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Mail & Guardian
wayde van niekerklatest news & developments
When we celebrate the SA Open winner, we should also remember those who went before him

Golf star Dylan Naidoo is a reincarnation of SA’s sports legends

A long line of largely unrecognised sports people of colour preceded those who excel today

Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk won’t be defending his 400m title in the final of this year’s Tokyo Games.  (Photo by Roger Sedres/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Wayde van Niekerk misses 400m final to compound SA pain

The world record holder was a medal hope but has ultimately been outrun by injury

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk (R) competes in the Men’s 400m Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016.   (AFP / Fabrice COFFRINI )

Tokyo Olympics: Your guide to Team SA

South Africa will be hoping to build on an impressive Rio, but face a number of challenges

Wayde van Niekerk is famous for being the only man to win Olympic gold and set a world record (43:03) from lane eight at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Wayde van Niekerk, the eternal underdog

Injury saw the Olympic champion dubbed an underdog going into the race he won in record-breaking fashion in Rio. But it’s a position he knows well, and now he has an extra year…

Pack leader: South Africa’s Akani Simbine celebrates as he wins gold ahead of teammate Henricho Bruintjies and Jamaica’s Yohan Blake in the 100m at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Adrian Dennis/AFP)

Simbine sprints out of Bolt’s shadow

With the Jamaican out of the picture, South Africa’s favourite in a new generation of sprinters may just snatch the gold

Van Niekerk became world champion in 2015 and retained the title two years ago before hurting his knee. (AFP)

Van Niekerk to miss 400m world title defence in Qatar

Explaining his decision to skip the September 27-October 6 world championships in Doha, Van Niekerk said he did not want to rush back.

Van Niekerk became world champion in 2015 and retained the title two years ago before hurting his knee. (AFP)

Team SA has come out of nowhere to demand the world’s attention

We have discovered that we can be among the best

To see my name in the final is a real pleasure. I’ve got time to recover now and give it my all in the final.

‘Heartbroken’ Makwala surges into 200m final, Van Niekerk double on track

Botswana’s Isaac Makwala admitted to being fuelled by anger as he ran two rounds of the 200m – one on his own – to reach the final.

Facebook and WhatsApp — hugely popular in the Latin American nation — have been thrust into the spotlight for being used to traffic in disinformation. (Reuters)

Makwala given thumbs-up to run 200m amid sabotage allegations

Isaac Makwala will be able to compete in the 200m at the world championships in London after the IAAF decided to allow him to run a solo time-trial.

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Wayde Van Niekerk targets Johnson double after 400m domination

Wayde van Niekerk’s bid for a first world double since 1995 now turns to the 200m after he stormed to a comfortable victory in the 400m.

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Q&A with nominee Wayde Van Niekerk ahead of Laureus Sports Awards

After breaking one of the most historic world records in sport, Wayde Van Niekerk is nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award

The year of competing dangerously

The year of competing dangerously

We need more of the same brilliance while we tap into the vast talent that lies dormant.

Wayde van Niekerk at the Diamond League meeting in France

#ColouredExcellence: How Wayde van Niekerk’s victory challenges stereotypes

The debate sparked by the Olympian’s victory shows that coloured people are still being told how to identify themselves, writes Ra’eesa Pather

Wayde van Niekerk is famous for being the only man to win Olympic gold and set a world record (43:03) from lane eight at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Wayde van Niekerk’s stunning record offers hope for a post-Bolt future

Wayde van Niekerk offers his embattled sport some hope for the future beyond the Jamaican’s retirement with a stunning world record on the Rio track.

Wayde van Niekerk set a new world record. Getty

Wayde van Niekerk breaks world record to win 400m gold at Rio Olympics

Van Niekerk breaks 17-year-old world record and earns the gold.

The world record was broken, the best man won.
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Brilliant Wayde Van Niekerk smashes 400m world record to claim gold in Rio

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk ran the fastest single lap in history to win the Olympic 400m gold medal in 43.03 seconds.

Nature and nurture tell a big part of the story about two of SA’s Rio-bound athletes

Since 2010, the fortunes of Luvo Manyonga and Wayde van Niekerk have been extremely different.

Go, Wayde, mom’s right behind you

The mother of South Africa’s athletics star, who was also once a champion, believes he has a big chance of winning gold at this year’s Olympics

Video

Wayde van Niekerk wins 400m gold

The South African athlete has won the men’s 400m race at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

Five South Africans progress in Commonwealth Games

Five South African athletes advanced to the next rounds of their respective events in track and field at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.