“A little prayer” works – SA’s Wayde v Niekerk becomes world 400m Champion

BEIJING – NEW 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk has revealed that the stress of racing at the Bird's Nest stadium this week "nearly killed me".

The nerves he suffered before his explosive performance in Wednesday night's final were so bad that he thought he had blown the race.

"Before the race I was feeling quite nervy. I always am. I was lame and very weak‚ I thought to myself 'I'm in trouble now because I'm stressing myself out way too much' … I said a little prayer on the track."

Van Niekerk said he had decided to target reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt of the US‚ who was in a lane outside him.

"I kinda knew he's the one to beat‚" Van Niekerk said.

"I tried to get with him as fast as possible and I came out of the first 100 feeling quite good about myself…the nerves were better. I just started building up from there."

The final 50m were tough.

"It was so difficult because I could feel them coming up onto me‚ but at the same time I felt strong enough to pull it away.

"Just that thought‚ 'I'm actually busy winning‚ I'm actually busy winning' was quite overwhelming. I just tried to keep it up‚" said Van Niekerk‚ who crossed the line in 43.48sec.

"Every single race killed me when it came to stress.

"I might have looked very composed on the track but lying in my bed at night was not the best feeling. I couldn't sleep.

"Sometimes I would lie there and just visualise the races. I just had to pinch myself and say‚ 'Wayde‚ calm down‚ Wayde‚ it still has to come …'

"The heats were probably the most nerve-wracking experience I've ever had because I had to get over that fear because last world championships [in 2013] I was knocked out.

"Funny‚ I was singing the whole national anthem in my head last night to fall asleep‚ saying to myself 'you can do it‚ you can do it'.

"I just wanted it so bad I kept on singing it in my head until I fell asleep. I had a good night's rest."

Van Niekerk's post-race celebration on the track was brief‚ and once he lay down to try recover‚ he was unable to get up.

"I tried to stay active but I think my mistake was to go and sit down again after that and I couldn't stand up."

The medical staff attended to him and then took him to hospital.

"I don't think it was very necessary‚" he said. "Obviously the lactic comes with the sport. It just seems I was the only athlete out of the eight‚ nine guys that got tired‚" he said with a laugh.

"Before I knew it they were busy taking me off the track and I was out of breath … it's actually normal. It seems I'm the only one who dies after a race."

But he was back at his hotel soon after midnight to enjoy a low-key welcome‚ a cold supper and read through more than 100 WhatsApp messages on his phone.

Van Niekerk‚ who will receive his medal before the start of this evening's finals‚ is now looking ahead to the Olympics.

"Once you've been blessed with something you need to use it as best as possible. I'm not going to waste it‚" said the sprinter‚ who started out in the 100m and 200m before moving up in distance.

"I hate the 400m but look how far it's brought me. It does put me on the floor afterwards."

"There's obviously still the Olympics next year. That's definitely a must that I need to turn up for …

"I would love to double up on the gold again." – The Times

Source: RDM News Wire.