JOHANNESBURG - Olympic champion and 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk headlines the second leg of the ASA Speed Series in front of his home crowd in Bloemfontein as the domestic Track and Field season continues to gain momentum next week.
Van Niekerk, who won gold at the Rio Olympics last year, has been confirmed in the line-up for the 100m sprint at the Free State Athletics Stadium on Wednesday, March 8.
It was on the same track in March last year that Van Niekerk set a 100m personal best of 9.98 seconds to achieve the unique career milestone of breaking the sub-10 (100m), sub-20 (200m) and sub-44 (400m) barriers across all three official sprint distances.
Van Niekerk’s night will start on a high when he is honoured with an official plaque from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), recognising his global one-lap phenomenal mark of 43.03 set at the 2016 Rio Olympics in August.
On behalf of the IAAF, the plaque will be handed to him by Athletics South Africa president Aleck Skhosana in a short ceremony before the meeting begins.
In other disciplines to be contested at the Speed Series event, men will compete in the 100m hurdles and mile (1.609km) races, as well as the long jump.
In women’s events, 100m sprint and 100m hurdles contests will be held, with the javelin throw also taking place.
As part of the country’s preparation for the World Relays in Bahamas next month, there will be elite 4x100m and 4x400m relay races for men and women.
The meeting, starting at 7pm, will be held in the same 90-minute short format used at the Speed Series opener in Durban held on Tuesday.
“We are looking forward to what is expected to be a wonderful atmosphere where the crowds are impatiently awaiting to see whether Wayde will spring another surprise and show his fitness status for the new season,” said Skhosana.
“As we await the final entries, the Bloemfontein leg of the Series is already looking tantalising indeed.”