Van Niekerk is on fire this season, having run personal
bests in the 100 m (9.94) and 200 m (19.84) last month,
and setting a new world best time of 30.81 in the
rarely-run 300 m in Ostrava recently. World
record-holder Wayde van Niekerk stormed to victory in
the 400 m at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne
recently, as American veteran Justin Gatlin went sub-10
seconds in the 100 m.
That time beat a long-time record held by Michael
Johnson, the legendary United States athlete whose
record in the one-lap race he also beat when winning
gold in Rio.
The 24-year-old timed a world lead of 43.62 in Lausanne,
well ahead of second-placed Botswana's Baboloki Thebe.
Van Niekerk has only run the 400 m faster on two
occasions: when he won his world title in Beijing in
2015; the other was a year later when he won Olympic
gold.
Hailed by eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt as his
successor as leader of the sprinting world, with the
Jamaican legend due to retire after the world
championships in London in August, Van Niekerk said he
was constantly inspired by his performances.
"I didn't come with a specific time in mind but I am
pleased with this result," he said.
"I do have a love-hate relationship with the 400 m, but
I always try to approach it with a positive mindset, not
setting myself any limits.
"And the performances keep me going along, which keeps
me passionate about what I do." ¡V Source:
www.sport24.com |