Wayde van Niekerk, the Olympic and world 400m champion, will miss next month's world championships. He has been essentially sidelined from competition for two years since tearing a meniscus and ACL in a celebrity tag rugby match.
What happened?
Van Niekerk had hoped to return in full this season, but a knee bone bruise set him back. He made a low-key return at a meet in South Africa on February 28, clocking 47.28 seconds.
Why it matters for Wayde van Niekerk
This is Van Niekerk's lone meet since he won the 400m and took 200m silver at the August 2017 World Championships. American Michael Norman ran the sixth-fastest 400m in history on April 20, a 43.45 that was also the fastest ever run before the month of June.
What comes next?
Van Niekerk would have been a clear underdog had he entered worlds in Doha that start in three weeks. The U.S. has the six fastest 400m runners this season. Van Niekerk has broken 43.45 just once, in that Rio Olympic epic.
Van Niekerk is still positive and is taking things day by day, respecting all the calls made by the doctor and respecting his body. He is extremely happy and at peace with where he is.
The Rio Olympic 400m silver and bronze medalists will both be absent from worlds. Grenada's Kirani James, who has not raced since July 2018 and has been out with Graves' Disease, must race by Saturday to be eligible for worlds.
Representatives for James and Grenada's federation have not responded to requests for comment on his status. American LaShawn Merritt has raced once since June 2, 2018, and has not raced a 400m since bowing out of the 2017 World Championships in the semifinals.
Van Niekerk's injury has been a significant setback for the athlete. On February 28, he ran 47.28 seconds at a meet in South Africa. This is a far cry from his world-record time of 43.03 at the Rio Olympics.
The world championships will start in three weeks, and Van Niekerk's absence will be felt. He is a dominant force in the 400m event, and his injury has given other athletes an opportunity to shine.
Van Niekerk's fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him compete at the highest level. He is focused on his recovery and is taking things one day at a time.
The athlete's statement shows his positive attitude towards his recovery. He is respecting his body and the doctor's advice, and he is not rushing himself to get back to competition.
Van Niekerk's injury has been a challenge for him, but he is determined to come back stronger. He has been working hard on his recovery, and he is eager to get back to competing at the highest level.
The world championships will be an exciting event, with many talented athletes competing. Van Niekerk's absence will be felt, but he will be back, and he will be ready to compete at the highest level.