AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: Dalilah Muhammad powered to a brilliant victory in the women's 400m hurdles Thursday to become the first winner of the event from the United States in Olympic history.
The 26-year-old, the fastest woman in the world this year over the distance, blasted out of the blocks and held on to a commanding lead for a deserved gold in 53.13sec.
Sara Slott Petersen of Denmark took silver in 53.55sec while Muhammad's team-mate Ashley Spencer claimed bronze in 53.72.
“The reality of winning is even better than the dream; Olympic champion, in front of my name," Muhammad said afterwards.
“Being the first American to win this title adds a bit of extra sparkle.”
Muhammad's triumph ends a frustrating story of near-misses and heartache for American women in what is one of the most demanding events in track and field.
Since the event was introduced for women at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, US runners have taken silver on no fewer than five occasions.
Despite Muhammad's form this season, a question mark remained over her inexperience.
Heading into Rio she had only ever represented the United States at major championships once before, when she won silver at the 2013 worlds in Moscow.
But even with the Czech Republic's two-time world champion Zuzana Hejnova up against her in the final, Muhammad never looked troubled.
She ate up the yards with a blistering first 300 which took her several yards clear coming down the stretch.
But fears she had gone out too quickly soon evaporated in a barnstorming finish, and although Petersen gained slightly over the closing stages the American never looked like being overhauled.
Meanwhile, Wayde van Niekerk said he's given clean athletes a boost with his blistering 400m world record -- and admitted that even he didn't believe such a time was possible without drugs.
The South African produced a run for the ages at the Rio Olympics, when he tore round the outside lane to smash Michael Johnson's hallowed, 17-year-old mark.
Athletics' battered reputation means every record attracts questions about drugs, but van Niekerk said his performances showed could what be accomplished clean.
“I think it could be a good testimony to other athletes who want to play the game clean,” he told AFP.
“I thought you had to use something to run a sub-44, and look where I am today. And I've done it clean and I've done it simply by pure hard work and dedication.
“If I can be a testimony, I think anyone else can do it, if I could be an example for that,” he said in an interview at the Visa Everywhere Lounge at Copacabana beach.
Track and field had a torrid build-up to the Rio Games, with Russia's team suspended en masse after revelations of a state-backed doping conspiracy.
Van Niekerk's record has been on the cards after this year he became the first athlete to go sub-10sec in the 100m, sub-20 sec in the 200m and sub-44sec in the 400m.
He said he was inspired by a motivational talk from Usain Bolt whilst training this year in Jamaica, when the sprint king urged him to grasp his opportunities.
"That's why I go out there as hard as I can because I don't want to let go of opportunities now I'm in the shape that I am in," he said.
“I'm really taking that advice that he gave me and using every single chance I get on the track to better myself.”
However, the 24-year-old had no sense that he was about to beat Johnson's 1999 record of 43.18sec, despite a bold prediction from Bolt that he was about to make history.
“I really just went out there to try and repeat what I did last year," said van Niekerk, who became world champion over 400m last year in Beijing.
"Obviously I would have loved to improve myself but world-record improve myself? I definitely didn't think I could do it and it's really been a blessing."
He added: “(Bolt) came to me after the race and told me, 'I told you could do it!' It's really a special moment.
“A few months prior to the Olympics we spoke about it and he told me I can (break the record). Obviously it did help me believe in myself... yeah, I'm grateful for the belief that he had in me."
Van Niekerk's unusal training set-up sees him coached by Tannie Ans, a 74-year-old great-grandmother who mainly looks after university-level athletes.
Ans's training sessions are unpredictable and can include football kick-abouts. "Not even I can explain what she's doing," he said.
“She loves being involved in a lot of different areas but I think at the age she's at now I'd love to see her take it easy and just focus on herself,” he said.