Kipketer Runs Record 800

Wilson Kipketer, 26, a native of Kenya now living in Denmark, shattered the world indoor record in the 800 meters on the opening day of the world indoor track and field championships, clocking 1 minute, 43.96 seconds.

Most astonishing about Kipketer’s record was that it came in a first-round heat. He did not plan to go for the record before the race, his first indoor appearance of the season.

“But after the first lap (200 meters), when I saw the time was 24 something (24.96), I said I have to go for it,” he said. “Today was the perfect race. I knew my competitors would not push me and I could control everything.”

Kipketer’s stunning performance, in which he finished more than 4 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, broke the record of 1:44.84, set by his former Kenyan teammate, Paul Ereng, at the 1989 World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

In the first four of the 28 finals to be held during the three-day championships, Gail Devers, the two-time Olympic 100-meter gold medalist, won her second world indoor 60-meter title in 7.06; unheralded Haralambros Papadias of Greece took the men’s 60 in 6.50; Yuriy Bilonoh topped a 1-2 Ukraine finish in the men’s shot at 68 feet, 11 inches, and Sabine Braun led a 1-2 German finish in the pentathlon, with a 1997 world-best of 4,780 points.