Kiwi runner James Preston is expected to be a late call up into New Zealand's Athletics team for Paris after a stellar performance in the 800-metre distance at a meet in Germany.
The 27-year-old from Wellington wiped 0.83 seconds from his previous personal best at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in March.
His mark set at the Merck Running Gala was comfortably under the Olympic entry standard of 1:44:70.
Speaking from Germany, Preston said he is relieved.
"I was nervous about trying to run the qualifier because opportunities can be hard to come by, so be able to run [the Olympic entry standard] takes a weight off my shoulders. It's also really satisfying that my team and I can put together the plan and execute it."
Sir Peter Snell's record of 1:44.30 had been the longest standing New Zealand athletics record, set on a grass track in Christchurch in 1962, which was then a world record mark.
"In terms of Snell's record, he did so much for middle distance running in New Zealand. The best way to honour what he did was to try and better it, so to be able to do that is amazing. I'm hoping that someone will come along and break my record one day and better what I've done." Preston said.
He gave credit to the pacemaker who helped him achieve the impressive time.
"The plan was to go through 400 metres in 50.5 seconds and 600 metres in 1:16 because that would set me up well to get under the qualifying mark. In terms of how the race played out, it was almost exactly like [what we planned]. We hit 400 metres in 50.1 seconds and then I just had to keep rolling with whatever I had. The last 50 metres was tough but I got it done."
Athletics New Zealand is expected to put Preston forward to the New Zealand Olympic Committee for selection for the Paris Games this week.
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