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Cape Town - World record holder Wayde van Niekerk stormed to victory in the 400m at the Diamond League meet in Lausanne on Thursday, as American veteran Justin Gatlin went sub-10 seconds for the 100m.
Van Niekerk is on fire this season, having run personal bests in the 100m (9.94) and 200m (19.84) last month, and setting a new world best time of 30.81 in the rarely-run 300m in Ostrava last week.
That time beat a long-time record held by Michael Johnson, the legendary US athlete whose record in the one-lap race he also beat when winning gold in Rio.
The 24-year-old timed a world lead of 43.62 in Lausanne, well ahead of second-placed Botswana's Baboloki Thebe.
Van Niekerk has only run the 400m faster on two occasions: when he won his world title in Beijing in 2015; the other was a year later when he won Olympic gold.
Hailed by eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt as his successor as leader of the sprinting world, with the Jamaican legend due to retire after the world championships in London in August, Van Niekerk said he was constantly inspired by his performances.
"I didn't come with a specific time in mind but I am pleased with this result," he said.
"I do have a love-hate relationship with the 400m, but I always try to approach it with a positive mindset, not setting myself any limits.
"And the performances keep me going along, which keeps me passionate about what I do."
Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion who has served two doping bans, clocked 9.96 in the 100m, nipping in ahead of Ivorian Youssef ben Meite (9.98) and South African sprint hope Akani Simbine. (9.99).
"I didn't have a great start," said Gatlin.
"I'm not at my A-game at the moment and that sows I'm a human.
"I am still a competitor. Now I will be able to go back to training knowing that my bases are in place."
Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers timed 22.10, a seasonal best, to win the 200m from Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou (10.16).
"I improved my best performance today and that makes me very happy," said Schippers, the 2015 world champion and silver medallist at the Rio Olympics last year.
"It's always nice to win. My objective this summer is to get a medal in London," where she will go for the sprint double, she said.
Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, the 1 500m world champion, raced to a world lead of 4:16.05 in the women's race over one mile.
"I felt good during the first part of the race. I had good legs up until 1 200m. And then it blocked," she said.
"It's a pity as the conditions were good. I need to train some more to have some freshness at the end of the race."
American double Olympic champion Christian Taylor was trumped in the men's triple jump by Cuban Pedro Pichardo.
Pichardo managed a best of 17.60m, Taylor in second with 17.49m.
American Sam Kendricks again got one up on Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie in the men's pole vault.
Kendricks, bronze medallist in Rio behind Lavillenie, cleared 5.93m, winning on countback from Poland's Pawel Wojciechowski with the French vaulter in third (5.87m).
Leading results from the Lausanne Diamond League meet, the eighth in the 14-leg series, on Thursday:
Men
100m
1. Justin Gatlin (USA) 9.96
2. Ben Youssef Meité (CIV) 9.98
3. Akani Simbine (RSA) 9.99
4. Isiah Young (USA) 10.00
5. James Dasaolu (GBR) 10.12
6. Henricho Bruintjies (RSA) 10.15
7. Alex Wilson (SUI) 10.17
8. Kim Collins (SKN) 10.77
400m
1. Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 43.62
2. Baboloki Thebe (BOT) 44.02
3. Isaac Makwala (BOT) 44.08
4. Vernon Norwood (USA) 44.47
5. Michael Cherry (USA) 44.66
6. Tony McQuay (USA) 45.28
7. Liemarvin Bonevacia (NED) 45.61
8. Machel Cedenio (TRI) disqualified
800m
1. Pascal Furtwängler (SUI) 1:50.01
2. Guillaume Laurent (SUI) 1:50.72
3. Michael Curti (SUI) 1:50.74
4. Pietro Calamai (SUI) 1:51.16
5. Diego Menzi (SUI) 1:51.88
6. Arnaud Dupré (SUI) 1:51.95
7. Timo Roth (SUI) 1:51.98
8. Tim Meichtry (SUI) 1:52.29
9. Roland Christen (SUI) 1:52.50
10. Joaquim Jaeger (SUI) 1:53.67
11. Nicolas Salvadé (SUI) 1:54.51
1 500m
1. Aman Wote (ETH) 3:32.20
2. Charles Cheboi Simotwo (KEN) 3:32.59
3. Silas Kiplagat (KEN) 3:32.96
4. Vincent Kibet (ITA) 3:33.34
5. Filip Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:34.38
6. Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI) 3:34.70
7. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) 3:34.83
8. Bethwell Birgen (KEN) 3:35.22
9. Robert Biwott (KEN) 3:36.31
10. Seddik Mikhou (MAR) 3:36.55
11. Andrew Bayer (USA) 3:36.85
12. Taresa Tolosa (ETH) 3:38.60
5 000m
1. Muktar Edris (ETH) 12:55.23
2. Gaseleon Barega (ETH) 12:55.58
3. Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (UGA) 12:59.83
4. Yenew Alamirew (ETH) 13:06.81
5. Berhanu Legesse (ETH) 13:26.40
6. Ben True (USA) 13:28.29
7. Dawit Wolde (ETH) 13:34.44
8. Salomon Berihu (ETH) 13:37.63
9. Fredrick Kipkosgei Kiptoo (KEN) 13:41.09
10. Sylvester Kipchirchir (KEN) 13:46.22
11. Cyrus Rutto (KEN) 13:48.67
400m hurdles
1. Kariem Hussein (SUI) 48.79
2. Byron Robinson (USA) 48.88
3. Rasmus Mägi (EST) 48.94
4. Bershawn Jackson (USA) 49.04
5. Cornel Fredericks (RSA) 49.32
6. Michael Stigler (USA) 49.86
7. L.J. van Zyl (RSA) 50.04
8. Alain-Hervé Mfomkpa (SUI) 51.45
Triple jump
1. Pedro Pichardo (CUB) 17.60 m
2. Christian Taylor (USA) 17.49
3. Will Claye (USA) 17.12
4. Alexis Copello (CUB) 16.98
5. Chris Benard (USA) 16.93
6. Jean-Marc Pontvianne (FRA) 16.84
7. John Murillo (COL) 16.47
8. Dong Bin (CHN) NM
Pole vault
1. Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.93 m
2. Pawel Wojciechowski (POL) 5.93
3. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 5.87
4. Kurtis Marschall (AUS) 5.73
4. Kévin Ménaldo (FRA) 5.73
6. Piotr Lisek (POL) 5.73
7. Armand Duplantis (SWE) 5.73
8. Shawn Barber (CAN) 5.63
9. Valentin Lavillenie (FRA) 5.63
10. Raphael Holzdeppe (GER) 5.53
11. Michal Balner (CZE) 5.38
11. Dominik Alberto (SUI) 5.38
Shot putt
1. Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.39 m
2. Tomas Walsh (NZL) 21.97
3. Tomás Stanek (CZE) 21.36
4. Stipe Zunic (CRO) 21.17
5. David Storl (GER) 21.17
6. Konrad Bukowiecki (POL) 21.03
7. Tsanko Arnaudoy (POR) 20.80
8. Jacko Gill (NZL) 20.70
9. Franck Elemba (CGO) 20.29
10. Darlan Romani (BRA) 20.07
Women:
100m
1. Rosangela Santos (BRA) 11.21
2. Naomi Sedney (NED) 11.28
3. Salome Kora (SUI) 11.36
4. Jamile Samuel (NED) 11.41
5. Ana Claudia Silva (BRA) 11.48
6. Estela Garca (ESP) 11.50
7. Anna Bongiorni (ITA) 11.51
8. Irene Siragusa (ITA) 11.60
200m
1. Dafne Schippers (NED) 22.10
2. Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) 22.16
3. Kyra Jefferson (USA) 22.34
4. Jenna Prandini (USA) 22.65
5. Kimberlyn Duncan (USA) 22.67
6. Mujinga Kambundji (SUI) 22.82
7. Bianca Williams (GBR) 22.94
8. Sara Atcho (SUI) 23.04
800m
1. Francine Niyonsaba (BDI) 1:56.82
2. Charlene Lipsey (USA) 1:57.38
3. Eunice Jepkoech Sum (KEN) 1:57.78
4. Sifan Hassan (NED) 1:58.13
5. Laura Muir (GBR) 1:58.69
6. Lovisa Lindh (SWE) 1:58.77
7. Lynsey Sharp (GBR) 1:58.80
8. Nataliia Pryshchepa (UKR) 1:58.82
9. Habitam Alemu (ETH) 1:59.66
10. Selina Büchel (SUI) 1:59.77
11. Ilona Usovich (BLR) DNF
Mile
1. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 4:16.05
2. Nelly Jepkosgei (KEN) 4:25.15
3. Claudia Bobocea (ROM) 4:25.89
4. Malika Akkaoui (MAR) 4:26.42
5. Margherita Magnani (ITA) 4:27.51
6. Caroline Chepkemoi (KEN) 4:27.79
7. Axumawit Embaye (ETH) 4:28.14
8. Esther Chebet (UGA) 4:28.16
9. Linden Hall (AUS) 4:28.21
10. Jenny Blundell (AUS) 4:28.82
11. Blanca Fernández (ESP) 4:30.06
12. Anna Dibaba (ETH) 4:41.05
100 m hurdles
1. Sharika Nelvis (USA) 12.53
2. Jasmin Stowers (USA) 12.57
3. Christina Manning (USA) 12.58
4. Nia Ali (USA) 12.61
5. Kristi Castlin (USA) 12.61
6. Dawn Harper (USA) 12.75
7. Eefje Boons (NED) 12.98
8. Noemi Zbären (SUI) 15.85
400 m hurdles
1. Ashley Spencer (USA) 53.90
2. Léa Sprunger (SUI) 54.29
3. Eilidh Child (GBR) 54.36
4. Sara Petersen (DEN) 54.49
5. Zuzana Hejnová (CZE) 54.69
6. Shamier Little (USA) 55.10
7. Ristananna Tracey (JAM) 56.23
High jump
1. Maria Lasitskene (RUS) 2.06 m
2. Kamila Licwinko (POL) 1.93
3. Sofie Skoog (SWE) 1.93
4. Morgan Lake (GBR) 1.93
5. Alessia Trost (ITA) 1.93
6. Ruth Beitia (ESP) 1.90
7. Mirela Demireva (BUL) 1.87
Long jump
1. Ivana Spanovic (SRB) 6.79 m
2. Shakeelah Saunders (USA) 6.68
3. Tianna Bartoletta (USA) 6.65
4. Darya Klishina (RUS) 6.64
5. Lorraine Ugen (GBR) 6.61
6. Laura Strati (ITA) 6.49
7. Concepción Montaner (ESP) 6.27
8. Shara Proctor (GBR) NM
Javelin
1. Sara Kolak (CRO) 68.43 m
2. Barbora Spotakova (CZE) 67.40
3. Kathryn Mitchell (AUS) 66.12
4. Kelsey-Lee Roberts (AUS) 64.06
5. Tatsiana Khaladovich (BLR) 62.29
6. Sunette Viljoen (RSA) 61.38
7. Madara Palameika (LAT) 60.35
8. Kara Patterson (USA) 59.19
9. Liina Laasma (EST) 57.35
10. Kathrina Molitor (GER) 57.03
