Wayde van Niekerk belongs to the record of athletics as a competitor whose results still define part of the sport.
The record lists Wayde van Niekerk as South African sprinter (born 1992).
Wayde van Niekerk was born at Cape Town in 1992. His recorded nationality is South Africa.
Modern sport is measured to the hundredth of a second, watched globally and supported by full-time coaching, medicine and analytics.
He competed at athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's 400 metres, athletics at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – men's 400 metres and 2015 World Championships in Athletics – men's 400 metres.
Athletic careers are short and pitilessly measured, which is what makes the great ones legible.
The honours record reads: Order of Ikhamanga in Gold (2017).
That the career was built from South Africa matters: facilities, coaching and funding are unevenly distributed, and they decide who ever reaches the start line.
Wayde van Niekerk is still competing or recently retired, and the final placing in the sport's history is not yet settled.
Achievements
- Order of Ikhamanga in Gold — 2017
- Competed at athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – men's 400 metres, athletics at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – men's 400 metres and 2015 World Championships in Athletics – men's 400 metres
- Discipline: athletics
