Wayde van Niekerk inspired by Oscar Pistorius to run

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(Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports)(Editor's note: The headline on this story was changed to correct the spelling of Wayde van Niekerk's last name)

RIO DE JANEIRO — It takes a special type of inspiration to propel a 400-meter runner to Olympic gold, from the outside lane, in world record time, no less.

Wayde van Niekerk's time of 43.03 seconds broke the Olympic record set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta in 1996 and Johnson’s world mark posted three years later.

Van Niekerk found his inspiration in an unusual form — Oscar Pistorius.

The South African is friends with…