Brand South Africa and YOBA honour Olympic sprinter for record-breaking international achievements
Johannesburg, South Africa — Brand South Africa, in proud partnership with the Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA), is pleased to announce Akani Simbine as the 2025 recipient of the Global Excellence Award — an exclusive honour presented to South Africans who demonstrate outstanding excellence on international platforms.
This marks the second consecutive year that Brand South Africa has partnered with the YOBAs to present the Global Excellence Award, a non-voting category reserved for individuals whose global impact elevates the South African brand on the world stage.
A Landmark Year of Achievement
Simbine’s 2025 season has been nothing short of historic:
- In March, he claimed his first-ever individual global medal — a bronze in the 60 m sprint at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, clocking an impressive 6.54 seconds.
- In April, he ran a world-leading 9.90 seconds at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, making him the first athlete in history to record sub-10-second 100 m times for 11 consecutive seasons — surpassing the legendary Usain Bolt’s ten-season record.
- Simbine has continued his unbeaten streak in early 2025, including Diamond League victories and strong Olympic qualification performances.
“Akani Simbine is the epitome of what this award stands for — consistency, excellence, and being a proud ambassador for South Africa on a global stage,” Pat Mahlangu, founder of the Youth-Owned Brands Awards. “He’s not only making history, but he’s inspiring an entire generation of young South Africans to believe in the power of discipline, purpose, and pride.”
Celebrating South African Excellence
The Global Excellence Award reflects the shared ethos between Brand South Africa and YOBA: to celebrate South Africans who lead with impact, inspire through excellence, and fly the national flag high.
“Akani Simbine continues to embody the values of excellence, resilience, and national pride that define the South African spirit,” Ms. Thoko Modise, General Manager: Communications at Brand South Africa. “His consistent global performance not only elevates our country’s image but also reminds the world of the depth of talent that South Africa has to offer. We are honoured to recognise his achievements through the Global Excellence Award.”
About the Global Excellence Award
The Global Excellence Award is a non-voting recognition, introduced to celebrate individuals whose performance and influence transcend borders. It is not determined by popularity but by proven, consistent excellence and global representation of South African values.
Akani Simbine joins a growing list of South Africans whose contributions continue to shape the country’s global narrative.
About the Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA)
The Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA) is an annual initiative that celebrates and honours the achievements of South African brands built and led by young people. YOBA is more than an awards ceremony — it is a movement that champions youth entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity, and impact. The platform serves to uplift emerging businesses, amplify homegrown success stories, and inspire a new generation of economic leaders who are proudly South African.
About Brand South Africa
Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country’s brand reputation, to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship.
Through campaigns such as Play Your Part, Brand South Africa promotes active citizenship, national pride, and social cohesion. The organisation works locally and internationally to position South Africa as a preferred investment, tourism, and business destination.
