@Vaipoman 123 Not really. I run track and I've seen many people getting tired. Trying to keep up or run faster than their opponent. Hence why people always say"run your own race" they won't have the energy to come back home, because there tired. And didn't pace themselves at what speed they could go at the fastest and STILL have energy to come back home faster.
Doing it in lane 8 he literally soloed this because he never saw anyone else the whole time, that’s insane because it’s like a time trial and yet he ran a WR
People can not imagine how hard this competition is, it may look easy but it is one of the most demanding specialties for the body. That lactic acid pain in the end is unimaginable.
400m is the toughest race. It's basically an all out Sprint and the last 100m is like hitting a wall. The body tightens up. It's a struggle to lift your legs. You're all done but you are now running on will like you have a gun to your head. The finish line seems like forever to get too. The 400 is a nightmare.
One of the greatest athletic achievements ever. If an American or Jamaican had done this he would have been one of the most famous people on the planet.
Its not rocket science why americans get so much press...they're basically the center of global media....Bolt is big because of how many records he broke and how consistent he has been through the years.
@@samo6083 Of course my statement makes sense. Van Niekerk hasn't received a lot of hype despite breaking a seemingly "unbreakable" record set more than 15 years ago by arguably the greatest athlete in history.
Yes unbelievable even more impressive than Bolt's WRs because this race seems closer to perfection From the start to the end he ran simply faster and faster
@Don’t believe everything Yes im in track. I'm a sprinter and a tight curve can actually be detrimental if you're not skilled enough to compensate. My only complaint is being really close to the side gates and stands. Why do you think it's the worst?
im not athletic and never attempt 400m run like these but i know physics, isn't lane 8 the best because it's the least curved path altho the curved path is the longest too but yeah i can see that being the only downside
@@hearmenow909 no lane is longer or shorter. They all are 400 meters. Whats so special abourt lane 8 is that you see noone else if you lead. That can be negative or positive. Negative because you cant push urself off of other runners, positive because it is easier to run ur own race. So no, lane 8 isnt the worst. The reason why the most medals get won by the inner lanes is simply the fact that the better qualification times get set on the inner lanes, which means that normally the better runner are on them.
@Jesus is Fake 1. I live there and it is beautiful 2. Don't make things up when you don't know about them 3. Hope you can actually come and see what it looks like so you can be proven wrong
I remember watching this live and thinking “There’s no way he’s maintaining this pace.” Once he hit the last 200m and his speed DID NOT reduce, I started screaming at my tv. I still get goose bumps watching this.
I know. in previous races he ran the first 200m that fast but slowed down towards the end. in this one something just clicked and he maintained the pace throughout
@@alandeutsch9987 well, he didnt maintain his pace, running 20.7 for the first 200 and 22.3 for the last 200 (including a 12.0 100m for his last split), but he just went absolutely berserk at the start and maintained it better than usually obviously
@Philip 16 I get what you're saying but for me I disagree. It's not Rudisha's fault that he was expected to break his WR, it's because we all realised before the race that he is the greatest 800m runner in history! Though the breakthrough element of WVN is spectacular. It's also no detriment to Rudisha that Kipketer came before him (another incredible runner). Otherwise we could easily be talking about DR breaking 800m records set by Seb Coe standing for 16 years.
BOLT CLAN I’ve run both 400 & 800. After the 400 I’ve felt dizzy, fatigued all around, and mentally drained. In the 800 you pace yourself moreso, opposed to sprinting all the way through the 400. The 800 isn’t as bad in my opinion.
It all depends though. Like I'm a distance runner and I most say an 800 is much harder for me, however my 400 is absolutely nothing to right home about (not that my 800 is). I think it's all what you're trained for. All in all I personally have the most respect for mid distance runners like these and steeplechase
I literally shed tears watching this in 2016. It was almost surreal that someone not only broke Johnson's WR, but did so by over 0.1 s while running blind in lane 8. What really tore me up was when the commentator said "The South African is beginning to tire, or is he? He's pulling away". Truly inspirational, gets me everytime.
@@bantuvoicemuchaikinuthia2536 they've both already made their mark on this sport. If either of them break their current records, they'll be even more legendary.
Centrifugal force acts on you the sharper you need to turn. You're using energy attempting to stay in your lane and not fall over into the other lanes. This makes you lose speed.
While I agree from a physics standpoint about the other posts.... unfortunately the muscle between your ears usually makes lane 8 a death sentence. To watch this guy run the W.R. blind out of lane 8 is amazing. Seriously, amazing.
The last place guy Matthew Hudson Smith sure took a lot of inspiration from this legendary race. 8 years later he's the European record older and Olympic Silver medallist with the fifth fastest 400m time in history (43.44s)
Michael Johnson did it from an inner lane but this guy did it from Lane 8 and got a world record .....WOW...AMAZING. Wayde you are absolutely the biggest star of 400m. Love from Fiji. I am still amazed by your performance. This would be about the 100th or so times i have been watching this race and m still not even close to boredom...
@@CosmicGoat-d3o when you start from lane 8 you are absolutely in no 1 before 200m but you need great start fast to go but after 200m real race is start lane no 8 is so long curve then lane 123456 has advantage of curve so its very tough to clear that curve in less sec 😊
As an ex-athlete myself I think that is the most difficult and incredible way to win a 400m race from the outside lane. What a race and what an athlete Wayde is. To beat Michael Johnson's world record in that manner is truly breathtaking.
J It’s because they use cameras for timing, the times on actual footage aren’t completely official they are normally a few milliseconds behind the actual time.
