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Navasky Anderson Breaks Jamaican 800m Record Again with Gutsy Win in Los Angeles
Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Athletics. | 13 July 2025 | 557 Views
Tags: Navasky Anderson, Sound Running Sunset Tour, Jack Kemp Stadium

Navasky Anderson continued his impressive 2025 season by lowering the Jamaican national 800m record for the second time this year, clocking 1:44.40 to win the men’s 800m at the Sound Running Sunset Tour meet at Jack Kemp Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The Under Armour athlete edged a strong field in a tightly contested finish, holding off Abe Alvarado of Under Armour Dark Sky, who clocked 1:44.47, and University of Oregon’s Matti Erickson, who was just behind in 1:44.49. Adidas’ Hobbs Kessler also dipped under 1:45, finishing fourth in 1:44.77.

Anderson’s winning time shaved 0.21 seconds off the national record of 1:44.61 he had set just last month at the Mission Run Baltimore High Performance meet, which had itself improved upon the 1:44.70 mark he set in 2023. Saturday’s race saw him deliver a well-timed surge over the final 100 metres to secure both the victory and the record, cementing his status as Jamaica’s premier half-miler.

Though not among the very top times globally in a year where several men have broken the 1:44 barrier, Anderson’s 1:44.40 currently ranks as the 38th fastest time in the world for 2025—an indicator of his growing consistency and international competitiveness in the highly demanding two-lap event.

This latest result comes just weeks after Anderson finished second at the Jamaica National Championships in Kingston, clocking 1:46.03 behind winner Tyrice Taylor to secure his place on Jamaica’s team for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

While he is still some way off the medal contenders at the global level, Anderson’s progress this season has been encouraging. With two national records and back-to-back sub-1:45 performances under his belt, he heads into the latter part of the season with momentum and the experience needed to keep closing the gap on the world’s best.

Anderson will now turn his attention to further sharpening his form as he prepares for the biggest test of the year in Tokyo this September.