Wayde was quick off the mark from the day he was born: two months premature and weighing no more than a litre of milk, his life was in danger. But little Wayde survived and grew to become the world’s leading sprinter.

Wayde van Niekerk tells the extraordinary tale of a boy who defied the odds, time and again. He was small and skinny, but he tackled big rivals on the rugby field. And just when he was about to become a world sprinting star, Wayde suffered a series of terrible hamstring injuries. At one point, he was so depressed he almost gave up athletics for good. But his faith, courage and dedication — along with his magnificent talent — kept him going.

We learn that Wayde was deeply motivated by his mother Odessa’s brilliance as a sprinter before his birth — back in the apartheid era when black athletes were unable to shine on the biggest stage. Wayde’s sense of honour also shines through in the story: how he stands up for the weak against bullies, and gives generously to those less fortunate than himself.

In the climax of the book, Wayde flies his family to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where his greatest moment awaits him.

Carlos Amato

Books