McRae breaks world short track 400m record in Fayetteville

USA’s Khaleb McRae produced the highlight performance at the Tyson Invitational – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting – in Fayetteville on Friday (13), clocking a world short track 400m record of 44.52*.

The world 4x400m silver medallist sped through the first lap in 21.24 with William Jones close behind. McRae then opened up a significant lead to cross the line in 44.52, 1.11 seconds ahead of Jones. World silver medallist Jereem Richards won the other final in 45.56.

If ratified, McRae’s time would be a 0.05 improvement on the official world short track record of 44.57, set by Kerron Clement on the same track back in 2005. Since then, both Michael Norman (44.52) and Christoper Morales Williams (44.49) have posted quicker times, but neither could be ratified for record purposes.

KcRae, who won at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix earlier this year, had a previous short track PB of 45.02. He set his outdoor PB of 43.91 last year and went on to reach the semifinals at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Most of the standout performances at the Tyson Invitational came in the sprints. NCAA indoor and outdoor Jordan Anthony took 0.04 off his PB to run a world-leading 6.43 in the men’s 60m, finishing ahead of Traunard Folson (6.49 PB) and Davonte Howell (6.52).

In the women’s event, Olympic champion Julien Alfred clocked a world-leading 6.99 to win ahead of by Jacious Sears (7.03) and Brianna Lyston (7.07).

Elsewhere, world 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch claimed victory in the long jump with 8.29m ahead of Gregory Foster (8.19m PB), while Britton Wilson won the women’s 400m in a meeting record of 50.66.

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure