SOUTH BEND, Illinois (CMC) — Kirani James enhanced his reputation with another impressive performance over 400 metres at the Meyo Invitational last Saturday.

Running for the University of Alabama, the 18-year-old from the Spice Island of Grenada clocked 45.47 seconds, which is the fastest time in the world so far this year, and beat his closest challenger by a full second at the Loftus Sports Centre on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

“We’ve had some great performances over the last two days,” said UA head coach Harvey Glance.

“Kirani [James] had the performance of the meet setting a facility record, and becoming the fastest man in world in the 400 this year.

Glance added: “He did an outstanding job of doing what he does best, and it’s incredible that the fastest man in the world in both the 200 and 400 is on campus in Tuscaloosa.”

The time was also another NCAA automatic qualifying standard for James, who also holds the current world-leading 200 time of 20.58 secs.

Brycen Sprating of Eastern Michigan finished second in 46.48, and Patrick Feeney was third in 47.69.

The Alabama track team will now split into two squads, contesting the Flotrack Husky Classic in Seattle, and the Texas A&M Challenge in College Station, Texas, next weekend.