A record breaking 42.66 4x400m split was ran on May 3
At the World Athletics Relays in Botswana, Lythe Pillay ran a 42.66 second split in the 4x400m relay final. The previous fastest split in the 4x400m was 42.94 seconds set by Michael Johnson. Johnson ran this in 1993 when he ran as the anchor leg for USA’s team at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics in Stuttgart, Germany. Johnson was a record holder in more than one event and he is still the only male athlete to win both the 200m and 400m titles at the same Olympics. On May 3, Pillay was able to break Johnson’s 32-year-old record by 0.28 seconds. Pillay ran on South Africa’s team and they were able to secure the silver medal.
South Africa has previously never been able to run a time that fast and so Pillay and his team also set a national record that day. They ran 2:55.07 breaking the nation’s previous record of 2:58.04 set by themselves May 2. Pillay ran leg two for the team with Mthi Mthimkhulu at leg one, Leendert Koekemoer at leg three and Zakithi Nene at leg four.
In the race, Botswana’s first leg runner opened up with the fourth fastest first leg split in history. Botswana was in the lead and there was a gap between them and South Africa who was in second. Pillay was able to catch up to Botswana’s second leg runner and even pass him as he handed off to Koekemoer in the lead. Pillay was able to put South Africa in the lead going into the third leg. South Africa was not able to hold onto the lead and Botswana took the win and the gold medal. Anders Curtis ‘28 said, “It was insane watching that race. I couldn’t believe that he was able to run a 42.66.”
Talk of Pillay’s record-breaking split was spread by more than one social media influencers and youtubers. When told about the broken record, 400m runner, Daniel Skall ‘26 said, “That’s ridiculous bro he’s splitting a 10.67 every 100m.” Skall runs a 52.31 in the 400m and is part of VHS track and field’s 4x400m team that ran at CIF prelims on May 9.
