Akani Simbine

In this episode, I chatted with Werner Prinsloo, the coach behind South African sprinting sensation Akani Simbine who in his third consecutive Olympic 100m final, at the age of 30, ran a national record of 9.82 seconds to finish fourth place.  

Werner shares his unique journey into coaching, from a corporate career to becoming a full-time coach for one of the world’s most consistent sub-10-second sprinters and his group of aspiring elite sprinters in Johannesburg. 

Key topics include:
-How Werner transitioned from coaching recreational athletes to working with elite sprinters.
-Akani Simbine’s journey from raw talent to global track star, including the pivotal moments and training adjustments that fueled his success.
-The critical role of a strong support team in sustaining elite performance, including strength coaches, physiotherapists, and agents.
-Werner technical approach to sprinting, including block setup, acceleration mechanics, and the importance of repetition in skill-building.
-The value of consistent mentorship, trust-building, and adaptability in coaching.
-Socio-economic challenges faced by many South African athletes and the creative solutions he employs to support and nurture their potential. 

Follow Werner and his group on Instagram @Werner_Prinsloo and @ontrack_sprint

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Chris Chavez survived his bachelor party for a track-free weekend as Anderson Emerole updates him on his highlights from the 2024 Penn Relays + takeaways from the Shanghai Diamond League.

PENN RELAYS

– 16-year-old Quincy Wilson split 44s on the high school boys' 4x400m relay twice and put his Bullis Academy (MD) team in contention against some of the top Jamaican squads.

– Harvard's women's team clocked the fastest collegiate DMR in history with a 10:37.55 to win the Championship of America and were anchored in 4:21 by Maia Ramsden.

– Villanova's men destroyed the NCAA 4 x mile record of 16:03.24 by Oregon's 2009 squad as they led two other schools under 16:00. The Wildcats won in 15:51.91 capped by a 3:54.32 anchor from Liam Murphy.

– Yared Nuguse opened up his outdoor season with a 3:51.06 mile victory and tried to get his teammate Olli Hoare under the Olympic standard but he finished in 3:51.28.

SHANGHAI DIAMOND LEAGUE

– South Africa's Akani Simbine beat Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley in 10.01.

– Great Britain's Daryll Neita won the women's 200m in 22.62 as Sha'Carri Richardson finished third in 23.11.

– Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech won the women's steeplechase in 9:07.36. Emma Coburn dropped out with 1000m remaining due to a ankle tweak. Gabbi Jennings notched a 9:19.39 personal best for fifth place.

+ more takeaways here https://citiusmag.com/articles/shanghai-diamond-league-key-takeaways

Alexis Ohanian Introduces the 776 Invitational This September

Olympic bronze medalist Gabby Thomas and Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder who now heads the venture capital firm 776, have announced plans for the 776 Invitational – a women’s-only track event in September. Read more about it here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/gabby-thomas-reddit-founder-alexis-ohanini-776-invitational

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Anderson Emerole | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@atkoeme on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chris Chavez and Katelyn Hutchison recap their experiences and the standout performances at On Track Nights' Los Angeles stop – Sound Running's Track Fest – and the Atlanta City Games. We dive into what made the meets stand out to us, what other meets could learn from them and how they all fit into the rest of the season.

We touch on Sha'Carri Richardson winning the women's 100m at the Doha Diamond League in a world-leading 10.76. She beat Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith.

Florence Diamond League organizers announced 100m world champion Fred Kerley and 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs will go head-to-head in the 100m on June 2. World championship bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell is also in the field. (A day later, Rabat Diamond League organizers also announced all three as part of their meet on May 28. The Rabat field also includes Andre De Grasse, Ferdinand Omanyala, Letsile Tebogo, Akani Simbine and Yohan Blake.)

Host: Chris Chavez | @Chris_J_Chavez on Instagram

Guest: Katelyn Hutchison | @_kxnaomi on Instagram

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)

On Track Nights: Track Fest The first On Track Nights event of the year features the best of Los Angeles' music scene and some of the world's best athletes too – starting things with a bang on and off the track. Be there at Mt. SAC on May 6, 2023. More info here: https://www.on-running.com/en-us/explore/events/on-track-nights-los-angeles

GARMIN: Introducing the Forerunner 965 from Garmin, the ultimate GPS running and triathlon smartwatch. With a bright AMOLED touchscreen display and lightweight titanium bezel, this premium watch is designed for athletes who demand the very best. Learn more here: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/

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