2017 Lausanne Athletissimo Diaries: Wayde Van Niekerk, this man changed the 400 meters forever

Truth is this. Last summer, the 400 meter final in Rio was paradigm changing. Kirani James, 2012 Olympic champion, LaShawn Merritt, 2008 Olympic champion, and Wayde Van Niekerk, together at 300 meters.

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Then, Wayde Van Niekerk put some distance between one of the finest fields ever over 400 meters and set the World record of 43.03. Amazingly, he was not puking on the ground, nor was he going to the hospital after the race.

In my several interviews with Wayde, I have totally been impressed by his poise, genuine thoughtfulness and modesty.

This year, Wayde has run PBs for 100 meters of 9.94, 19.84 for 200 meters, a world lead, and a world record of 30.81 for 300 meters.

His only foray over 400 meters has been modest. His race in Lausanne on Thursday, July 6 will not be a modest effort. Watch the meet record go down.

Now, listen up and enjoy Wayde Van Niekerks comments to the media at the Lausanne Presser.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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