Runner literally dives over the line to take amazing gold

Imagine you've worked your whole life to try and achieve something.

It all looks like it's going to plan, but then suddenly you feel someone catching you. Your legs are going, you're so close, so close you can almost touch it... what would you do?

Well, if you're Bahamian 400m runner Shaunae Miller, you disregard all concern for your own personal safety and make a dive for it, just to carry you over that final metre.

She won an incredible gold medal in the Rio final, beating the United States' Allyson Felix in a photo finish, suffering cuts and burns, but emerging with the win.

Speaking after the race, she said, "The only thing I was thinking was the gold medal and the next thing I know I was on the ground. It was just a reaction. I've never done it before. I have cuts and bruises, a few burns."

However, the move led to some controversy, with some believing that she had cheated in employing the dive for the finish.

The rules state that it is the torso crossing the line - not the head, arms or legs - which counts for an athlete finishing a race, so diving is not necessarily all that useful for gaining an advantage.

And if that wasn't enough, sprint legend and all-round good guy Michael Johnson had the insider's view:

So that's exactly what pure desire looks like.

(Image: Rex)