Former Olympic champion Michael Johnson has predicted that Wayde van Niekerk will become the next star of athletics after his performance in the 400m final on Sunday night.
The South African claimed the gold medal in a time of 43.03s as he broke Johnson's long-standing world record in Rio de Janeiro, and the legendary American admitted that he had been left stunned by the performance.
The 48-year-old told BBC Sport: "From lane eight, a world record. He took it out so quick. I have never seen anything from 200 to 400 like that.
"He may well have run faster in the second 200 than in the first. Well done to this youngster. A world record. That was a massacre from Wayde van Niekerk. He just put those guys away. LaShawn Merritt was shaking his head, thinking 'I can't do anything with that'.
"Van Niekerk is so young, what else can he do? Can he go under 43 seconds? It is something I thought I could do, but never did. Usain Bolt will be retiring soon, this could be the next star of the sport."
Before tonight's success, the 24-year-old had previously won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and gold at last year's World Championships.
