Runner divides opinion with brilliant dive for gold
Shaunae Miller has won a dramatic gold medal in the 400m in Rio, diving over the line in a nail-biting finish.
Miller set a strong pace in the lead early in the race but in the straight, Allyson Felix, of the United States, was making up ground quickly as Miller tired.
Image: Getty
Miller appeared to deliberately dive at the line to claim gold in a time of 49.44 seconds, although she may have collapsed in exhaustion.
The desperate move for gold has come under fire from many who question the fairness of an athlete leaving their feet to surge to the finish line.
Image: Getty
The rules say a runner can go to the ground across the finish line as long as he or she doesn't impede another in the process. Even though Miller appeared to slightly cross into the lane to her left, it happened after the finish line and she didn't impede any other runners.
Miller also clearly won the photo finish which measures from a runners torso:
What a finish! Image: 7
But a number of fans on social media were outraged:
I SWEAR SHAUNAE MILLER CHEATED YOU CANT DIVE ACROSS THE FINISH LIKE THAT. FELIX WAS ROBBED
— JASON (@jjasonduh) August 16, 2016
Wait seriously you're allowed to dive rather than running thru the line? Allyson Felix got robbed.
via @NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/Xp0U1S3KLb— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) August 16, 2016
Of note: I'd be pro-dive if Felix did it to win, but Felix lost, so diving is trash https://t.co/Smb5Irvi9o
— a mascot fight (@kevinmccauley) August 16, 2016
Allyson Felix didn't make the 200m team because of a dive at the line & lost a gold medal at 400m because of a dive at the line. Brutal.
— Trent Davon (@trentdlancaster) August 16, 2016
I'm sorry, but if you dive across the finish line for the win, that's cheating. Allyson Felix should have won the 400m, not the silver
— Sammie Funk (@funkysammie96) August 16, 2016
However a number of athletes were quick to put them in their place:
You gotta understand though in Shaunae position, you know you would've dove across the line too. Superman
— Ariana Washington (@ImJustAri) August 16, 2016
Ppl are mad Miller won with a dive but most pro's at one point have used that tactic to win. Miller didn't cheat Allyson, she won fair.
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 16, 2016
I get ur mad but Miller doesn't deserve this.
Both girls finished with heart. Both gave it their all.— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) August 16, 2016
The silver makes Felix the most prolific female winner of Olympic medals in US track and field history.
She now has seven medals, one more than retired heptathlon and long jump great Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the husband of Felix's coach Bobby Kersee.
It actually wasn't the only 'dive' on the track on Day 10, with Joao Vitor de Oliveira of Brazil finishing his semi-final with a similar effort: