Wayde has his eyes on big prize
South African track superstar wants to taste more Olympic glory
THE fire in Wayde van Niekerk’s belly burns just as much as it did before his long injury lay-off – perhaps even more.
And as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games edge ever closer, so does the hunger for glory increase in South Africa’s track superstar.
Granted he is still working his way back to full fitness and the form that saw him crush Michael Johnson’s 400m world record at the previous Games four years ago is some way off.
But Van Niekerk is liking how his progress is going and knows that it will not be too long before he is back to his best.
“I am starting to feel more confident now and I believe I can race with the best in the world. It’s a good feeling,” Van Niekerk told media yesterday on the sidelines of the launch of the Vitality Running World Cup Series in Johannesburg. He is South Africa’s captain in a Series that also involves Jamaica for whom the great Usain Bolt is the skipper. England are also participants in the event that aims to help get people off their bums and living actively while also geared towards raising funds for Unicef’s vaccines for children program.
Van Niekerk, while happy to be back to running, knows not to try too much too soon after an injury sustained in a touch rugby game put him out of action for the better part of the last two years.
“It is a lot of responsibility, so I do not want to be too eager and hurt myself again and then it’s another year out. I have to patiently build up and allow the body to adapt with the limitations we are trying to break down.”
He has already run a few races and loved how well he did in the 100m and 200m sprints – events his coach Tannie Ans Botha generally keeps him away from.
“She does not usually let me do the ones and twos so I had to beg her to take some baby steps but once she said yes I had to execute. I am glad we took the leap of faith; that we pushed the fear aside and had the courage to push the body,” he said of the races in which he ran a 10.1 and 20.3 respectively.
“Not bad times for this time of the year and they have sparked my competitiveness in me although I am far from satisfied because I know what I can do. I am very hungry and I want to be back on the track and compete.”
Expectedly, with it being Olympics year, he will focus on his speciality event – the single lap round the track.
“I’d love to do everything. But this year we will focus on the 400m with a touch of twos (200m). I am so close (to running below his record of 43 03) and I want to invest everything to try and get it.”