South African van Niekerk shatters 17-year-old Olympics record
24-year-old South African sprinter Wayde van Niekerk eased off challenge from 2012 London Olympic gold winner Kirani James and American sprinter Lashawn Merriitt to win a 2016 Olympics gold medal.
His victory comes at a world record-breaking time of 43.03 seconds shaving off 0.15 off Michael Johnson’s record set at the 1999 IAAF World Championships.
In 2015, van Niekerk’s impressive win at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing at a time of 43.48, gave indications that he could be a record breaker in Rio.
Van Niekerk’s feat also makes him the first and only man to win the Olympic 400 metres from lane eight since Scotland’s Eric Liddell in 1924.
His world record breaking run did not seem predictable following the early stages of the race as he came from behind before entering the home straight to beat his two competitors to the finish line.
His victory as a gold medalist also made it South Africa’s first Olympics athletics gold since Josia Thugwane won the marathon in 1996.
His medal also raises South Africa’s medal collection tally to seven – one gold, five silver medals and a bronze.
By Emmanuel Ayitey-Adjin, Intern