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Johannesburg - South African 400m hurdles sensation LJ van Zyl's recent world beating form has, according to his coach, been brought on by the disappointment of relinquishing his Commonwealth title to Britain's David Greene last year.
His fear of losing to the Americans was set to further encourage Van Zyl as he prepared to go toe-to-toe with the cream of US hurdlers at the Adidas Grand Prix meeting in New York on Saturday.
The national record holder's coach, Hennie Kotze, said this week that his star athlete had become more focussed, increased his workload and shed a few kilogrammes subsequent to his loss to Greene in New Delhi in October.
"He even set himself the goal of running six 400m hurdles races under 48 seconds in a year," said Kotze.
His local rivalry with compatriot Cornel Fredericks, according to Kotze, had also played a role in keeping the 25-year-old on his toes.
"He has the killer instinct and he is a fearless athlete," Kotze said.
After his South African record-breaking run of 47.66 in Pretoria in February, Van Zyl admitted he would have to revisit his plans for the international season.
Kotze, however, said they were still on track with Van Zyl's training programme despite his tremendous effort in the South African capital.
"He is absolutely focussed and I am surprised how well he is keeping to the programme," Kotze said.
He added that Van Zyl had been running tactically sound races and felt his charge had run a flawless race at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic last week.
Van Zyl's impressive showing in Ostrava, where he ran 47.66 once again, convinced Kotze that he was capable of much faster times in his specialist event.
"After the last race I realised that he would be able to run it in 47.30."
Kotze said Van Zyl had studied all the major championships in which his challengers had competed, and he knew their strengths and weaknesses.
Van Zyl faces 2008 Olympic silver medallist Kerron Clement and 2005 world champion Bershawn Jackson of the US, both of whom he has beaten this season, as well as arch rival Greene in a sterling field in New York.
He will then move on to the Diamond League meetings in Lausanne on June 30 and Paris on July 8, according to Kotze, where he will run the flat 400m event.
Kotze said Van Zyl, the fourth fastest in the world this year in the flat sprint after a 44.86 clocking in Germiston in March, was convinced he could challenge the world's best 400m specialists.
Meanwhile, last year's standout South African athlete, Sunette Viljoen, will continue her pursuit of finding the form she enjoyed in 2010.
Viljoen will hope to find her rhythm in New York before jetting off to China for the World Student Games in August where she defends her title.
South African 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, who has thus far hovered below the radar and yet to fire on all cylinders, will also line-up in New York.
Mulaudzi faces world-leading Abubaker Kaki of Sudan (1:43.48) and will hope to improve on his season's best of 1:45.50.
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius continues his bid to qualify for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August as part of his quest to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
South Africa's latest pole vault prospect, Cheyne Rahme, makes his Diamond League debut in New York where his mettle will be tested.
Last season Rahme bettered pole vault great Okkert Brits' African junior record by one centimetre.
He will, however, need to improve on his season's best height of 5.43m against the likes of meeting favourite Renaud Lavillenie of France who boasts the best vault of the season after producing a 5.83m effort in Paris on Tuesday.
