Ambitious comeback of Van Niekerk in Tokyo, despite the injury fraught past
Wayde van Niekerk, the South African sprinter who set a world record in the 400m at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, is looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But for now, his focus is on the current competition - the world championships in Tokyo.
Van Niekerk, aged 33, returned to competition in the 200m at the 2021 Paris Olympics after years of rehabilitation, reaching the semi-finals. His latest performance at the 2021 world championships in Tokyo was met with a lot of positives, he stated.
In Tokyo, Van Niekerk ran 20.19 seconds in his 200m world championships heat, a run that was his seventh-fastest ever. This was a significant improvement, considering it was his first major competition since his injury in 2017.
Van Niekerk's athletic career took a turn in 2017 when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing rugby. But his decision to drop the 400m and focus on the 200m gave him a new lease of life. His best time in eight years, 20.07 seconds, was achieved in Budapest in 2021.
Van Niekerk's family, including his wife and son, have been a source of blessing for him. He had a second child, a boy, earlier this year with his wife. His cousin, Cheslin Kolbe, a twice World Cup-winning South African rugby player, is also a source of inspiration. Kolbe scored two tries in the Springboks' record 43-10 victory over New Zealand last week.
Looking ahead, Van Niekerk's next vision is the semi-finals in the current competition. He is taking things one race at a time, one day at a time. After the world championships, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be the next major goal for the world record-breaking sprinter.
Van Niekerk won the 400m world title in 2015, and he set a world record in the event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. His world record-breaking time is 43.03 seconds.
Despite his achievements, Van Niekerk remains grounded. He finds inspiration from many people on a daily basis and is not looking past the world championships in Tokyo. His future in the world of athletics is certainly something to watch out for.
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