FIRST 400M OF SEASON
Wayde content to set stage for Bolt … for now
Wayde van Niekerk would love to take the sprint baton from Usain Bolt‚ but for now, he is happy being the Jamaican’s "hype man". Van Niekerk‚ who competes in his first international 400m of the season in Lausanne on Thursday‚ said he had recently joked with Bolt‚ who retires this year‚ that he was whipping up the crowds at meets before the sprint legend took to the track. "I was joking with him… I said I’m basically becoming his hype man for his farewell season because it was since Rio [Olympics]‚ before his race I got the crowd hot‚ before Jamaica I went out and got the crowd hot and again in Ostrava, I went out there and got the crowd hot." Van Niekerk set his 43.03sec world record at the Rio Games shortly before the men’s 100m final‚ and then racing before Bolt in Jamaica and Ostrava in June‚ he ran to his 19.84 200m South African record and 30.81 300m world best. He said Bolt had inspired many athletes, including himself, and he deserved to be honoured in his final season. "This...
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