Yeah that's Rob Walker doing the commentary. "He's beginning to tire", at the exact moment van Niekerk is starting to pull away from James and Merritt. What an idiot.
43.03, Wayde Van Niekerek was just three hundredths of a second shy of 43 flat and four away from 42. I never thought Michael Johnsons' WR was gonna be broken anytime soon let alone incinerated. First time I ever saw my dad gasp in pure shock, thought he was having a heart-attack...
With Johnson's 19.32 speed, he should have been able to run 41.64 in the 400. In shape, a top 400 meter runner should be able to run (2) 200's at 1.5 seconds off their best time. In theory, Bolt should be able to run a 41.38.
He's still the greatest, even though he couldn't retain his Olympic title. This was the best 400m race ever. I had to come watch it again after the best 400m hurdles ever was just run in Tokyo Olympics
@@cristianvelasquez4211 He’s out of the competition of this years olympics in Tokyo. Semi Final was just too rapid for him... still a great athlete though!
@@cristianvelasquez4211 his title as Olympic champion. He won in Rio, but in Tokyo, he got to the semifinals and didn't qualify for the final unfortunately. But he's still the best ever, and he'll always be Olympic champion. I guess I should have said he couldn't defend his title and become a double champion.
I was a more accomplished 100 and 200 runner as a kid but I think this might be the most impressive distance. It's absolutely brutal. And he made it look easy. Freak of nature; what a brilliant athlete.
I've watched this race about 5 times and I still cannot believe what I saw. This was an absolute masterpiece of a performance by Van Niekerk. You're a legend.
You guys are not Alone. I've been watching it every time since Rio Olympics . It was insane. That Record would stand for 30years more before anyone comes close to it.
The greatest race of all time. And then...tragedy struck. But his back, 6 years later, now 2023. And as you, when depressed, I watch this race, over and over and over. And 7 years later, I still cry after watching this
i actually believe the lane 8 helped him get the world record, because he couldn't see anybody, his adrenaline must have been going crazy and he couldn't really see how far he had led the field.
+Elijah Force quite the opposite....seeing other athletes running par with you or ahead of you is what makes you run faster... that us the reason lane 8 hardly has any winners.
+Rohan Khot Your point is applied majority of the time. But Elijah is on target for this situation. South African runner was pumping his cylinders full blast from the beginning. He can't see anyone and he knew he can't see them till the second turn, that's why he just ran as fast as he can from the start. Amazing!
+Fen Zai Chang yes but the credit must go to van neikerk... cause if that were the case others in lane 8 would've won too.Wade was a beast here.
8 лет назад+48
Lane 8 hardly has any winners because the fastest athletes are always drawn in the middle four lanes based on their result/placing from the previous round or the fastest SB if it's a meeting. Organizers want to put the best athletes side by side and the best way to do it is to put them in the middle. The only lanes where you're really at a disadvantage are 1 & 2 because they're too tight for most elite sprinters. As someone who has run quite a lot 400s, I can tell you that lane 8 is perfectly fine and you aren't distracted by watching other people (unless they overtake you, in which case you're too slow anyway).
Wowee! I remember the goosebumps I had the moment I saw he had broken the world record, and from lane 8, no less. I'm excited to see if he can be the first man to go sub 43.
Its easy to analyze after the race while sitting in my comfortable chair. At the end he leaned forward too soon and lost some time. He could have shaved of a few milliseconds if he leaned forward just before the line.
JPL1o618 The field clock is not always in sync with the timers, but after pausing the video it seems he hit the line on 42.85. On 43.03 he was about 2 meters past the line.
Whenever I see Wade Vannekerk in a line up I go crazy. He is my favorite 400 meters athlete. When my husband saw him in the line up, he shouted for me to come and watch the race. I was jumping all the way during the race, you would wonder if I running the race. I love you Wade. Am a Jamaican.
I don't think most people understand how truly exceptional Wayde Van Niekerk's performance was in that race. Most of us (track & field fans) place so much attention upon Usain Bolt, that we hardly focus on and give Kudos to the other athletes for their hard work and amazing performances. Now, yes, Bolt deserves a lot of credit and respect for his efforts, and for what he has done for the sport. But, let's not ignore the amazing performances of other great athletes, like Wayde. EVEN BOLT WAS AMAZED AT WAYDE'S PERFORMANCE. Bolt actually met with Wayde and congratulated him. Any athlete who is capable of running under 45 seconds in the 400m is considered World Class, in that event. And for Wayde to produce a 400m time of 43:03 against a field of World Class runners, is truly ASTONISHING, I think!
Actually he stayed in lane 8 the entire race. Your confusion arises because there are 9 lanes only in the straightaway section of this track. Look at the sky shot at 2:20 which clearly shows the curved part only has 8 lanes but the straightaway has 9 lanes. If you change lanes in a 400, you are disqualified.
What a humble winner, we have seen winners who jump up and down, winners with trash talks when they set new record but this one is different, this one is a true winner👍👍👍
Van Niekerk's world record is a performance that will be remembered for years to come. It is a reminder that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. It is also a reminder of the beauty of human potential.
3:03 that moment when he nearly gets caught up to but you can visibly see that burst of effort where he pushes himself forward again sends chills down my spine. thats what pure human drive looks like.
Every time I watch this race I wish my father had have lived long enough to see it. Not only a world record but the greatest 400M ever run to win from the outside lane. Incredible.
What about credit for winning with humility. Give credit where credit is due. Wayde so incredibly humble in the face of an historic victory. Growing up in apartheid SA had huge impact and he did this totally against any odds!!
