GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, March 01–03 — Our coverage of World Indoor Championships XIX is presented in four composite articles: men’s track, men’s field, women’s track, women’s field.
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60 Meters: Christian Coleman (US) 6.41 WL
If you’re talking pre-meet publicity, no question, Noah Lyles smacked Christian Coleman around. However, the epic showdown between the two rivals in the 60 final played out quite differently, as Coleman ran away from Lyles to snatch the gold in a world-leading 6.41.
The rounds only amped up the anticipation. In the first heat, Lyles cruised 6.57. Then Coleman made a powerful statement with an eased-up 6.49. In the semis, Coleman kept the pressure up, tying Lyles’ world leader 6.43 in the first. Jamaican Ackeem Blake won the next at 6.51. In the third, Lyles clocked 6.47.
The final came less than two hours later: Coleman in 4, Lyles 5, Blake 6. The styles of the Americans couldn’t have shown more contrast. Lyles exploded in high leaps, and performed his trademark shout to the rafters, much to the delight of the crowd. Coleman stayed quiet, and said a quick prayer.
Coleman’s brilliant start began with a reaction time of 0.127, the fastest, while Lyles at 0.159 ranked seventh. Coleman tore away like no one else can, yet Lyles had indeed caught a good start by his own standards.
The two men drove forward and raised their gazes toward the finish and it soon became clear that Lyles would not be able to run down Coleman. At best he clawed back a few inches, but the 27-year-old Coleman had a gear that he couldn’t find in Albuquerque when Lyles had pipped him for the USATF title. He claimed the gold, his ensuing celebration much more subdued than if the places had been reversed.
Lyles earned silver in 6.44, just ahead of Blake’s 6.46, with Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala the best of the rest at 6.56.
“I had a lot of confidence in myself coming in,” said Coleman, who also won in ’18. “I set my mind on letting my body do what I have been doing in practice and I came out with a win.”
Lyles called himself happy, saying, “The 60m is not my favorite race but now you can’t say I’m not one of the greats in it.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/
RESULTS
FINAL (March 01)
1. Christian Coleman (US) 6.41 (WL) (x, =9 W, A);
2. Noah Lyles (US) 6.44;
3. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 6.46;
4. Ferdinand Omanyala (Ken) 6.56;
5. Henrik Larsson (Swe) 6.56;
6. Emmanuel Eseme (Cam) 6.68;
7. Shuhei Tada (Jpn) 6.70;
8. Chituru Ali (Ita) 8.00.
(lanes: 1. Tada; 2. Ali; 3. Eseme; 4. Coleman; 4. Lyles; 6. Blake; 7. Omanyala; 8. Larsson)
(reaction times: 0.127 Coleman, 0.138 Omanyala, 0.140 Larsson, 0.147 Ali, 0.150 Eseme, 0.151 Blake, 0.159 Lyles, 0.162 Tada)
HEATS (March 01)
I–1. Lyles 6.57. II–1. Larsson 6.59. III–1. Ali 6.59. IV–1. Omanyala 6.52; 2. Tada 6.52 NR. V–1. Eseme 6.54 NR. VI–1. Coleman 6.49. VII–1. Blake 6.55.
SEMIS (March 01)
I–1. Coleman 6.43 (=WL);
2. Ali 6.53 PR; 3. Larsson 6.55; 4. Fuchs 6.58 PR; 5. Hansen 6.62; 6. Jeff Erius (Fra) 6.63; 7. Sergio López (Spa) 6.70; 8. Anej Čurin Prapotnik (Slo) 6.71.
II–1. Blake 6.51; 2. Eseme 6.52 NR; 3. Burke 6.57; 4. Rikkoi Brathwaite (BVI) 6.60; 5. Ján Volko (Svk) 6.59; 6. Kayhan Özer (Tur) 6.65; 7. Akihiro Higashida (Jpn 6.67; 8. Imran Rahman (Ban 6.70.
