THIS YEAR’S INDOOR HONORS WINNERS racked up an impressive collection of recordsetting performances. The only double winner was sprint star Christian Coleman, chosen as the best man in both the world and U.S. categories. That’s actually one less win than he scored last year, when he was both of those plus the collegiate topper.
This year’s winners:
World Men: Christian Coleman
The 22-year-old American solidly crafted a place for himself as the fastest 60 man ever. His first meet of the season produced a 6.37 that took 0.02 off the all-time best. At the USATF Championships he lowered that to an altitude-aided 6.34. For good measure he tied his low-altitude best in winning World Indoor gold. He was a unanimous choice.
Honorable mention—The year’s other WR setter was young American Michael Norman, who earned his spot here with the fastest undercover 400 ever, 44.52. He’s joined by fellow collegian Elijah Hall (No. 2 on the all-time 200 list) and world champ New Zealander Tom Walsh (No. 4 on the all-time shot list).
World Women: Mariya Lasitskene
There were no World Records on the women’s side (in mainstream events), but that didn’t stop Lasitskene from a remarkable achievement, going undefeated in 11 meets. She produced the 10 highest marks of the year with her best moving her to =No. 8 on the all-time list.
HM—Dibaba, winner of 3 straight here 2014–16 came very close with a World Champs 1500/3000 double and No. 3 time ever in the former. World 60 champ Murielle Ahouré moved to =No. 6 ever in running the world’s fastest time since ’99.
U.S. Men: Coleman
Coleman’s WR times were all ARs as well, so he’s an easy repeater here.
HM—Collegians Michael Norman and Elijah Hall score here as well as the world and they’re joined by Birmingham TJ gold medalist Will Claye.
U.S. Women: Kendra Harrison
The World Champs 60H gold medalist twice equaled the AR as she moved to a share of No. 3 on the all-time world list.
HM—Two other Birmingham gold medalists, Sandi Morris (PV) and Courtney Okolo (400) score here, as does AR-setting triple jumper Keturah Orji.
Collegiate Men: Michael Norman
Norman’s WR trumps Hall’s AR (and NCAA 60/200 double) so the USC soph takes the top spot.
HM—Hall is joined by another recordsetter, UTEP’s Michael Saruni (a WR in the little-run 600). Saruni also produced the Nos. 2 & 3 collegiate times ever in the 800. Florida’s Grant Holloway was also in the mix, claiming the CR in the 60H and adding NCAA gold (plus a long jump silver) in that event.
Collegiate Women: Keturah Orji
In a year with lots of recordsetting, 4 candidates emerged here, with Georgia’s horizontal-jump ace being a close choice after her AR/CR in the TJ and domination of both the yearly and all-time lists. She added an NCAA long jump silver to her collection for good measure.
HM—USC’s Kendall Ellis had an AR/CR in the 400, Harvard’s Gabby Thomas claimed the collegiate 200 best and Missouri’s Karissa Schweizer won a 3000/5000 double at the Nationals.
High School Boys: Mondo Duplantis
Like last year, the Louisianan’s string of vault marks, topped by a pair of national records, just couldn’t be beat. Indeed, few in the world of any age could beat him, as he claimed =7th at the Worlds.
HM—Praise also for national recordsetters Brian Herron (300) & Josh Hoey (800). Both were national leaders in other events as well, Herron in the 200 & 400, Hoey in the 1000.
High School Girls: Katelyn Tuohy
New York’s latest young distance star, just a soph, took 18 seconds off the national record in the 5000 in addition to moving to No. 8 on the all-time 1500 list, No. 2 in the 3000 (missing Mary Cain’s HSR by less than a second) and No. 5 in the 2M.
HM—Frosh sprinter Tamari Davis won a 60/200 double at NBIN and moved into the top 6 all-time in the 55, 60 & 200.
Previous AOYs
Top world indoor choices of the new millennium:
Men: ’00—Wilson Kipketer (Denmark); ’01—Yuriy Borzakovskiy (Russia); ’02—Jeff Hartwig (US); ’03—Christian Olsson (Sweden); ’04—Olsson; ’05—Wallace Spearmon (US); ’06—Reese Hoffa (US); ’07—Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia); ’08—Christian Cantwell (US); ’09—Steve Hooker (Australia); ’10—Dayron Robles (Cuba); ’11—Teddy Tamgho (France); ’12—Ashton Eaton (US); ’13—Renaud Lavillenie; ’14—Lavillenie; ’15—Lavillenie; ’16—Lavillenie; ’17— Christian Coleman (US).
Women: ’00—Stacy Dragila (US); ’01—Dragila; ’02—Svetlana Feofanova (Russia); ’03—Feofanova; ’04—Tatyana Lebedeva (Russia); ’05—Yelena Isinbaeva (Russia); ’06—Meseret Defar (Ethiopia); ’07—Defar; ’08—Defar; ’09—Isinbaeva; ’10—Blanka Vlašić (Croatia); ’11—Antonietta DiMartino (Italy); ’12—Isinbaeva; ’13—Jenn Suhr; ’14—Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia); ’15—Dibaba; ’16—Dibaba; ’17—Laura Muir (Great Britain).
