If 23-year-old Wayde van Niekerk is in the vicinity, don’t blink: you wouldn’t want to miss one of the world’s fastest sprinters. In 2015 he won gold in the 400m at the IAAF World Championships in 43.48 seconds.

It made him, at the time, the fourth fastest person in history, and the fastest non-American.

Then, in March this year, competing at the Free State Championships in Bloemfontein, he ran a personal best of 9.98 seconds in the 100m event.

He had not competed in a 100m race since his junior days, focusing instead on the 200m and 400m. So it wasn’t just the spectators who were pleasantly surprised by the run, Van Niekerk wrote athletics history that day by becoming the first man to run faster than 10 seconds in the 100m, 20 seconds in the 200m and 44 seconds in the 400m events.

On his Instagram account he wrote: “Wow! I’m truly grateful and humbled by the opportunity and talents the Lord has blessed me with – finally reaching my childhood dream of sub 10. I’m so blessed and thank you to everyone supporting me in my career, and all those who have contributed to where I am today!” Follow Wayde on Twitter: @WaydeVN

Categories: Mzansi's 100