TRACK & FIELD

Focused on Tokyo qualification

In spite of a recent injury scare , Olympic Champ , Double World Champ and World Record-holder in the 400m , Wayde van Niekerk remains upbeat about qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in July , especially now that he has finally begun training in the USA . – BY SEAN FALCONER

Competing at SA Champs

In Roodepoort he clocked a scintillating 20.10 seconds , but the wind meter showed that the athletes had a tailwind of + 2.1 metres per second , so the time will not count for official records . Nevertheless , Wayde was happy with the performance , especially given how strong his competition was . “ This definitely gave me confidence I didn ’ t have before . It ’ s one thing training well , but it ’ s a different thing executing it against such a quality line-up , guys I have the world of respect for ,” he said .

Moving on the SA Champs , many expected to see Wayde race the 400m for the first time this season , given that he still needs to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in order to defend the title he won in 2016 , but he once again lined up in the 200m . In spite of the cold conditions , he coasted to a comfortable win in the final , clocking 20.38 , and he said , “ Tonight was just about getting the win and feeling what it ’ s like to win again at championship level . Now I can use this momentum going forward . Training is going well and I ’ m feeling confident in myself .”

Enjoying a Fresh Start

One of the reasons Wayde has not raced a 400m yet this year is because he has signed up with a new coach . After many years under the watchful eye of Tannie Ans Botha in South Africa , Wayde recently moved to Florida in the USA to work with coach Lance Brauman , whose training group includes 200m World Champion Noah Lyles of the USA , as well as Olympic 400m and Commonwealth 200m women ’ s champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo from the Bahamas .

originally started in my career , but I ’ m excited to race the 400m again soon . Even though we ’ re still not 100 % sure the Games will go ahead , all of us athletes are training as if they will .”

Unfortunately , things did not go smoothly in Wayde ’ s first appearance in a US meet since his move across the Atlantic . On the last weekend of May , he lined up in the 200m at the Adidas Boston Boost Games , an annual ‘ street athletics ’ meeting featuring a five-lane artificial track constructed on the street , with the 200m run on a straight instead of starting with the bend of a track .

After a slow start , Wayde was lying in second place after 150m , when he visibly grimaced in pain and slowed right down , jogging across the line to take fourth place in 20.86 . Limping off the track , he was seen talking to his coach and appeared to be pointing to his right hip . Happily , he was later seen walking freely , without a limp , and after the meet , he said , “ My right hip tightened , so I pulled up to make sure I didn ’ t do any more damage .” He also tweeted to all his supporters , “ Thanks for the care – I am well . Nothing serious . I tightened up a bit , so didn ’ t push it .”

Keeping a Positive Mindset

While he has downplayed the injury scare in Boston , Wayde does still need to run his first 400m race of the season , and he needs to beat the qualifying standard of 44.90 before 29 June to earn a ticket to Tokyo . His best 200m time thus far this season is also not fast enough to earn a spot in Tokyo , but the South African selectors will no doubt wait right until the closing date of qualifying , in the hopes that the country ’ s talismanic champion can qualify to go defend the Olympic title he won so spectacularly in Rio in 2016 , with a World Record time of 43.03 .

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“ I ’ m settling in well in Florida and enjoying my training sessions with the new group , but it was frustrating having to wait so long to get here , due to COVID restrictions ,” said Wayde . “ It was Lance who told me to only race the 200m so far this season , to build my speed and strength , and then move back up to the 400m later , with the main goal being to qualify for Tokyo . I have enjoyed racing the 200m again , because that ’ s where I

Wayde remains upbeat about his Olympic prospects , and said in a recent press conference , “ It ’ s been a very good last few weeks in the US , being welcomed by the Pure Athletics group . I ’ m very excited . There have definitely been positive steps , especially the race in Gauteng , because that gave me a massive boost , so I ’ m looking forward to seeing what I can do next , taking it step by step until the Olympic Games .”

Images : David Tarpey , Reg Caldecott & courtesy Wayde van Niekerk