I get the chills every time I watch this video. What composure and stoicism on display! He just obliterated the WR, and OR, and I'm the one doing the one doing all the celebration for him in my living room.
The highlight of Rio Olympics - I still come back to watch the world champion become the Olympic champion with the world record time from lane 8 and everything behind him stayed behind him, everything that came after this in his career will never overshadow this historical moment.
Everytime i watch this i get emotional. Great achievement. You make our coloureds proud. Well done and we are proud of you. Can't wait to see you in action again on the track. Recover well
*Advantages of lane 8:* -Throughout the entire race, you only turn ~280° as opposed to the inside lane's 360°. -The turns are the most gradual in lane 8, meaning it is the easiest lane to maintain your speed. *Disadvantages:* -Running blind. If you view and treat it as a race against yourself as opposed to a race against others, then lane 8 is, in my opinion, the best lane.
I’ve been a track guy my whole life and this record is so great that I can’t see it being broken in my lifetime. I’m 50 and it’s going to stand for a very long time.
Wow...amaziing....smashed 17 year old record! A beautiful run. At one point in the race he looked like he was beginning to tire and the commentator mentioned it. Then he pulled away massively. Would like to know what he was thinking in that moment where he looked tired. He is humble too....what a great runner.
That youngster Kirani James, the defending Olympic Champion, deserves a lot of applause for hugging & congratulating the Olympic Champion. Such a humble guy. Ran a stellar race too. Full of class.
I always come back to this and it never fails to tear me up. Such an inspirating performance, especially being in line 8, he never saw anyone, he was racing against himself.
The fact that that announcer was not even focusing on him was really crazy because he certainly didn’t expect him to win much more than break the world record
Incredible running by V Niekerk- just cant get enough of his composure during the race and most of all his humility afterward. He will never be quite the same after his unfortunate injury as his performance in Tokyo proved. However the world record run was one for the ages and will be appreciated savored by sports fans for years to come. Wayde, you're a legend!
My first time seeing Wade run was in 2010 at the South African champs which would be broadcasted on one of our local tv channels (SABC2) where he won both the 100m and 200m. I believe he hadn't started running the 400m at that time, but I must say I was very impressed with his fluid running style and how easy he made running look. I'm just so happy to have watched him elevate to this level and celebrate this victory as a fellow South African👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 what a time to be alive
You expressed this exceptionally well. It was almost he glided when he ran, the other bulky runners looked like they were huffing and puffing, but he kinda glided.
This race truly separates the men from the boys & the women from the girls! I feel like death hits me just jogging a 400m race. Salute to these athletes & this insane race/field!
I keep coming back to this video every few months. What a call by the commentator too. It's amazing how the Olympics just have these moments that all come together to create memories of magical
I'll never stop watching this race, even after 3 years I still react like the day I watched it live on my screen. By the way, this was my first time to see someone beating the world record. Congrats bro, I'm happy for you.
Watch the FULL SESSION here: bit.do/400mSprintMen-Rio2016
Olympic amazing
Olympic f
Olympic
I agree but also 800...
How to start Troy bilt weed eater
This wasn't a race. This was him vs. himself. He never saw anyone else to push him. Just amazing. Simply amazing.
I mean he never really had a choice lol
@Vaipoman 123 Not really. I run track and I've seen many people getting tired. Trying to keep up or run faster than their opponent. Hence why people always say"run your own race" they won't have the energy to come back home, because there tired. And didn't pace themselves at what speed they could go at the fastest and STILL have energy to come back home faster.
@lucaboden lol really?
Actually he was pushed but couldn't be pulled
Running the 400m on the outside and not seeing anyone else for the whole race is exceptionally challenging
His race strategy was to start fast, then run fast in the middle, and then end fast
hahah yo yo. He went 100 the whole time!
Awesome summation 🤣 Too funny!
hahahaha great strategy!
Simple plan
Haha
This man never saw anyone else, this whole race!
Underated comment
The Blind Race
bro do you comment on every youtube video. Lol i cant go a week without bumping into your comment
@@thabomaqubela6737 hahahahahaha same as the guy who comments about "men of culture, we meet again"
True 😆
As a South African, I get goosebumps and teary-eyed every time I watch Wayde's stellar performance
Same me too, Imagine everyones reaction if he became the first athlete in history to break the 400 meter 43 second barrier. He was close to...
Same but I'm🇳🇦
@@ask1285 he could have, injuries stopped him :(
i agree with its tears running down my cheeks he is from Cape town where I stay
I live In Nigeria
Doing it in lane 8 he literally soloed this because he never saw anyone else the whole time, that’s insane because it’s like a time trial and yet he ran a WR
Hi
Lane 8 is the hardest one as well.
@That One Being on the blind side is a bigger disadvantage compared to the advantage of wider turns.
Linkmon99 wow a roblox yt didnt expect to see u here
Robux giveaway kid
I watch this race every 2-3 months. Greatest 400 ever
same
Same bro 😂
Me too I want to download and save it in my pc
Same lol, im every my event i will saw this 😂😂
I agree
World record from lane 8. That's something special
Arthur Djanie no
- Dalcnori - stfu
@@onthaticeburgess109 lmao why did u say stfu and u said no for a fact, dumbass
I did not see that one coming! Not in Lane 8. Wow!
The lanes are all the same though
The last 100m is absolutely exhausting. It's basically your mind vs body. Insane performance. I keep coming back to this from time to time.
People can not imagine how hard this competition is, it may look easy but it is one of the most demanding specialties for the body. That lactic acid pain in the end is unimaginable.
