If his body allows for it, Wayne Snyman might just do something that few South African race walkers have ever done before. That is competing in two events at the World Athletics Championships. 

On Saturday, 15 January, the 36-year-old Tuks based athlete won the inaugural ASA 35km Race Walking Championships and Inter-Provincial Race Walking Challenge in Cape Town, with a time of 2 hours, 32 minutes and 52 seconds. In doing so, he had not only set a South African record. He also qualified to compete in July at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA. 

Currently, his time is the second-fastest in the world. Only Ecuador''s Brian Pintado (2:32:40), has been faster. The 35km race walk is a new event. The decision-makers of World Athletics decided to do away with the 50km race as an Olympic and World Championship event.  

Last year, Snyman also qualified to compete in the 20km race walk at the World Athletics Championship.

The Tuks based athlete admits that he contemplated quitting athletics after last year's Tokyo Olympics. He finished 20th. He thought it was high time that he started to do some "serious" work as a teacher. Athletics South Africa's decision-makers convinced him to continue walking for another year. They had not too many difficulties doing so. 

"I always dreamt about finishing my career by winning a medal at the World Championships. I think it is possible. I have found that with age, I am getting stronger. 35 kilometres might be my best distance.

"Saturday's race during the national championships was certainly not my best. I made mistakes. There was a stage where I thought I was 'dying'. A strong blowing wind was genuinely taking its toll. To worsen matters, my watch stopped working. It meant I had to walk 'blind' for a few kilometres."

The 20km-race is on 15 July at the World Championships and the 35km on 24 July. It means there are nine days to recover in between. It is why Snyman might do both races. He, however, emphasised that nothing had been decided. 

"The reality is that I am not getting younger. In March, I will be 37. It means I have to carefully plan when and where I race. At the moment, my focus is on the World Cup in Oman (4-5 March). I will be racing 20 kilometres."

Snyman's personal best time over 20km is 1:20:17. He, however, predicts racing in Oman is not going to be about fast times. 

"I expect the conditions to be similar to that of the 2019 Doha World Championships. It means you will have to race clever if you want to finish in the top ten or win.

"What is comforting to me is that it feels like there is still speed in my legs. Recently I did a 10km time trial in which I surprised myself. Last year's Tokyo Olympic Games had been a great confidence booster. I felt competitive. I might have finished in the top ten if it was not for one mistake."

Snyman doesn't think he will compete at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. 

"The Games starts four days after the World Championships. I got responsibilities,” explained the Tuks based athlete.

Did you know? Wayne Snyman is a Grade 4 teacher at Glenstantia Primary School.