Clement claims world record in 400

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Florida sophomore Kerron Clement broke Michael Johnson’s world indoor 400-meter record Saturday night, an unexpected display of speed that overshadowed team titles for the Arkansas men and Tennessee women at the NCAA Indoor track and field championships.

Clement, 19, outran a strong field and stunned the crowd with a 44.57-second clocking, breaking Johnson’s mark of 44.63 set on March 4, 1995, at the U.S. Indoor championships.

“This is amazing,” Clement said. “I can’t describe how I feel right now.”

Clement, born in Trinidad, moved to the United States and was a highly sought high school athlete at La Porte, Texas, both as a hurdler and sprinter. He chose Florida over LSU, Texas, Tennessee and Baylor.

Terry Gatson of Arkansas was second in 45.29 and Kelly Willie of LSU third at 45.41. Darold Williamson, anchor of the Olympic gold medal 1,600 relay team in Athens, was fourth at 46.26.

It was the first world record set at the Randal Tyson Track Center, which opened in 2000.

Clement capped his magnificent night by anchoring the victorious Florida 1,600 relay team in a collegiate record 3:03.51.

Clement, who became a U.S. citizen last summer, won the world junior and NCAA 400 hurdles outdoors last year as a freshman, and still considers that his best event.

There was a gasp from the crowd as the time was shown on the scoreboard after he crossed the finish line.

“Seriously, I wanted to cry,” Clement said, “because it was so overwhelming that I knew I broke the world record of the great Michael Johnson, and now I have it.”

Clement’s previous best in the 400 was 45.29 on the same track at the Southeastern Conference championships two weeks ago. He was sixth in the 200 on Friday night.

The record was the only world indoor mark held by Johnson, the five-time Olympic gold medalist. Johnson still holds the world outdoor records at 200 and 400.

The Arkansas men overcame a disqualification in the distance medley relay and an injury to sprinter Tyson Gay to win their 18th NCAA Indoor title and 40th national cross country or track title in coach John McDonnell’s 33 years as Razorbacks coach.

Tennessee won its first NCAA women’s title, outside of basketball.