Allyson Felix had her fifth Olympic gold in her sights, then Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas did something completely unexpected — diving toward the finish line to win the 400-meter final in spectacular fashion Monday
Miller finished with a time of 49.44, just ahead of Felix’s 49.51.
Felix made a late push after Miller had jumped out early. As the two approached the finish line, Miller’s legs began to give out, leaving her only one option: dive.
“This is the moment I have been waiting for,” Miller said. “I just gave it my all.”
With the race over, Miller was on her back in pain while Felix sat on the ground waiting for the official results. Then reality set in for Felix once the times flashed on the board, Miller winning by .07 seconds.
“I was just focused on myself,” Felix said when asked about the dive. “I didn’t really have too many thoughts on it.”
Felix had to settle for the silver, her seventh Olympic medal, surpassing Jackie Joyner-Kersee for most medal in track and field by an American woman. Felix won her first gold in 2012, taking the 200 meters in London, and added three more golds while a member of the 4×400 relay teams in Beijing and London and was on the 4×100 team in 2012.
Felix entered Monday’s race as the defending world champion in the 400 and was trying to become the first woman to win five golds at the Olympics.
Felix has one more chance to capture her fifth gold, running in the 4×400 meter relay in Rio.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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