FanPost

Former Bama Track Star Takes Bronze at World Champs

Kirani James didn't graduate from Alabama. Instead, he went pro in a sport that has no amateur prerequisite to compete.Today he ran 400 meters (a quarter mile, or one lap around the track) in 43.78s, earning bronze for his home country Granada. Kirani James is the 2011 World champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist at this distance.

Today's event was elite, even among elites. For the first time in World Championship history, all medalists in the 400m distance ran under 44 seconds. Winner Wayde Van Niekerk from South Africa (43.48s) ran the fourth-fastest time ever at the 400, just behind Michael Johnson. He had so exerted himself, he was taken to the hospital after. Silver medalist LaShawn Merritt (USA) ran a personal record, besting his previous PR of 43.74. That record earned him gold at the World Championships in 2013. Kirani James rounded out the top three.

Watch the race here.


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