ROXBURY CROSSING, Massachusetts, January 25—The inaugural meeting of the World Indoor Tour kicked off at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center on the campus of Roxbury CC. The women’s distance events captured much of the spotlight with Vermont’s Ellie Purrier (9:29.17) pushing forth with a convincing win over Dominique Scott and 8-time U.S. steeple champion Emma Coburn in the 2M.
Purrier, a transplanted Boston resident who grew up on a dairy farm in Montgomery Center, Vermont, and starred collegiately for New Hampshire, was convincing with her late-race surge to notch a PR, jumping to No. 5 on the all-time U.S. list. “It was kind of a grind” said the ’18 NCAA indoor mile champion, “But I felt confident with 200 to go. Honestly, I felt like I could have run a little bit faster, but overall I’m happy with how I ran.” Purrier, who will next compete in the Millrose Games mile, continued, “It was just amazing competing here in Boston. It’s just so cool to see such a big crowd from my college and my friends from home. It makes it a lot more special.”
The 1500 featured a battle of training mates as Jessica Hull (4:04.14 PR) held off Konstanze Klosterhalfen (4:04.58) in the stretch. Hull, a 4-time NCAA champion at Oregon with a résumé that includes titles outdoors at 1500 and indoors at 3000 who will continue to train in the U.S., was focusing on maintaining her composure through the end. “I was just trying to be strong through the finishline,” said the 23-year-old Aussie. “Last season that was exposed as my weakness, so I just had an opportunity today to practice that and I was pretty excited that I had been patient enough to wait,” referring to her late-race strategy. “It was awesome to share essentially the entire race with my training partner [Klosterhalfen]. It was great to be out there together and I pulled a lot of energy from that and was really excited. It was my first win in a while, so it was special.”
Sydney McLaughlin was forced to scratch from the women’s 500. A statement released by meet management said she was apparently “a little tight from traveling” and was asked by coach Joanna Hayes not to compete. Hayes explained, “She’s got an exciting season ahead of her and her health is our first priority, so we want to make sure she takes care of herself.”
With the meet schedule slightly juggled in McLaughlin’s absence, it was up to world 800 champ Donavan Brazier to woo the near-capacity crowd in the men’s 600. Brazier had company for the first two laps, but after that there was clearly nobody up to the task to jockey with him. He was a man alone on the final lap, finishing nearly a straightaway up on the pack, cruising to a PR 1:14.39, the No. 2 all-time performance, ranking only behind his World Record 1:13.77 set at last year’s Nationals.
“It feels great. This is my tradition so far while being a professional,” said the 22-year-old Michigan native. “I’ve run at Boston Reggie Lewis four years straight now and I’ve come out with four wins in a row. So might as well keep coming back.” The fans would agree.
Harvard grad Gabby Thomas (36.52) put away a strong field in the women’s 300 that included Jessica Beard (37.58) and Shamier Little (37.07 in the second section) just across the river from where she attended school. “It was really great to compete at home here in Boston,” said a beaming Thomas, who grew up in the village of Florence, in Northampton, Massachusetts, and now trains in Texas. “A lot of people come out to see me and it means a lot. Especially being my first year out of college and having that energy around me. It’s really an amazing feeling. I’m happy to be back, happy to be home.”
The men’s mile sparked a rather tactical race up front with Scotland’s Chris O’Hare just edging out New Zealand’s Nick Willis, 3:59.62–3:59.89. O’Hare didn’t quite know what to make of his inaugural race of the campaign. “The first race of the season is always somewhat of a mystery, never feels good,” said the 29-year-old Tulsa grad. “So, when we were coming through in 60-second pace I was thinking ‘I don’t feel good at all.’” He then dug down and found the motivation he needed: “So, at that point it’s just about remembering my two sons, remembering why I’m doing this. You know they’re always my motivation, but it’s times when it gets tough that they always motivate me in the race to go to that extra gear.”
NEW BALANCE GP MEN’S RESULTS
Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts; January 25 (200 banked; * = WIT scoring event)—
60*: 1. Demek Kemp (US) 6.50 PR; 2. Keitavious Walter (US) 6.61; 3. Zhouzheng Xu (Chn) 6.68; 4. Yuki Koike (Jpn) 6.69 PR; 5. Asafa Powell (Jam) 6.71; 6. Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (GB) 6.73; 7. Trayvon Bromell (US) 6.84.
400: 1. Obi Igbokwe (US) 46.50; 2. Vernon Norwood (US) 47.48; 3. Kahmari Montgomery (US) 47.72; 4. Taylor McLaughlin (US) 48.25; 5. Rilwan Alowonle (Ngr) 48.38; 6. Nery Brenes (CR) 48.48.
600: 1. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:14.39 (2, 2 W; 2, 2 A; in-out: x, 8 A);
2. Michael Stigler (US) 1:20.21; 3. Robert Grant (US) 1:20.36 PR; 4. Dave Kendziera (US) 1:20.61 PR; 5. Brian Bell (US) 1:22.70 PR.
