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Incredible Feat: South African Van-Niekerk Breaks World Record To Win Olympic Gold In 400m

August 15, 2016

South African Wayde Van Niekerk ran the race of his life at the Rio 2016 Olympics 400m ‎final to win the gold medal title as he broke former American runner Michael Johnson’s 17-year old record.

South African Wayde Van Niekerk ran the race of his life at the Rio 2016 Olympics 400m ‎final to win the gold medal title as he broke former American runner Michael Johnson’s 17-year old record.

Van-Niekerk finished ‎in 43.03 seconds, 0.15 quicker than Johnson’s former world record in Seville, Spain in 1999. The 24-year-old finished ahead of London 2012 Olympic Champion Grenada’s Kirani James, who finished 0.73 seconds behind to take the silver medal, with American LeShawn Merritt winning bronze.

Speaking on the new star born, American Michael Johnson said the South African could replace the aging Bolt as the new track star. He said: “It was a massacre. Van Niekerk is so young, what else can he do? Can he go under 43 seconds? It is something I thought I could do‎, but never did. Usain Bolt will be retiring soon, this could be the next star.”

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Olympics Sports