Navasky Anderson and Kelly-Ann Beckford set new Jamaican national indoor records at Saturday’s Penn State University National Open at the Ashenfelter Indoor Track in Pennsylvania.

Anderson, the World Championships finalists and men’s 800m record holder, ran 2:18.53 to win the men’s 1000m while Beckford clocked 1:24.44 to set a new women’s 600m record. Both athletes represent Under Armour Mission Run Baltimore Track Club,

Anderson, competing in the 1000m for the first time, broke the previous national record 2:19.96, set 25 years ago by Mario Vernon-Watson on February 12, 2000 at the St Valentines Invitational in Boston, USA.

His time is the third-fastest time in the world so far this year, only behind Jaouad Khchina of Morocco- 2:17.36, and Japan’s Allon Tatsunami Clay- 2:18.09.

Beckford, the former Big12 Indoor 800m champion while attending the University of Houston, clocked 1:24.44 to break the 1:25.35 set by Natoya Goule in February 2017 at the Clemson Last Chance meet in South Carolina.

-Paul A Reid