WAYDE VAN NIEKERK, 400M

‘I’M BACK, STRONGER THAN BEFORE’

GQ: A sub-43-second 400m is a serious goal. Can you outline a typical training day?

Wayde van Niekerk: I eat a solid breakfast, then at 9:30am, I head to a two-hour track session followed by spending an hour and a half in the gym. I take easy, light snacks to eat during these sessions so that I don’t get too hungry. I spend the remainder of the day resting, and I eat a substantial lunch and dinner to fuel future training.

GQ: In an interview with the Guardian, you said your recovery from your ACL injury was more mental than physical. How did you cope?

WVN: Coming back from an injury was a lonely, individual experience that I coped with independent of my childhood experiences and social circumstances. But I had a good team around me who tried their utmost to get me where I wanted. I talked to Liverpool Football Club’s mid elder Alex Oxlade-chamberlain, who was also sidelined at the time and understood what I was going through and the challenges of my injury. It was nice tapping in with him, hearing how he was doing and where his mental space was. Seeing him return to sport gave me hope that I could eventually compete at the level I believed I could. I’m back, stronger than before and looking forward to the upcoming season. GQ: What wisdom would you pass on to a fellow athlete to help them come back from an injury?

WVN: Find peace within the chaos and always be present in everything you do. I’ve found mine believing God will help me through di cult times, dream and strive towards the impossible.

GQ: In one of your previous interviews with GQ South Africa, you said you dreamed of owning a Bentley. Has that come true?

WVN: I must admit that since working with Audi, I’ve fallen in love with its beautiful, powerful models – I own a Q8.

GQ: Tell us about the first pair of running shoes you owned.

WVN: My parents always made sure I presented myself well, and looking good on sports day would boost my con dence. Just before the South African Athletics Championships, my stepfather blessed me with a pair of Adidas running shoes, one of the rst pairs signi cant in my life. It encouraged me to make my family proud because they’ve always given a lot to make sure I chase my dream.

GQ: How do you stay grounded?

WVN: at’s always come naturally to me. I stay true to who I am because I don’t want to create an image or persona I can’t control.