Wayde van Niekerk, South Africa’s 400m world record holder, advanced to the men’s 200m semi-finals at Paris 2024 on Monday.
Van Niekerk, 32, moved closer to his first Olympic final appearance since winning the 400m gold medal in Rio 2016. He failed to qualify for the 400m final three years ago in Tokyo 2020, losing his title.
Van Niekerk, who showed little emotion when presented at the start of the race in Paris, finished third in 20.42 seconds. Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh won the heat in 20.20 seconds.
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Van Niekerk stunned everyone by staying away from the 400m and focusing on the half-lap sprint and men’s 4x400m relays in Paris.
The former world silver medalist in the 200m entered the Games with a season’s best time of 20.29 seconds, beating compatriot Akani Simbine to the line at a June competition in Spain.
Van Niekerk also competed in the 200m South African championships, finishing second in the final to rising sensation Benjamin Richardson.
The two-time 400m world champion began his career as a promising 200M sprinter, earning his first national championship in 2011 at 18.
The year prior, he debuted on the international stage at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Canada, finishing fourth in the 200 meters.
Van Niekerk turned his concentration to the one-lap race after recurring injuries nearly destroyed his promising career, resulting in his record-breaking run between 2015 and 2017.
“It was a good start out of the bend, but I know there’s still work to be done in the final part of the race,” Van Niekerk said after the finish.
“We’ll shake it off and try again in the next round.”
“It is a bit shaky out of the first round, but I know I can do better.”
