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Wayde you Beaut!

───   22:11 Wed, 26 Aug 2015

Wayde you Beaut! | News Article

Bloemfontein’s Wayde van Niekerk has broken the South African and African 400m record at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China to win the gold.

The 23-year-old South African led from the start to win the race in 43.48 seconds to reclaim his African record which he conceded to his rival, Isaac Makwala a little less than 24 hours after breaking it in Paris a few months ago.

The sprinter hardly got a mention as the runners were being introduced in the strong field which included Olympic champion, Kirani James and the former African record holder Makwala of Botswana.

However mention was made of the fact that Van Niekerk is quick and is undefeated thus far over the distance in 2015.

The USA’s LaShawn Merritt took silver in 43.65 and Grenada’s James took bronze in 43.78.

Makwala could only manage 5th in a time of 44.65 seconds.

The University of the Free State student was taken to hospital where he was under observation for exhaustion following the race.

Van Niekerk has since been released from hospital.

During the heats Van Niekerk said the prelims were no walk in the park and he had to work for his place.

"It was a tough race, the guys didn't stop so I had to fight until the end.

"It's part of what needs to be done to get myself through to the finals, so I'm just trying to do the best that I can.

When asked what he was targeting in the semi-finals, with a smile he said "It's simply just to make the final, the time will come in the final,” and how prophetic those words didn’t turn out to be.

The dethroned world champion, James says he just feels honoured to have been part of the special race.

“It’s exciting to be a part of the special group, it’s an honour to be a part of history”.

The runners’ purple patch saw him claim the national 200m (19.94), 300m (31.63) and 400m (43.48) records. All between 7 June and 26 August 2015.

Van Nierkerk’s achievement on the track saw him set the fourth fastest time in history and he also became the first South African to be crowned a 400m World Champion.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana has qualified for the men’s 200m final.

One Thursday afternoon at 14:55 Jobodwana will run in the men’s 200m final alongside World and Olympic champion, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

Jobodwana said it was great running a personal best of 20.01 seconds only be beat by Bolt in 19.95 seconds.

Van Nierkerk beat Jobodwana’s SA record earlier in the season to make the 200m title his in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Watch the closing moments of Van Niekerk's gold winning performance.

Morgan Piek / OFM News

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