by Zodidi Dano
Johannesburg - The coaches of South Africa’s Olympic gold medallist Wayde van Niekerk have described the record-breaking track ace as a “beautiful, down-to-earth, superstar athlete”.
The 24-year-old won the gold medal at the Olympics in Rio, breaking the men’s 400m world record with a time of 43.03sec. This follows his 43.48sec gold medal performance at the world championships in Beijing last year.
Van Niekerk’s exploits have excited many whose lives he has touched.
DB Prinsloo, director of sports and former head of athletics at the University of the Free State (UFS), where Van Niekerk studies and trains, said he was extremely proud of the athlete.
“Wayde changed in the past 18 months into a world-class performer. I had confidence in him. He is a beautiful, down-to-earth, super-athlete.”
Prinsloo said Van Niekerk, a marketing student, first joined the university sports team in 2011, but his reputation preceded him from nearby Grey College.
"For him to balance his studies and athletics is very difficult. He is in such high demand, meeting with sponsors and directors. It's difficult to fit all his priorities in and he also has to focus on his training and his foundation, the Wayde van Niekerk Foundation,” Prinsloo said.
Prinsloo also said the 74-year-old woman acknowledged by Van Niekerk for her work with him as a coach was Ans Botha.
Prinsloo said Botha has been coaching for at least half a century.
"Ans has been working with Wayde for four years. She understands him, knows what to do and say to him. She knows how to calm him and encourage him and is also very strict with him.
“She is an excellent coach and the two of them have been working very well together.”
Meanwhile, celebrations were under way at Van Niekerk’s alma mater during school assembly on Monday.
Grey College principal Deon Scheepers said: “Wayde is a true ‘Grey Gentleman’ – he is humble about his achievements and a true inspiration for all.”
Scheepers said pupils were shown a video clip of his world record performance.
"He was honoured during a special assembly this morning during which the boys created two banners and displayed them during our assembly.
"We also showed the clip of his world record performance in assembly on a big screen to all the boys and staff and sent a personal SMS about the boys doing the school’s war cry to him via social media,” said Scheepers.
Apart from excelling in sprinting, Johan Human, a coach at Grey College, said Van Niekerk was also a budding field star.
“He was a silver medallist at the SA Schools' championships during his U19 year with a very good height of 2.05m.
“Wayde has always been the humble and determined athlete he is today. He is a true leader by example and that is the reason why he was the athletics captain of the well-acclaimed Grey College athletics team during his matric year.”