EUGENE — Michael Norman’s list of wins at Hayward Field now includes a world championship.
Norman won the men’s 400 meters Friday night at the World Athletics Championships, closing strong over the final 100 meters to edge Grenada’s Kirani James, 44.29 seconds to 44.48, for his first individual global gold medal.
It was the first world championships medal in the event by the United States since LaShawn Merritt won in 2013.
“My coach gave me three things to think about before the race and one of them was to dig deep,” Norman said. “I think that was the biggest reminder that I had going into the home stretch — who wants the gold more? Feeling the energy of the crowd I just dug deep. Remember all the practices and all the hard training days and all the sacrifices I had to make for this moment. It was great.”
Norman, who finished in fifth place at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, was the top qualifier and among the favorites entering the final, especially with defending champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas withdrawing a few days before the start of the world championships due to inflammation of a tendon.
James, the bronze medalist in Tokyo, held off Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who finished third (44.66) ahead of a late charge by USA’s Champion Allison (44.77).
“The only pressure I felt was the pressure I put on myself,” Norman said. “I have high expectations of myself regardless of who’s in the race. It’s always going to be competitive no matter what. This is a goal and a dream that I’ve had for three years now, and to finally come out here and to win an individual gold has been an amazing feeling.”
James held a narrow lead over Norman after the first 100 meters (10.81 to 10.83) and widened it after 200 (20.95 to 21.12). But Norman closed some of the gap before 300 meters and overtook James in the home stretch.
“I knew it was always going to be a battle with Michael,” James said. “I thought I had a good advantage to beat him to see him in front of me. But catching him, it is never going to be easy. For me, I am just grateful to compete against these guys at this competition, putting on a show for the fans, that is what the track and field is all about. If the fans enjoy it, they get excited, the sport grows and I am happy. This medal is special because after every Olympics, you always want to come back and show that you are consistent.”
Hudson-Smith was in third after 200 and 300 meters and held on for Great Britain’s first medal in the event since 1991 despite closing with the fifth-best final 100 meters, during which Allison made up more than half a second and ran the fastest time in the eight-man field.
“I was ready to get a medal and got it,” Hudson-Smith said. “That is all that really matters. How I managed to keep the position? I just looked forward. I just kept going. I could feel someone, but I just did not know who was that. I just went and finally got a medal.”
Allison, an NCAA champion in the 4×400 relay, was in last after the first 100 and couldn’t make up for all the lost ground. He said a faster start would have been the difference.
“I didn’t execute my race,” Allison said. “But it’s alright; it’s my first one.”
