Wayde van Niekerk is dreaming again.
The veteran track star, known for the WaydeDreamer social media handle he created long before he captured the first of his two 400m world titles, had threatened to give up the one-lap race. This was after his starring role at the world championships in Tokyo last year when the South African men’s 4x400m relay team landed bronze.
Van Niekerk had spoken about 2026 being his swansong and racing only his favourite 100m and 200m disciplines.
The 33-year-old has had a rethink, however, and is ready to taste more success.
Speaking at the national relay training camp in Johannesburg yesterday, he made it clear that his individual programme would focus on the shorter sprint races. But he’s up for the relay.
The only motivation
“The chemistry that I’ve built with the 400m guys has been so great, and I must admit last year it was probably my only motivation to just keep pushing and going,” said Van Niekerk, whose reign as the 43.03sec world record-holder from the Rio Olympics will tick over into 10 years come August.
“I think it’s going to be unfair for me to just get rid of something that’s been a positive contribution in my life as an athlete. So I just want to continue using the energy and chemistry as motivation to still stick around and put in a little bit more.”
Two performances last year convinced him he still had what it took. Shortly before the global showpiece he clocked a 20.07 — his fastest 200m since injuring his right knee in 2017 — and then he delivered the fastest leg of the 4x400m championship final, clocking 43.27.
To be able to enter this season knowing I’ve got ... a good four, five months of consistent weeks for the first time in a very long time, it just puts me in a place where I now can start dreaming again
— Wayde van Niekerk
“I think if God speaks, I need to be obedient. I did nothing last year and I split a 43.2 so if I just honestly apply myself on a consistent basis ... I should be able to at least put on something valuable to the team,” he said.
“That just indicates that I can do it. I just need to continue being healthy.”
Van Niekerk spent most of the eight years after his injury struggling with niggles and confidence.
“If I have to equate the efforts that I put into training and the performances that I’ve been blessed with last year, I [didn’t] totally deserve it,” he said, adding he had not been able to train consistently last year.
“I had a conversation with my coach after the season last year and he was like, ‘Do you know how many [training] cycles you’ve finished this season?’ And I was like, ‘Probably three, four.’ And he’s like, ‘No, you finished nothing,’” said Van Niekerk, who produced a 10.13 100m and 20.32 200m in Bloemfontein last month.
Dreaming again
“To be able to enter this season now knowing that I’ve got November, December, January, February, March — a good four, five months of consistent weeks for the first time in a very long time — and then starting off my season with 10.1 and then 20.3 — it just puts me in a place where I now can start dreaming again.
“It’s crazy that last year, the year when I actually tried to make the decision that I’m thinking of retirement, God just came and told me, ‘OK, I’m going to spark a few things for you,’ and I was like, ‘Damn, what do I do next?’
“I haven’t really been faced with any niggles this far and this is normally the time of year where they creep up and mess up my entire year for me.”
Van Niekerk also spoke about delaying his retirement. “I guess I’ll have to add another year to that.”
That would take him to the 2027 world championships in Beijing, where his golden streak started with his first world crown in 2015.
The men’s 4x400m and 4x100m teams are looking to defend their World Relays titles in Gaborone in May.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.