Ajee Wilson Breaks 800m American Record, Finishes Third At Monaco

Jul 21, 2017

New Jersey native and former Neptune High phenom Ajee Wilson put her name in the record books on Friday, setting a new American record in the 800m after finishing third at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Monaco.

Wilson became the first American to go sub-1:56, besting the former record of 1:56.40 last set by Jearl Miles-Clark in 1999 in Zurich. Wilson, once set to attend Florida State University out of high school, became a professional just before her collegiate career began in 2012 and currently runs for adidas.

Wilson finished behind race winner South African Caster Semenya (1:55.27) and Burundian Francine Niyonsaba (155.47), respectively.

Wilson has one other American record in the DMR, which was set in 2015 by the team of Treniere Moser, Sanya Richards-Ross, Wilson and Shannon Rowbury.

Wilson's former PB was set in 2014, coincidentally, in Monaco when she ran 1:57.67 -- at the time, it was another world best.

As of this year, Wilson has run 1:58.94 and 1:57.78, both at the USA Track and Field Championships, which qualified her for Worlds.

Wilson's Most Recent 800m Results in 2017

2017
1:59.19	Meeting Citta Di Padova	Jul 16, 2017	1st	Finals	>
1:57.78	USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships	Jun 22, 2017 - Jun 25, 2017	1st	Finals	>
2:02.84	USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships	Jun 22, 2017 - Jun 25, 2017	3rd	Prelims	>
1:58.94	USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships	Jun 22, 2017 - Jun 25, 2017	1st	Semis	>

Wilson was a Class of 2012 graduate of Neptune High, where she instantly became a prodigy in track and field. She won a World Youth Championship in 2011 and later followed with a World Junior Championship in 2012, running, at the time, the third fastest 800m ever by a high school schooler. Since then, on July 18, Sammy Waston bumped up the list with a 2:00.65.

In 2011, Wilson ran the 1-mile at the Millrose Games, finishing third in 4:52.45.