Author of “The Devil Wears Pinstripes” and victor of a Sports Emmy.
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Athletes have joined the chorus of praise for South Africa’s gold Olympic medalist Wayde van Niekerk.
The youngster broke Michael Johnson’s 17-year-old 400m world record finishing in 43.03 seconds, 0.15 seconds faster than Johnsons time in 1999.
Van Niekerk’s time is made all the more remarkable by the fact his world-record run came from lane eight.
South Africa has won seven medals in the Rio Olympics, up until Monday, 15 August, putting the country in 24th place in the medal standings. “I feels like I’m in still asleep and very soon and when I wake up, I’m going to try to recover from what’s happening around me”.
“I would really like to compete with him over 300 meters”, he said. I dove for the finish line. “I am just glad things went my way tonight”.
Bolt will run in the 200-meter on Tuesday, and will participate in the men’s on Thursday.
Grenada’s defending champion Kirani James finished second in 43.76 and America’s LaShawn Merritt, the gold medal victor in Beijing in 2008, came third in 43.85.
The South African Olympian confirmed to the Olympic World Service he had watched the match before the race and told them: “I was losing my mind because it was a tight match. I have never seen anything from 200 to 400 like that”.
As wonderful as Van Niekerk’s run was Sunday, here’s something just as incredible. Seriously, a great grandmother.
“I don’t think any athlete wants to be in lane eight but I figured it has advantages as well as disadvantages”, he said.
This year, he became the first sprinter to run the 100m below 10 seconds, 200m under 20 seconds and 400m in less than 44 seconds before deciding to concentrate on the longest distance in Brazil.
“Hopefully next season if he is in good shape and my coach puts the meet on again I get a chance to run”.
“Bolt told me in Jamaica: “you will break the world record”, Van Niekerk added.
“Just having my whole family here meant the world to me tonight”.
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Known as “Tannie Ans” – Tannie meaning “auntie” in Afrikaans – by those who work with her, she has been credited with bringing a no-nonsense approach to van Niekerk’s preparations, with spectacular results. “These are awesome guys”.
