It may be bye-bye Bolt, hello Wayde
Assessment of Van Niekerk as the next superstar may be confirmed
Usain Bolt’s farewell will be the major talking point at the world championships, but South African speedster Wayde van Niekerk’s bid for the 200m and 400m double could take some of the spotlight off the Jamaican. The track athletics great has dubbed the 25-year-old Van Niekerk the sport’s next superstar and that is likely to be reinforced at the global showpiece event in London, which starts on Friday. But a showdown between the pair, who are good friends and trained together in Jamaica in 2017, will not happen, with Bolt running only the 100m and relay to mark the end of his bright career. "One person I know who will step up, and he’s been doing good work, is Van Niekerk. He’s shown that he really wants to take my place. He’s been dominating in all events — I feel like if he runs the 800, he’d probably do well also," Bolt said before the Diamond League meeting in Monaco last week in which Van Niekerk won the 400m with the best time of the year. Cape Town-born Van Niekerk is the re...
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.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.