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Cape Town - Wayde van Niekerk will cruise to South Africa's second gold medal at the IAAF World Championships in London in the 400m on Tuesday evening - if bookmakers are to be believed...
Van Niekerk, the world record holder over his favoured one-lap distance, has been installed by leading bookies Sportingbet as an overwhelming 1/5 favourite for the final.
Van Niekerk memorably smashed American star Michael Johnson's 400m world record when he posted 43.03, running out of Lane 8, at last year's Rio Olympics.
Ths time around Van Niekerk will have Lane 6, with second favourite, Botswana's Isaac Makwala (21/5) outside him in Lane 7, with the Bahamas' Steven Gardiner, in Lane 4, on offer at 7/1.
However, there is a question mark over Makwala's participation after he was forced to sit out Monday's 200m heats with food poisoning.
Heading into Tuesday's Day 5 action at the Olympic Stadium in London, South Africa lie in fourth position on the medal table, thanks to Luvo Manyonga's gold in the men's long jump and bronze medals from Ruswahl Samaai (long jump) and Caster Semenya (1 500m).
The men's 400m final is scheduled for 22:50 (SA time).
