Legendary quartermiler Shaunae Miller-Uibo is taking up a new challenge at 28. The two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 400m has not won a World Championships gold yet. This year in Oregon, she wants to fulfil it before switching to 200m for Paris Olympics 2024.
"I don’t think I’ll be doing the 400m that year [2024]. I’ve accomplished so much in the event. I’m planning on wrapping it up. For me, it’s just about getting the world title now (in 400m)," she told World Athletics.
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A gifted sprinter Miller-Uibo made heads turn from a very young age, winning regional championships in the Caribbean. In 2011, she became the first athlete to win U-20 and U-18 Worlds 400m titles. She still owns that record.
Despite her meteoric rise, Miller-Uibo suffered a big blow when she failed to go beyond the heats in her maiden Olympics in London.
After success eluded her for almost three years, Miller-Uibo won a silver in the 2015 senior World Championships. Next season, in a dramatic final, she won her maiden Olympic gold in Rio, beating Allyson Felix by 0.07 sec, which saw her dive across the finish line due to exhaustion.
A versatile athlete, Miller-Uibo followed it up with successive Diamond League titles in the 200m in 2017 and 2018.
However, as the time came to defend her Olympic title in Tokyo, she switched to 400m and improved her performance. She clocked 48.36s, a personal best, in a race that saw silver medallist Marileidy Paulino losing the final by 0.84s.
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Miller-Uibo wants to retire from 400m on a high, winning the gold at the World Championships. She will face tough competition from Paulino, the fastest quartermiler of the season at 49.49s.
Given her big stage experience, Miller-Uibo will still be among the favourites for the gold.
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