World Athletics Championships 2022: Wayde van Niekerk, Kirani James and Michael Norman chasing men's 400m glory: Preview, schedule & how to watch

The men’s 400m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon will be among the most anticipated events, with a field featuring three Olympic champions including world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa.

The 29-year-old Van Niekerk will be making his first appearance at the biennial showpiece since he claimed back-to-back titles at the 2017 World Championships in London.

The two-time world champion will in theory back into the blocks with a chance at becoming only the second man behind U.S. legend Michael Johnson to win three global titles in the one-lap sprint event. Johnson won an unprecedented four consecutive world titles between 1993 and 1999.

But there are several big names standing in his way. Here's a look at the contenders for the crown.

Wayde van Niekerk: Returning to form

Van Niekerk is currently a shadow of the athlete that once flirted with the notion of becoming the first man to dip below 43 seconds in the 400m event. Dogged by injuries and hampered by a lack of race time, Van Niekerk will have to rely on his raw abilities for a shot at a third world title.

He won his first world title in emphatic style at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing in 2015 leading three men under 44 seconds for the first time in history. Van Niekerk won in a time of 43.48s crossing the line ahead of defending champion LaShawn Merritt of the United States and Kirani James in second and third place respectively.

The South African sensation demonstrated these abilities in his first and only 400m race of the 2022 season at the Stars and Stripes Classic meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on 2 July where he clocked a winning time of 44.58 seconds.

The time ranks him just outside the top 10 in the world this year, with American ace Michael Norman leading with the 43.56s he clocked at the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships at the end of June.

Van Niekerk will be looking for redemption after he failed to reach the final of the 400m at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 following elimination in the semi-finals where he finished fifth in a time of 45.14s.

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Van Niekerk’s road to recovery from a career-threatening knee injury has been fraught with setbacks which saw Steven Gardiner of Barbados take the helm in his absence.

Gardiner, who finished second behind Van Niekerk at the 2017 world championships, has been the picture of consistency and emerged as a man for the big moment.

The 26-year-old Gardiner has reached the top of the podium at every major championship since his silver in London. He claimed his first world title in Doha 2019 before racing to gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (in 2021).

Unfortunately, the defending world champion will miss the spectacle in Eugene due to a tendon injury.

Kirani James: The diesel engine of the 400m sprint

London 2012 champion Kirani James of Grenada completed the full set of Olympic medals in Tokyo 2020, where he finished in third place. James holds the remarkable distinction of winning major titles at every level since his junior years.

James made a stunning start to his senior career, racing to victory at the 2011 Daegu World Championships when he was just 18 years old. A year later, he added the Olympic title to his growing list of accolades, becoming Grenada’s first-ever medallist in the history of the Games.

Four years later, he had to settle for the silver medal finishing well behind Van Niekerk, who set a world record of 43.03 seconds.

James demonstrated his class at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, winning the bronze medal behind Gardiner and, in the process, becoming the second most successful male 400m runner at the Olympic Games. The most decorated one-lap sprinter is, of course, Johnson with his four golds.

The 29-year-old James will go into the world championships as the third-fastest man this year, finishing second behind Norman at the Eugene Diamond League meeting in May.

Michael Norman: The big American hope

American ace Michael Norman is the fastest man among the list of contenders without a major outdoor title behind his name.

Norman has set the track alight over the last six years, clocking a personal best and area record of 43.45s in 2018, which ranks him joint fourth on the all-time world list.

The former world junior 200m champion is yet to translate the speed in his legs into international success in an individual event at an international event.

Despite posting the fastest times in 2018 and 2019 in the 400m, Norman has not reached the podium on the global stage.

He will be going into the world championships as the fastest man this year, with his winning time of 43.56s from the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships in June.

Norman and teammate Champion Allison (43.70s) are the only men so far in 2022 to have dipped below 44 seconds in the lactate-inducing event.

The duo will lead a four-man U.S. charge in the 400m event on home soil, with Randolph Ross and Michael Cherry also set to line up in Eugene. The quartet are among the six fastest men this season, giving the U.S. a significant advantage in the gruelling event.

Schedule for the men’s 400m in Oregon at the 2022 Track and Field World Championships

Times below are in Pacific Daylight Time (UTC -7 hours)

Day 3 - Sunday 17 July

Heats - 11:05

Day 6 - Wednesday 20 July

Semi-finals - 19:15

Day 8 - Friday 22 July

Final - 19:35pm

How to watch action at the 2022 Track and Field Worlds

In the United States, NBC holds the broadcast rights to the World Championships. Coverage will be on USA Network, NBC, and CNBC, and streamed on Peacock and the NBC Sports website – check listings for further details.

Canadians can watch the action on the CBC, while in the United Kingdom, BBC Sport will carry live coverage. A full list of broadcasters around the world can be found here.

You can also stay tuned to Olympics.com as we will bring you live blog updates from every session of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, as well as features and previews from all the key events..