It's really tough but 800m is harder, at least for me and i did a lot races in both distances
True for me 400m and the 5K are The most difficult ! 🤪🏋🏼♂️
I do agree even 200 m is very hard for everydaymen
Unimaginable? Dramatic.
TOO GOOD you ever ran one?
400m is the toughest race. It's basically an all out Sprint and the last 100m is like hitting a wall. The body tightens up. It's a struggle to lift your legs. You're all done but you are now running on will like you have a gun to your head. The finish line seems like forever to get too. The 400 is a nightmare.
honestly the race part isn't that bad at least for me. it's just the after. I usually can't move for like 20 minutes and I throw up like 5 times
400 hurdles or 800
it's about getting comfortable with running 15mph or more, fading at the end could indicate lack of endurance too
Not as bad as the 800 though you gotta do that but twice as fast
@@thesalad943 just depends on the person for whether the 8 or the 4 is worse
One of the greatest athletic achievements ever. If an American or Jamaican had done this he would have been one of the most famous people on the planet.
Very true.
I don't agree, what you said makes 0 sense
Its not rocket science why americans get so much press...they're basically the center of global media....Bolt is big because of how many records he broke and how consistent he has been through the years.
@@samo6083 Of course my statement makes sense. Van Niekerk hasn't received a lot of hype despite breaking a seemingly "unbreakable" record set more than 15 years ago by arguably the greatest athlete in history.
@@samo6083 It makes perfect sense
"In 1996 Atlanta Olympics
Commentetor: the man who can beat Michael Johnson hasn't been born yet."
A 4 years old kid in South Africa
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Underated comment
Michael Johnson himself said the same thing about Bolt when he broke the 200 a second time in 2009. A four year old from 2009 will be 16 this year.
Lmaooooo I'm dying lmaooooo
@@tomedwards5910 Erriyon Knighton is 17 tho 😳😳😳
Ahh, we'll Johnson had 29 or 30 when he broke the record, so the kid of SA is much younger and how many years past to break record??
Definitely one of the greatest Olympic performances of all time!!! BROKE THE WORLD RECORD IN LANE 8!!!!! LANE 8!!!
Yes unbelievable even more impressive than Bolt's WRs because this race seems closer to perfection
From the start to the end he ran simply faster and faster
If anything lane 8 is easier then say lane 1 since it's a way smoother curve
Yeeaahhh..
@@charmsly9506 lane 8 is the worst..have you ever ran lol
@Don’t believe everything Yes im in track. I'm a sprinter and a tight curve can actually be detrimental if you're not skilled enough to compensate. My only complaint is being really close to the side gates and stands. Why do you think it's the worst?
I like how humble he is too. It's very commendable how he kept his composure after the race
Well it's not due to arrogance or pride that other athletes celebrate victory... It's out of joy.
Everyone has their own way of doing it...
Same. I don’t mine no showmanship when there’s this level of sportsmanship
He a humble guy, like most south african sportsmen.
It must be hard to celebrate after a race like that anyway
So humble he hasn’t broken 45 seconds since
When you're watching a 400 it seems like the race is 20 seconds but when you're running it, it feels like 2 minutes
Tru
Cuz ur slow.
Dev Verge stfu
For me 2 hours
Wait you can cross the finish line?
wonder how that feels
To set the world record and win a Olympic gold in lane 8 for the 400m, I think we will never see again. Incredible performance
He is the only person ever to win Olympic gold in the 400 from Lane 8.
Incredible
im not athletic and never attempt 400m run like these but i know physics, isn't lane 8 the best because it's the least curved path altho the curved path is the longest too but yeah i can see that being the only downside
@@b3ar529 Lane 8 is actually longer, and harder because you can't see how fast everyone else is running.
@@hearmenow909 no lane is longer or shorter. They all are 400 meters. Whats so special abourt lane 8 is that you see noone else if you lead. That can be negative or positive. Negative because you cant push urself off of other runners, positive because it is easier to run ur own race. So no, lane 8 isnt the worst. The reason why the most medals get won by the inner lanes is simply the fact that the better qualification times get set on the inner lanes, which means that normally the better runner are on them.
that is amazing. running 400m in a time of 43.03 is running 10.76 seconds each 100m wow.
Shocking when stated this way.
He ran the second 100m in 9.98 seconds first athelic to do that! Mind blowing 😮
God Bless him. From USA Singh jasbir.
Other 3x100m you have headead start
Whats the name of the commentator?
"No South African has ever won this title for 96 years"
Won it, break world record
R M 🔥🔥🔥🔥
@Jesus is Fake Okay? So?
@@_-Anthony-_ he's a troll ignore him
@@sed1589 I like talking to trolls.
@Jesus is Fake 1. I live there and it is beautiful
2. Don't make things up when you don't know about them
3. Hope you can actually come and see what it looks like so you can be proven wrong
I always get chills when the commentator says: "the south african now beginning to tire, or is he? He's pulling away!"
I keep repeating that part 🙆♀️. It's almost as if he was blown by strong wind. Amazing
Same with 4x100 Lezak.
No one expects lane 8 to win.
Same
@@JayJay-wg5ex def not break the wr either!
Tears in my eyes, 5 years later… producing what is needed when it is needed! Dankie!!!
I remember watching this live and thinking “There’s no way he’s maintaining this pace.” Once he hit the last 200m and his speed DID NOT reduce, I started screaming at my tv. I still get goose bumps watching this.
It did reduce, slightly, but he pulverized that mental barrier in an instant and sped up.
