Weekly Highlights: Team BW At It Again, Makwala Makes History At The Madrid Meeting!

At the Meeting Madrid 2017, Isaac Makwala became the first man in history to run a 200m within 20 seconds and a 400m within 44 seconds on the same day, winning both events at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in the Spanish capital on Friday (14).

On an evening when temperatures were close to 40C, the Motswana sprinter first contested the 400m. Having already posted times of 31.44 for 300m and 44.08 for one lap of the track this season, it was clear Makwala was in top form.

Drawn in lane six, the 30-year-old led throughout and was already head and shoulders ahead of the rest by halfway. He crossed the line in 43.92, his second career sub-44-second clocking, to narrowly miss Michael Johnson’s meeting record of 43.90 set in 1994. USA’s Vernon Norwood was a distant second in 44.75.

“I’m satisfied, but I know I can run faster,” Makwala said in the 75-minute gap between events. “My goal in London is the gold medal; I can do it.”

Taking into account that world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk will also be in contention there, Makwala’s quotes might be regarded as quite optimistic, but shortly afterwards he replaced the South African as the quickest man so far this season over 200m.

In still conditions, he won the 200m in a PB of 19.77, taking 0.19 off his previous best and breaking the meeting record of 19.92 set by Carl Lewis in 1987. USA’s Brandon Carnes finished well behind Makwala in 20.42.

Makwala’s next race will be at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco on 21 July.