World-record holder Wayde van Niekerk is taking full responsibility for his disastrous performance in the 400m World Athletics Championships final race in Budapest on Thursday.
Despite starting out fast, Van Niekerk could not keep up as he ran out of steam and ultimately crossed the finish line last in 45.11 seconds.
His fellow Olympic champion over the distance, Kirani James, was disqualified for a lane infringement, having originally finished fifth.
Jamaican sensation Antonio Watson (44.22) was a shock winner ahead of Britain’s Matt Hudson-Smith (44.31), who walked away with a silver medal, while American Quincy Hall (44.37) took home a bronze medal.
Lamenting after a poor showing, Van Niekerk, who scraped his way through to the final, said he is disappointed and believes he could have done better.
“Very frustrating, disappointed. Obviously I have to take full responsibility,” he told the media after the race.
“I’m the one who lined up and put an effort. We all know it as well, off-par from what I can do. Comparing it to the medalists, it’s not a good performance at all.
“Looking at the form I was in, I would have believed I can do better. Not happy, but it’s my reality, it’s what just happened. I obviously need to process that and see what’s next.”
Prior to the championships, the 31-year-old battled with long career-threatening injuries, which put him out of action for months.
He will now shift his focus to the Paris Olympics in France in 2024, where he hopes to conclude his prestigious career with a gold medal.
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