A stacked men’s 100m field featuring Olympic medallists and other sprinters around the world will headline the Simbine Classic in Pretoria later this month.
Pretoria, South Africa (21 April 2026) – Pretoria is set for a major sprint showdown when some of the world’s fastest men line up at the Simbine Classic.
Set for 28 April at Pilditch Stadium, the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting will see a mix of local stars and international names go head-to-head in what promises to be one of the standout sprint showdowns on South African soil.
At the centre of it all is a familiar rivalry, with Akani Simbine lining up against Andre De Grasse. The South African record holder will be looking to deliver in front of a home crowd, while De Grasse, the Olympic 200m champion, brings world-class pedigree to the track.
But this won’t be a two-man race.
The field is packed with serious pace, including Favour Ashe and Emmanuel Eseme, both of whom have the speed to challenge for top honours. On the local front, Shaun Maswanganyi and Retshidisitswe Mlenga add further depth.
The event will feature two 100m races, with additional names like Javari Thomas, Adrian Kerr, Tiaan Whelpton, as well as homegrown speedsters Cheswill Johnson and Abduraghmaan Karriem, all set to line up.
With multiple sub-10-second runners in the field, there’s very little room for error, and every race is expected to be tight from start to finish.
Simbine, who is also the meeting founder, says the event is about more than just fast times.
“We are excited to announce a quality line-up for the men’s 100m sprint, which will give some of Africa’s fastest athletes a chance to race against global stars on South African soil.”
With a home crowd behind them, all eyes will be on Pretoria for these exciting sprinting match-ups.
“For me personally, and the rest of the South African athletes taking part, it is also a chance to compete at the highest level in front of our home crowd, which is a great opportunity for us. I’m looking forward to it.”
Sources: Simbine Classic World Continental Tour
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