‘All I was thinking about was gold’: Runner wins Olympic final diving across finish line

"My mind just went blank. All I was thinking about was the gold medal and the next thing I was on the ground."

‘All I was thinking about was gold’: Runner wins Olympic final diving across finish line

Shaunae Miller stunned Allyson Felix to win the 400m and deny the American a fifth Olympic gold thanks to an audacious dive across the finish line.

The 22-year-old Bahamian went out hard from lane seven and led coming into the home straight, but Felix looked set to reel her in.

As the world champion tied up, though, Miller launched herself over the line to take victory in a new personal best of 49.44s.

"It was just a reaction," she said. "My mind just went blank. All I was thinking about was the gold medal and the next thing I was on the ground.

"I've never done it before. I have cuts and bruises, a few burns."

And yes, it’s legal.

The relevant IAAF rule (Rule 164 - The Finish) states: "The athletes shall be placed in the order in which any part of their bodies (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line as defined above."

Felix, 30, had to settle for silver in 49.51, with Jamaica's Shericka Jackson taking bronze.

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