The South African’s four-year stint in the USA has come to an abrupt end.
World and Olympic 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk is back training in South Africa, after leaving Lance Brauman.
Nierkerk, who set the record when he won the event at the 2016 Olympics, will remain in his country until further direction will be given regarding his next move.
“He is officially back in South Africa. At the moment his stepfather Steven (Swarts) his agent said about his coaching situation,” an X post read.
The reason for his departure has not yet been revealed. The South African has been training in the USA since 2021.
Brauman is a demanding coach who founded the PURE Athletics group. His demanding and challenging training methods as a coach has seen him develop world beaters like Olympic champion Noah Lyles.
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Brauman’s track record is outstanding and every athlete dreams of training under him. Niekerk, 32, won silver in the 400m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
At the 2015 World Championships, he won the gold medal in the 400m. He defended his title two years later, in London, where he also won the silver medal in the 200 metres race. In the 2016 Olympic Games men’s 400m, Niekerk won the gold medal with a world record time of 43.03 seconds, beating the time of 43.18 seconds set by Michael Johnson in 1999.
The same year, Van Niekerk became the first sprinter in history to have run the 100m in under 10 seconds, 200m in under 20 seconds, and 400m in under 44 seconds.
In 2017, after a 30.81 seconds victory in the seldom-run 300 metres distance, breaking Michael Johnson’s world-best time of 30.85 which was set in 2000, Van Niekerk became the only sprinter in history to have run sub-10, sub-20, sub-31 and sub-44 performances at 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m respectively.
