Cape Town – Will South Africa’s very own Akani Simbine break the eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt‘s winning streak at the IAAF Diamond League in Monaco?

Simbine will be running alongside the Jamaican superstar in the 100m event in Monaco on Friday (20:00 SA time).

Bolt has won 15 straight finals, with his last defeat being in Rome on June 6, 2013.

He has clocked sub-10sec times on 52 occasions – heats included.

A 53rd sub-10sec is something Bolt, with a season’s best of 10.03, has said he is shooting for here.

In the build-up to Monaco, Bolt is favourite to win, however with a season’s best of 10.03 – Bolt is the second slowest in the field in terms of 2017 bests.

Simbine on the other hand has had a stellar year, he became the first South African to win a Diamond League 100m race in Doha in May.

The 23-year-old powered home in a time of 9.99 to stun America’s Justin Gatlin.

He also has the fastest season time leading up to the 100m in Monaco with a time of 9.92.

Other South Africans in Monaco include Wayde van Niekerk, who stormed to victory in Lausanne earlier this month with the third fastest time of his career (43.62), following on from personal bests in the 100m, 200m and 300m in June.

Van Niekerk will be seeking his 20th sub-45 seconds in the 400m, however Botswana’s Isaac Makwala is hot on his trail with a season best time of 43.92.

“A sub-43 seconds (in the) 400m is definitely something I am aiming for, of course,” Van Niekerk told reporters, as quoted by IAAF.

“I came so close with 43.03. I always want to improve.”

All these preparations lead up to the IAAF World Championships taking place in London from August 4-13.

Paces, stats and pre-competition hair braiding.

For all the updates from the #MonacoDL head this way:https://t.co/qjlkpjysu0 pic.twitter.com/gILWimCnbv

— IAAF (@iaaforg) July 21, 2017