Running in the outside lane in the Olympic final, Van Niekerk bolted out of the blocks and never let up.
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He didn’t need to.
Talking about World Records, Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa produced a stunning performance in the men’s 400m event to clinch the gold medal as well as break the 17-year-old WR of Michael Johnson in a time of 43.03 seconds.
Botha – 50 years Van Niekerk’s senior – became an overnight sensation. “I’m grateful I could trust in her work, and I think it speaks for itself”.
In fact, his heartfelt reaction to witnessing history being made by van Niekerk is possibly the best video to come out of this year’s Olympics and is bound to give you the feels. His winning margin against one of the fastest 400m fields ever assembled verged on the ridiculous.
Van Niekerk told interviewers afterwards: “I was over there (Jamaica) for about two weeks training with him”.
The South African government took the lead in congratulating Wayde, then Minister of Sports joined in. As he did so, Van Niekerk pointed at the clock to make sure everyone saw his time. It was hard to miss.
“Bolt told me in Jamaica: “you will break the world record”, Van Niekerk added.
“When he got the world record it was like “wow”, he said. He took it out so quick.
“I didn’t go so fast but I’m so happy I won”, he said.
Van Niekerk said he prepared for the race on Sunday by watching his favorite football team, Liverpool, defeat Arsenal 4-3 in the English Premier League.
“I’m just trying to decorate my achievements as an athlete as much as I can and put my right foot forward each time I hit the track”.
“It was about going out and executing the run as best as possible”.
Even Johnson thought so.
Christine Ohuruogu, the 2008 Olympic champion and silver medalist in London in 2012, was knocked out after finishing fifth in the first heat.
This, as the 24-year-old won the 400 meters race, winning the country’s first gold medal at the Olympics now underway in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
Bolt has repeatedly said he wants to be the first man to dip under 19 seconds for the 200m.
Niekerk couldn’t see any runner ahead of him and kept worrying that somebody would overtake him.
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Van Niekerk, who won South Africa’s first gold medal of the Games, said: “I have dreamed of this since I was a kid”. Twelve years later, the Brazilian lit the cauldron in the August 5 opening ceremony to begin the Rio Games.
