Wayde van Niekerk 'pain free', back running

Cape Town - South African sprint sensation Wayde van Niekerk says that he is "pain free" and back running as he continues to recover from a lengthy knee injury. 

READ: Wayde's injury a 'knucklehead' moment

Van Niekerk, who stunned the world at the 2016 Rio Olympics by breaking Michael Johnson's world record in the 400m, has been sidelined since October when he tore the meniscus and ACL in his right knee while playing a celebrity touch rugby match at Newlands ahead of the Springboks' Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks. 

It was a freak injury, and one that has threatened to ruin Van Niekerk's career. 

He is nowhere near a return to competition yet, but Van Niekerk took to Twitter on Thursday to provide an update on his condition and the signs were positive. 

"Back to the basics. Breakthrough - today was day 1 running again. Pain free and blessed," Van Niekerk wrote. 

Back to the basics. Breakthrough - today was day 1 running again. Pain free and blessed. ???????? #QuietStorm #WaydeWasHere #OutOfReach #Pray1st #Adidas #DiscoveryVitality #AudiZA #RichardMille #TSystems pic.twitter.com/mXRtNrmg9l

— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) August 30, 2018

Final day in Doha. Thank you to my @aspetar team. @adidasrunning #QuietStorm #WaydeWasHere #OutOfReach #Pray1st #Adidas #DiscoveryVitality #AudiZA #RichardMille #TSystems. pic.twitter.com/xYofuqsrr1

— Wayde van Niekerk (@WaydeDreamer) August 31, 2018