World Relays: Van Niekerk’s withdrawal just a precaution after back ‘flares up’

Though he withdrew from the final at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas yesterday with a niggling injury, former Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk still has his sights firmly set on returning to the podium at the Paris Games in August.

Van Niekerk competed in the men’s 4x400m heats at the World Relays championship on Sunday, helping the national team to the second quickest time in the opening round as they booked their place in the final and secured qualification for the multi-sport Games in the French capital.

Feeling some discomfort in his back, however, the 400m world record holder opted not to turn out in the final as a precautionary measure.

“He felt his back flare up, so on advice of the medical team, they pulled him from the final because qualification for Paris was already secured,” said Van Niekerk’s agent, Peet van Zyl.

“It was also nice to be able to test the depth (of the 4x400m relay squad) by having other guys running in the final.”

Nortje steps up

Van Niekerk’s absence opened the door for 22-year-old Antonie Nortje to prove himself as a key back-up member of the squad ahead of the Paris Olympics.

And Nortje delivered – along with Gardeo Isaacs, Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay – with the quartet clocking 3:00.75 to finish second in the final in the early hours of yesterday morning. Their silver was the nation’s first medal at a global senior athletics championship since 2019.

Meanwhile, the SA men’s 4x100m team also earned their place at the Olympic Games.

The national squad – Bayanda Walaza, Benjamin Richardson, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine – won their repechage heat in 38.08 seconds, which would have been good enough for the bronze medal if they had reached the final (a slightly different quartet were knocked out in the first-round heats).

The SA mixed 4x400m team – Mthi Mthimkulu, Shirley Nekhubui, Zeney Geldenhuys and Pillay – finished third in their repechage heat in 3:15.96.

They did not qualify for the Paris Games, though two spots remain available based on time, with the qualifying window closing at the end of next month.