Wayde van Niekerk returns to his first love in winning style at SA champs

Wayde van Niekerk returned to his first love, the 200m, for the first time in nearly two years on Friday morning, posting the second-quickest time of the heats at the national championships in Pietermaritzburg.

The 400m world record-holder, who is focusing on the shorter race at the South African meet this year, comfortably won his heat in 20.57sec.

Young gun Benjamin Richardson, multiple world junior championship medallist, set the pace a few races later, clocking 20.56, some way off his 20.26 personal best.

Sinesipho Dambile, the 2022 champion, won his heat in 20.61.

Van Niekerk’s lifetime best in this event is 19.84, but the fastest he’s been since returning from his 2017 knee injury is 20.38, which he ran winning this title at the 2021 championships.

“It was comfortable,” the 31-year-old said afterwards. “Felt a little bit rusty. Some areas are not in the race, but I think once you get your legs exposed to it, everything starts fitting [together].

“The fact that I ran quite a solid time, feeling the way I did, hopefully the next two will be better.”

The 200m semifinals and final are scheduled for Saturday.

The last time Van Niekerk competed in a 200m he pulled up with a niggle in Italy in May 2022, and before that it was at nationals. But this used to be his main event before he switched his focus to the 400m in 2013. 

The 2016 Olympic 400m champion and two-time world titleholder said he wasn’t immune to nerves.

“I think it’s always there. Nerves is something that’s part of the game, I guess. My wife told me if I feel this way how do the rest of the guys feel so I’m trying to use that.”

Van Niekerk, who ended seventh in the 400m at the 2023 world championships in Budapest, has qualified in the one-lap event for the Paris Olympics later this year. But his decision to do the 200m this year was about rediscovering his joie de vivre for the sport.

“I love the 200. It’s my first love in the sport. Obviously God had different plans for me in the 400 so I want to do a bunch of events I enjoy and make me love the sport again and position myself in the best place possible for the rest of the season.”

Van Niekerk pointed out he had achieved everything he could in the 400m.

“It’s about trying to stimulate myself and keeping myself motivated and in sharp shape to compete at the level I know I should.”

He admitted he had to work on rediscovering his passion, specially since the injury.

“Being able to achieve so much at an early age, it becomes a bit more challenging to put myself in a position to enjoy the event.”

Van Niekerk said he was at the age where athletes started thinking of retirement.

“I want to enjoy however [many] more years I have left in this sport and finish on a high,” he said, adding he was confident he could still reach a podium.

“[It] is something I know I can achieve.”