III–1. Lyles 6.47; 2. Omanyala 6.52; 3. Tada 6.56; 4. Matadi 6.58; 5. Mancini 6.62; 6. Aleksandar Askovic (Ger) 6.66; 7. Malachi Murray (Can) 6.73; 8. Marc Brian Louis (SGP) 6.73.
400 Meters: Alexander Doom (Belgium) 45.25
After witnessing Femke Bol’s 400 WR moments before, all eyes were on another 400 hurdler who was also a heavy pre-race favorite. Prior to Glasgow, Karsten Warholm had yet to race on the short track in 2024, but the Norwegian posted respectable times winning his heat (46.68) and semi (45.86) and looked like he was primed for his first undercover world title.
Like Warholm, Belgian Alexander Doom, a 4×4 stalwart, won his heat (46.11) and semi (45.69 PR), yet questions lingered whether he could best Warholm, the defending European indoor 400 champ with a 45.05 best.
It was nearly an all-European final, as the Czech Republic’s Matěj Krsek occupied 1, with Hungary’s Attila Molnár in 2, Portugal’s João Coelho in 3, Jamaican Rusheen McDonald, the sole non-European, in 4, Warholm in 5 and Doom in 6.
At the gun, Warholm had Doom in his sights as he fed off the Belgian’s stagger heading into the break. Warholm crossed 200 in 21.21, closely followed by Doom and McDonald.
The gap between the three remained the same until 50 meters out, when Doom slingshotted himself off the turn and started his charge. Warholm gamely hung on, but Doom had the momentum and passed him just before the line in a national record 45.25. Warholm took silver in 45.34, with McDonald 3rd in 45.65, followed closely by Coelho’s 45.86 national record.
A surprised Doom reflected, “It’s amazing. I never expected this, because we didn’t really have this in our sights. Usually, I am just focused on the 4 x 400, but I loved running individually.”
Warholm was reflective as well, saying, “All in all, it’s an acceptable time, so it’s OK. It was a last-minute decision to come here. Of course, I wish I had won today but it was so nice coming out here and performing in front of all that noise.” /Brian Russell/
RESULTS
FINAL (March 02)
1. Alexander Doom (Bel) 45.25 NR (21.41/23.84);
2. Karsten Warholm (Nor) 45.34 (21.30/24.04);
3. Rusheen McDonald (Jam) 45.65 PR;
4. João Ricardo Coelho (Por) 45.86 NR;
5. Attila Molnár (Hun) 46.11;
6. Matěj Krsek (CzR) 46.47.
(lanes: 1. Krsek; 2. Molnar; 3. Coelho; 4. McDonald; 5. Warholm; 6. Doom)
(reaction times: 0.154 Krsek, 0.159 Molnar, 0.180 Warholm & McDonald, 0.192 Doom, 0.210 Coelho)
HEATS (March 01)
I–3. Jacory Patterson (US) 47.04.
IV–3. Brian Faust (US) 47.11.
SEMIS (March 01)
I–1. Doom 45.69 PR; 2. Coelho 45.98 NR; 3. Molnár 46.08 NR; 4. Jereem Richards (Tri) 46.64; 5. Dubem Nwachukwu (Ngr) 46.69; 6. Franko Burraj (Alb) 47.78.
II–1. Warholm 45.86; 2. McDonald 46.02 PR; 3. Krsek 46.48; 4. Rok Ferlan (Slo) 46.61 PR; 5. Lucas Carvalho (Bra) 47.38; 6. Omar Elkhatib (Por) 47.78.
800: Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:44.92 WL
Congratulations to Bryce Hoppel for winning World Athletics’ first-ever 800-meter roller derby title.
Yes, that’s a joke, and actually, Hoppel took the Glasgow title by staying clear of the collisions in a final that was bruising even by the standards of indoor track. It cost him plenty of extra distance, but you wouldn’t know it from the 1:44.92 WL at the finish. The American bested Sweden’s Andreas Kramer (1:45.27) and Belgium’s Eliot Crestan (1:45.32).
It was appropriate that Hoppel crossed the line in lane 2, because that’s where he ran much of the race — he was rarely in lane 1 and occasionally in lane 3, and never once truly on the rail.
The race’s physical nature was caused mostly by France’s Benjamin Robert. After the break, he determinedly forced his way into pole position from lane 5, initiating contact with no less than three runners — Italy’s Catalin Tecuceanu, defending champ Mariano Garcia of Spain, and Crestan. Hoppel, starting out in 6, was spared.
Robert got pushy with Garcia again to keep him from passing on the third curve, and then bizarrely seemed to surge backwards, almost instantly falling to the back of the field.
More bumping occurred between Garcia and Crestan on lap 3, and then Robert got another shot on Garcia on the last curve. The Frenchman would eventually cross the line 5th and receive a DQ.
Through all of this, Hoppel was a patient observer and let Crestan lead at the bell. The Kansas alum then slingshotted around the Belgian coming off the final turn, striding away for a clear win and congratulatory hug from women’s long jump champ Tara Davis-Woodhall. Long-striding Kramer slipped past the struggling Crestan right at the line.
Finally, Hoppel achieved global fulfillment of the promise he has shown with multiple domestic titles.
“Being finally able to grab that moment is incredible,” said Hoppel. “I think everything going on at this time is giving me a new level of confidence. It feels so unreal to be the world champion.” /Lee Nichols/
RESULTS
FINAL (March 03)
1. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:44.92 (WL) (x, 5 A) (51.49/53.43) (13.07);
2. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:45.27 (51.72/53.55) (13.12);
3. Eliott Crestan (Bel) 1:45.32 (51.47/53.85) (13.73);
4. Catalin Tecuceanu (Ita) 1:46.39 (51.65/54.74) (13.84);
5. Mariano Garcia (Spa) 1:48.77 (51.39/57.38) (16.26);
… dq[lane]—Benjamin Robert (Fra) (51.90).
SEMIS (March 02)
I–1. Garcia 1:47.83; 2. Tecuceanu 1:48.13; 3. Kramer 1:48.14; 4. Isaiah Harris (US) 1:48.18; 5. Tshepiso Masalela (Bot) 1:48.44; 6. Tibo De Smet (Bel) 1:48.47.
II–1. Hoppel 1:45.08; 2. Crestan 1:45.08 PR; 3. Robert 1:45.28 PR; 4. Abdellatif El Guesse (Mor) 1:45.45; 5. Mohamed Attaoui (Spa) 1:45.68;… dnf—Mohamed Ali Gouaned (Alg).
1500: Geordie Beamish (New Zealand) 3:36.54
With what has become a trademark savage kick, Geordie Beamish of New Zealand won his first global medal, and that of the best color in edging two Americans at the line of the 1500.
Unlike at the USATF Indoor, Hobbs Kessler got away without being buried in the 14-racer pack (2 additional competitors were added from the heats after protests). Most of his competitors were just fine with him being the rabbit. The 20-year-old Michigander kept looking over his shoulder for relief. Finally, it came from Vincent Keter, who moved ahead before 400 (58.86), with Britain’s Adam Fogg a step behind. Yet Keter never really moved ahead decisively and mostly just shared the pace with Kessler. They passed 800 in 1:57.13. When the tempo slowed, the American slipped back to the front again (“Ahead of any possible carnage,” as he put it).
Well behind Kessler in the crowd were some of the event’s fastest kickers: Beamish, USATF champ Cole Hocker, and Norway’s World Outdoor bronze medalist, Narve Gilje Nordås.
As the laps clicked off, it became apparent to Kessler that he would still be in the lead when the kicking started. He buckled down and kept the pace up, reaching 1200 in 2:55.32, a 58.13 for that 400. Beamish was still in 8th at that point, 0.83 back.
At the bell, Kessler ticked 3:09.61, with Portugal’s Isaac Nader, Nordås and Samuel Tefera of Ethiopia his closest pursuers. Hocker ran 5th, Beamish 7th. Kessler, kicking from the front, kept his lead until the mad sprint off the final turn. With Hocker challenging, Beamish — just 5th at the start of the straight — flew by both to claim the win in 3:36.54.
For Hocker, silver in 3:36.69, with Kessler just 0.03 back in bronze (3:36.72). Beamish covered the final circuit in 26.11, compared to Hocker’s 26.53 and Kessler’s 27.11.
“I seem to always have that last lap,” said Beamish. “I was fortunate it wasn’t a 3:29 race. I don’t think that would have been on the cards for me then.”
It was the first-ever gold for New Zealand in any World Indoor running event; it was the nation’s second medal in the 1500, after a Nick Willis bronze in ’16. /Jeff Hollobaugh/
RESULTS
(March 03)
1. Geordie Beamish (NZ) 3:36.54 PR (12.78, 26.11, 54.41);
2. Cole Hocker (US) 3:36.69 (13.41, 26.53, 55.15);
3. Hobbs Kessler (US) 3:36.72 (13.57, 27.11, 55.59);
4. Isaac Nader (Por) 3:36.97 (13.76, 27.24, 55.60);
5. Narve Gilje Nordås (Nor) 3:37.03 PR; 6. Adel Mechaal (Spa) 3:37.76; 7. Samuel Tefera (Eth) 3:38.10; 8. Samuel Pihlström (Swe) 3:38.35; 9. Biniam Mehary (Eth) 3:40.00; 10. Vincent Keter (Ken) 3:40.04; 11. Mario García (Spa) 3:40.48; 12. Ryan Mphahlele (SA) 3:41.08; 13. Kieran Lumb (Can) 3:41.37; 14. Adam Fogg (GB) 3:43.81.
3000: Josh Kerr (Great Britain) 7:42.98
After all the uncertainty and hype surrounding his appearance at World Indoors, Josh Kerr delivered an emphatic victory for the local crowd, taking his second global title in less than a year. The Scotsman ran a patient race, exploding to the front with less than a lap to go and running away with the 3000. “I think I used more energy celebrating than I did in the race,” the reigning 1500 world champion joked after basking in the rapturous home support.
The race — a straight final with no qualifying round – opened at a cautious pace, with Selemon Barega, the defending champion and Olympic 10,000 gold medalist in Tokyo, leading through the first 1000 (2:39.15).
His Ethiopian teammate, steeplechase specialist Getnet Wale, took over at that point and continued to set the pace for the next four-plus laps. Just before the 2000 Barega (5:17.74) moved back to the front.
Kerr, towards the back in the early stages, had put himself in striking distance with two laps to go. He drew even with Barega at the bell and finally took the lead with 100 meters remaining, powering home in 7:42.98.
“I just didn’t want to short change anyone tonight because I knew I had the support of all Scotland and the UK,” said Kerr, who didn’t reveal his decision to compete here until after breaking the indoor 2-mile world record at the Millrose Games. “I had to really keep a patient head and let it come together out there. I’m so glad I could do that. It wasn’t the cleanest race, but I got it done and to have another world title feels amazing.”
Fourth on the final curve, American Yared Nuguse (7:43.59) kicked well and out-leaned Barega (7:43.64) for silver, but he was too far back to challenge for the win. Kerr covered his last lap in 25.19, while Nuguse closed in 25.24.
“Coming into that last 600–400 realm I wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be to fight for first… to be able to strike and actually fight with Josh at the very end,” Nuguse said after winning his first global medal. “But I’m still proud of what I did and happy with what I accomplished.”
