NEW YORK, United States, Feb 12 – Kenya’s Noah Kibet won the men’s 800m at the Milrose Games in 1:44.98, a personal best and earning him the fastest time over the distance this season.
The 18-year-old, a 2022 world indoor runner-up, beat American Isaiah Harris by .66 of a second.
Kibet perched at third behind the pacemaker and Harris for most of the start of the race and once the pacer dropped off, it was the Kenyan vs the American.
At the bell, Kibet who was lurking behind the American like a lion waiting to pounce on prey started making his move, closing in on Harris. At the backstraight, he pounced and strode on to the finish line with his strong swinging arms to take the world leading time.
It is a brilliant start for the 2021 World Under-20 Champion whose debut in the seniors last season didn’t go particularly to script, but hopes the start can inspire a better performance this season, with the World Championships set for July.
Meanwhile, World record-holder Christian Coleman defended his Millrose Games 60-meter title in a 2023 world-best of 6.47 seconds on Saturday after world 200m champion Noah Lyles was disqualified.
Both Americans are looking to the 100m in August’s World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics as top stars took an early status check at the Armory in the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series meet.
Lyles flinched in the starting block and was disqualified for a false start but protested the decision and was allowed to run.
Coleman jumped ahead at the start and surged to the finish, ignoring the distraction to make the most of his opportunity.
“You’ve got to be a professional in those moments, try to stay composed, stay relaxed and stay locked in, and just execute your race plan,” said Coleman.
Lyles crossed the line next in 6.53 but it was Jamaican Travis Williams who placed second, edging Noah’s brother Josephus Lyles after both ran personal bests of 6.59.
“He’s a great competitor. I knew he would have some closing speed,” Coleman said of Noah Lyles. “Just tried to get to the line first.”
Lyles, the reigning world 200m champion, won the 60 last week in Boston in a personal best 6.51.
Coleman, who set the 60m world record of 6.34 in 2018, won the 2018 world indoor 60m title and took the 2019 world outdoor 100m title.
-Additional info courtesy AFP
