BEIJING, (Reuters) – The day after winning gold in a 400 metres hailed as the greatest of one-lap sprints, South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk says the world record could be the next target in his mission to “tell his story”.
The 23-year-old from Bloemfontein was carried away from the Bird’s Nest Stadium on a stretcher after running himself to the point of exhaustion in a stunning victory at the world championships on Wednesday.
He beat two past world champions, LaShawn Merritt of the United States and Grenada’s Kirani James, to become the fourth fastest man of all time over the distance.
Between them, the top trio produced the first race in history in which three men have run faster than 44 seconds. The first six finished inside 45.
Van Niekirk’s 43.48 winning time was within three-tenths of the world record set by American Michael Johnson at the Seville world championships in 1999.
The South African returned to the stadium yesterday for his medal ceremony and was asked about his achievement and the record.
“I believe that was Michael Johnson’s story that he had to tell the world,” he said. “I have to tell my own story as an athlete. So all I am trying to do is to do my best possible.
