Sammy Watson Breaks Longest-Standing Girls Indoor National Record
Prior to Saturday, Mary Decker's 2:01.8 national high school record for 800m was the oldest indoor record in the book for high school girls. Decker ran that time as a 15-year-old in 1974! The next oldest indoor record for high school girls is Candy Young's 1979 6.95 record for 50m hurdles, a rarely contested event in the modern track schedule.
Sammy Watson ran just under that time in 2:01.78 to place sixth in the Women's Invitational 800m at the NYRR Millrose Games. Kimarra McDonald took the field through 200m in 28.08 and 57.15, and Watson ran within the seventh to fourth position for the entire race with the following splits:
200m: 29.03
400m: 58.20 (29.17)
600m: 1:29.25 (31.96)
800m: 2:01.78 (32.53)
Ajee Wilson set a new American record by winning in 1:58.27. Her teammate, Charlene Lipsey, also ran under the old American record with her runner-up time of 1:58.64.
Full coverage from NYRR Millrose Games: