Gabby Logan: Lucky Michael Johnson has no more world records left or he'd avoid me

World record: Wayde van Niekerk
(FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
Gabby Logan16 August 2016

There are moments that will transcend these Olympics, they are more than sporting contests, and I was privileged to witness one on Sunday.

The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium ahead of Usain Bolt’s 100m final was electric, I say Usain’s final because he owned the night — the stadium loved him. Every stadium loves him. He was about to write a piece of history and win a third 100m gold.

But first the 400m final — arguably the best race at the World Championships in Beijing last year — had promised much. It delivered in abundance.

A phenomenal world record for South African Wayde van Niekerk. I was sat next to the man whose record he had just smashed, Michael Johnson. I was also sat next to Michael the night Usain Bolt took his 200m record at the Beijing Olympics. Thankfully he has no more records left or he might not sit next to me again.

Michael was thrilled for Wayde, if a little shocked, not unlike the rest of the world. The next day he was able to articulate why it’s okay for the next generation to move the sport on.

“People seem to think I need consoling, I didn’t lose anyone, I haven’t introduced myself as Michael Johnson world record holder for the last 17 years and I still have the memory of what it took to get that record, the hard work and dedication from me and my coaches.” I’d say Michael is going to be okay.

It was a world-record winning performance in London from David Rudisha in the 800m that Lord Coe called his moment of the Games. Rudisha was back on centre stage last night, with a new crop of runners for him to slay which he duly did despite his team-mate Alfred Kipketer attempting to run him into the ground on the first lap. Rudisha was wise, raced clever and let Kipketer dig his own grave.

He is a joy to watch, a gracious and generous human but a proud Maasai warrior who hates being beaten.

But it turned out the night belonged to Thiago Braz da Silva, a handsome 22-year-old Brazilian pole vaulter who came into the stadium a 5.92metre pole vaulter with an outside chance of a medal and ended it a with a new Olympic record of 6.03m and a gold medal. It truly was the stuff of which dreams are made.

The contest distilled into a head-to-head with the 2012 Olympic champion, Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie, with the hysterical home support resorting to football chants and booing Lavillenie on his final attempt.

Perhaps it could be the moment of the Games for Brazil.

In Pictures: Team GB's medal run at Rio 2016 Olympics

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It was just their second gold so far but won with such bravery and in a sport with huge global appeal that maybe any of the doubters left in Rio that this Games is not about them might be ready to join in the party.

Standing in that stadium it seemed that Brazil woke up to the beauty of Olympic dreams.

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