New York
Elle Purrier clocked the second-fastest indoor mile in history Saturday, delivering a blazing finish to win the Millrose Games women’s mile in 4min 16.85sec.
Purrier sliced nearly four seconds off the American national record set by Mary Slaney 37 years ago.
She was pushed to the limit by runner-up Konstanze Klosterhalfen, whose 4:17.26 was a German national record, with Britain’s Jemma Reekie third in a national record of 4:17.88.
“I just held on for dear life and kicked as hard as I could,” Purrier gasped after moving up from third and holding off Klosterhalfen in the final straight.
Her time is second fastest ever indoors behind the 4:13.31 clocked by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in 2016 — supplanting the 4:17.14 produced by Romanian Doina Melinta back in 1990.
Purrier wasn’t the only American national record-breaker at the Armory in New York City.
Donovan Brazier lowered the US indoor 800m record again with a victory in 1:44.22.
The 2019 outdoor world champion broke the mark of 1:44.41 he set in winning at Millrose last year.
“When I saw the clock going 1:42, 1:43, I was like, ‘Oh, I have a chance,” Brazier said. “To get it by point-two seconds, there’s really not much room for error there.” Ajee Wilson lowered her national 800m record to 1:58.29.—APP
