SA’s speed kings to train together
by David Isaacson,
2016-02-26 05:00:00.0
THE two fastest men in the country look set to become training partners.
Sprinter Henricho Bruintjies, who shares the 9.97 second SA 100m record with Akani Simbine, and coach Hennie Kriel cut ties this week, Kriel said on Thursday.
"Yes, I can confirm that we parted ways on Monday," said Kriel, who also coaches Gift Leotlela, the world’s top youth 100m runner.
"I cannot confirm with whom he is training now."
But sources said Bruintjies had hooked up with Werner Prinsloo, Simbine’s mentor.
Prinsloo declined to comment, saying a press release would be issued.
Bruintjies and Simbine are friends off the track and even share a house, but some observers believe that adding training partners to their relationship could be tough.
Others disagree, pointing out that Prinsloo’s calm temperament could be the perfect foil for Bruintjies’s fiery personality.
Straight-talking Bruintjies did not endear himself to all his SA teammates at last year’s world championships in Beijing, irking some with comments that they felt were unnecessarily blunt.
Popular or not, Bruintjies is a key member of the SA 4x100m relay team that — if it qualifies for this year’s Rio Games — has the potential to contend for an Olympic bronze medal behind Jamaica and the US.
Bruintjies broke Simon Magakwe’s 9.99 one-year-old South African mark when he went 9.97 in Switzerland on July 5 last year.
Four days later, Simbine matched that as he won the World Student Games crown in Korea.
The pair — ranked 20th in the world for last year — both made the semifinals in China; Bruintjies clocked 10.07 in the heats compared to Simbine’s 10.09.
It is also understood that Bruintjies has withdrawn from the SA team for the world indoor championships in the US next month because of the insufficient time he would have to acclimatise across the time zones.
Henricho Bruintjies of South Africa watches his time after the men's 100m heat in the Beijing olympics. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ROGER SEDRES
THE two fastest men in the country look set to become training partners.
Sprinter Henricho Bruintjies, who shares the 9.97 second SA 100m record with Akani Simbine, and coach Hennie Kriel cut ties this week, Kriel said on Thursday.
"Yes, I can confirm that we parted ways on Monday," said Kriel, who also coaches Gift Leotlela, the world’s top youth 100m runner.
"I cannot confirm with whom he is training now."
But sources said Bruintjies had hooked up with Werner Prinsloo, Simbine’s mentor.
Prinsloo declined to comment, saying a press release would be issued.
Bruintjies and Simbine are friends off the track and even share a house, but some observers believe that adding training partners to their relationship could be tough.
Others disagree, pointing out that Prinsloo’s calm temperament could be the perfect foil for Bruintjies’s fiery personality.
Straight-talking Bruintjies did not endear himself to all his SA teammates at last year’s world championships in Beijing, irking some with comments that they felt were unnecessarily blunt.
Popular or not, Bruintjies is a key member of the SA 4x100m relay team that — if it qualifies for this year’s Rio Games — has the potential to contend for an Olympic bronze medal behind Jamaica and the US.
Bruintjies broke Simon Magakwe’s 9.99 one-year-old South African mark when he went 9.97 in Switzerland on July 5 last year.
Four days later, Simbine matched that as he won the World Student Games crown in Korea.
The pair — ranked 20th in the world for last year — both made the semifinals in China; Bruintjies clocked 10.07 in the heats compared to Simbine’s 10.09.
It is also understood that Bruintjies has withdrawn from the SA team for the world indoor championships in the US next month because of the insufficient time he would have to acclimatise across the time zones.
Change: 0.79%
Change: 0.68%
Change: 1.29%
Change: 0.34%
Change: 1.65%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: 1.38%
Change: -0.34%
Change: 0.79%
Change: 0.00%
Change: -0.19%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: 3.71%
Change: 3.12%
Change: 3.05%
Change: 2.91%
Change: 2.30%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: -0.05%
Change: -1.30%
Change: -0.14%
Change: 0.21%
Change: 0.14%
Data supplied by Profile Data