Van Niekerk strides to men’s 400m gold with new world record

South African Wayde van Niekerk, the 400meter world champion, set a new world record of 43.03, breaking American Michael Johnson’s record as he clinched Olympic gold in the men’s 400 final at the Rio Summer Games.

Van Niekerk cut 15 hundredths of a second off Johnson’s 400m record set on August 26, 1999 in the final of the World Championships in Seville, Spain.

The Grenadian sprinter Kirani James, a former Olympic champion, claimed silver with 43.76, and American LaShawn Merritt, the 2008 Olympic 400m gold medalist, finished third at 43.85.

In the 2015 World championships in Athletics in Beijing, China, South Africa’s flag bearer Wayde van Niekerk won the 400m final with a time of 43.48 seconds, making him the then fourth fastest man ever in the 400m event.

The Trinidadian Machel Cedenio, the U20 world champion, came fourth with 44.01 seconds.