Americans Set 800m Records at Millrose Games

Donavan Brazier of the USA set a national indoor record for the 800m, and his female compatriot, Ajeé Wilson, did the same, setting a meet record in the process at the 113^th Millrose Games in New York, Saturday, February 8.

Brazier, the 2019 outdoor World champion, paced a relatively relaxed first half of the race in 53.04secs before storming by his rivals to win in 1:44.22. Wilson, who took bronze at the 2019 World Championships after entering the final as the red-hot favorite, timed her move right to remove herself from the group and take the lead with about 150m to go. She won the race in 1:58.29. Wilson was, however, tracked closely in the homestretch by her frequent rival, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule (1:59.35).

Briana Williams (left) and Allyson Felix in the Millrose line-up.

In looking to make her fifth Olympic Games, “coming out and trying to get my legs turn over again,” was how 200m-400m specialist Allyson Felix described her race experience against a 60m field that included Germany’s top sprinter Tatjana Pinto; USA’s 2019 100m champion Teahna Daniels; Javianne Oliver, the 60m winner at the 2018 USA Indoor Championships and holder of the leading time in the world for that season of 7.02; and Jamaica’s rising star, 17-yr-old Briana Williams.

It was Williams who left the blocks in a hurry and led for most of the race until she was passed just before the finish line by Oliver who won in 7.13secs and another American, Marolake Atkinson, second in 7.16. Williams was third in 7.18 and Felix sixth in 7.32.

Americans also took the men’s 60 race. Ronnie Baker won in 6.54secs, and 2019 U.S. indoor champion Demek Kemp was second in 6.56. Like Williams in the women’s race, Kemp rocketed from the blocks, but Baker kept his composure and smoothly went by him. Jamaica’s Kevaughn Rattray placed third in 6.62.

Kemp won at the Boston Grand Prix one week before Millrose; Baker was the 2017 U.S. indoor champion over 60m and was third at the 2019 World Indoor Championships.