SA track icon Wayde van Niekerk withdraws from Olympics’ 400m event, to focus on 200m

According to reports, as a result of his withdrawal from the 400m, Van Niekerk will no longer be able to compete in the 4x400m relay.

Van Niekerk famously claimed the 400m gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games, where he broke Michael Johnson’s 20-year-old world record, winning his final in a time of 43.03.

However, in the years that followed, Van Niekerk struggled to scale those heights and was never the same again.

A freak accident in a celebrity touch rugby match at Newlands in 2017 kept him out for a while, and when he did return, he was a shadow of his former self.

He was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 400m at the 2020 Tokyo Games — held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He looked to have regained his best form during the 2023 Diamond League, but followed that up with another poor showing at the world championships in Budapest.

I agree but I'm sure he's had a think about it and instead dissed a sure medal in the relay. Going to be a lot of pressure on his knee in the qualifying stages......how damn bloody sad.

Reminds me of an autobiography of a pommie sprinter back in the day.......forget his name. He was a battler, came from a poor family and struggled all of his life. Made the final of the Olympics but as fate would have it he pulled a hamstring at the start.

He was a glorious runner, hitting top speed 150 metres  out and effortlessly maintaining speed to the tape.  He was perfect for the 400, the 800 could  have worked as well.

Smooth and effortless as if he was gliding that's the image I have.

A brillant 400 runner who wrecked his career while playing touch rugby.

Pity as he was/is indeed a great runner but alas father time and his rugby injury slow him down him and you can never turn back the clock.

I also think his move to run the 200 is out of his reach for a medal.

Sadly.