I know. in previous races he ran the first 200m that fast but slowed down towards the end. in this one something just clicked and he maintained the pace throughout
@@alandeutsch9987 well, he didnt maintain his pace, running 20.7 for the first 200 and 22.3 for the last 200 (including a 12.0 100m for his last split), but he just went absolutely berserk at the start and maintained it better than usually obviously
His speed did reduce, if his speed didn’t reduce he would have ran 41.0….
Still, and will always be the most amazing race by an individual. Lane 8, will never happen again and a WR.
To assume that human knows better than creator is just not adequate. God alone knows what will happend in future.
Rudisha 800m final in london rivals this surely?
@Philip 16 I get what you're saying but for me I disagree. It's not Rudisha's fault that he was expected to break his WR, it's because we all realised before the race that he is the greatest 800m runner in history! Though the breakthrough element of WVN is spectacular. It's also no detriment to Rudisha that Kipketer came before him (another incredible runner). Otherwise we could easily be talking about DR breaking 800m records set by Seb Coe standing for 16 years.
Great comment.
Lane 8 is why he ran so fast.
yeah these athletes are humble unlike others, and 400m is by far one of the hardest
I remember my first 400m race . Absolutely makes u feel dead lol
Lmao I'm dead after every 400. It's so brutal, cuz you literally have to sprint around the entire track.
Theafricanlakekayak no 800
BOLT CLAN I’ve run both 400 & 800. After the 400 I’ve felt dizzy, fatigued all around, and mentally drained. In the 800 you pace yourself moreso, opposed to sprinting all the way through the 400. The 800 isn’t as bad in my opinion.
It all depends though. Like I'm a distance runner and I most say an 800 is much harder for me, however my 400 is absolutely nothing to right home about (not that my 800 is). I think it's all what you're trained for. All in all I personally have the most respect for mid distance runners like these and steeplechase
I literally shed tears watching this in 2016. It was almost surreal that someone not only broke Johnson's WR, but did so by over 0.1 s while running blind in lane 8. What really tore me up was when the commentator said "The South African is beginning to tire, or is he? He's pulling away". Truly inspirational, gets me everytime.
I still cried today when I watched it to pump myself up.
Very emotional ❤
whenever i lose interest or don't feel like running i always come to this video and rudisha 800m world record to motivate myself
Van will do under 43...Then retire....
Seems like rudisha was looking under 140...
Then retire...
@@bantuvoicemuchaikinuthia2536 .... I'm betting on Norman and donavan brazier to break those
@@bantuvoicemuchaikinuthia2536 they've both already made their mark on this sport. If either of them break their current records, they'll be even more legendary.
@@shomariboulet I think brazier will beat the 800m but Wayde isn't finished yet
You're the man
Lane 8? He did that in lane 8. That adds to the degree of difficulty. So impressive.
With regards to physics, the last lane is actually the fastest for anything longer than 100m.
Centrifugal force acts on you the sharper you need to turn. You're using energy attempting to stay in your lane and not fall over into the other lanes. This makes you lose speed.
While I agree from a physics standpoint about the other posts.... unfortunately the muscle between your ears usually makes lane 8 a death sentence. To watch this guy run the W.R. blind out of lane 8 is amazing. Seriously, amazing.
hes very much a speed 400m runner, he did well on the loose curve and was able to run his own race
Nah Lane 8 makes it easier physically because the turns are less sharp and less momentum is lost on the turns
This is one of the greatest moments in South African sports. We are forever greatful to you Wayde.
To be honest this one of greatest moments in the olympics especially in Rio 2016. This race was so underrated.
It is up there Prince Malcolm but what about winning the cricket and rugby world cup?
when nobody has never ran that distance that fast before, thats one of the greatest moments in the WORLD
@@dn30001 The distance has been ran faster, just not the event.
@@jhoncena1111 yeah on the fly in a relay...so what
The last place guy Matthew Hudson Smith sure took a lot of inspiration from this legendary race. 8 years later he's the European record older and Olympic Silver medallist with the fifth fastest 400m time in history (43.44s)
hand down the best performance of the games. completely over shadowing bolt. totally underrated.
NO----Bolt is 3 times greater.
+martmart1
not in these games
*****
Let's apprecite them both then ;)
FI REAL
Rudisha's 1.40.91 was not bad too 4 years ago...
for no reason, I feel like crying watching this. It's like I found a new idol. Well done Wade.
I have seen this more than six times and it makes me want to cry always.
^pussys....jk, it makes be emotional too :( :)
Rodwell Masocha Sibanda
Because we' ll never run that right?
LOL
Tyson Sprinter and me
you're not to believe idols man, read the good word.....no man should be worshipped but one that created all man
Michael Johnson did it from an inner lane but this guy did it from Lane 8 and got a world record .....WOW...AMAZING. Wayde you are absolutely the biggest star of 400m. Love from Fiji. I am still amazed by your performance. This would be about the 100th or so times i have been watching this race and m still not even close to boredom...
How does the lane number matter?
@@CosmicGoat-d3o when you start from lane 8 you are absolutely in no 1 before 200m but you need great start fast to go but after 200m real race is start lane no 8 is so long curve then lane 123456 has advantage of curve so its very tough to clear that curve in less sec 😊
@@CosmicGoat-d3obecause he did it all by himself without knowing where anyone was which makes it scarier
As an ex-athlete myself I think that is the most difficult and incredible way to win a 400m race from the outside lane. What a race and what an athlete Wayde is. To beat Michael Johnson's world record in that manner is truly breathtaking.
