van NIEKERK Wayde

General
NEW COACH
In February 2021 he announced that he was leaving longtime coach Ans Botha to begin working with Lance Brauman's training group in Florida, United States of America. "I've spent most of my career under the guidance of 'Tannie' Ans Botha at my home base in Bloemfontein [South Africa] and I can't express the gratitude for everything she has done to help me get to this point in my career. As much as I have enjoyed my experience with Tannie Ans and her group, I am hoping to break my [400m] world record and to do that I need to ensure I am training alongside the world's best sprinters. So I feel a temporary move to the United States will be in my best interests for the immediate future." (olympics.nbcsports.com, 19 Feb 2021; Twitter profile, 19 Feb 2021)

400M FOCUS FOR TOKYO
In March 2020 he said his focus for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo would be the 400m because he did not want to train for multiple events soon after returning from injury. He resumed competing in February 2020 after suffering meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] tears, and a bone contusion in the same knee. He won 400m gold at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and set a world record of 43.03s in the final of the event. "I think my main focus and priority is the 400m and get back to where I would like to be. Two years out and then doubling up [on events] is a bit tough. When I was healthy it was tough, so I'm going to take baby steps. Tokyo is just another stepping stone to the entire legacy that I want to leave behind." (businesslive.co.za, 01 Mar 2020; espn.com, 25 Mar 2020)

INJURY PROBLEMS
After tearing his right meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] in October 2017 he was sidelined until early 2019. He then suffered a bone contusion in the same knee in June that year, and was out for a further eight months. He said the long recovery periods frustrated him and that he tried to return too quickly from the initial injury. "I was out for two years so it's really about prioritising what's important. I pushed myself too hard in training so that I could make a memorable comeback. The first two months post-surgery, I regretted every moment, wishing I could turn back time or redo the decisions that brought me to where I was. But this was my reality, and I just had to accept my situation and find a reason to smile again." (olympicchannel.com, 18 Feb 2020; bbc.co.uk, 01 Jul 2019, 02 Sep 2019; Twitter profile, 01 Jul 2019; businesslive.co.za, 01 Mar 2020)

PREMATURE BIRTH
He was born 11 weeks premature, weighing slightly more than one kilogram. After birth he had jaundice and required a blood transfusion, and he spent two weeks in intensive care at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Doctors had told his mother he would either die within a day or two of being born or grow up disabled. In 2016 he made a donation of 500,000 South African rand to the neonatal unit of the hospital. "I grew up listening to stories from my mum about being premature and it is a privilege to contribute to something that is close to her heart and mine. This is any son's dream." (thesun.co.uk, 15 Aug 2016; mediclinicinfohub.co.za, 16 Aug 2018; timeslive.co.za, 22 Feb 2017)

In 2016 he became the first athlete to complete the treble of running the 100m in under 10 seconds, the 200m in under 20 seconds, and the 400m in under 44 seconds when he recorded a 100m time of 9.98s at the Free State Championships in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (IAAF, 12 Mar 2016; worldathletics.org, 12 Mar 2016)