Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas won the women’s 400-meter final at the Summer Olympics Monday, edging America’s star runner Allyson Felix in a time of 49.44 seconds on a damp night in Rio de Janeiro. The surprising move earned the 22-year-old Miller a gold medal and stunned American Allyson Felix, denying Felix a fifth career gold medal.
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“It happens every now and then but it’s not too common”, she said. “I think in the moment it’s just painful”.
Second behind Felix in the 400 metres at the world championships in Beijing previous year when her strong finish was not enough to rein in the American, Miller had clearly learned her lesson.
“I was just focusing on myself”, Felix, 30, said after being asked about Miller’s dive. “I have some cuts and bruises, a few burns … it hurts”.
The Bahamian athlete left her feet in the final yards of the race, beating US track star Allyson Felix by 0.07 seconds.
“I just gave it all I had, I don’t think I had anything left to give”. I didn’t really have too many thoughts about that.
Felix referenced the controversial result on TODAY early Tuesday. “I felt like it got a little bit away from me”.
Despite the disappointment, Felix’s silver medal achievement made her the most decorated female athlete in American track and field history with seven Olympic medals, surpassing Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
She said that when she hit the ground, she had no idea she actually won the gold. This is Miller’s second straight trip to the Olympics after she advanced in 2012 while still in high school.
Felix, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, took silver in 49.51 seconds with Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson third.
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Miller retained the lead coming off the final bend but started tightening up as Felix surged about 50 metres from the line and the pair were neck-and-neck until the Bahamian’s gold medal-winning dive.
