Il Nuovo Postiglione - Van Niekerk enjoys second wind in Tokyo after injury nightmare

The 33-year-old enjoyed a stunning run of success in the 2010s, winning the 400m world title in 2015 before claiming Olympic gold in a world record-breaking time in Rio a year later.

His mark of 43.03sec still stands almost a decade later.

Van Niekerk's time at the top came to a screeching halt in 2017 when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing in an exhibition rugby game, forcing him into years of rehabilitation.

He dropped his signature 400m to focus on the 200m and made a comeback at last year's Paris Olympics, reaching the semi-finals.

He cruised through his 200m world championships heat in 20.19sec in Tokyo on Wednesday and said there were "a lot of positives" from his latest performance.

"I think there's a lot of regulating the nerves and a bit of a mental-centring myself, but it's been going well so far," he said.

"The fact that I'm walking away from the events healthy and able to be in good spirits, I think that's more important for me at this moment."

Van Niekerk heads into the championships in good form, having run 20.07sec in Budapest last month.

It was his best time in eight years and his seventh-fastest run ever.

- Kolbe connection -

Van Niekerk said his decision to drop the 400m and focus on the 200m had given him a new lease of life.

"I think it's always been an event I wanted to go back to," said Van Niekerk, who won 200m silver at the 2017 world championships.

"But the injury caused a bit of a delay for me to go back to the sprinting events and I think now I just have a bit more motivation to try and find improvement and growth."

Van Niekerk is a cousin of twice World Cup-winning South African rugby player Cheslin Kolbe, and the pair represented their country at the Rio Olympics.

Kolbe is still going strong at the age of 31 and scored two tries in the Springboks' record 43-10 demolition of New Zealand last week.

Van Niekerk said he found "inspiration by so many people on a daily basis".

"I think it's really just such a privilege that I can still be out here representing my country and also giving my son a bit of exposure to what dad does," said Niekerk, who had a second child, a boy, earlier this year with his wife.

"Just seeing my whole family performing well, competing well, it's a blessing."

Van Niekerk is refusing to look past the world championships in Tokyo, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics looming.

"At the moment the semis is the next vision for me," he said.

"One race at a time, one day at a time."

M.Lombardi--INP