BOSTON — Khadevis Robinson is the United States’ most productive 800-meter runner since Johnny Gray in the 1980s and 1990s. Gray’s career seemed to last forever, including an Olympic final at 36, but he sees greater glory for Robinson, which makes generous sense. He coaches him.

In the 800 meters in the national track and field championships going back to 1999, Robinson has four firsts and three seconds outdoors, and two firsts and two seconds indoors. Here on Saturday, in the national indoors at the Reggie Lewis Center, he won his 800 heat in 1 minute 48.88 seconds, advancing to Sunday’s final. He was the second-fastest qualifier behind the defending champion, Nick Symmonds (1:48.67).

This is Robinson’s fourth meet of the indoor season, and it is especially important because the first two finishers in each event qualify for the world indoor championships March 7-9 in Valencia, Spain.