Athletics Australia – News – Second national record falls to Foster in Pennsylvania

Tasmanian track star Ryan Foster has broken Ralph Doubell's 41-year-old national and Oceania 800m indoor record at a college track meet in Pennsylvania (USA) at the weekend.

Competing 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 of 1:47.9 (hand timed), set in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 25, 1969. The time was also a meet and track record and, although falling outside Athletics Australia's qualifying period, meets the qualifying standard for the world indoor championships to be held in Doha, Qatar in March.

It is the second national record for Foster this year, the Tasmanian setting a new mark over the non-championship 1000m distance at the Northeast Challenge meet in Pennsylvania on January 19, clocking 2:19.60 to eclipse Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medalist Mark Fountain’s time of 2:20.30, recorded in 2005.

The performances demonstrate the growing potential of the young Sandy Bay Harrier, who is on scholarship at Penn State University and more than happy with his current form.

"It was absolutely fantastic, it was a really good day," said Foster, who followed his teammate and pacemaker Kevin Fuller through the first 500m 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 on 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.

Athletics Australia – News