“I didn’t see anyone until the last 20 metres, the only thing I was thinking was that I must get that gold medal”, Miller said.
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No, that’s no error. A fellow native of the Bahamas, five-time Olympian Debbie Ferguson, was the last current or former competitor from the Georgia women’s team to win a gold medal (4x100m relay, 2000).
Shaunae Miller stunned Allyson Felix to win the 400m and deny the American a fifth Olympic gold thanks to an audacious dive across the finish line.
The 22-year-old was leading but was struggling to hold off favourite Allyson Felix as the race neared its end in Rio, and dived across the line to claim gold. As Felix closed in, the Barbadian leaned for and stretched her body over the line for an unconventional win, 49.44 seconds to 49.51. ‘I still don’t know how it happened.
One more event to go for Biles – the floor final – which some say is her strongest routine. That year, Felix became the first female United States athlete to win three gold medals at the same Olympics since 1988. Some called her a cheat and said she should be disqualified.
The seventh medal makes her the most decorated female track athlete in the USA’s Olympic history, breaking her tie with Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Miller beat Felix by 0.07 of a second.
This diving debate will likely continue through these Olympics and beyond. This is the moment I have been waiting for, I just gave it my all. “I really wanted it, it’s painful”.
A four-time gold medalist, Felix had represented her country proudly on the podium in Athens, Beijing and London.
Instead of running until after the finish line, she actually dove.
After the race Miller told BBC Sport: “I just give God the thanks and praise”.
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It was her first individual Olympic 400m medal, although she does have two Olympic 4x400m gold medals.
