2016 Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Shaunae Miller Upsets Allyson Felix For 400m Gold!
Shaunae Miller Upsets Allyson Felix For 400m Gold!
Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas just took down the global queen of sprinting. Miller, 22, upset Allyson Felix, 30, in the women's 400m final tonight by .07 se
Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas just took down the global queen of sprinting.
Miller, 22, upset Allyson Felix, 30, in the women's 400m final tonight by .07 seconds. The former Georgia athlete dove across the finish line to run 49.44, a new personal best, while Felix finished in 49.51.
Photo by James Lang - USA TODAY Sports
Miller and Felix were out fast, and coming around the final turn it looked like the Bahamian had big lead on Felix. Just as she did at the U.S. trials, Felix ate up the lead down the final 100m, but it wasn't enough. Miller dove, though it looked more like a stumble across the finish line.
This is Miller's first Olympic appearance and first global gold. She finished runner-up to Felix at last summer's world championship and was the best 400m runner all season, clocking a world leading time of 49.55 at the London Diamond League. But she flew under the radar during the Olympic build-up with now seven-time Olympic medalist Felix as the headliner.
Beating Felix and winning gold shouldn't come as a surprise, though. Miller is a prodigy. She won the 2010 World Junior Championship when she was just 16 years old. The following summer, she ran 51.84 to win the World Youth Championships. She competed at the 2012 Olympic Games but injured her hamstring in the prelim.
She attended the University of Georgia for only one season, but took home the NCAA indoor title in 2013 and was runner-up behind Team USA 400m hurdler Ashley Spencer at the outdoor championships. She went on to compete at the 2013 World Outdoor Championships in Moscow and finished fourth in the 200m. After tonight's victory, it's safe to say people will be talking a lot more about Shaunae Miller.
This is Felix's seventh Olympic medal. She passed Jackie Joyner-Kersee for the most medals won by an American woman in track and field and she is now tied with Irena Szewinska (Poland), Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) and Shirley Strickland (Australia) for total Olympic medals in the sport. Medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays later this week would make Felix the most decorated (nine total medals) woman in track and field history, tied with Merlene Ottey of Jamaica.
All eyes were on Felix, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, as she went for her first 400m Olympic gold after failing to qualify for the 200m at the U.S. trials. But the road to Rio has not been easy for Felix. In April, she dropped a weight on her ankle in the weightroom and was forced to pull out of several big events prior to the Olympic trials. She raced at two smaller competitions in June and managed to win the U.S. Championship in the 400m on July 3.
Shericka Jackson of Jamaica earned bronze in 49.85, while Americans Natasha Hastings (50.34) and Phyllis Francis (50.41) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
After the finish, athletes and fans were quick to voice their opinions of the dive. U.S. hurdlers Lolo Jones and Ryan Wilson were vocal about on Twitter:
Casual track fans were quick to judge this finish as unfair toward Felix, but what Miller did is totally legal and happens all the time. At the 2012 Olympic Trials, hurdler Jeff Porter dove across the finish line to place third in the 110m hurdles, and it was seen as a heroic feat of athleticism.
Take it from one of the greatest 400m runners of all-time, Michael Johnson.
Miller, 22, upset Allyson Felix, 30, in the women's 400m final tonight by .07 seconds. The former Georgia athlete dove across the finish line to run 49.44, a new personal best, while Felix finished in 49.51.
Photo by James Lang - USA TODAY Sports
Miller and Felix were out fast, and coming around the final turn it looked like the Bahamian had big lead on Felix. Just as she did at the U.S. trials, Felix ate up the lead down the final 100m, but it wasn't enough. Miller dove, though it looked more like a stumble across the finish line.
This is Miller's first Olympic appearance and first global gold. She finished runner-up to Felix at last summer's world championship and was the best 400m runner all season, clocking a world leading time of 49.55 at the London Diamond League. But she flew under the radar during the Olympic build-up with now seven-time Olympic medalist Felix as the headliner.
Beating Felix and winning gold shouldn't come as a surprise, though. Miller is a prodigy. She won the 2010 World Junior Championship when she was just 16 years old. The following summer, she ran 51.84 to win the World Youth Championships. She competed at the 2012 Olympic Games but injured her hamstring in the prelim.
She attended the University of Georgia for only one season, but took home the NCAA indoor title in 2013 and was runner-up behind Team USA 400m hurdler Ashley Spencer at the outdoor championships. She went on to compete at the 2013 World Outdoor Championships in Moscow and finished fourth in the 200m. After tonight's victory, it's safe to say people will be talking a lot more about Shaunae Miller.
This is Felix's seventh Olympic medal. She passed Jackie Joyner-Kersee for the most medals won by an American woman in track and field and she is now tied with Irena Szewinska (Poland), Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) and Shirley Strickland (Australia) for total Olympic medals in the sport. Medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays later this week would make Felix the most decorated (nine total medals) woman in track and field history, tied with Merlene Ottey of Jamaica.
All eyes were on Felix, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, as she went for her first 400m Olympic gold after failing to qualify for the 200m at the U.S. trials. But the road to Rio has not been easy for Felix. In April, she dropped a weight on her ankle in the weightroom and was forced to pull out of several big events prior to the Olympic trials. She raced at two smaller competitions in June and managed to win the U.S. Championship in the 400m on July 3.
Shericka Jackson of Jamaica earned bronze in 49.85, while Americans Natasha Hastings (50.34) and Phyllis Francis (50.41) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
After the finish, athletes and fans were quick to voice their opinions of the dive. U.S. hurdlers Lolo Jones and Ryan Wilson were vocal about on Twitter:
Ppl are mad Miller won with a dive but most pro's at one point have used that tactic to win. Miller didn't cheat Allyson, she won fair.
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 16, 2016
I get ur mad but Miller doesn't deserve this.
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 16, 2016
Both girls finished with heart. Both gave it their all.
If Allyson had dove and won, everyone would be commending her heart.
— Ryan Wilson (@ryancwilson) August 16, 2016
America we have won medals off of dives, so please have more class about Miller. https://t.co/KWcEQFG9ue
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 16, 2016
Casual track fans were quick to judge this finish as unfair toward Felix, but what Miller did is totally legal and happens all the time. At the 2012 Olympic Trials, hurdler Jeff Porter dove across the finish line to place third in the 110m hurdles, and it was seen as a heroic feat of athleticism.
Take it from one of the greatest 400m runners of all-time, Michael Johnson.
Shaunae Miller unbelievable effort diving for the finish line to take the 400,one of the best moments of the Games so far! Amazing race!
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) August 16, 2016
Wish @allysonfelix could've pulled it off tonight. Probably let Shaunae get a little too far away.
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) August 16, 2016