Wayde van Niekerk showed that he is in fine form heading into the African Championships with a convincing victory in Boston.
Running in the 400m at the adidas Boost Boston Games in at the Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, Van Niekerk was comfortably ahead of the field on the finishing line in 44.28.
The 400m world champion was well clear of Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago, who ended in 44.87, with American David Verburg third in 44.98.
It was a good tune-up for Van Niekerk for the African Championships at the Kings Park Athletics Stadium in Durban next weekend, where he will only participate in the 200m.
He has told Independent Media previously that the 200m is actually his favoured event, and that the one-lap race is “a blessing” as he has always been more of a 100m and 200m sprinter, but that injuries in the past affected his performances.
Van Niekerk will be going head-to-head with his good friend Akani Simbine in the 200m in Durban, amongst others, with the South African 100m record-holder Simbine also scheduled to run in the shorter distance in Boston early on Sunday morning SA time.
The other local athlete at the meet was 400m World Student Games champion Justine Palframan, who ended sixth in 53.17. American Francena Mccorory won in 50.46. Palframan, though, will run in the 200m in Durban.
Van Niekerk and all the other athletes were treated to a braai afterwards at the Dilboy Stadium in Somerville after the programme ended, and interacted with fans.
Simbine, though, will have a challenge of a different kind in his race as not only will he face a top-quality field that includes Jamaican sensations Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, but they will also be running on a special track that will be laid down in Charles Street in downtown Boston, with spectators literally standing next to the athletes on the sidewalk.
Men’s 400m
1 Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 44.28
2 Machel Cedenio (TTO) 44.87
3 David Verburg (USA) 44.98
Women’s 400m
1 Francena Mccorory (USA) 50.46
2 Carly Muscaro (USA) 51.66
3 Anastasia Le-Roy (Jamaica) 52.01