“This moment just before a 19 second race will determine my place in history” - Michael Johnson recalls breaking 200m world record at 1996 Olympics

Michael Johnson, one of the greatest sprinters in the history of track and field, recently celebrated the 27th anniversary of his 200m victory at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

After winning his first Olympic gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the 1992 Barcelona Games, Johnson claimed his maiden individual gold medal four years later in Atlanta.

At the 1996 Games, Johnson clocked a world record time of 19.32 seconds to win the 200m gold medal. Incredibly, he ran the opening 100m of the race in just 10.12 seconds.

To mark the 27th anniversary of that 200m win, the American shared a photo of himself getting ready for the event and asked his followers to guess what he was thinking of at that moment.

"27 years ago today! This moment just before a 19 second race will determine my place in history. What am I thinking in this moment? #PerformanceMindset," he tweeted.

He also shared a video of his run and recalled how special the moment was for him in his life.

"You often here “When preparation meets opportunity”. This was that moment!" he said.

Earlier in the event, he also won the gold medal in the 400m. His double victory in the 1996 Olympics saw him become the first male athlete in history to win both 200m and 400m at the same Games.

However, it wasn't a fairytale run for him as he strained a muscle in his leg in the 200m finals which stopped him from competing in the 4x400m relay.

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Michael Johnson won four Olympic gold medals to his name

Michael Johnson won a total of four gold medals at the Olympics, with the first coming in the men's 4x400m relay at the 1992 Games.

The American sprinter tasted more success in the 1996 Atlanta Games, where he won the 200m gold with a world record time and clocked an Olympic record time en route to his 400m victory. Johnson then successfully defended his 400m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Apart from his four Olympics gold medals, Johnson has also won eight gold medals at World Championships and four at the Goodwill Games, a tournament that was created following political troubles surrounding the Olympics in the 1980s.