Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Wayde van Niekerk breaks another Michael Johnson record

APTOPIX Czech Republic Athletics Golden Spike

Wayde Van Niekerk from South Africa, poses next to the display with his time as he celebrates his victory and the world’s best time in the 300 meters men’s event at the Golden Spike athletic meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

AP

Wayde van Niekerk broke another Michael Johnson record, running the fastest-ever 300m in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Wednesday.

Van Niekerk, who broke Johnson’s 400m world record of 43.18 in Rio with a 43.03, ran 30.81 seconds in Ostrava. Video is here.

Johnson’s previous world best in the rarely contested event was 30.85, clocked at altitude in Pretoria in 2000, his final season.

Van Niekerk previously ran 31.03 over 300m in Kingston, Jamaica, last year. At the time, only Johnson and Usain Bolt (30.97 in 2010, also in Ostrava) had run faster in the non-Olympic event.

Johnson, also the former 200m world-record holder (lowered by Bolt in 2008 and 2009), is left with one world record still standing from the 1993 World Championships 4x400m relay.

Van Niekerk is preparing for the world championships in August in London, where he is expected to contest the 200m and 400m.

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

MORE: Van Niekerk gets his wish for world champs