Wayde Van Niekerk to Race Short Sprint Double at 2018 Commonwealth Games

By Adam Kopet

Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa will not race the 400 meters at next year's Commonwealth Games, instead choosing the 100- and 200-meter sprint double, according to Alexis Haden of the South African.

Van Niekerk has won the last three global championship golds in the 400, including the 2016 Olympics where he set the world record of 43.03 from lane eight.

However, Van Niekerk has explored the shorter sprint races. In London at the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships, he also competed in the 200, finishing second. He is the only athlete in history to have run under 10 seconds in the 100, under 20 seconds in the 200 and under 44 seconds in the 400.

There is no global championships in 2018, giving Van Niekerk the opportunity to race off events at the Commonwealth Games, to be held in April in Gold Coast, Australia. He will still have the opportunity to race his main event during the IAAF Diamond League season.