Kenya's Saruni runs second-best indoor 800m in history

Michael Saruni won the title in a time of 1min 43.98secs.

Michael Saruni's record is second only to the indoor world-record time set in 1997, at the World Indoor Chmapionships. (representative image)

Kenya's Michael Saruni ran the second-fastest indoor 800 meters in history on Saturday, winning the title in 1min 43.98secs at the 112th Millrose Games athletics meet.

Saruni's effort was second only to the indoor world-record time of 1:42.67 set by Denmark's Wilson Kipketer in Paris at the 1997 World Indoor Championships.

“Oh man, it's crazy,” Saruni said. “I trained hard for this moment. I just had to do it.”

Donavan Brazier was second in an American record 1:44.41 with American Sam Ellison third in a personal best 1:46.13.

“I'm excited about that, but Saruni snuck up on me,” Brazier said. “I had the other record but he passed me.”

Brazier erased one of the oldest US indoor marks, lowering the old record of 1:45.00 set by Johnny Gray on March 8, 1992 at Sindelfingen, Germany.