THIS EVENT CHANGED radically from fairly predictable to wide open after injuries and other factors made hash of the formchart.
The world’s premier 400 practitioner since ’17, Steven Gardiner looked to be the closest thing to a sure bet. The Bahamian had recovered his fitness after a ’22 Achilles injury kept him out of the WC in Eugene. However, while smoothly leading his semi race here, he grimaced in pain coming around the second curve, pulled up and crashed to the track with what was later revealed to be a “grade-one sprain of the tendon extending into his right knee from the right posterior thigh,” ending his season.
This season’s only other sub-44-second man, Zambia’s Commonwealth and African champion Muzala Samukonga, withdrew prior to the meet. Oregon22 winner Michael Norman did not take advantage of his entry bye, opting to seek physical and psychological stability at home after an unproductive season.
Among other formchart notables, USATF winner Bryce Deadmon exited in the first round with a hamstring problem. Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori pulled up injured in Gardiner’s semi, and Trinidad’s Jereem Richards did not advance from his race.
Remaining was WR holder Wayde van Niekerk, gradually trying to regain his form after debilitating injuries, but able to reach the final only as an unimpressive time qualifier.
Add super-veteran Kirani James — who owns full sets of both Olympic and WC medals, and is still a consistent mid-44 presence — and Americans Vernon Norwood and Quincy Hall, both enjoying excellent seasons and PRs.
The favorite’s burden had shifted to Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, 3rd last year, who ran 44.26 in his semi to finally expunge a 36-year-old European Record. The “unknown factors” were 20-year-old Norwegian Håvard Ingvaldsen, who chopped his PR by a half-second with a 44.39 heat, and 21-year-old Jamaican Antonio Watson, winner of the fastest semi in a PR 44.13. Too much too soon? Time would tell.
After an even start, van Niekerk and Hudson-Smith were off quickest in the final, passing 100m in 11.05 and 11.08. Watson, Ingvaldsen and Hall were already 3m behind.
Hudson-Smith powered down the backstretch and moved well ahead, recording 21.06 at 200m. James, van Niekerk and Norwood were next, 3m back, followed by Watson and Hall in about 21.5.
Around…
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