National record holder Akani Simbine closed out his season with a convincing victory in the men’s 100m race at the Diamond League meeting in Rome on Thursday night.
Simbine stormed over the line in 9.96 seconds, clocking his fastest time since the 2020 campaign was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic in March, with the Commonwealth Games champion earning his third career victory in the top-flight Diamond League series.
Ivorian athlete Arthur Cisse took second place in 10.04.
“I feel good. I executed this race really well,” Simbine said.
“The last two races I struggled with mt start, but not here, so finishing my season like this is great.
“I am really happy, and I am grateful they let us compete here and that they are making this effort.”
Meanwhile, Swedish pole vault star Armand Duplantis eclipsed Ukrainian legend Sergey Bubka’s 26-year mark, setting a new outdoor pole vault world record of 6.15m.
Duplantis, who already held the world indoor record of 6.18m, bettered the mark of 6.14m achieved by Bubka in July 1994 in Italy.
The 20-year-old succeeded on his second attempt in a competition he dominated in perfect warm and windless conditions, but without spectators to celebrate in an empty Stadio Olimpico.
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