TOKYO TAKEDOWN

At the 2021 Olympics, current 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk wants to become the first person to run the distance in under 43 seconds, and as for 4 x 100m relay world champ Akani Simbine, well, he wants to be the fastest runner in the world, full stop

- Lisa Abdellah

WAYDE VAN NIEKERK, 400M

GQ: A sub-43-second 400m is a serious goal. Can you outline a typical training day?

Wayde van Niekerk: I eat a solid breakfast, then at 9:30am, I head to a two-hour track session followed by spending an hour and a half in the gym. I take easy, light snacks to eat during these sessions so that I don’t get too hungry. I spend the remainder of the day resting, and I eat a substantial lunch and dinner to fuel future training.

GQ: In an interview with the Guardian, you said your recovery from your ACL injury was more mental than physical. How did you cope?

WVN: Coming back from an injury was a lonely, individual experience that I coped with independent of my childhood experiences and social circumstances. But I had a good team around me who tried their utmost to get me where I wanted. I talked to Liverpool Football Club’s midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was also sidelined at the time and understood what I was going through and the challenges of my injury. It was nice tapping in with him, hearing how he was doing and where his mental space was. Seeing him return to sport gave me hope that I could eventually competeat the level I believed I could. I’m back, stronger than before and looking forward to the upcoming season.

GQ: What wisdom would you pass on to a fellow athlete to help them come back from an injury?

WVN: Find peace within the chaos and always be present in everything you do. I’ve found mine believing God will help me through difficult times, dream and strive towards the impossible.