The 400m world record holder, Wayde van Niekerk, of Bloemfontein has broken the South African 200m sprint record.
For a second time in less than a week, the two-time South African sportsman of the year clocked 19.84 seconds over the distance, however, now the record is officially his.
On Sunday, Van Niekerk, posted the time during the Adidas Boost Boston Games in the USA, but he was on straight street course and wasn’t officially recognised as a record.
On Saturday evening the sprinter set the new national benchmark during the Grand Prix Racer meet in Kingston, Jamaica.
During the farewell meet for the world 100m and 200m record holder, Usain Bolt, the Free Stater shaved 0.03 seconds of Anaso Jobodwana’s then South African record (19.87 sec).
In the process Van Niekerk beat the Jamaican duo of Jamaicans Rasheed Dwyer (20.11) and 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Warren Weir in 20.18.
Earlier on Saturday South Africa’s Akine Simbine came second in the 100m sprint in 10 seconds flat. The race was won by the current 100m world champion, Yohan Blake, also of Jamaica (9.97 sec).
Watch Wayde van Niekerk break the South African 200m record
-MORGAN PIEK
