PETALING JAYA: A 30-year-old record has finally been broken!
National runner Shereen Samson Vallabuoy has broken the national record for the 400m after notching a time of 51.80s to finish first in the first heat of the St Mac Relays at the Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California on Saturday (April 15).
Overall, the Winona State University student was fifth in the event, with Texas A&M University’s Jermaisha Arnold and Tierra Robinsin-Jones taking first and second, respectively, with a time of 50.79s and 51.01s. University of South Carolina's Jan’Taijah Jones was third with a time of 51.06s.
Shereen broke Rabia Abdul Salam’s 30-year-old outdoor record of 52.56s by 0.76s, and this augurs well in her bid to win the gold medal in the upcoming SEA Games in Cambodia.
Earlier last month, Sheree bettered the record set by Rabia when she won the 400m dash in the NCAA Division II Championships with a time of 52.27s.
But her time in that event was not recognised as a national outdoor record due to it being set in an indoor event.
It was recognised as a national indoor record, which she had broken four times since establishing herself in the United States.
