Handal Roban has broken yet another St. Vincent and the Grenadines national track record. This time around it’s the Men’s 800m Indoor mark, smashing a 31 year-old effort set by Eversley Linley in 1992.
Competing for Penn State University at the Skyes & Sabock Invitational last Saturday, February 4, at the Multisport Facility and Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, Roban clocked 1:47.01 to win the 800m event, shaving off 1.57 secs from Linley’s 1:48.58.
Apart from establishing a new national record, Roban’s time placed him third on the all-time list of the university.
And that recent performance also places him sixth in the overall standings for the 800m Indoors for the 2023 season – the same ranking that he has for the 600m.
It was his second record-breaking run for the year, following on his new St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ best in the 1000m Indoor, when he timed 2:24.08, on January 14.
Roban, 20, is now the holder of five national records.
In addition to the two Indoor feats, he has three outdoor marks.
He is the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ All-time record holder in the 800m, with a 1:47.03 clocking, done last year; and also has to his name, the 800m and 1500m National Under-20 records, both achieved 2021.
Roban’s Under-20 mark in the 800m is 1:48.37 and the 1500m- 3:56.99.