The best ever result remains, but cannot be verified as a world record, the indoor record of Canadian Christopher Morales Williams in the men's 400 metres.
The United States Track and Field Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on its social page that the 19-year-old's lone runner's time on Saturday will not be certified due to problems with the starting machines at the US Collegiate Regional (Southeast) Championships held in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Insane world record 44.49 in the men's 400 metres @UGATrackChristopher Morales Williams at the SEC Indoor Championships.
pic.twitter.com/fA2RCta83r– FloTrack (@FloTrack) February 25, 2024
The runner from the University of Georgia won the two-course distance on Saturday with a time of 44.49 seconds, which is three hundredths better than the best record ever set by American Michael Norman in 2018. But according to the International Federation’s website, the world record does not belong to Norman, but to Fellow American Kieron Clement, who has held the record since 2005 with 44.57.
The USTFCCCA also stressed in its post that Williams had been sampled for a doping test after the race, so that would not have prevented that time from being recorded as a world record.