Johnny Gray Goes After 800 Record in Sunkist Meet Jan. 17 at Sports Arena

Johnny Gray, the American record-holder in the 800 meters at 1:42.60, has entered his speciality at the 27th annual Sunkist Invitational, Friday night, Jan. 17, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Gray also holds the world indoor record of 1:46.9 for 880 yards and will be trying to add the 800 mark to his collection on the fast Sunkist boards.

The lanky Santa Monica Track Club athlete had a tremendous year in 1985, setting his American mark at Cologne and the world indoor record at the Michelob meet in San Diego. Amongst those performances, he ran an amazing string of sizzling 800s.

Gray ran 1:43.43, 1:43.84, 1:43.33 and 1:42.60 in a weeks’ time in Europe to indicate his skills. In his American record race, he missed upsetting Olympic champion Joaqum Cruz byonly 3/100 of a second.

Gray runs from the front, meaning that records are more likely to come from him than from another runner who comes from behind.

In addition to the race against Cruz at Cologne where he narrowly lost, Gray defeated the Brazilian Olympic champion at the Jenner meet in San Jose.