“It is no secret that I have a love for the shorter sprints, even though the 400m is now my major event. And I have unfinished business in the 100 and 200m”, this is the words of the World and Olympic Champion and World Record Holder in the 400m, Wayde van Niekerk in late 2016. True to his word, Wayde will line up in the hottest events in South African athletics in decades – the men’s 100m and the 200m at the National Championships in Potchefstroom on 21 and 22 April.
“We at Defy SA wish Wayde, our brand ambassador, all the best in his up and coming races at the South African National Championships, “says Cherisse Erwee head of marketing of Defy S.A, “Wayde has broken every barrier set in front of him, he is an inspiration to us all”
For van Niekerk the National Championships are of utmost importance. “Competing in front of my home country for the National title is a huge honour, one which I take very seriously.
While the 100m and 200m are not his specialist event, van Niekerk started his athletics career at just those distances before moving up to the 400m with great success. His 9.98sec time in Bloemfontein in March of 2016 ranks him joint fourth with Simon Magakwe in the 100m on the South African ranking lists. His 19.94sec 200m is the second fastest ever behind Anaso Jobodwana’s 19.87sec SA Record. Van Niekerk is a fighter, proof of this is his incredible run at the Olympic Games when he won the 400m title in a World Record time.
The Championships have captured the imagination of both the athletes and the nation as the #FillupPotch was trending on more than one occasion. The initiative started by the athletes hopes to see the stadium filled up to witness the historic event and the banter has been nothing short of entertaining as the athletes called each other out.
