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At the age of 24, Wayde van Niekerk shattered the 400-meter world record with an astonishing time of 43.03 seconds. This remarkable feat occurred on August 14, 2016, during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Van Niekerk's exceptional performance not only secured him the gold medal but also etched his name in sporting history as the first athlete to break the 44-second barrier in the 400-meter event.