Wayde van Niekerk wins 400m heat to qualify for semi-finals at World Athletics Championships 2023
The world record holder set a time of 44.57 in heat 2. Reigning Olympic champion Steven Gardiner, London 2012 gold medallist Kirani James and Britain's 2022 world bronze medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith also advanced.
Athletics
South Africa's Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Wayde van Niekerk booked his place in the semi-finals of the men's 400m after a strong performance on Day 2 of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest (Sunday 20 August).
The reigning world and Olympic record holder looked in fine form in heat 2 as he held off the challenge of Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith who finished second in the race at the National Athletics Centre in Hungary's capital.
Van Niekerk is hoping to return to championship-winning form after failing to make the final at Tokyo 2020 and finishing fifth in last year's World Championships in Oregon.
"These championships are just about putting my best foot forward and seeing what happens," he said after the race. "It was a positive race. I felt strong, felt good. I've been running some solid times so I feel I'm coming back towards my best.
"Only time can tell when I get back where I was. We'll see what happens. Every opportunity to compete at this level is important. I'm just trying to keep a positive mindset with the Olympics coming up next year. Here, it's just about going round by round and seeing what happens. My body feels good, and the injury is all clear, 100 per cent."
Reigning Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of Bahamas won his heat in an impressive 44.65 to secure his place in the semis, while London 2012 gold medallist Kirani James of Grenada also advanced to the next round after winning his heat in 44.91.
However, the biggest cheer of the heats was reserved for Hungary's Attila Molnar who qualified for the next round in third place in his heat, setting a new national record of 44.84.