Another jewel for our Wayde

WAYDE VAN NIEKERK is standing on the pinnacle of his sport, but winning the IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year tonight will be another sparkling jewel in his crown.

The South African sprinting phenom could top an incredible three-year run on the global athletics stage in Monaco tonight when the sport celebrates its biggest stars.

Van Niekerk is a modern-day South African hero, regardless of whether he receives the highest accolade in his sport tonight. Making the three-man shortlist for the second consecutive year is already a testament to his influence in the sport.

Last year Van Niekerk missed out on the prize to Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt, who completed an incredible Olympic legacy in Rio de Janeiro.

Van Niekerk will once again face an uphill battle despite his heroics on the track in 2017, with Great Britain’s Mo Farah and Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim proving to be very worthy contenders,

Obviously we as South Africans are emotionally invested in Van Niekerk and it is only natural that we will be pulling hard for him to win.

But Farah and Barshim are also superb athletes. Farah, a four-time Olympic champion, defended his 10 000m title at the World Championships and finished second in the 5 000m in the British capital in August. The Briton also has a Diamond Trophy and a World Indoor record to show for his efforts in 2017.

Barshim produced a faultless series at the World Championships, winning the global title when he cleared 2.35 metres. The Qatari beanpole has gone unbeaten in his specialist event this year and also boasts a Diamond League Trophy.

But it’s also been a great year for Van Niekerk, who became only the second South African (after Hestrie Cloete’s high-jump double in 2001 and 2003) to defend a world title. He left the field for dead when he raced to victory in his specialist 400m in London, before adding the 200m silver medal.

Whichever way the vote goes tonight, one thing is for sure: Wayde van Niekerk has captured our hearts like few others in our sporting history.