Bahamas Gardiner wins Olympic men’s 400m gold

Steven Gardiner powered to gold in the Olympic 400 metres final on Thursday to maintain his four-year unbeaten streak.

The 25-year-old 2019 world champion stormed to the line in 43.85sec, with Colombia’s Anthony Jose Zambrano taking silver in 44.08sec.

Grenada’s Kirani James, the 2012 champion and 2016 silver medallist, took bronze in 44.19sec.

Gardiner’s victory extended his dominance of the one-lap event over the past four years.

The Bahamian hasn’t lost a 400m race that he has completed since taking a silver medal behind South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk at the 2017 World Championships.

Leaving aside three races where he did not finish due to injury, Gardiner has been unbeaten in 20 of 23 starts since that 2017 loss.

Gardiner’s victory raises the prospect of an Olympic double for Bahamas at the 400m in Tokyo with 2016 gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo running in the women’s final on Friday.

Gardiner’s gold medal was never really in doubt as he waited patiently before surging smoothly into the lead off the final bend.

Once in front, there was only going to be one winner and Gardiner motored home in his fastest time of 2021.

As Gardiner celebrated, there was disappointment for US hope Michael Norman, who set off quickly before fading down the home stretch and eventually finishing in fifth behind fourth-placed compatriot Michael Cherry.

AFP/Mercy Chukwudiebere