For me, Wayde new 400m WR was the shinest moment of Athletics in Rio 2016
"The South African is beggining to tire, oh! is he? He's pulling away"
Pause at 3:9 look at the time also at 3:10
The same can be said about Usain Bolt when he set the WR (again) in the 200M. Footage shows 18.9 but the record goes down as 19.19 for Bolt.
J It’s because they use cameras for timing, the times on actual footage aren’t completely official they are normally a few milliseconds behind the actual time.
Wind assistance
Yeah that's Rob Walker doing the commentary. "He's beginning to tire", at the exact moment van Niekerk is starting to pull away from James and Merritt. What an idiot.
43.03, Wayde Van Niekerek was just three hundredths of a second shy of 43 flat and four away from 42. I never thought Michael Johnsons' WR was gonna be broken anytime soon let alone incinerated. First time I ever saw my dad gasp in pure shock, thought he was having a heart-attack...
my reaction was exactly the same!
I think he can do it. That was closr
Lol, yeah. He"s just a big Athletics fanatic.
Michael Johnson did a 42.95 400m once but it was in a relay
With Johnson's 19.32 speed, he should have been able to run 41.64 in the 400. In shape, a top 400 meter runner should be able to run (2) 200's at 1.5 seconds off their best time. In theory, Bolt should be able to run a 41.38.
He's still the greatest, even though he couldn't retain his Olympic title. This was the best 400m race ever. I had to come watch it again after the best 400m hurdles ever was just run in Tokyo Olympics
What do you mean he couldn't retain his title?
@@cristianvelasquez4211 He’s out of the competition of this years olympics in Tokyo. Semi Final was just too rapid for him... still a great athlete though!
@@cristianvelasquez4211 his title as Olympic champion. He won in Rio, but in Tokyo, he got to the semifinals and didn't qualify for the final unfortunately. But he's still the best ever, and he'll always be Olympic champion. I guess I should have said he couldn't defend his title and become a double champion.
@@toramenor Didn't Van Niekerek defend his world title in 2017? And as a bonus got a silver in 200m.
@@chamindujanith6337 this was the Olympics in Rio 2016, so we're talking about the Olympic champion title
One of the greatest sprint finals ever, ever. This is going to be a very difficult record to break.
Probably will last forever
@@CRoooH He's coming back, a few days ago he just ran a 20.1s 200m, he ran a similar split early that 2016 season
I hear this year is stacked so maybe we'll see it soon
@@D.Wolf6030 do you know what day and time the race will be?
@@cfbaddict7284 not sure when exactly But I’m pretty sure in the beginning of August
Arguably one of the greatest track feats ever. Still gives me chills.
Yes and a clean athlete too.
He is so humble in victory as well, what a guy
His retained power in the last 50 is amazing. Something never seen.
When I'm having a bad day I come back to this race. It always inspires me.
Same here
agree
I was a more accomplished 100 and 200 runner as a kid but I think this might be the most impressive distance. It's absolutely brutal. And he made it look easy. Freak of nature; what a brilliant athlete.
GreetTheSacredCow is the 600 meter considered a sprint or endurance race.
I think endurance, and may god have mercy on anyone who has to run that.
a 600 is still a sprint actually.. 800 is when you start going into mid-distance
GreetTheSacredCow 8
GreetTheSacredCow this is like real life Chuck Norris on steroids. Unbelievable.
I've watched this race about 5 times and I still cannot believe what I saw. This was an absolute masterpiece of a performance by Van Niekerk. You're a legend.
when I'm bored i watch this race and it makes me feel better
It literally makes me cry it’s unreal
You guys are not Alone.
I've been watching it every time since Rio Olympics .
It was insane.
That Record would stand for 30years more before anyone comes close to it.
I literally shed some tears. He moved me. It was just goosebumps everywhere. Well done Wayde 🙏
Such a good one to rewatch every now and then.
Feel exactly the same, this is pushing the human body to a limit not many have
Watching this again, 23 April 2021 for inspiration - still brings tears to my eyes as a South African. Wow Wayde, dankie bru.
Me too bra me too....
@@sizwedhlamini9775Me too. And may he find his way back to teach us a lesson about faith, humility and perseverance. 🇿🇦
I come back and watch this race every few months. Still get goosebumps every time I watch it. Truly a special race.
The greatest race of all time. And then...tragedy struck. But his back, 6 years later, now 2023. And as you, when depressed, I watch this race, over and over and over. And 7 years later, I still cry after watching this
Who's watching in 2020? I can't get over this greatness ❤🔥🔥
Goosebumps everytime
Me 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦
And I can not get over your great comment.
Up Mzansi.
Still watching. After all hes South African.
One of the most unbelievable athletic feats ever. Demolished the field in the hardest event in the Olympics and he did it from the blind lane.
Such an amazing performance especially for lane 8 when you can't even see how you're performing until you get around the 2nd bend.
i actually believe the lane 8 helped him get the world record, because he couldn't see anybody, his adrenaline must have been going crazy and he couldn't really see how far he had led the field.
+Elijah Force quite the opposite....seeing other athletes running par with you or ahead of you is what makes you run faster... that us the reason lane 8 hardly has any winners.
+Rohan Khot Your point is applied majority of the time. But Elijah is on target for this situation. South African runner was pumping his cylinders full blast from the beginning. He can't see anyone and he knew he can't see them till the second turn, that's why he just ran as fast as he can from the start. Amazing!
+Fen Zai Chang yes but the credit must go to van neikerk... cause if that were the case others in lane 8 would've won too.Wade was a beast here.
