Wayde van Niekerk cruised to victory in the 400m heats at the World Championships on Sunday, and his pre-race swagger and performance on the track suggested he could return to the world podium in Eugene, Oregon, after five long years in the wilderness. 

The owner of the 43.03sec world record looked comfortable as he posted the second-quickest time of the morning as he won the first of six heats in 45.18sec. 

The South African, who turned 30 this past Friday, had arrived with question marks over his head, having completed only one race this season, a 44.58 effort in Georgia earlier this month. He had pulled up in a 200m in Italy in May and before that he had withdrawn from the SA championships as a precaution.

But on Sunday he walked out of the call room with a confident stride that he probably last displayed before injuring his right knee in 2017, and he backed up his swagger as he attacked from the start of the race before easing up on the second bend, controlling the pace down the home straight. 

Compatriot Zakhiti Nene also qualified for the semifinals, finishing third in the second heat won by American danger man Michael Norman in 45.37. 

Two other US competitors also won their heats, Michael Cherry in 45.81 and Champion Allyson in 45.56. Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori was the quickest as he set a 44.87 personal best. Matthew Hudson-Smith of Britain won the last heat in 45.49.

Also in the mix are former Olympic and world champion Kirani James of Grenada (45.29) and Botswana veteran Isaac Makwala (45.93). 

With Olympic champion and defending world champion Steve Gardiner of the Bahamas out injured and the silver medallist in both events, Colombian Anthony Zambrano, also missing from the line-up, the men’s 400m field seems fairly open and right now Van Niekerk is well-placed.

The times are going to get a lot faster in the next two rounds — and Van Niekerk will have to go faster than he has been in half-a-decade (the best time of his comeback so far is 44.56) — but the competition schedule at this meet could play perfectly into his hands. 

Instead of having to return on Monday for the semifinals, he will have two full days to recover before stepping back onto the track on Wednesday. The final is scheduled for Friday. 

At the Tokyo Olympics Van Niekerk went 45.25 in the heats and then the next day laboured to 45.14 in the semifinals, failing to advance to the final. 

Van Niekerk has been fighting his way back since undergoing reconstructive surgery to repair the knee he damaged in a game of touch rugby in late 2017, even moving to the US last year to join a new coach.

Before then he had been unbeatable for three seasons, winning the world titles in 2017 and 2015 and the Olympic crown in 2016.

Van Niekerk has tasted mortality for five years, and now he is ready to rediscover the path back to the stars. 

In other SA action, Miranda Coetzee failed to advance past the heats of the women’s 400m, managing a disappointing 53.30. 

In the men’s marathon earlier Melikhaya Frans finished 18th in a 2hr 09min 24sec personal best and Tumelo Motlagale was 52nd in 2:20:21. 

In evening action, Soks Zazini failed to advance to the 400m hurdles final, finishing seventh in his heat in 50.22 behind Olympic champion Karsten Warholm of Norway in 48.00. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos was quickest overall in 47.85. 

In the men’s discus, neither Victor Hogan, fifth at the 2013 world championships, and Werner Visser progressed beyond the qualifying round. Hogan managed a best of 60.51 and Visser 58.44.