Josh Hoey, Hobbs Kessler Smash World Records At New Balance Indoor Grand Prix; More Indoor Performances From Boston To Blacksburg To New Zealand (+ Kyle Is Back)

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber reunite for the first time in nearly two years on the podcast for This Week In Track and Field.

At The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix:
– Hobbs Kessler broke the 2000m WR (4:48.79), outkicking Grant Fisher on the final lap with a 26.31 last 200m.
– Josh Hoey broke the  800m WR (1:42.50) and broke Wilson Kipketer’s legendary 1997 record (1:42.67). He was paced by his brother Jaxson Hoey, who hit textbook splits.
– Elle St. Pierre won the 3000 just eight months after having her second baby with a 8:26.54 victory over Australia’s Linden Hall in a last-lap surge.
– Jereem Richards took the men’s 300m 32.14 to 32.15 win, despite Noah Lyles’ WWE-style entrance from the stands.
– Cian McPhillips won the men’s 600m in 1:16.37, surged late to win over American hopefuls.
– Roisin Willis ran 1:59.59 wire-to-wire to win her professional debut.

Elsewhere:
– Cooper Lutkenhaus ran 1:45.23 to win the 800m, smashing the World Indoors standard at the Dr. Sander Invitational.
– 5000m World champion Cole Hocker opened his indoor season at the Hokie Invitational and broke the U.S. 2000m record in 4:52.92 just 24 hours before Kessler and Fisher took it down.
– New Zealand’s 16-year-old running phenom Sam Ruthe clocked a 3:53.83 mile at the Cooks International Classic — the fastest U16 mile in history.

Other news discussed:
– Two-time Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced Thursday she is expecting her first child with husband Andre Levrone Jr.
– Grant Fisher will make his half marathon debut at the NYC Half in March.
– Jakob Ingebrigtsen update: In a profile with The Guardian, he said: “I’ve fed my obsession my whole life” and added that he might be “autistic” due to his all-in intensity and singular focus. He also said he is still haunted by finishing 4th in the 1500m at Paris 2024. “Nine out of 10 times I win that race. That was the 10th.”

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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | @kylemerber

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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