Having dominated the sprinting world for almost a decade, Usain Bolt has offered the tantalising prospect of bowing out from international competition with a showdown against new 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, suggesting he would be keen to race the South African over 300m.

Van Niekerk produced one of the finest pieces of sprinting ever seen to eclipse Michael Johnson’s 17-year-old record in Rio on Sunday night, winning Olympic gold in 43.03 seconds despite running in the far outside lane eight.

Bolt won his seventh Olympic title with victory over 100m minutes later and the Jamaican said he would fancy his chances in a face-off over the rarely run 300m.