Wale (7:44.77) took 4th while the second American in the field, Olin Hacker (7:45.40), finished 5th after making a bid for the lead on the penultimate lap. /Rich Sands/
RESULTS
March 02
1. Josh Kerr (GB) 7:42.98 (12.58, 25.19, 52.64, 1:52.91, 3:59.20);
2. Yared Nuguse (US) 7:43.59 (12.56, 25.24, 53.01, 1:53.41, 4:00.49);
3. Selemon Barega (Eth) 7:43.64 (13.08, 25.81, 53.38, 1:53.67, 3:59.99);
4. Getnet Wale (Eth) 7:44.77 (13.87, 26.73);
5. Olin Hacker (US) 7:45.40 (13.85, 27.15);
6. Adel Mechaal (Spa) 7:45.67; 7. Pietro Arese (Ita) 7:46.46; 8. John Heymans (Bel) 7:48.18; 9. Mohamed Ismail Ibrahim (Dji) 7:50.05 PR; 10. Hicham Akankam (Mor) 7:55.04; 11. Federico Riva (Ita) 8:02.66; 12. Mohammad Karim Yaqoot (Afg) 9:37.10 PR.
60 Hurdles: Grant Holloway (US) 7.29 MR
Defending champion Grant Holloway hasn’t lost an indoor hurdles race since ’14, when he was a high school soph, and he once again demonstrated his dominance with an effortless victory for his second straight World Indoor title (and fifth overall including the last three outdoor crowns). “Holloway does not want to stop winning,” noted bronze medalist Just Kwaou-Mathey.
The Olympic silver medalist looked casual running 7.43 in the morning’s first heat while Frenchmen Wilhem Belocian (7.47) and Kwaou-Mathey (7.52) were the next fastest.
Nine hours later, in the semis, Spain’s Asier Martínez, the outdoor bronze medalist in ’22, was DQed for a false start, but ran under protest. He crossed the line first, but the disqualification was upheld and veteran Milan Trajkovic of Cyrus (7.53) was declared the winner. Trey Cunningham (7.49), who took the USATF title after Holloway scratched the final in Albuquerque, and Holloway (7.32) won the other sections with ease.
Among those who did not advance were Belocian and third American Cameron Murray. (The U.S. had a trio of entrants thanks to Holloway’s wild card for winning the World Indoor Tour last year.)
In the third race of the day, Holloway, in lane 5, built a slight lead by the first barrier and continued to lengthen his margin with every step. In the end it wasn’t even close, as he tied his championship record (7.29) from ’22. That would have been a World Record as recently as two weeks ago, when Holloway improved to 7.27 in the USATF heats at altitude in New Mexico.
“I had good fun out here and achieved what I wanted to,” he said. “It wasn’t a record but that’s OK. I know I’m in good shape for the summer. It was my fifth world title so I’m happy to keep racking them up.” /Rich Sands/
RESULTS
FINAL (March 02)
1. Grant Holloway (US) 7.29 (x, =2 W, A) (=lo-alt MR, AR: =records Holloway ’21 & ’22) (MR);
2. Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli (Ita) 7.43 NR;
3. Just Kwaou-Mathey (Fra) 7.47;
4. Enrique Llopis (Spa) 7.53;
5. Jakub Szymański (Pol) 7.53;
6. Trey Cunningham (US) 7.53;
7. Michael Obasuyi (Bel) 7.55;
8. Milan Trajkovic (Cyp) 7.59.
(lanes: 1. Simonelli; 2. Llopis; 3. Cunningham; 4. Trajkovic; 5. Holloway; 6. Szymanski; 7. Kwaou-Mathey; 8. Obasuyi)
(reaction times: 0.137 Llopis, 0.144 Obasuyi, 0.149 Mathey, 0.152 Simonelli, 0.153 Holloway, 0.163 Szymanski & Trajkovic, 0.168 Cunningham)
SEMIS (March 02)
I–1. Trajkovic 7.53; 2. Obasuyi 7.54 =NR =PR; 2. Kwaou-Mathey 7.54; 4. Cameron Murray (US) 7.56; 5. Junxi Liu (Chn) 7.64; 6. David Yefremov (Kaz) 7.68; 7. Mathieu Jaquet (Swi) 7.74;… fs—Asier Martínez (Spa).
