Deon Lendore produced his fastest run in more than six years to seize men's 400 metres silver at the Bauhaus-Galan Wanda Diamond League meet in Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday.

Running blind out in lane eight, Lendore got home in 44.73 seconds to secure the runner-up spot, behind Grenada's 2012 Olympic champion... Kirani James in 44.63. Liemarvin Bonevacia of the Netherlands clocked 44.80 to bag bronze.

In two social media posts, yesterday, Texas-based Lendore was full of gratitude.

"Coach Vince Anderson brought me back from the dead. He the GOAT!!! 44.73 ain't close to the fastest in the world but it's the fastest I've ran in years.

"Thank God for blessing me in Sweden !!!"

Just twice in his career has Lendore bettered yesterday's 44.73 run. On May 18, 2014, the Trinidad and Tobago quartermiler stopped the clock at a personal best 44.36. And on May 16, 2015, he ran 44.41. Between the 44.41 and 44.73 runs, Lendore dived under 45 seconds just once - 44.81 in June, 2018.

Lendore, whose previous 2021 season's best was 45.04 seconds, jumped from 24th to 16th on the world performance list, thanks to the strong 44.73 Stockholm run. He is the fastest T&T quartermiler to date this year. Dwight St Hillaire is next best at 17th on the 2021 list with a 44.74 clocking. Machel Cedenio is 44th at 45.37. American Randolph Ross is the global leader with a 43.85 scorcher.

Lendore, St Hillaire and Cedenio will represent T&T in the individual 400 at the July 23 to August 8 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. They are also part of the 4x400 squad, which also includes Asa Guevara and Che Lara.

Lendore made his Olympic debut at the 2012 Games in London, England. Just 19 at the time, he anchored T&T to 4x4 bronze. However, he was eliminated in the opening round of the 400, and suffered the same fate at the 2016 Rio Games. The 28-year-old seems set for a change in fortune in Tokyo.