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


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
1:59.19Meeting Citta Di Padova1stFinals>
1:57.78USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships1stFinals>
2:02.84USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships3rdPrelims>
1:58.94USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships1stSemis>

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.