Lane 8 hardly has any winners because the fastest athletes are always drawn in the middle four lanes based on their result/placing from the previous round or the fastest SB if it's a meeting. Organizers want to put the best athletes side by side and the best way to do it is to put them in the middle. The only lanes where you're really at a disadvantage are 1 & 2 because they're too tight for most elite sprinters. As someone who has run quite a lot 400s, I can tell you that lane 8 is perfectly fine and you aren't distracted by watching other people (unless they overtake you, in which case you're too slow anyway).
Wowee! I remember the goosebumps I had the moment I saw he had broken the world record, and from lane 8, no less. I'm excited to see if he can be the first man to go sub 43.
sub 43 for sure...
Its easy to analyze after the race while sitting in my comfortable chair. At the end he leaned forward too soon and lost some time. He could have shaved of a few milliseconds if he leaned forward just before the line.
He already broke 43. pause it at the line, you see 42.9 on the field clock.
JPL1o618
The field clock is not always in sync with the timers, but after pausing the video it seems he hit the line on 42.85. On 43.03 he was about 2 meters past the line.
JPL1o618 That's not how it works lol
That was possibly the greatest 400m race I’ve ever seen, absolutely astonishing!
That’s because it was the greatest 400m race. 🤷🏼♂️
Whenever I see Wade Vannekerk in a line up I go crazy. He is my favorite 400 meters athlete. When my husband saw him in the line up, he shouted for me to come and watch the race. I was jumping all the way during the race, you would wonder if I running the race. I love you Wade. Am a Jamaican.
I don't think most people understand how truly exceptional Wayde Van Niekerk's performance was in that race. Most of us (track & field fans) place so much attention upon Usain Bolt, that we hardly focus on and give Kudos to the other athletes for their hard work and amazing performances. Now, yes, Bolt deserves a lot of credit and respect for his efforts, and for what he has done for the sport. But, let's not ignore the amazing performances of other great athletes, like Wayde. EVEN BOLT WAS AMAZED AT WAYDE'S PERFORMANCE. Bolt actually met with Wayde and congratulated him.
Any athlete who is capable of running under 45 seconds in the 400m is considered World Class, in that event. And for Wayde to produce a 400m time of 43:03 against a field of World Class runners, is truly ASTONISHING, I think!
he is running in line 8 and last 100m in lane 7 ? It is allowed ?
Tomáš Andrejko he didn't change the lanes, but you probably can change them if you dont disturb others at the straight. Watch the race closely!
Tomáš Andrejko he finished in lane 8
There are 9 lanes
Actually he stayed in lane 8 the entire race. Your confusion arises because there are 9 lanes only in the straightaway section of this track. Look at the sky shot at 2:20 which clearly shows the curved part only has 8 lanes but the straightaway has 9 lanes. If you change lanes in a 400, you are disqualified.
+gtrdoc911 no your not automatic disqualified only if your deemed to have gained an advantage from doing so.
What a humble winner, we have seen winners who jump up and down, winners with trash talks when they set new record but this one is different, this one is a true winner👍👍👍
a very humble man in victory God bless you abundantly .....from the South Pacific Island of Fiji
God? It was Wade's own effort!
I will visit your island one day! God bless you Jerry!
Van Niekerk's world record is a performance that will be remembered for years to come. It is a reminder that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. It is also a reminder of the beauty of human potential.
"Usain Bolt is the main course tonight", Wayde Van Niekerk : "hold my beer"
“Hold my GaTsBy”
Say it with your chest... Hold my fckn beer!!
Hold my Windhoek
Hold my teeth
@@Illmatic1994 Nah bruh, Castle.
400m is every runners worse nightmare
i dream about this race so much and daydream too i think im obsessed. my school's record is 48.3 and i want to beat is by senior year so badly
Keep at it man!
My goal is to run 400m in 46-47 seconds but I'm not trying to go faster than that
Darude Sandstorm that's really good lol. Rn I'm at 52 seconds but I improve all the time
Manic Gaming Well atm you run a faster 400 than me! I run it in 56 seconds
Darude Sandstorm aye u got this bro I was at 56 four meets ago 😳
3:03 that moment when he nearly gets caught up to but you can visibly see that burst of effort where he pushes himself forward again sends chills down my spine. thats what pure human drive looks like.
Every time I watch this race I wish my father had have lived long enough to see it. Not only a world record but the greatest 400M ever run to win from the outside lane. Incredible.
One of the best races ever in the history of track and field. Running blind in lane 8 and breaking the world record is amazing!
3:17 This is called loosing with dignity!! Thats the true spirit hats off to Kirani James!!
And besides that, he has ran an insanely fast time himself!
He knew he was losing didnt panic held form and got silver he easily could've fallen apart and lost to Merritt as well.
These 400m runners really know what 43.03 means.
Very heart warming indeed...true sportsmanship.
What about credit for winning with humility. Give credit where credit is due. Wayde so incredibly humble in the face of an historic victory. Growing up in apartheid SA had huge impact and he did this totally against any odds!!
The outstanding performance of Rio 2016. Kudos to James and Merritt for recognising and responding, appropriately, to what had just been achieved.
I get the chills every time I watch this video. What composure and stoicism on display! He just obliterated the WR, and OR, and I'm the one doing the one doing all the celebration for him in my living room.
His reaction though... as if he's just won a heat??
Humble person.
He was exhausted. Later he collapsed and had to be taken to hospital.
