Wayde VAN NIEKERK

Wayde van Niekerk is many things - an Olympic champion, a world record holder, and a history-maker. And yet, for all of that, the South African is somewhat of an enigma after years in the injury wilderness. Van Niekerk's Olympic debut at Rio 2016 was a resounding success, as the runner blitzed the final field from the unfavoured lane 8, breaking Michael Johnson's 17-year-old world record when he triumphed in a remarkable 43.03 seconds. All that was down to his 75-year-old coach Ans Botha, who he credited with helping him get to the very top.

The one-lapper also delivered historic performances over the 100m, 200m, and 300m. In 2017 in Ostrava he broke Johnson's and Usain Bolt's marks with a world-best 30.81 in the 300m, just days after he dashed to 9.94 seconds in the 100m. That made him the first athlete to break the 10-second (100m), 20-second (200m), 31-second (300m) as well as the 44-second (400m) barriers. But, later that year, he would suffer a career-changing injury, receiving medial and lateral tears of the meniscus and a torn anterior cruciate ligament at a charity touch rugby match.