PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
South Africa: South Africa salutes Olympic champion
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Tributes are flooding in for South African 400m gold medal winner Wayde van Niekerk who raced to victory in Rio on Sunday night setting a new world record time.
The 24-year-old Cape Town-born athlete finished in 43.03 seconds, 0.15 quicker than the time American Michael Johnson clocked in Seville in 1999. Van Niekerk, running in the unfavoured lane eight, maintained his lead throughout the race. Grenada's Kirani James, the London 2012 champion, finished 0.73 behind to take the silver medal, with American LaShawn Merritt in bronze.
This magical moment earned Team South Africa its first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Van Niekerk also became the first SA sprinter to win an Olympic gold since Bevil Rudd in Antwerp in 1920.
Solly Malatsi, the Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation, said Van Niekerk gave the whole nation a reason to wake up proudly South African. “His performance en route to winning the gold medal will be cherished as one of South Africa’s greatest moments in the history of athletics. We hope that his achievements will inspire millions of youngsters throughout the country that it is possible to attain the biggest accomplishment in sports through the pursuit of excellence,” he said.
Van Niekerk is also the first athlete ever to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds, 200 metres in under 20 seconds, and 400 metres in under 44 seconds. He was the silver medallist in the 400m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and took bronze in the 4×400 metres relay at the 2013 Summer Universiade. He also represented South Africa at the 2013 and the 2015 Athletics World Championships. At the 2015 World Championships, he won the gold medal in the 400 metres.
-0- PANA CU/MA 15Aug2016
The 24-year-old Cape Town-born athlete finished in 43.03 seconds, 0.15 quicker than the time American Michael Johnson clocked in Seville in 1999. Van Niekerk, running in the unfavoured lane eight, maintained his lead throughout the race. Grenada's Kirani James, the London 2012 champion, finished 0.73 behind to take the silver medal, with American LaShawn Merritt in bronze.
This magical moment earned Team South Africa its first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Van Niekerk also became the first SA sprinter to win an Olympic gold since Bevil Rudd in Antwerp in 1920.
Solly Malatsi, the Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation, said Van Niekerk gave the whole nation a reason to wake up proudly South African. “His performance en route to winning the gold medal will be cherished as one of South Africa’s greatest moments in the history of athletics. We hope that his achievements will inspire millions of youngsters throughout the country that it is possible to attain the biggest accomplishment in sports through the pursuit of excellence,” he said.
Van Niekerk is also the first athlete ever to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds, 200 metres in under 20 seconds, and 400 metres in under 44 seconds. He was the silver medallist in the 400m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and took bronze in the 4×400 metres relay at the 2013 Summer Universiade. He also represented South Africa at the 2013 and the 2015 Athletics World Championships. At the 2015 World Championships, he won the gold medal in the 400 metres.
-0- PANA CU/MA 15Aug2016