@@OscarOstebo no....that was for the world championships the year before,this year he was a different kind of beast 🔥
Neo The Catuber so humble... what finesse
IN LANE 8!!!! AMAZING!! Olympics coming up this year so I had to come re-watch this. 4 years FLIES by, man.
i remember myself before any big 400m final (including this) thinking:"no1 will ever brake that amazing 43.18"...how times change right?
dude, i had exactly the same thinking!
you are stupid
You tell them Jo!
piet ek sal piet
jy is onbeskof dutchie
I still come here after a few months to watch the greatest sprint final ever 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 much love to you Wayde 🔥🔥🔥
Best performance of all time from this South African star. Amazing!
beautiful athlete he is..... i raced with him once in SA University competitions, even then you could see he has a great future ahead of him
Proudly South African 🇿🇦❤️
🇿🇦👍
The highlight of Rio Olympics - I still come back to watch the world champion become the Olympic champion with the world record time from lane 8 and everything behind him stayed behind him, everything that came after this in his career will never overshadow this historical moment.
Everytime i watch this i get emotional. Great achievement. You make our coloureds proud. Well done and we are proud of you. Can't wait to see you in action again on the track. Recover well
"Lemme just become the Olympic champion, world recorder holder, and world champion all in one race."
thats bolt for youuuuuu
Olympic and world champion in one race?
@@unicockboy1666 Olympic record and world record
...from lane 8.
You beauty...
*Advantages of lane 8:*
-Throughout the entire race, you only turn ~280° as opposed to the inside lane's 360°.
-The turns are the most gradual in lane 8, meaning it is the easiest lane to maintain your speed.
*Disadvantages:*
-Running blind.
If you view and treat it as a race against yourself as opposed to a race against others, then lane 8 is, in my opinion, the best lane.
Great comment. Maybe line 8 is the best one for him.
The two advantages are two wordings of the same advantage.
Great comment
@@alanwhite3154 Hahahahhahahahahhaha
Still in a strategic race and a killer distance it is an amazing feat to win from this lane. How often is it done?
I’ve been a track guy my whole life and this record is so great that I can’t see it being broken in my lifetime. I’m 50 and it’s going to stand for a very long time.
Wow...amaziing....smashed 17 year old record! A beautiful run. At one point in the race he looked like he was beginning to tire and the commentator mentioned it. Then he pulled away massively. Would like to know what he was thinking in that moment where he looked tired. He is humble too....what a great runner.
The guy is humility personified
True
Heard an interview and he seems like a great person....not all bragging ....just laying it down on the line. Impressive.
this is one of the reasons i love kirani james- few sportsmen today celebrate their opponents achievements the way that james does.
I love how he's so humble. A true athlete🙏
That youngster Kirani James, the defending Olympic Champion, deserves a lot of applause for hugging & congratulating the Olympic Champion. Such a humble guy. Ran a stellar race too. Full of class.
Well said, and a fun fact, LaShawn Merritt in 3rd won the gold in 2008, classy response from him too. Talk about a loaded field
The most humble winner & world record breaker...truly heroes.. Saluted to him,
Watching almost a year after and the 'hair from the back of my neck is till tingling' and some tears of joy too!
So it's not just us? 😉
Most definitely!
...4 yrs and still tingling!
I always come back to this and it never fails to tear me up. Such an inspirating performance, especially being in line 8, he never saw anyone, he was racing against himself.
The fact that that announcer was not even focusing on him was really crazy because he certainly didn’t expect him to win much more than break the world record
he is so humble , what a great athlete💪🏼
Incredible running by V Niekerk- just cant get enough of his composure during the race and most of all his humility afterward. He will never be quite the same after his unfortunate injury as his performance in Tokyo proved. However the world record run was one for the ages and will be appreciated savored by sports fans for years to come. Wayde, you're a legend!
Watching this 8 years later and I still get chills!
He is so humble, break the world record and kept his emotion. I really admired him, what a brilliant runner.
Matthew Hudson Smith has come a long way. Despite coming 2nd in Paris it still shows how his hard work has payed off.
My first time seeing Wade run was in 2010 at the South African champs which would be broadcasted on one of our local tv channels (SABC2) where he won both the 100m and 200m. I believe he hadn't started running the 400m at that time, but I must say I was very impressed with his fluid running style and how easy he made running look. I'm just so happy to have watched him elevate to this level and celebrate this victory as a fellow South African👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 what a time to be alive
You expressed this exceptionally well. It was almost he glided when he ran, the other bulky runners looked like they were huffing and puffing, but he kinda glided.
Watched about 50 times! Still the one of my favourite videos to watch +
Who's here after he failed to qualify for the final of the same event Tokyo 2020? Hard to believe but he's still a legend...
but you are mbaape fan
@@dipakbodkhe5391 what does that have to do with anything?
@@caiphus08 it’s a problem
@@adamcang4683 how is it a problem?
so true, you cannot win a gold medal and fail to qualify all the great guys were out
This race truly separates the men from the boys & the women from the girls! I feel like death hits me just jogging a 400m race. Salute to these athletes & this insane race/field!
I keep coming back to this video every few months. What a call by the commentator too. It's amazing how the Olympics just have these moments that all come together to create memories of magical
I'll never stop watching this race, even after 3 years I still react like the day I watched it live on my screen. By the way, this was my first time to see someone beating the world record. Congrats bro, I'm happy for you.
I thought Michael Johnsons record would never be beaten but this guy is phenomenal!
Its still incredible to see the small guy in lane 8 who looks like he belongs in the 1500 run faster than Michael Johnson. Just incredible
Kirani James has always been such a class act he was the first to hug neikirk and has always been rlly humble always loved watching him run