Zakithi Nene has become the second South African after Wayde van Niekerk to run the 400m under 44 seconds, clocking a 43.76 sec world lead in Nairobi.
He won the 400m there by more than a second, with Nigerian Chidi Okezie finishing in 44.98.
Nene, who anchored the South African 4x400m team to gold at the World Relays earlier in May, eclipsed American Jacory Patterson as the fastest one-lap competitor in the world so far this year.
Patterson had been the only man to have been under 44.00 with the 43.98 he clocked in China in early May.
Nene’s effort on Saturday lifted him to 16th on the all-time list, which is topped by Van Niekerk with his 43.03 world record. Van Niekerk has been quicker than Nene on only four occasions.
Zakithi Nene joins sub-44 seconds club with speedy victory in Nairobi
Image: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Zakithi Nene has become the second South African after Wayde van Niekerk to run the 400m under 44 seconds, clocking a 43.76 sec world lead in Nairobi.
He won the 400m there by more than a second, with Nigerian Chidi Okezie finishing in 44.98.
Nene, who anchored the South African 4x400m team to gold at the World Relays earlier in May, eclipsed American Jacory Patterson as the fastest one-lap competitor in the world so far this year.
Patterson had been the only man to have been under 44.00 with the 43.98 he clocked in China in early May.
Nene’s effort on Saturday lifted him to 16th on the all-time list, which is topped by Van Niekerk with his 43.03 world record. Van Niekerk has been quicker than Nene on only four occasions.
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