Christopher Morales Williams, a Canadian athlete, set a new world indoor record in the men’s 400 meters at the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference championships in Fayetteville, Ark. The 19-year-old University of Georgia sophomore achieved a time of 44.49 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 44.57 set by American Kerron Clement in 2005. His time also exceeded Michael Norman’s 44.52 performance from the NCAA Division 1 indoor championships. Morales Williams improved upon his previous best time of 45.39 seconds. He represented Canada in international competitions, winning bronze at the world U20 championships in Cali, Colombia, in 2022, and silver at the Pan American U20 Championships the following year. Despite missing two years of high school track due to the pandemic, he continued training through daily solo long-distance runs. Morales Williams chose the University of Georgia, attracted by coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, who previously coached Canadian sprinter and Olympic champion Andre De Grasse. His record awaits ratification by World Athletics.