Rio Olympics: Wayde van Niekerk breaks 400 meter world record
Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa celebrates placing first in the Men's 400m Final and setting a new world record of 43.03 on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: Getty Images / Shaun Botteril
Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa has won the Olympic 400-meter title in a world record 43.03 seconds.
Van Niekerk, running in the outside lane, stormed out of the blocks and held off of 2012 champion Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt.
He lowered the mark of 43.18 that Michael Johnson set in Seville, Spain, in 1999.
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