BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, January 24 — Elle St. Pierre could have been forgiven if she’d authored merely a modest comeback in the New Balance GP 3000; if she’d found Australians Jess Hull and Linden Hall too much in her first track race since she gave birth to No. 2 son, Harvey Mark, last May.
But St. Pierre clearly doesn’t jump on the oval unless she’s ready to deliver. Especially this oval.
On what she calls her “home track,” the New Balance star pushed past Hull into the lead with 500 left, then unleashed her final kick with 50 to go after Hall had overtaken her at the bell. The Vermont native crossed triumphantly in 8:26.54, just 1.61 shy of Hull’s meet record and within shouting distance of the 8:20.87 AR she set winning the ’24 World Indoor.
St. Pierre is back — and made the final women’s event worth waiting for before a very appreciative crowd.
“I was really looking forward to the Grand Prix all year,” she effused, expressing gratitude for all the support to help her get back to this level. “I just wanted to have fun with it. You know it’s really easy to put too much pressure on yourself and I know that I had a great race here 2 years ago after I had Ivan. I was trying to not get upset if it didn’t go that well, and just be proud of myself for where I am, and really celebrate this last year of even just getting back to the line and what a privilege it is.
“I knew it would be a fast race… I was a little intimidated, like I didn’t really know where I was at. I have so much respect for Jess and Linden. I didn’t think I would win, to be honest; I was hoping I would. I was a little surprised!”
St. Pierre’s decision to surge with 500 to go came because she thought “the pace started to back off a little bit, so I was hoping to help Jess out. We talked a little bit before the race, so we were just trying to work together.”
Meanwhile, Roisin Willis, coming off a stellar ’25 outdoor season where she won both the NCAA and USATF titles, started the afternoon off with a bang with an indoor PR 1:59.59. Still finishing up her Stanford degree, she decided to turn pro in December and signed with New Balance soon thereafter.
Like St. Pierre, Willis was understandably delighted to show out in her sponsor’s showcase. “It feels right,” she said. “I had a lot of fun today, just trying to be myself, go out there and have a good flow. This has been a great experience and I’m just super grateful for New Balance and their support.”
While going out in sub-28 wasn’t necessarily in the plan (“I’m pretty terrible at pacing”), she held up well and added that “training has been going pretty fast… I definitely felt like I could PR, so just go out there and go for it. I’m tired of running timid, so I think for this season I just want to go out there and be aggressive.”
The 1500 featured WC runner-up Dorcus Ewoi as well as Americans Sinclaire Johnson and Gracie Morris. Johnson, who signed with HOKA this week, did not disappoint her new employers with an indoor PR 4:01.30 — even if she didn’t quite catch the Kenyan’s 4:01.22.
“I’m really happy,” said Johnson. “I always want to win, but Dorcus is a World silver medalist, so I’m in good company. I thought I could get her with 50 to go, but I was tying up pretty bad.”
“I like to push; I don’t want to leave the race knowing I didn’t push,” said Ewoi of a decisive move before the 1200 mark. Regarding Johnson’s final kick, she added, “I couldn’t feel her, but I saw on the TV screen. So I was like, ‘I gotta go.’ I thought she caught me at the end.”
Perhaps the biggest star in the building was Tokyo heptathlon gold medalist Anna Hall, shaking off the rust in the long jump and 400. She was a bit off-form in the former, jumping just 19-8 (5.99) for 5th, but nearly won the latter before Nicole Yeargin kicked for the 52.63–52.77 win.
After a season where she also smashed through the 7000-point barrier, Hall is free from the urgency of a major title chase and can enjoy a less-pressured ’26 campaign — especially with her April 11 marriage to New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton soon to take priority in her life.
“I got ran down, which is never fun, but Nicole is a really strong runner, so lots of respect for her. Obviously, you always wish to get the win, but really this was just a checkpoint to see where we are, fitness-wise. I would have liked to be a little bit faster, but I’m pleased with it right now.”
The long jump though, where she’s “trying new things,” not so much. “It’s going to take a while to figure it out. I didn’t love it today, but I think I just need to keep pushing myself to get those competitive reps.”
NEW BALANCE WOMEN’S RESULTS
60: 1. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 7.08; 2. Brianna Lyston (Jam) 7.11; 3. Leah Bertrand (Tri) 7.32; 4. Jada Mowatt (US) 7.33.
400: 1. Nicole Yeargin (GB) 52.63; 2. Anna Hall (US) 52.77; 3. Paris Peoples (US) 53.30.
800: 1. Roisin Willis (US) 1:59.59 PR (WL, AL);
2. Isabelle Boffey (GB) 2:00.14 PR; 3. Victoria Bossong (US) 2:00.36 PR; 4. Ellie Baker (GB) 2:02.85; 5. Sammy Watson (US) 2:03.02; 6. Alex Carlson (US) 2:03.54 PR; 7. Helen Schlachtenhaufen (US) 2:05.72.
1500: 1. Dorcus Ewoi (Ken) 4:01.22 PR (WL);
2. Sinclaire Johnson (US) 4:01.30 PR (4, 5 A);
3. Klaudia Kazimierska (Pol) 4:01.78 NR; 4. Sarah Billings (Aus) 4:01.79 PR;
5. Gracie Morris (US) 4:02.12 PR (5, 6 A);
6. Gabija Galvydytė (Lit) 4:03.44 NR; 7. Dani Jones (US) 4:03.54 PR;
8. Elsabet Amare (Eth) 4:05.38 WYR;
9. Sarah Calvert (GB) 4:12.16 PR; 10. Nozomi Tanaka (Jpn) 4:13.90.
3000: 1. Elle St. Pierre (US) 8:26.54 (first track race since 8/20/24) (WL) (x, 6 A) (in/out: 6, 7 A) (5:39.32—2, 2 A);
2. Linden Hall (Aus) 8:27.03 PR; 3. Jessica Hull (Aus) 8:36.03; 4. Emily Mackay (US) 8:38.57; 5. Hannah Nuttall (GB) 8:38.96 PR; 6. Margot Appleton (US) 8:39.79 PR; 7. Elise Thorner (GB) 8:39.87 PR; 8. Şilan Ayyıldız (Tur) 8:42.29 NR.
60H: 1. Danielle Williams (Jam) 7.87 (WL);
2. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 7.92; 3. Christina Clemons (US) 7.94; 4. Gabbi Cunningham (US) 8.14.
LJ: 1. Monae’ Nichols (US) 21-9½ (6.64); 2. Jasmine Moore (US) 21-6¾ (6.57); 3. Claire Bryant (US) 21-4¼ (6.51); 4. Tionna Tobias (US) 20-10 (6.35); 5. Anna Hall (US) 19-8 (5.99).
