Men’s 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk has COVID-19
Reigning
Olympic 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk has tested positive for the coronavirus
in Italy.
Van Niekerk,
who set world record holder at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was confirmed to have the
virus ahead of the Trieste Meet scheduled for yesterday, August 1.
He was
down to take part in the 100m and 400m events in his first competition outside
of his native South Africa since 2017.
Reports
are that the 28-year-old sprinter has been in quarantine since July 19, the day
he arrived in Italy.
The news
came as a surprise to athlete and his team, with his manager Peet van Zyl
saying they have been tested several times in the past two weeks.
Van Zyl said, “I
don’t know how it is possible. Wayde has been training for the whole week and
never had any symptom, not even after testing positive. He hasn’t had a fever.
“In the last 14 days each of us has been tested 4 times, the
last one was on Thursday. This afternoon (Friday) we asked to be tested again,
we want to make sure to be safe and we are waiting for the results.”
Van
Niekerk, a two-time World Champion, is touted as being one of the best all-round
sprinters having dipped below the 10-second mark in the 100m, the 20-second
mark in the 200m and the 44-second mark over the 400m.
