Can SA champ Zakithi Nene break 43-second barrier at Rabat Diamond League?

When Wayde van Niekerk set his astonishing 400m world record at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he had just turned 24.

Van Niekerk was 24 years and 30 days old on August 14, the day of the final, when he rewrote the history books from lane eight in that unforgettable run of 43.03 seconds at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The man whose record he broke, American legend Michael Johnson, was all of 31 years and 11 months old when he ran 43.18 at the 1999 world championships in Sevilla, Spain.

Now there is another South African trying to force his way into the 43-second world: Zakithi Nene.

The national champion produced a new personal best of 44.22 at the SA championships in Potchefstroom in April to announce his arrival as a truly world-class athlete.

And, having turned 27 in April, Nene seems to have hit the sweet spot between Van Niekerk and Johnson when they set their world records.

Nene has been a solid campaigner on the SA circuit for years, but after building up all that experience, he appears to have taken the next step to becoming a medal contender at the world championships in Tokyo in September.

He produced a stunning anchor lap to bring home the gold for the 4x400m SA team at the World Relays in China a few weeks ago, with his split registering 43.64 to set a relay world lead time.

But he is also grabbing the attention in the individual race. Having progressed steadily from 45.03 in 2021 to 44.74 in 2022 and 2023, Nene’s 2024 best was 44.80.

From there, he has shot through to a 44.22 this year. So, there is no reason why he cannot push ahead into the 43-second realm at today’s Diamond League meeting in Rabat, Morocco (live on DStv channel 208 at 8pm SA time).

Nene will be part of a star-studded field, where the favourite undoubtedly will be Olympic champion Quincy Hall.

This will be the American star’s first real meet of 2025, with all the top athletes only gradually getting their seasons going now, in order to be at their peak for the September world championships.

The 26-year-old ran a personal best time of 43.40 to clinch the Paris Olympic gold medal, edging out British athlete Matthew Hudson-Smith (43.44), with Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga (43.74) claiming the bronze.

Nene crashed out in the semi-finals in Paris, clocking a disappointing 45.06 to finish sixth – SA teammate Lythe Pillay reached the same round, and ended seventh in 45.24 in his race.

So, can Nene be dragged to a sub-44-second time in Rabat? You would think so, judging from the strong field assembled.

Apart from Hall, the fastest man in the world this year, American Jacory Patterson, will line up in Morocco as well.

The 25-year-old is a world indoor championship bronze medallist in the 400m short track event, and won gold in the 4x400m relay at the same event in China in March.

Patterson ran 43.98 in Miami at the start of May, and will want to prove that such a performance was no fluke when he squares off with Hall and Nene.

Canadian Christopher Morales Williams (44.05) and Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori (44.10) boast quicker personal bests than Nene, while American Bryce Deadmon is equal to the South African on 44.22.

Nene will be one of 10 South Africans in action at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Sunday, alongside Akani Simbine and Shaun Maswanganyi (100m), Van Niekerk and Benjamin Richardson (200m), Zeney Geldenhuys and Rogail Joseph (400m hurdles), Prudence Sekgodiso (800m), Tshepo Tshite (1,500m) and Jo-Ané du Plessis (javelin).