Sub ten seconds over 100 metres and not just a sub ten. A good sub ten is the challenge that awaits Akani Simbine when he races next week in Europe.

The Tuks based sprinter is competing in Hungary on Tuesday. However, Friday's Monaco Diamond League Meeting is going to be the big one. 

"As far as I am concerned, it is going to be near a dress rehearsal for the Tokyo Olympics 100 metres final. It is a case of the who is who that is racing," explained Werner Prinsloo, who coaches Simbine. 

Prinsloo is not exagerating. Trayon Bromell (USA), currently the world's fastest athlete, after clocking 9.77s, is in the lineup.  As is Ronnie Baker, who has a season's best of 9.85s and Fred Kearly (9.86s). Andre de Grasse (Canada) will also be settling in the starting blocks. Six of the eight athletes who are competing in Monaco have dipped under 10 seconds this season. 

Simbine's best time for the season is 9.99s. It is not a true reflection of his abilities. He raced against 3m/s headwind. Of the 19 athletes who have dipped under ten seconds, only Simbine and China's Bingtian Su did so, running against the wind. 

The Tuks based athlete did clock 9.82s in April, but he was helped by the wind from behind.

According to Prinsloo, it is no surprise that eight of the ten fastest athletes so far are from the United States. 

"America's meeting organisers do their utmost to ensure that athletes do run fast times. On a windy day, they will change things around. It means the athletes hardly ever get to race into the wind.

"There is a reason why I want Akani to run a good sub-ten-second race. It is about confidence. No athlete wants to line up at the Olympic Games, doubting their abilities. Wondering whether they had done enough. If Akani can come close to running 9.90s next week in one or both races, I will know our preparation for the Olympics is on track.

"I actually know Akani is capable of running a fast time. The weather just needs to play along. So far, we have been unlucky. When we train, the sun is shining and is nice and hot, but the evenings Akani had to race, it was wet and cold. But that is Europe. You can have two seasons in one day." 

On Tuesday in Lucerne, Simbine won in a time of 10.11s, running into a headwind. Tuks's Thando Dlodlo was second in 10.20s. 

Taylon Bieldt (Tuks) finished third in the 400m-hurdles running 56.81s.