Wayde Van Niekerk Breaks World Record* in 300m

by LetsRun.com
June 28, 2017

Wayden Van Niekerk ran 30.81 at the Ostrava Golden Spike Meet in the Czech Republic to break Michael Johnson’s previous world record* in the 300m of 30.85.

Prior to tonight only 2 men, Michael Johnson and Usain Bolt (30.97 in Ostrava in 2010), had been under 31 seconds for 200m.

Van Niekerk got a great start, and powered to the line. He was racing the clock.

From his reaction on seeing the time, he must have thought he could run faster as he didn’t react like a guy who had beaten a world record.

Video of race:

Article continues below player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tJMT2xKYB4

Full results

Rank

Athlete

Nation

Result

Reaction time

VAN Niekerk Wayde

RSA

WR, MR, NR, PB

30.81

0.152

MAKWALA Isaac

BOT

31.44

0.217

MUNYAI Clarence

RSA

31.61

0.155

MASLÁK Pavel

CZE

NR, PB

31.80

0.190

BRENES Nery

CRC

32.22

OMELKO Rafał

POL

32.23

BONEVACIA Liemarvin

NED

32.25

ŠORM Patrik

CZE

32.50

0.189

*The IAAF does not officially recognize a world record at 300m, but this is a legitimate distance since the names Bolt, Johnson and van Niekerk are in the record book, so for the sake of the fans it needs to be referred to as a world record.

Van Niekerk on his way to 300m world record

The finish

Wayde Van Niekerk Breaks World Record* in 300m

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