The fastest men in the world: Rio 2016 features three world record holders in athletics
Updated 19/08/2016 — 16H42Between Usain Bolt, Wayde van Niekerk and David Rudisha, the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m world record holders are in town
Left to right: Bolt, Van Niekerk and Rudisha in action in Rio (Photos: Getty Images)
Athletics fans at the Olympic Stadium in Rio are in a dream world, with the chance to see the fastest men in the world in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m in the same Games.
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Usain Bolt
The Jamaican superstar has already made his mark on Rio 2016. He won gold Sunday's 100m final, with a time of 9.81 seconds, to become the first person to win three consecutive Olympic titles in the event. He is also favourite to win gold in the 200m and the 4x100m relay, which would constitute an unprecedented 'tripll-triple' - all three titles at three consecutive Games.
Bolt has held the world records for the 100m and 200m since the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Germany, when he ran 9.58 and 19.19 respectively. He has made breaking the 200m world record his priority in Rio (the final is on Thursday 18 August).
Bolt poses after setting the 200m world record in 2009 (Photo: Getty Images/Andy Lyon)
Wayde van Niekerk
The 24-year-old from South Africa stunned the world by running 43.03 seconds on his way to 400m gold on Sunday night, not long before Bolt grabbed the 100m title. Van Nierkerk's incredible sprint bettered the 17-year-old mark of 43.18 set by USA sprint legend Michael Johnson.
The South African left pre-race favourite Lashawn Merritt (bronze) of the USA and defending champion Kirani James (silver) of Grenada in his wake, while American legend Johnson, who was present as a media commentator, looked shocked that his long-standing mark had been bettered.
Van Niekerk celebrates his 400m world record at the Rio Olympic Stadium (Photo: Getty Images/Cameron Spencer)
David Rudisha
Competing at his first Olympic Games, Rudisha ran a staggering time of 1:40.91 in the 800m final at London 2012 to supercede Wilson Kipketer's previous mark of 1:41.11.
Rudisha poses with his world record breaking time at London 2012 (Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein)
It was the only athletics world record at the London Games, and Rudisha successfully defended his title in Rio on Monday (15 August) at the Olympic Stadium, in a time of 1:42.15.
