Shota IIZUKA (JPN)GOLD20.67
I’m feeling amazing. Just one word - amazing. This is the greatest opportunity I’ve ever had, to run in such a prestigious competition, so I just tried to do my best.
For me, I was almost trying to intimidate the others, so for me it was fun. I was confident.
My strategy was to keep up my stamina, and just do my best. Don’t hesitate, just focus.
Until the last day of competition, our team will just fly through it - just go for it.
I’m running for the relay. And then after that, hopefully the Olympics.
Aliaksandr LINNIK (BLR) - SILVER - 20.89
It was easier to run this time, and I’m very happy with second place at the World Championships. I feel the time could have been better, but I’m happy.
The competition was strong, because it’s the world level, so I felt more pressure this way, but otherwise it was just a regular competition.
Next summer, I will run in the European Junior Championships. Right now, I’m not sure about [the World Championships]. I’ll see with my coach what is next.
Aaron Brown (CAN) - BRONZE - 21.00 (PB)
I was running blind from the outside so I did not see anybody until I got onto the straightaway. They all started to pull away so I finished as strong as I could and I’m very happy to get the bronze medal.
I really pushed it at the end. The crowd was a motivating factor for sure. I could hear them cheering me on so I wanted to give them something to be proud of.
It was nerve-wracking waiting for the time to be posted. I honestly had no idea how close I was. I just kept saying please God, please don’t leave me off the podium again. And when they flashed my name I just had to go to the ground and thank God.
I knew this was my last race, since my 4 X 100 metre team did not make it through, so I wanted to leave everything on the track.
Wayde VAN NIEKIRK (RSA) – 4th PLACE – 21.02 (PB)
I really thought I had the bronze. I had come to a point where my legs started to give way, but then I started catching up with them. But I guess I just missed it.
I’m actually happy with the performance. It would have been a bonus and it would have been nice if I’d got the medal, but that’s part of it.
[On the 0.02s margin] That’s what made it so exciting, actually, to know that I wasn’t that far behind. It could have been any one of us. But he deserves it. He had the home crowd behind him and it helped him. I’m happy for him.
I would love to break 21 seconds, and I just missed it. But I came out, I had fun, I learned a lot of things.
I would love to qualify for the Olympics and break 21.
