Cape Town - In a much-needed boost to Wayde van Niekerk’s chances of earning a medal at the World Championships, Olympic gold medallist Steven Gardiner has been ruled out of the Oregon event due to injury.
Bahamas star Gardiner, who clinched the Olympic title in Tokyo last year and is also the defending World Champion from 2019 in Doha, has been battling with a tendon problem that has forced him out of lining up at the Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
“Another global competition, but instead of putting on my spikes I’ve been advised to put on a walking boot due to a UTE Tendon Inflammation,” Gardiner posted on Instagram.
“Unfortunately there will be no Eugene ‘22 for me! Devastated by the news, but I’m thankful for all the blessings in my career so far.”
The 26-year-old has a remarkable win record, having not lost a 400m race since 2017. So, his absence definitely opens up the field, and gives former champion Van Niekerk an opportunity to cause somewhat of an upset.
The South African world record-holder, who will celebrate his 30th birthday tomorrow, has been out of action for most of the last few years following a slow recovery from a serious knee injury in October 2017.
But after pulling out of a 200m race in Italy recently, having got out of the blocks, Van Niekerk proved that he is ready to mount a challenge in Oregon by posting a superb time of 44.58 seconds at a meeting in Marietta, Georgia on July 2.
That places him in 14th position on the world list this year, which is headed by American Michael Norman with 43.56.
The 400m heats take place on Sunday (8.05pm SA time), with the semi-finals set for Thursday and the final on Saturday (both early morning SA time).
Happy to be representing South Africa this year at the World Championships.
— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) July 9, 2022
God is good.
Been a challenging year, but we keep going and moving forward. 🙏🏽#QuietStorm #Fifteen27 pic.twitter.com/KyGLEZQKUm
Meanwhile, Athletics South Africa president James Moloi says he is going to contact Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa to try and solve the visa issue preventing SA athletes from travelling to the US for the event, which starts tomorrow.
Sprinter Gift Leotlela told Independent Media yesterday that he and a number of other SA athletes – Henricho Bruintjies (men’s 4x100m relay), Sinesipho Dambile (men’s 200m), Miranda Coetzee (women’s 400m), Clarence Munyai (men’s 200m), Carina Horn (women’s 100m), Sokwakhana Zazini (men’s 400m hurdles), Zakithi Nene (men’s 400m), Luxolo Adams (men’s 200m) and Taylon Bieldt (women’s 400m hurdles) – were stranded in Italy as they do not have US visas.
The major issue was the lack of available appointments to apply for a visa, with interviews required before the visas are issued.
“We missed our flight now because we still don’t have the waiver letter. But we are leaving the airport now. Can’t fly today,” Leotlela said.
The 24-year-old speedster, who reached the 100m semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics last year, is now in real danger of missing the World Championships as the 100m heats take place tomorrow.
Athletics SA have been receiving assistance from World Athletics on the visa matter, but now they will hope Mthethwa can pull some strings.
“The race organisers gave us a letter, and it’s the airlines that are the problem, because we gave them a letter coming from the organisers, World Athletics. But still they are saying that they want a letter from the (US) government, but they can’t get that letter from the US government,” Moloi told Independent Media yesterday.
“They will receive everything there in the US, when they arrive, as they are waiting for them. So, it’s so difficult. How are they going to get a letter from the government? The other countries have already arrived with that letter, so it’s not only us.
“I am going to phone our Minister now. They (SA government) know about the issues, but I am going to phone him now.”
@AshfakMohamed