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News24 Mar 2000


Confident Johnson breaks world best for 300 metres

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Confident Johnson breaks world best for 300 metres

24 March 2000 – Pretoria, South Africa - Double Olympic champion Michael Johnson smashed the world best time in the rarely-contested 300 metres at a Grand Prix II meeting on Friday.

The American clocked 30.85 seconds to beat the previous mark of 31.48, set by compatriot Danny Everett and Cuban Roberto Hernandez in Spain a decade ago, by well over half a second.

Johnson said he had been confident of going under 31 seconds for the event, which he last contested six years ago. He broke the world mark running virtually on his own, with the second-placed finisher, Hungary's Zeteny Dombi, nearly two seconds behind in 32.73.

"I tried to use kind of a 200 strategy but hold back a little bit in the second 50 metres," said Johnson. "I got out good for the first 50, just backed off a little for the second 50 and then from 200 metres to go I just went pretty much all out.

"This is not...an Olympic distance but it's still a world record, the best that anyone's ever done so I'm proud of it," said Johnson, who holds the world records for the 200 and 400 metres.

"The race is not run very much so I think if it was a race that I ran a lot I could probably break it by even more. I always felt that the record was hard to break but I didn't think the time was as good as it could possibly be.

"My main objective this year is to stay healthy and I think everything else will fall into place," said Johnson, who was accompanied to the track at the Pilditch Stadium by his physiotherapist.

"These races just really confirm that I am in great shape right now and ready for this year," added Johnson who hopes to successfully defend his 200 and 400 metres titles at the Sydney Olympics.

"When I'm healthy and I'm in good shape I'm as confident as I can be and I don't think there's anyone out there who can beat me."

Johnson ran the fourth-fastest 200 metres of all time at Pietersburg last Saturday. He will race the 400 metres in Cape Town next Friday.

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