Wayde Van Niekerk is no stranger to elite performances on the big stage, especially in the 400m. He recorded another remarkable performance last Saturday at the South African Track and Field Championships.
The world-record holder in the 400m ran a speedy early season outdoor time of 44.17 to win the title in the event. His win gave him his 5th national championship in the 400 at the championships, and was his 8th national championship overall (3 in the 200m.)
Van Niekerk won the semi-final earlier on in the day, running 44.95 in order to advance to the finals later on in the day.
Van Niekerk is looking to regain the form that won him the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where he broke the world record in the 400m with his blistering time of 43.03. After a successful 2017 World Championships campaign which ended up with him winning the 400m and taking home the bronze medal in the 200m, he suffered a series of serious injuries that jeopardized his track and field career.
In a recent interview with Olympics.com, he mentioned that he’s looking forward to seeing what this season has in store for him headed into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Tokyo was a big disappointment, and last year (2022), I was in the world championships final,” he said. “So every year, I see progress and improvement. I have to believe that this year will bring more improvement, and I am looking forward to Paris 2024.”
