The American had a great performance at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, while Hobbs Kessler set a world best in the men’s 2000m.
Athletes began breaking records at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Saturday (January 24th) when USA’s Josh Hoy dominated the men’s 800m.
Hoy ran a perfectly timed run to break the long-standing world indoor record, clocking 1:42.50 to shave 0.17 off Wilson Kipketer’s 1:42.67, which had stood since the 1997 World Indoor Championships in Paris. It was another historic moment for the reigning world indoor champion, just seven weeks after he set a world best over 600m on the same track.
Already the second-fastest indoor 800m runner in history thanks to the North American record of 1:43.24 set at last year’s US Indoor Championships, Hoy went one better in Boston. With a deft move by his brother Jackson, he moved to the top of the all-time list, winning by more than two seconds.
Jackson Hoy led in the 200m in 24.81 and 400m in 50.21 before pulling away, Josh taking the 600m in 1:16.19 and holding on down the final straight.
“We did a very fast-paced job,” Josh said. “It just kept getting better, week by week, block by block, and we did it this work.”
Another record was also set earlier in the men’s 2000m program where Hobbs Kessler clocked a stunning 4:48.79 to beat Kenenisa Bekele’s world best of 4:49.99 set almost 19 years ago. 3000m world record holder Grant Fisher also fell under the old mark, finishing second in 4:49.48.
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman impressed in his season opener, finishing fourth and setting a new British 2000m record of 4:53.79, bettering John Mayock’s 2001 mark of 4:57.09.
The men’s 300m brought fresh drama as Noah Lyles looked to reclaim the world’s best, but it was Trinidad and Tobago’s Jeremy Richards who beat the Olympic champion in a tight finish. Richards clocked 32.14, with Lyles just 0.01 behind in 32.15 after appearing to weaken slightly before the line.
British athletes also had a strong presence throughout the meet. Dina Asher-Smith won the women’s 60m in 7.08, her fastest indoor time since 2023, ahead of Jamaica’s Brianna Liston, who impressed on her professional debut with a 7.11.
In the women’s 3000m, Hannah Nuttall finished an excellent fifth in a personal best of 8:38.96 as El St. Pierre took victory for the United States in 8:26.54. Britain’s Elise Turner and Alex Millard also set PBs, finishing seventh (8:39.87) and 10th (8:48.69).
Nicole Yaregin secured victory in the women’s 400m after a close battle with heptathlete Anna Hall. Yaregin won the finals in 52.63, with Hall trailing in 52.77.
The women’s 1500m saw a personal best for Sarah Calvert as the budding pro clocked 4:12.16, while Kenya’s Dorkus Ewoye cruised to victory in 4:01.22. Earlier in the program, Issy Boffi ran a close PB of 2:00.14 in the women’s 800m, just behind winner Roisin Willis of the USA (1:59.59).
The men’s 3000m saw another standout performance from Cameron Myers, who continues to add national records to his growing collection. The Australian won in 7:27.57, setting both the Australian and Met records, with Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran second in 7:30.97.
Ireland’s success continued shortly after as Cian McPhillips won the men’s 600m against a strong American field in a personal best of 1:16.37.
