By Canadian Press

DeBues-Stafford breaks her own women’s indoor mile record at Millrose Games

Feb 9, 2020 | 12:12 PM

NEW YORK — Gabriela DeBues-Stafford continued her attack on the Canadian record books on Saturday.

The 24-year-old from Toronto sliced more than five seconds off her own Canadian indoor mile record to finish fourth at the Millrose Games.

DeBues-Stafford crossed in four minutes 19.73 seconds, lowering her previous mark of 4:24.80. American Elle Purrier won in a U.S.-record 4:16.85. Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen was second in 4:17.26, while Jemma Reekie of Great Britain was third (4:17.88)

DeBues-Stafford rewrote the national middle-distance record books last season, setting new marks in the 1,500 metres, mile and 5,000 metres outdoors, and mile and 5,000 metres indoors. She became the first Canadian woman to dip under the four-minute mark in the 1,500, and then she went on to shatter her own record in finishing sixth at the world championships in September in Doha with time of 3:56.12.

Purrier’s time of 4:16.85 on Saturday was the second-fastest indoor mile ever, behind Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba world record of 4:13:31, set in 2016.

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“I’m just so surprised,” said Purrier. “I’m really happy and really excited.”

Toronto’s Justyn Knight was also victorious, winning the men’s 3,000-metre race in 7:46.36, beating out American Joe Klecker and Malta’s Jodan Gusman.

Among the pre-eminent events on the track and field calendar, the 113th edition of the Millrose Games at The Armory in New York City’s Washington Heights neighbourhood was viewed by athletes as the start of a season that culminates at the Tokyo Olympics.

American Ronnie Baker took the men’s 60 metres with a time of 6.54 seconds, while Donovan Brazier set an American indoor record of 1:44:22 to win the men’s 800.

“I executed exactly what I wanted to do,” Brazier said. “I’m really happy.”

Baker, who said he was injured all of last season, hopes the result is the jumping off point for a year that ends with Olympic gold.

“I know I am one of the top competitors in the world,” said Baker.

Britain’s Chris O’Hare won the Men’s Wanamaker Mile with a time of 3:55:61. He was followed by Australia’s Olli Hoare (3:56:47) and American Rob Napolitano (3:56:56).

In the American-only field, Ryan Crouser took the men’s shot put with a throw of 22.19 metres. Joe Kovacs came in second at 21.34, and Payton Otterdahl finished third at 21.10.

Edwin Moses and Eammon Coghlan were among those in attendance. Moses, who won 122 consecutive races between August 1977 and June 1987, won two Olympic golds, two world championship golds, three IIAF golds and a gold at the 1986 Goodwill Games. Coghlan won the men’s Wanamaker Mile seven times between 1977 and 1987.

— With files from The Associated Press.

The Canadian Press