1000*: 1. Bryce Hoppel (US) 2:17.41 PR (3, 3);
2. Jake Wightman (GB) 2:17.51 NR; 3. Saul Ordóñez (Spa) 2:18.81 PR; 4. Brad Mathas (NZ) 2:23.01 PR.
Mile: 1. Chris O’Hare (GB) 3:59.62 (3:44.62); 2. Nick Willis (NZ) 3:59.89 (3:44.89); 3. James Randon (US) 4:01.32 (3:46.45 PR); 4. Jaxson Hoey (US) 4:01.63 PR (3:45.66 PR); 5. Mason Ferlic (US) 4:02.88 (3:46.83 PR); 6. Clayton Murphy (US) 4:03.37 (3:46.64); 7. Julian Oakley (NZ) 4:05.56 (3:47.39); 8. Josh Hoey (US) 4:07.08 (3:48.55 PR); 9. Masaki Toda (Jpn) 4:16.38 PR (3:57.69 PR).
3000*: 1. Bethwel Birgen (Ken) 7:44.21; 2. Edward Cheserek (Ken) 7:46.74; 3. Jonas Raess (Swi) 7:52.20 PR; 4. Ben Flanagan (Can) 7:56.02; 5. Jamaine Coleman (GB) 7:58.95 PR; 6. Jonny Davies (GB) 8:00.98; 7. Izaic Yorks (US) 8:01.77 (fell); 8. Adam Craig (GB) 8:01.81; 9. Brian Barraza (US) 8:02.24; 10. Adel Mechaal (Spa) 8:02.76; 11. Jordan Mann (US) 8:10.65 (fell).
Field Event
TJ*: 1. Pablo Torrijos (Spa) 54-11½ (16.75); 2. Chris Carter (US) 54-4 (16.56); 3. Troy Doris (Guy) 52-8¾ (16.07); 4. David Oluwadara (US) 51-¼ (15.55); 5. Nathaniel Meade (US) 50-10¾ (15.51).
NEW BALANCE WOMEN’S RESULTS
300*: I–1. Gabby Thomas (US) 36.52; 2. Jessica Beard (US) 37.58; 3. Carline Muir (Can) 38.58; 4. Laura de Witte (Hol) 39.01 PR. II–1. Shamier Little (US) 37.07; 2. Kendall Ellis (US) 37.36; 3. Amy Allcock (GB) 38.45 PR.
500: 1. Lisanne de Witte (Hol) 1:10.50 PR; 2. Jordan Lavender (US) 1:12.53 PR; 3. Brooke Feldmeier (US) 1:13.07 PR; 4. Brenna Detra (US) 1:13.08.
1500*: 1. Jessica Hull (Aus) 4:04.14 NR; 2. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Ger) 4:04.38; 3. Ciara Mageean (Ire) 4:06.42 NR; 4. Cory McGee (US) 4:06.88 PR; 5. Heather MacLean (US) 4:08.12 PR; 6. Esther Guerrero (Spa) 4:09.93 PR;
7. Mariah Kelly (Can) 4:10.01 PR; 8. Lindsey Butterworth (Can) 4:14.82 PR; 9. Síofra Cléirigh Büttner (Ire) 4:16.70 PR; 10. Lianne Farber (US) 4:19.30.
2M: 1. Ellie Purrier (US) 9:29.17 PR (5, 6 A; in-out: 7, 10 A) (8:56.54);
2. Dominique Scott Efurd (SA) 9:31.98 PR (8:56.89);
3. Emma Coburn (US) 9:32.81 PR (8, 9 A) (8:56.60);
4. Katrina Coogan (US) 9:36.52 PR (8:59.97 PR); 5. Jessica O’Connell (Can) 9:36.79 PR (8:58.14); 6. Stephanie Garcia (US) 9:39.11 PR (8:59.21); 7. Camille Buscomb (NZ) 9:50.02 PR (9:09.12 PR); 8. Katie Mackey (US) 9:50.57 (9:06.23).
60H*: 1. Nia Ali (US) 7.94; 2. Christina Clemons (US) 7.98; 3. Janeek Brown (Jam) 8.00; 4. Brittany Anderson (Jam) 8.07 PR; 5. Isabelle Pedersen (Nor) 8.10; 6. Payton Chadwick (US) 8.13; 7. Jeanine Williams (Jam) 8.14; 8. Tiffany Porter (GB) 8.21.
Heats: I–5. Lolo Jones (US) 8.32. II–dnf—Jasmin Stowers (US).
Field Event
HJ*: 1. Amina Smith (US) 6-2¼ (1.89); 2. Priscilla Frederick (Ant) 6-2¼; 3. Liz Patterson (US) 6-¾ (1.85); 4. Maruša Černjul (Slo) 6-¾. ◻︎
