Pompey sets new national 400m record

Jan 27, 2009 Sports

After five-year hiatus from indoors

Aliann Pompey

Guyana’s international athlete, Aliann Pompey dusted off her narrow miss at the Olympic Games in Beijing to set a new national 400m record on Saturday at her seasonopening New Balance Games in New York.
Pompey completely demolished her opponents to win in 51.85 seconds, which became an early season world leading time at the 14th edition of the Games at the New York’s Armory Track and Field Centre.
The Guyanese threetime Olympian executed well on her home turf; Pompey trains at the Armory Track and Field Centre with former Irish sprint champion and Guyana’s national coach to the 2008 Olympics, Joe Ryan.
Ryan was also Pompey’s coach at Manhattan College. The former NCAA indoor champ, who is now 30 years old, was an Olympic Semifinalist in the 400m in Beijing last year and narrowly missed a place in the final.
It was a successful return to the indoor arena for Pompey ending her fiveyear hiatus and signalling her intention to dominate this season. She broke her own national mark of 52.17 seconds set six years ago in 2003.
“I felt like I could (run a personal best) today,” she said. “I have not run indoors in five years. I was wondering if I could do that,” Pompey told reporters after the remarkable feat that raised her optimism this season.According to reports, Pompey enjoyed a 30 meter lead about 150 meters into the race and showed little sign of fatigue throughout. The seasoned Guyanese campaigner indicated that her performance comes from training well.
She will compete in the 600 yards event Friday at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. Pompey had won the 500 meters at the Gotham Cup two weeks ago in 1:09.37 to further highlight an impressive season start.
“That really gave me the confidence to hold on today,” she said, while informing that she is yet to land a sponsor. However, corporate support may be near for the athlete after her early surge to the top of the world.
(IAAF Website, Additional reporting by Christopher Hunt)

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