Beijing Olympian Juan van Deventer had an impressive 2009 indoor debut in Dusseldorf, Germany on Wednesday.

Running the International PSD Bank meeting, Van Deventer set a new South African 1,500m indoor record of 3min 37.25sec.

The Johannesburg athlete placed second behind Kenyan star Augustine Choge of Kenya, who ran 3:36.75.

The previous SA record of 3:38.2 was set a staggering 31 years ago by Sydney Maree, while running in the United States.

Van Deventer has never been scared to take on the Kenyans and this was once again the occasion on Wednesday, with his natural speed seeing him run his way out of trouble on at least two occasions on the tight indoor circuit.

Seventh in the 2008 Olympic 1,500m final, Van Deventer was plagued by injury for much of last season, but this start bodes well for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India later this year.

Also at last night’s meeting sprint ace Morne Nagel twice ran 6.75sec in the 60m dash.

His 6.75sec in the heats made him sixth fastest of the eight finalists and he went on to equal that time in the final, placing seventh.

It was in 2002 that Nagel set his national 60m indoor record of 6.48sec and his effort last night shows promise for the season to come.