's really great that the province is looking after me and supporting me where they can."