South African Wayde Van Niekerk smashed Michael Johnson’s long-standing 400m record when he stormed to Olympic gold on Sunday.
Van Niekerk, running in the unfavoured lane eight, blasted off the final corner to time 43.03sec, 0.15sec quicker than Johnson’s previous world best set in Seville in 1999, a record that had taken on mythical-like standing.
Here, we look at five facts about the new Olympic champion.
1. One family, two medals
Van Nierkerk is not the only member of his family to win a medal in Rio. His cousin is Cheslin Kolbe, who won bronze with the South African sevens rugby team last week. Van Nierkerk had a large number of his family at the stadium on Monday to witness his record-breaking run.
2. From Cape Town to Rio, via Beijing
The Cape Town-born star arrived in Rio with form. His winning time at the Beijing world championships last year was 43.48. In his slipstream that day taking bronze was the London 2012 champion Kirani James and in silver LaShawn Merritt. That pair filled the minor places again here, only in different order. In China he became South Africa’s first world sprint champion.
3. Coached by a grandmother, and in Jamaica
In his quest for Olympic glory, the 24-year-old linked up with Usain Bolt’s coach Glen Mills in Jamaica in the run-up to Rio. “We have some good relationship with coach Mills, I’ve got to know him on the circuit over the last few months and years,” Van Niekerk said in June. His coach back home is a 74-year-old white-haired grandmother, Ans Botha. The unlikely combination teamed up three years ago, the move paying dramatic dividends.
4. Sprint history-maker
Van Niekerk created athletics history in March when he became the first to break 10-sec for 100-metres, 20s for 200m and 44s for 400m. Having already clocked 19.94 seconds and 43.48sec in the 200 and 400m, Van Niekerk timed 9.98sec in the 100m in Bloemfontain.
5. Marketing man
Born and raised in Cape Town Van Niekerk from a young age showed his aptitude for sport. But after attending a local college he continued his education, studying marketing at University of the Free State.
