Van Niekerk records convincing victory in US

WAYDE van Niekerk showed that he is in fine form heading into the African Championships with a convincing victory in Boston in the early hours of yesterday.

Running in the 400m at the Boston Games at the Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, Van Niekerk was comfortably ahead of the field at the finishing line in 44.28 seconds.

The one-lap world champion was well clear of Machel Cedenio, of Trinidad and Tobago, who ended in 44.87, with American David Verburg third in 44.98.

It was a good tune-up for Van Niekerk for the African Championships at the Kings Park Athletics Stadium in Durban next weekend, where he will only participate in the 200m.

The 23-year-old has said previously that the 200m is actually his favoured event, and that the 400m race is “a blessing”. He added he had always been more of a 100m and 200m sprinter, but injuries in the past affected his performances.

Van Niekerk will be going head-tohead with his good friend, Akani Simbine, in the 200m in Durban, among others.

National 100m record-holder Simbine was also scheduled to run in the shorter distance in Boston this morning, SA time.

The other South African at the meeting was 400m World Student Games champion Justine Palframan, who was sixth in 53.17s. American Francena McCorory won in 50.46s. Palframan will run in the 200m in Durban.

Van Niekerk and the other athletes were treated to a braai afterwards at Somerville after the programme ended, and interacted with fans.

Simbine would have had a challenge of a different kind today, though. Not only was he set to face a quality field that included Jamaicans Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, but they will also be running on a special track in Charles Street in downtown Boston, with spectators literally standing next to the athletes on the sidewalk.