II–1. Cunningham 7.49; 2. Llopis 7.53; 3. Elie Bacari (Bel) 7.58 PR; 4. Wilhem Belocian (Fra) 7.64; 5. David King (GB) 7.65; 6. Krzysztof Kiljan (Pol) 7.66; 7. Eduardo Rodrigues (Bra) 7.68; 8. Jason Joseph (Swi) 7.81.
III–1. Holloway 7.32 (x, =5 W, A);
2. Szymański 7.46 NR; 3. Simonelli 7.48; 4. Job Geerds (Neth) 7.62; 5. John Cabang (Phi) 7.68; 6. Elmo Lakka (Fin) 7.70; 7. Richard Diawara (Mli) 7.89;… dq—Shenglong Zhu (Chn).
4 x 400: Belgium 3:02.54 WL
The 4 x 400, with 10 U.S. wins in the 16 editions since the event was added to the WIC program, isn’t quite an American fiefdom, no matter how much some fans would wish that. In ’22, for instance, it was Belgium that took the gold after the U.S. failed to get out of the heats.
This time around, the U.S. made it through the same-day heats in fine shape, and coaches replaced third leg Trevor Bassitt with dash silver medalist Noah Lyles for the final. Though Lyles sent out a version of the bat-signal on social media before the race, even he wasn’t quite enough to save the U.S. squad from Doom, namely 400 gold medalist Alexander Doom, who anchored another well-prepared Belgian squad.
The U.S. got out fine with Jacory Patterson on leadoff; he cruised his two laps in 45.97, nicely ahead of Belgium’s Jonathan Sacoor (46.21). Matthew Boling then took the stick for the Americans and a 45.63 leg brought the team to halfway in 1:31.60. Belgium remained a stride behind with Dylan Borlée running 45.67 (1:31.88).
Then Lyles got the stick. The goal would obviously have been to build up enough of a U.S. lead that the Belgians, with their star anchor, couldn’t challenge on the final leg. But fireworks didn’t come. Lyles ran a solid 45.68, but he only extended the U.S. lead by a 10th, as Christian Igaucel stayed in hailing distance with his 45.78.
U.S. anchor Christopher Bailey put up the best fight he could, but he could only forestall Doom until the final straight, when the powerful 26-year-old Belgian swept past for the gold, his leg timed in 44.88 to Bailey’s 45.32. The Belgians defended their gold in a world-leading 3:02.54, with the U.S. (3:02.60) inches behind. Netherlands, 3rd the entire race, won bronze in a national record 3:04.25.
Said Doom, “It was really a team effort. It is amazing, back-to-back gold medals. What a fantastic night!”
On the U.S. squad, Bailey took the rap (“I fell short today”) while Lyles celebrated (“I feel like I got the job done”). /Jeff Hollobaugh/
RESULTS
FINAL (March 03)
1. Belgium 3:02.54 (WL)
(Jonathan Sacoor 46.21, Dylan Borlée 45.67, Christian Iguacel 45.78, Alexander Doom 44.88);
2. United States 3:02.60
(Jacory Patterson 45.97, Mathew Boling 45.63, Noah Lyles 45.68, Christopher Bailey 45.32);
3. Netherlands 3:04.25 NR (#9 nation)
(Liemarvin Bonevacia 46.45, Ramsey Angela 46.20, Terrence Agard 46.13, Tony van Diepen 45.47);
4. Kenya 3:06.71 NR
(Wiseman Mukhobe 47.50, Zablon Ekwam 46.55, Kelvin Tata 46.87, Boniface Mweresa 45.79);
5. Poland 3:08.00
(Maksymilian Szwed 47.25, Jan Wawrzkowicz 47.58, Daniel Sołtysiak 47.02, Mateusz Rzeźniczak 46.15);
… dq[zone]—Portugal
(Ericsson Tavares 47.71, João Coelho 46.66, Ricardo Dos Santos 46.80, Omar Elkhatib).