Georgia sophomore Christopher Morales Williams set a new indoor world record in the 400 meters at the 2024 SEC Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.

Williams’ time of 44.49 seconds broke the collegiate record of 44.52 set by Michael Norman at the 2018 Division I indoor championships.

“It means the world to me,” Williams said. “It’s good to know I’m on the right track for now, showing the world what I can do.”

Williams came to UGA via St. Elizabeth High School in Vaughan, Ontario.

“The world record, I guess that’s something you wouldn’t expect to happen, but it did,” Williams said. “I had put it up there as a goal, but I wasn’t expecting anything like that.”

Georgia’s Mikeisha Welcome, a transfer from Oklahoma, won the triple jump at the event, soaring 13.44 meters (44 feet, 1.25 inches).

Arkansas, boasting a league advantage with its elite indoor facility, swept the men’s and women’s titles at the SEC Championships for the fifth consecutive year.

Georgia, which has plans to build a new track facility in Athens, finished sixth in the women’s standings and seventh in the men’s.

The NCAA Indoor Championships take place in Boston on March 8-9, with the outdoor season start to set for Georgia on March 15-16 in Atlanta at the Yellow Jacket Invitational.