South Africa is well known for short-distance runners, and as such athletes that went to represent the country at the Rio Olympics were expected to be a threat to other athletes.
Even with this information however, there is very little that was known about 24-year-old 400m runner Wayde van Niekerk among the international community.
At the completion of the Games however, van Niekerk has become a household name in athletics.
The young South African engraved his name in the Olympic greats’ record, clinching gold in the 400m men’s final, and setting a new record in the process.
Wayde van Niekerk finished in 43.03 seconds, 0.15 quicker than the time Johnson clocked in Seville back in 1999.
The 24-year-old hence became one of just two South African gold medal winners at the Olympic Games.
