Steven Gardiner lands 400m gold medal for Bahamas as United States duo Michael Norman and Michael Cherry fall short of the medals
Steven Gardiner won Bahamas their first gold medal at the Tokyo Games after triumphing in the men’s 400 metres at the Olympic Stadium
The world champion ran a finely balanced race to shut out the Americans once again in an event they once dominated.
Anthony Zambrano of Colombia, the silver medallist at the 2019 world championships in Doha and third-fastest this year, took the silver.
Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas holds his national flag as he celebrates after winning gold
The world champion celebrates after taking the Olympic 400m title in Tokyo on Thursday
Kirani James of Grenada, the 2012 gold medallist and the silver medallist five years ago in Rio, grabbed bronze.
American Michael Cherry, who ran a personal best, finished a disappointing fourth ahead of his compatriot Michael Norman to continue the country’s poor run on the men’s side of the track events.
Gardiner was the only finalist to run under 44 seconds with a time of 43.85, running a season best time in the process.
Cherry’s time was just two hundredths of a second off snatching a bronze with a 44.21, with Norman a tenth down despite reacting quickest out of the blocks.
Gardiner saw off a challenge from American athletes Michael Norman and Michael Cherry