Akani Simbine and Zakithi Nene were the two South African athletes in action in the Diamond League meeting in Saturday, which was held in front of a 60,000 crowd at the Olympic Stadium in London.
Nene is the fastest man in the world in the 400m this year, while Simbine was unbeaten in 100m races. However, both were beaten in a meeting of high quality performances.
Simbine has 12 Diamond League wins under his belt, and was undefeated in three races on the circuit in 2025, the last being the 9.95sec he clocked in Rabat in May. However, he had to settle for fifth in London in 10.11sec, as Jamaican Oblique Seville scorched to victory over Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles. Seville clocked 9.86, with Lyles a clear second in 10.00.
In the men’s 400m, Nene had moved up menacingly inside the last 100m, but was chased down by Britain’s Charles Dobson, who was a surprise winner in 44.14, with Matthew Hudson-Smith holding off Nene, who timed 44.29, for second.
