Bringing the heat to Boston’s winter, track and field champions from around the world convened at the TRACK at New Balance on Saturday for the annual New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. This premier encounter commenced the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold and was the first meet of the season for many competitors. Energy was high as fans filled the stands. Two world records were set in distance events: the men’s indoor 2000m by American Hobbs Kessler, and the men’s 800 by American Josh Hoey. The meet culminated with a highly anticipated face-off between sprinting legends American Noah Lyles and Trinidadian Jereem Richards in the 300.
The meet started off with the men’s triple jump, where American James Carter took the event title with a season’s best distance of 16.32 meters. Canadian Femi Akinduro and three-time NCAA champion Emmanuel Ihemeje of Italy took second and third place with remarkable jumps of 16.09 meters and 15.65 meters, respectively.
The men’s 3000 run had a heated lineup, with runners from Ireland, Australia and the United States. The 19-year-old Australian Cameron Myers won the event in a time of 7:27.57, setting the world lead.
The women’s 60 hurdles were a dominant display for Caribbean athletes. Danielle Williams of Jamaica won with a world-leading 7.87 seconds, taking the world-lead title from 60 hurdles world record holder Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas. “[Boston is] really cold, it’s really fun. I always enjoy coming out here,” Williams said in a statement to the Daily. “I love competition, I thrive on competition.”
In the men’s 60 hurdles, world silver medalist in the 110 hurdles Trey Cunningham of the United States won with a world-leading time of 7.48 seconds.
“[We] always need breaks. Obviously we’re very goal-oriented in this sport, and we want so many different things,” United States’ Cordell Tinch said to the Daily after coming fifth out of six in the men’s 60 hurdles. “But at the same time, to come out and make sure you are healthy — make sure you’re happy — that’s always the biggest thing.”
In the men’s 600 run, Ireland’s Cian McPhillips achieved a win with a PB of 1:16.37. Runner-up Donavan Brazier reflected on his 2025 season to the press, saying his and his teammates greatest areas for improvement are “over-racing, running through pain and not being transparent with my coach about how I feel. … We learn from those mistakes and try not to make them again.”
Bryce Hoppel came in a close third place. “I saw the pacer take off, and I was like, ooh, we might be in a little bit of trouble here. But it’s just the beginning — we gotta start somewhere,” Hoppel said to the press. Looking ahead, Hoppel hopes to be in Budapest, get a top 16 ranking and represent the United States.
The men’s 400 was a shakeup, as the United States’ Khalbe McRae won with a time of 45.38, beating out Olympic gold medalist and high school senior Quincy Wilson, who finished second with a time of 45.96. “I think it’s a pretty good start. I’m happy with it. 45 [seconds] is a great time, really. … I want to go out with a bang — it’s my senior year,” Wilson said to the media, wearing his own design of limited-edition spikes.
Wilson recently made headlines for his decision to run at the University of Maryland instead of professionally. “I want to finish off where I started from. Great coaching, great environment … like you said, it’s their opinion. I have my opinion — I feel like that’s all that really matters,” Wilson said in a statement to the Daily.
In a race with a loaded lineup, the United Kingdom’s Nicole Yeargin won the women’s 400, followed by the United States’ Anna Hall, Paris Peoples and Amy Piccolo.
Post-race, Yeargin spoke promisingly about the future. “First one down, it can only go up from here. I’m glad that I came here and it’s going well … it’s a good track, good environment, good food,” Yeargin said.
Yeargin also shared that she moved from Houston to Fort Worth, Texas in the past year. “I have a coach who’s like family [in Fort Worth]. He knows me inside and out — he knows how to push me in the right direction,” she said about coach Greg Sholars at Athletic Performance Ranch.
Hall, the second-place finisher, was disadvantaged due to competing in the long jump shortly prior. “I got ran down which is never fun, but [Yeargin’s] a really strong runner so lots of respect for her. I knew coming off the turn it was going to be tough,” she told the press. “Obviously I always wish to get the win but really this was just a checkpoint to see where we are fitness-wise.”
Hall got engaged to New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton in November, making the controversial decision to hyphenate her last name despite being an athlete known under her maiden name. “Knock on wood, if I keep PR-ing and keep making records with the new name, I would like people to be able to [keep] see[ing] Hall and Hall-Slayton in the record books,” Hall said in a statement to the Daily. “It’s really important to me to become a part of his family and [for] him [to become] a part of my family, so I feel like having an ode to both just felt right.”
Kessler broke the first world record of the day in the 2000 with a time of 4:48.79, bolting past American Grant Fisher in an explosive final lap. The record was previously held by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.
In the men’s 800, Josh Hoey broke a 29-year-old indoor world record with his 1:42.50 finish, less than two months after shattering the men’s 600 record at the same venue. His brother Jaxson Hoey set the pace for him during the first half of the race, after which Josh Hoey completely took off. The men’s 800 indoor record was previously set by Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer in 1997.
At one point during the competition, the lights dimmed and sparks flew out of one side of the track. A video edit of Lyles flashed across the big screen as he emerged from the crowd. Leading up to the Grand Prix, World Athletics sparked hype for this 300 showdown online. The winner was Richards with a 32.14 sprint, edging out Lyles by a margin of a mere 0.01 seconds.
“The plan was to go all out. Everything this year is going to be all out, as much as I can, from the get-go. Just jump off the cliff, you know,” Lyles commented to the press.
For the last four years, Lyles has competed and won the 60 event, so running the 300 was a change. “Last 50 [meters], I was fighting. I was swimming a little bit. … Of course I didn’t want to lose … but if you beat me, that means you’re a champion,” Lyles said.
Lyles also expressed the importance of showmanship. “We gotta have the crowd, gotta keep them entertained because, at the end of the day, we’re asking for more. We’re asking for more energy, we’re asking for more money, we’re asking for more TV time,” Lyles said.
Lyles himself came up with the idea to enter through the stands to add entertainment value. “I was watching WWE Monday Night Raw, and Jey Uso always comes from the stands to the ring. And I said, ‘That. I want that. I want to do that,’” Lyles said.
The sprinter got engaged in October 2024 to fellow track star Junelle Bromfield and plans to get married in 2026. Speaking on his goals for 2026, Lyle said, “Anything and everything. And to get married.”
“Once the Diamond Leagues start picking up, I’ll be there. I’ll be running. You’re gonna get your heavy dose of Noah Lyles, I promise you that. And for anybody who wants to race, come get some,” Lyles added.
Vernon Norwood finished in third place in the 300 competition. “I lost a little technique in my race. … I’m trying every day to work on the little things to get better. You know, it’s fun. I love it,” Norwood said.
The World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold also held competitions on Jan. 30–Feb. 1 with the Millrose Games in New York City and on Feb. 3 with the Czech Indoor Gala in the Czech Republic. Their next competition will be on Feb. 6 in Madrid.
