![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
![RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa in front of the board showing his new world record in the mens 400m (43.03 seconds) during the evening RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa in front of the board showing his new world record in the mens 400m (43.03 seconds) during the evening](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/GJDM0K/rio-de-janeiro-brazil-august-14-wayde-van-niekerk-of-south-africa-GJDM0K.jpg)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa in front of the board showing his new world record in the mens 400m (43.03 seconds) during the evening
![43.03 From Lane 8! Wayde van Niekerk Takes Down Michael Johnson's 17-Year-Old 400M World Record to Win Olympic Gold - LetsRun.com 43.03 From Lane 8! Wayde van Niekerk Takes Down Michael Johnson's 17-Year-Old 400M World Record to Win Olympic Gold - LetsRun.com](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rio-2016.png)
43.03 From Lane 8! Wayde van Niekerk Takes Down Michael Johnson's 17-Year-Old 400M World Record to Win Olympic Gold - LetsRun.com
![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
![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
![Interview with Wayde van Niekerk: South African sets new world record running 43.03 seconds - CCTV News - CCTV.com English Interview with Wayde van Niekerk: South African sets new world record running 43.03 seconds - CCTV News - CCTV.com English](http://p1.img.cctvpic.com/photoworkspace/contentimg/2016/08/16/2016081611433897051.jpg)