[WATCH] Wayde is SA’s best in 400m
|Published
Winning run: Wayde van Niekerk
Wayde van Niekerk wysed wie’s baas as he raced to the 400m gold at the SA Championships in Potchefstroom on Saturday.
The 2016 Olympic champion and world record-holder won in a world-leading 44.17 seconds, which was vinniger than his fastest time last year (44.33), and better than his 44.95 in the semifinals at the NWU McArthur Stadium.
It was also a top effort behind him for world junior champ Lythe Pillay, as he set another new personal best of 44.80, a world championship qualifying time as well.
4⃣4⃣.1⃣7⃣
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 1, 2023
Wow. @WaydeDreamer produces a stunning run to win the 400m at the South African Championships 🔥![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦
✅ Fastest he has gone since 2017
✅ Best run since his last world title (London 2017)
✅ The ninth quickest time in his career pic.twitter.com/2bWSV9gJNn
In a SuperSport interview, Wayde says: “It was a great run, a great competition. I must say thank you to the crowd; they cheered us on, and it became really motivating.
“We are so focused on the race ahead, but it played a big role in crossing the finish line.”
In other kwaai performances, Leandri Geel pulled out a 65.18m effort to set a new SA record in the women’s hammer throw.
Zeney van der Walt powered to a worlds-qualifying time of 54.82 to clinch the 400m hurdles, while Sokwakhana Zazini took the men’s gold in 48.95.
Miranda Coetzee did the 200m-400m double within 90 minutes of each other and Cheswill Johnson won the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.95m.
And in the 1 500m final, 800m star Tshepo Tshite broke the tape in 3:38.63.
In the men’s hammer, Tshepang Makhethe was triumphant with 69.42m.