EUGENE– South African top sprinter Wayde van Niekerk says patience will be the key to success in his planned podium comeback.
The 30-year-old, who holds the 400m World Record of 43.03sec set at the 2016 Rio Olympics, missed out on the World Championships podium in Oregon where he finished fifth in 44.97sec.
The race was dominated by American Michael Norman who clocked 44.29sec to claim gold ahead of 2012 Olympic Champion Karani James of Granada (44.48sec), who settled for silver while Briton Matthew Hudsin-Smith scooped bronze. (44.66sec)
But the two-time world gold medallist reiterated that he is making steady progress towards the summit of his race specialty especially coming from a long-term injury.
“As a World Record holder, this is where I belong and this is what I have to fight for. I have to make sure I do everything patiently to get myself back to the place I belong,” quipped van Niekerk, who suffered a devastating knee injury that threatened to end his career in October 2017 while playing a charity tag rugby match in Cape Town.
At the time, the South African tore both his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus cartilage in his right leg.
--A Race Quagmire--
For a long portion of the Oregon race, van says Niekerk felt he was in control of the race but towards the last few meters before the finish line, he noticed that his legs weren’t able to continue with the rhythm that he had stayed out for.
But prodded to explain his comeback plan, van Niekerk expounded: “I see it as a positive step being the best in the world and now officially the best African.”
He added, “It's a massive leap of progress from my injury and from turning back to fitness. A few weeks ago, I was questioning if I would make the team and today, I am a finalist and one of the best 400m racers you got in the world.”
Asked how much he misses being on a podium after a five-year lull, the South African went on: “Once you experience it, you’ll always want it. But for me, it’s a patient method which I wanted to take. I have always wanted to take the journey as it comes and as the opportunity comes, I take it. So today was unfortunately not that day.”
He reckons that the battle for the 400m summit is not lost and his position in Oregon will only work to motivate his spirited campaign.
His injury came at a time he had just racked up another gold medal in the 400m at London World Championships, as well as silver in the 200m.
He looked set to fulfil Usain Bolt’s prediction that he would become the sport’s next big thing. In Rio, the South African shattered the world record which Michael Johnson had held since 1999.
“My current form puts me in a place where there will always be expectations. I know there will always be conversations and chats of me fighting for medals, and rightly so, that’s what I am working towards- that’s where I want to be,” Van Niekerk, who comes from a sporting family underscored.
He is the cousin of South African World Cup winning and sevens player cheslin Kolbe.
“It’s a long time since I was injured and I have forgiven myself. I have to move from there because my period of being an athlete is very short and I have to make sure I fix my mind towards that so I can execute the comeback mission and get back to the podium.”
Van will be hoping to be fully fit to try his luck once again at next year’s World Championships slated to be hosted in the Capital of Hungary, Budapest.
ALEX ISABOKE
