Donavan Brazier romped to the fastest 600 metres ever run and teenager Athing Mu came close to the women’s record at the US indoor championships in New York on Sunday.
Former collegiate champion Brazier collected his win in one minute, 13.77 seconds as he wiped more than a second off Kenyan Michael Saruni’s 2018 mark of 1:14.79.
Minutes earlier, the 16-year-old Mu came within 0.13 seconds of Russian Olga Kotlyarova’s world best of 1:23.44 over the same distance.
Her time of 1:23.57 was a national record and the fastest in 2019. The 600m is not recognised in world records because it is run infrequently worldwide. “I was still hungry,” said the 21-year-old Brazier, who two weeks ago set a national record in the indoor 800m. “So I went out a little fast and I was able to hang on.”
Mu’s triumph was perhaps more stunning given her age and the way she won. The long-striding 2018 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist turned back six-time collegiate champion Raevyn Rogers’ challenge and sprinted home.
“I am just blown away,” said the teenager. “I don’t know what I can do anymore.”
– Reuters
