Athletics: Sir Peter Snell’s 62-year-old 800m record broken by Wellington’s James Preston

James Preston at the Potts Classic, January 2024. Photo / Photosport

By of RNZ

Wellington’s James Preston has broken Sir Peter Snell’s 62-year-old 800m national record at a meet in Pfungstadt, Germany.

The 27-year-old middle-distance runner crossed the finish line in a time of 1:44:04 - which not only got him into the record books but also attained the Olympic qualifying standard.

That mark bettered Sir Peter’s mark by 0.16 seconds, and beat his previous personal best, set at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships earlier this year, by 0.83 seconds.

Preston’s time was also comfortably below the Olympic entry standard of 1:44.70.

Sir Peter set his time of 1:44:3 in 1962 in Christchurch. Preston went below the 1:45 mark for the first time in March this year.

In Germany, Preston was followed across the line by New Zealand’s Brad Mathas who finished second in a time of 1:45:80.