Athletics: Smit goes under World Champs standard

Angie Smit. Photo / HB Today

New Zealand athlete Angie Smit is likely to be heading back to Russia next month after running under the Moscow World Champs B qualifying standard while finishing fourth in the 800 metres final at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia this morning.

Smit ran a personal best of 2 minutes 00.03 seconds to beat the standard of 2:01.00. Her previous best was 2:00.67, set in Belgium last year. The race was won by Margarita Mukasheva from Kazakhstan in 1:58.96, a new national record.

As she has not attended a World championships previously, the Christchurch 21-year-old was required to run just one B standard time and can now expect to be named in the team when the final group of athletes is announced next week.

The 2013 World Track and Field champs start on 10 August in Moscow.