RIO DE JANEIRO – Kirani James won the silver medal in the men’s 400-meter final, but it took a world-record time to defeat the 2012 Olympic gold medalist from Grenada.

Running out of lane eight, South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk scorched the field with a world-record time of 43.03 to beat James, who finished second with a season-best time of 43.76. LaShawn Merritt of the United States took the bronze in 43.85.

James was seeking to join the United States’ Michael Johnson as the second repeat winner of the 400 meters in Olympic history. The medal is the 12th all-time for Alabama athletes in Olympic track and field.

James is one of four current or former Alabama track and field athletes competing in Rio. Former Tide runner Alex Amankwah of Ghana did not advance out of the prelims of the men’s 800 meters on Friday while 2016 senior Ahmed Ali of Sudan will run in the men’s 200-meter preliminaries on Tuesday. Tide junior Jereem Richards is a member of the 4x400-meter relay team for Trinidad and Tobago that will compete in the relay semifinals on Aug. 19.

Alabama Track and Field Olympic Medalists

Men

1972 (Munich): Jan Johnson (USA), Pole Vault- Bronze

1984 (Los Angeles): Calvin Smith (USA), 4x100-meter relay- Gold

1988 (Seoul): Calvin Smith (USA), 100 meters- Bronze

2012 (London): Kirani James (Grenada), 400 meters- Gold

2016 (Rio): Kirani James (Grenada), 400 meters- Silver

Women

1984 (Los Angeles): Lillie Leatherwood (USA), 4x400-meter relay- Gold

1988 (Seoul): Lillie Leatherwood (USA), 4x400-meter relay (Alt.)- Silver

1988 (Seoul): Liz Lynch-McColgan (Great Britain), 10,000 meters- Silver

1992 (Barcelona): Faith Idehen (Nigeria), 4x100-meter relay- Bronze

1996 (Atlanta): Pauline Davis (Bahamas), 4x100-meter relay- Silver

2000 (Sydney): Pauline Davis (Bahamas), 4x100-meter relay- Gold

2000 (Sydney): Pauline Davis (Bahamas), 200 meters- Gold