Wayde van Niekerk is the world record holder over 400 meters, which he did to win the 2016 Olympic title in the event. But, his career unfortunately took a turn for the worse in 2017. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus cartilage in his right leg. This horrific injury sidelined him for several years and has prevented him from returning to a world-class level, until now. Van Niekerk has looked great this year with some promising results, making everyone ask the question: is Wayde van Niekerk back?
An All-Time Great
In order to best understand this story, Wayde Van Niekerk’s greatness needs to be understood.
Van Niekerk is a two-time World Champion over 400m, with titles in 2015 & 2017. He also has a World Silver Medal to his name over 200m in 2017.
The 2016 Olympic title, however, is by far the most famous of his accolades. This race was arguably the greatest 400m performance in history.
Going into Olympic final, van Niekerk had one of the toughest lane draws of all, receiving lane 8. This lane is particularly difficult to run out of because there is nobody to key off of or race against. He could only see the track in front of him, meaning it was simply how hard could he push on his own.
This did not stop van Niekerk, as he stormed to a world record of 43.03. He crushed the previous record by 0.15 seconds, held by the legendary Michael Johnson. This performance will forever be remembered as one of the all-time greatest, delivering a world record for the ages.
A Heart-Breaking Injury
Van-Niekerk’s career was nearly cut short in 2017 with a gruesome injury in a charity rugby match.
In the match, van Niekerk tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus cartilage in his right leg. An injury like this is nearly career-ending, especially in the knee. The knees are vital to the success of an elite sprinter.
The injury initially sidelined him for two full years. Once he did make it back to running, the Pandemic came through and presented yet another obstacle to his comeback. He was able to run a couple races in 2020, and has gradually increased his workload since.
The injury left many track fans wondering ‘what if’ and declaring his career as over, but van Niekerk would not entertain those same thoughts. He is determined to return to winning gold medals and is well on his way to doing so.
The Journey Back
Van Niekerk’s journey has been grueling thus far. He has endured some of the toughest challenges an athlete can go through in track and field, and learned about mental fortitude through it all.
Each season over the past few years has presented new successes and challenges.
His first races took place in 2020, where he set season’s bests of 45.58 over 400m and 20.31 over 200m. Although these times were far off his legendary performances of 2015-2017, they were very impressive after the previous years that he had endured.
In 2021, van Niekerk attempted his Olympic comeback. He made it through the first round of the 400m. But, he was eliminated in the semifinals. After this tough result, many thought van Niekerk’s career was nearing its end.
In 2022, van Niekerk silenced many of these rumblings. He had his best season since the injury, finishing fifth in the World Championships 400m final. With a season’s best time of 44.33 (his fastest since his injury), it signified significant progress since the injury. He finished the season with a lot of momentum coming into 2023.
The 2023 Campaign
Wayde van Niekerk is on pace to have his best season since his injury in 2017.
Van Niekerk has remained undefeated throughout the entirety of this season, while facing some elite competition along the way.
In the five 400m finals that he has ran this season, van Niekerk has broken 45 seconds each time. This extraordinary consistency brings back memories of his dominant 400m reign from 2015 to 2017. Consistency is the key to performing well at the major championships.
Van Niekerk has maintained this perfect season even against high level competition. He has three Diamond League wins already, which is no easy task.
While pulling out those impressive wins, van Niekerk set his fastest time since his injury yet again. He ran a 44.08 to win the Silesia Diamond League 400m in dominant fashion.
With Wayde van Niekerk knocking on the door of sub-44 seconds yet again, it seems something special could be in store.
What Could Be Next?
Wayde van Niekerk is getting closer to pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in track and field history. It would be astounding to see the world record holder return to the podium after the adversity that he has faced.
The podium is likely the target for van Niekerk at this year’s World Championships, as that would be another solid improvement from his fifth place finish last season. If he does make another significant jump like he did last season, then he just may find himself atop the podium after all.
Looking beyond just this year’s World Championships, the Paris Olympics are only one year away. These games have to be on van Niekerk’s mind. The 2016 Olympic Champion would love to bring this title back to South Africa.
Check out all the action at this year’s World Championships in Budapest, as well as next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Stay tuned for further professional Track & Field content, including meet previews, race analysis, and season projections.
Featured image courtesy of Ed Hall.
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