Zak Nene will once again face the cream of the world's 400m talent as he chases a first Diamond League trophy at the final in Brussels on Friday.
For Zakithi Nene, this weekend's Diamond League final in Brussels is about more than simply making up the numbers. For the first time, the South African 400m runner will actually get to compete for the coveted Diamond League trophy after qualifying for the season-ending showpiece in previous years without being able to take his place on the starting line.
“Funny enough, as much as I’ve qualified for a lot of Diamond League meets, it’s actually the first one where I’m able to compete,” Nene told IOL Sport exclusively from Europe on Wednesday.
He qualified in 2023 but opted against travelling to the final in Eugene, while last year he again qualified but did not compete. This time there are no such complications.
Having finished third in the Diamond League standings following stellar performances, including a victory at the Stockholm leg and a blistering 43.89s second-place finish in Paris, Nene will line up alongside the best 400m runners in the world on Friday night with a genuine opportunity to challenge for the title.
