SA star shines in Lausanne
Van Niekerk, the national 400m record holder, produced a late surge after a slow start left him lagging off the bend, and clocked a career record of 20.19 seconds 0.02 quicker than his victory at the SA Student Championships in April to finish fourth in the half-lap event.
He was just 0.08 seconds outside the 13-year-old SA mark of 20.11 held by Morne Nagel.
Alonso Edward of Panama won the race in 19.84, while Jamaican powerhouse Yohan Blake was a disappointing sixth in a relatively pedestrian 20.48.
Diamond League debutant Akani Simbine, meanwhile, was less impressive than his compatriot in the shortest sprint, but he held his composure to take sixth place in the men's 100m dash in 10.18 seconds.
The 20-year-old South African was 0.16 outside the personal best he set at the national championships in April, and he trailed well behind American Justin Gatlin who won the race in a world-leading 9.80.
Meanwhile, training partners Cornel Fredericks and LJ van Zyl held their own in the men's 400m hurdles race.
Fredericks hung on down the home straight to finish third in 49.00 seconds, and Van Zyl fought back after fading round the final bend to grab fifth place in 49.23.
Javier Culson of Puerto Rico secured victory in 48.32.
Sunette Viljoen, competing for the first time in nearly two months after a lengthy training spell at home, took fifth place in the women's javelin throw.
Viljoen launched a 62.15m effort in the first round and retained fourth spot for most of the competition, but she was overtaken by German Linda Stahl in the final round.
World record holder Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic won by more than two metres with a best throw of 66.72m.
Long jumper Khotso Mokoena reportedly picked up a leg injury during his warm-up and withdrew from the event before his first attempt.
The next leg of the Diamond League series will be held in Paris on Saturday.
Fredericks again lines up in his specialist event and Andre Olivier, the only other South African competing in the French capital, goes in the men's 800m race.
(File photo:Gallo Images)