'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
19-year-old Christopher Morales-Williams of the University of Georgia Bulldogs clocked 44.05s in 400m at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This feat not only gave Morales-Williams a personal best time but also earned him the Canadian record.
Christopher Morales-Williams has been an indomitable force in 2024. At the SEC Championships in Fayetteville, he ran the 400m dash in 44.49s, setting the all-time collegiate and Canadian indoor records. This was also a world indoor record-breaking performance but the absence of a Starter Information System (requirement per World Athletics) didn't give him the honor.
Soon after, he entered the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston to clinch the victory in 400m, which he achieved in 44.67s. With this, he became the first Canadian athlete to win the NCAA Indoor title in 400m.
Trending
To maintain his winning streak in the 400m, the Ontario native competed at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships and won the dash in 44.05s. Citius Mag broke the news in the X handle to celebrate the stellar athlete who set four Canadian records in 2024 alone.
In the Gainsville event, the 19-year-old broke the previous indoor world record (44.44s) set by Tyler Christopher in 2005. Morales-Williams' winning time in that event would have placed him in the 400m runners-up position at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The University of Georgia Bulldogs sophomore also unfurled victory in the 200m at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. His time of 44.67s etched his name in history as the seventh fastest indoor performer.
His outdoor personal best time is 44.05s in 400m and 20.93s in 200m. His break-through season opener performance as a sophomore also made him the Canadian indoor record holder in 300m, a win from the Clemson Invitational this season.
Christopher Morales-Williams shares the story of choosing 400m over all events
Christopher Morales-Williams broke the 400m Canadian U16 record by running the dash in 49.14s, thus earning the OFSAA freshman title. In an interview with Mia Fishman of Carmical Sports Media Institute, the 19-year-old shed light on the time he felt like focussing on 400m.
He said:
"I think the biggest thing would be in grade nine when I broke the provincial record at OFSAA, that’s our province meet. I broke the OFSAA record in the 400 and I honestly think that it was even a national record at the time, but that’s when I realized that I’m actually pretty good at this race and track in general, you know, that I should actually think about scholarships and stuff like that."
Morales-Williams is currently 27th in 400m according to World Athletics' world rankings.
