Van Niekerk wants to take on Bolt in 200m at World Champs

South African 400 meter world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk says he wants the schedule for this summer’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in London in August to be changed so he can better attempt to sweep the 200 meters and 400 meters. The South African won the Rio Olympic 400 metres in 43.03 seconds, breaking Michael Johnson‘s world record.

Van Niekerk’s agent said on Friday that there’s no chance the South African contesting the 100m or the 4x100m relay at the World Championships if he’s able to race the 200m and 400m.

But the IAAF says it hasn't received any request to change the World Championships schedule from South Africa’s track and field federation.

Last year, the Olympic track and field schedule was changed to give Allyson Felix more time between the 200m and 400m. Van Niekerk owns a personal best of 19.94 seconds for the 200 meters from 2015.

That time would have earned the silver medal behind Usain Bolt’s 19.78 in Rio.