![Rio 2016: Wayde van Niekerk just won gold but his track star mother would have never had the same opportunity | The Independent | The Independent Rio 2016: Wayde van Niekerk just won gold but his track star mother would have never had the same opportunity | The Independent | The Independent](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/16/10/wayde-van-neikerk-rio-400m-gold.jpg?quality=75&width=982&height=726&auto=webp)
Rio 2016: Wayde van Niekerk just won gold but his track star mother would have never had the same opportunity | The Independent | The Independent
![South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk has won the gold medal in the men's 400 metres in a new world record time of 43.03 at the Olympics Stadium on the ninth day of South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk has won the gold medal in the men's 400 metres in a new world record time of 43.03 at the Olympics Stadium on the ninth day of](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/GJDGMG/south-africas-wayde-van-niekerk-has-won-the-gold-medal-in-the-mens-GJDGMG.jpg)
South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk has won the gold medal in the men's 400 metres in a new world record time of 43.03 at the Olympics Stadium on the ninth day of
![2016 Rio Olympics -- Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins men's 400-meter final in world-record 43.03 seconds 2016 Rio Olympics -- Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins men's 400-meter final in world-record 43.03 seconds](https://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2016%2F0814%2Fr113877_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg)
2016 Rio Olympics -- Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins men's 400-meter final in world-record 43.03 seconds
![SportsCenter on Twitter: "World Record! Wayde van Niekerk runs away with the 400m title and breaks Michael Johnson's WR with a time of 43.03. https://t.co/Fjd32UV1Af" / Twitter SportsCenter on Twitter: "World Record! Wayde van Niekerk runs away with the 400m title and breaks Michael Johnson's WR with a time of 43.03. https://t.co/Fjd32UV1Af" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cp3LfW3XgAAqHU8.jpg)
SportsCenter on Twitter: "World Record! Wayde van Niekerk runs away with the 400m title and breaks Michael Johnson's WR with a time of 43.03. https://t.co/Fjd32UV1Af" / Twitter
B/R Football on Twitter: "43.03 seconds. Wayde van Niekerk has absolutely destroyed the 400m world record 🔥 #Rio2016 https://t.co/5oWYwMg5n9" / Twitter
![Wayde Van Niekerk wins men's 400 metres in world record 43.03 to claim gold for South Africa and beat Michael Johnson's 17-year record Wayde Van Niekerk wins men's 400 metres in world record 43.03 to claim gold for South Africa and beat Michael Johnson's 17-year record](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/olympics/2016/08/15/vanniekerk_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqytxLMmtfp3sC_cEhhtHl3-kWZ2wQyMFrq6bVM5K5Eps.jpg)
Wayde Van Niekerk wins men's 400 metres in world record 43.03 to claim gold for South Africa and beat Michael Johnson's 17-year record
![RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins the mens 400m final and sets a new world record of 43.03 seconds during the evening session on RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins the mens 400m final and sets a new world record of 43.03 seconds during the evening session on](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/GJDKPT/rio-de-janeiro-brazil-august-14-wayde-van-niekerk-of-south-africa-GJDKPT.jpg)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa wins the mens 400m final and sets a new world record of 43.03 seconds during the evening session on
![Wayde Van Niekerk wins men's 400 metres in world record 43.03 to claim gold for South Africa and beat Michael Johnson's 17-year record Wayde Van Niekerk wins men's 400 metres in world record 43.03 to claim gold for South Africa and beat Michael Johnson's 17-year record](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/olympics/2016/08/15/wayde_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqZgEkZX3M936N5BQK4Va8RWtT0gK_6EfZT336f62EI5U.jpg?imwidth=480)