Ryan Runs Another Australian Record
01 Feb 2010
Tasmanian track star Ryan Foster has broken Ralph Doubell's 41 year old national and Oceania area indoor record for 800 metres.
Competing on the weekend at the Penn State National Meet, the 21 year old ran 1.47.48 to take four tenths of a second off the 1968 Olympic gold medallist's mark (1.47.9 hand time) set in Albuquerque on 25 January 1969. The time was also a meet and track record and significantly also a qualifier for the World Indoor Championships to be held in Doha, Qatar in March.
It is the second national record for Foster in January, having earlier set a new mark for the non-championship 1000 metres distance. The performances demonstrate the growing potential of the young Sandy Bay Harrier who is currently studying at Penn State University and more than happy with is current form.
"It was absolutely fantastic, it was a really good day," said Foster who followed his team mate and pacemaker Kevin Fuller through the first 500 metres before making his move on the third lap of the 200m track.
"I'm just running really well at the moment and enjoying life over here."
Foster now plans to take a mile event in Seattle in a week's time in an attempt to become the first Tasmanian to break four minutes for the distance.