Berlin, Sep 1: Asian Games gold medallist Jinson Johnson bettered his own 1500m national record while clinching silver in the ISTAF Berlin event here on Sunday (September 1).
Johnson clocked 3 minutes 35.24 seconds to finish second behind Joshua Thompson of United States at the Olympic Stadium here.
The earlier national record in the name of the 28-year-old Kerala runner was 3:37.62 which he had clocked at Nijmegen in the Netherlands in June. He also holds the 800m national record (1:45.65).
With his own national record-shattering effort, Jinson also qualified for the World Championships to be held in Doha from September 28 to October 6. The World Championships qualifying time is 3:36.00.
"I was expecting to set a new national record but did not expect to win the silver. I will now go to Colorado in the USA for further training and then to Doha for World Championships," Jinson said after the event.
#JinsonJohnson breaks yet another #Indian Record with a superb second place finish in 1500m at #ISTAFBerlin.
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) September 1, 2019
With a time of 3:35.24 (NR,PB)@JinsonJohnson5 also qualifies for World Championships #Doha2019
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/nctWxszcog
"I am very happy. But my ultimate aim is to do well in Tokyo 2020."
Jinson had won the 2018 Asian Games gold in 1500m with a time of 3:44.72. ISTAF Berlin is a part of the IAAF World Challenge meetings, the second tier of global one day athletics events. It is the penultimate leg of the IAAF World Challenge meetings this year.