Kipketer Sets Sights On 800 Outdoor Mark His 1:42.67 Indoors Called ‘Mind-Boggling’

“If anyone said he would run 1:42, you would have laughed, but he made it look easy.”

Rich Kenah Third-place finisher PARIS Wilson Kipketer is a man without a country and a man with a mission.

After smashing the world indoor record in the men’s 800 meters twice within three days at the world championship, the 26-year-old with the carefree attitude and the serious running habits is going after the outdoor record.

In discussing the record of 1 minute, 41.73 seconds, set by Britain’s Sebastian Coe in 1981 at Florence, Italy, Kipketer said: “That was 16 years ago. Now, it’s my time to do the job.”

Off Kipketer’s performance at the world indoors, Coe’s mark appears in jeopardy.

“Wilson obviously is better than all the rest of us,” said Rich Kenah of the U.S., the third-place finisher in the world indoors. “If anyone said he would run 1:42, you would have laughed, but he made it look easy.

“Coming into the meet, it was expected that 1:44 would be the fastest anyone could run.”

Kipketer, a Kenyan awaiting Danish citizenship in December, was devastating in twice obliterating the world record of 1:44.84 set in 1989 by former Kenyan teammate Paul Ereng.

First, he was timed in 1:43.96 in Friday’s opening heats. Then, after conserving his energy in winning his semifinal in 1:48.49 Saturday, he blazed through Sunday’s final in 1:42.67.

“He’s just amazing,” said Latvia’s Einars Tupuritis, the sixth-place finisher. “To get to his level, some guys would have to train 10 times as hard as they do now.

“I wasn’t shocked. He ran 1:43 in the prelims. I knew he would run 1:42.”

Kenah, who ran a personal-best 1:46.16, was overwhelmed by Kipketer’s overpowering performance, comparing it to Michael Johnson’s stunning 19.32 in last year’s Olympic 200 final.

“It’s unheard of,” Kenah said. “It was mind-boggling. I don’t know if anyone on the planet could run as fast as he did today. Only three people can run that fast outdoors, never mind indoors.”

No one ran as fast as Kipketer did last year, either.

After the Olympics, from which he was barred after having renounced his Kenyan citizenship and yet to become a Danish citizen, Kipketer ran the third-fastest 800 in history, 1:41.83 at Rieti, Italy.

For the year, he was unbeaten in 13 races, beat Olympic gold medalist Vebjorn Rodal of Norway five times, had seven sub-1:43 clockings and was ranked No. 1 in the world for the third consecutive season. In 1995, he was the world outdoor champion.

Had his mind not wandered during the final lap of his race at Rieti, he might have erased Coe’s record. At the bell lap, his time of 49.7 was the same as Coe’s.

“I failed to realize that I was on course to break the record,” Kipketer said. “Only when the stadium announcer shouted that I was closing in on Coe’s record did I react. I accelerated in the final 150 meters, but it was too late.”

Because of that momentary lapse, he considered Sunday’s race more technically sound.

“This is the best race of my life,” Kipketer said. Then looking to the outdoor season, he added, “I want to make history. … I have my dreams.” One other world record was set at the three-day meet, a 3:26.84 by Russia in the women’s 1,600 relay.