On Saturday, sprinter Christopher Morales Williams set a new Canadian record of 44.05 seconds in the men’s 400m race at the SEC outdoor tack and field championships in Gainesville, Fla.
Just a massive, historic result for 19-year-old Canadian Christopher Morales Williams.
Remarkably, the 400m Canadian record he just took down is as old as he is. Set in 2005 by Tyler Christopher.
Morales Williams just posted a 44.05 to break it and win the SEC Championship. pic.twitter.com/ltdwA0WHfT
— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) May 12, 2024
The Ontario sprinter, who races for the University of Georgia, surpassed the mark of Tyler Christopher (44.44) set in 2005, continuing his year of notable victories. In February, he took down the world 400m indoor record (though his result was ineligible for ratification). In March, he became the first Canadian male to win the NCAA indoor 400m title. In an interview with Canadian Running around the time of these victories, Olympic-bound Morales Williams declared he was confident he could make it to the Olympic finals in the 400m later this summer. Adding yesterday’s victory to his already-impressive resume, there’s no doubt he will be one to watch in Paris.
Morales Williams shares the same coach as Canada’s most decorated track and field Olympian, Andre De Grasse. Morales Williams is in good hands with Tony Sharpe of Toronto’s Speed Academy, and Smith Gilbert, who mentored De Grasse during his NCAA career at the University of Southern California.
Paris 2024 will be Morales Williams’ first Olympic Games. He had raced for Team Canada as part of the World Athletic Relays earlier this month, but the men’s 4×400 relay did not qualify for the Olympics at that event.
