The women’s 400m final had already promised to be a cracker, but not even the athletes had anticipated the dramatic ending of the race which saw Bahamian Shaunae Miller collapse just before the finishing line to claim GOLD ahead of one of the world’s greatest sprinters ever, Allyson Felix.
It was no doubt a sweet revenge for the 22-year old who had finished behind Felix in Beijing last year. With the tables turned this time around, Miller claimed her first Olympic medal in a Personal Best (PB) of 49.44s, with Felix taking the Silver in a Season’s Best (SB) of 49.51s, while Beijing 2015 Bronze medallist, Shericka Jackson took 3rd position once again with a PB of 49.85s.
USA’s pair of Natasha Hastings (50.34s) and Phyllis Francis (50.41s) finished 4th and 5th respectively, while Commonwealth Champion Stephenie Ann McPherson placed 6th in 50.97s. Ukrainian Olha Zemlyak (51.24s) and Libania Grenot (51.25s) finished 7th and 8th in the race.
Drawn in Lane 7, the former World Youth and Junior Champion gave the race her all, accelerating from the beginning as she knew she had to run the race of her life if she was to beat the more experienced Felix.
It was no mean feat trying to hold off the London 2012 200m Champion who began to advance with 50m to go, while the Bahamian struggled, before making a desperate lunge as she got to the finishing line, with arms outstretched.
It was such a close call that for moments afterwards, no one knew who the winner of the race was, until the official declaration was made, giving Miller the nod.
Miller was so spent and overcome after the race that she remained on the ground even after being announced as the winner of the event, saying afterwards:
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I just gave it my all. I am just so happy, so grateful, such emotions I just can’t say. I’ve been going through so much this year. Everybody at home will all be celebrating right now.”
USA’s most decorated athlete would have to wait for another day to realize her dream of striking her first Olympic GOLD medal in the 400m. However it remains to be seen if she can make it to Tokyo 2020, which would be her fifth outing at the Olympics if achieved.
