British runner opens her 2026 campaign with a world lead of 4:00.04 in the 1500m in Karlsruhe.
While all eyes were on Femke Bol’s 800m debut in Metz, around an hour later and 200km away in Karlsruhe the world 800m silver medallist was laying down a statement run of her own with a 1500m world leading mark of 4:00.04.
The British middle-distance runner led in the closing stages of her race at the INIT Indoor Meeting in the German city before powering away from the in-form Birke Haylom of Ethiopia.
The pacemaker had led through 800m in 2:08.60 but Hunter Bell clearly had lots in reserve as she covered the final lap in 28.82.
Haylom was runner-up in 4:00.88, while European indoor champion Agathe Guillemot set a French indoor record of 4:02.12 in third.
Given this, in coming weeks Laura Muir’s UK indoor record of 3:59.58 looks in danger.
“I was trying to look up at the screen to see what’s going on, but I wanted to try to lead the whole race,” said Hunter Bell. “When the pacemaker dropped out, I tried to just hold that position.
“I’m getting used to front running, it’s a new thing for me. I wanted to practice something different. I wanted to get the world lead, I wanted to try to go sub-four and win. So I achieved two out of three – I won and got the world lead.”
This World Indoor Tour Gold meeting also saw a victory for high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh as she cleared 2.01m at her second attempt before failing at 2.04m with fellow Ukrainian Yuliya Levchenko second with 1.96m.
“I am happy I jumped over two metres again, but of course I wanted to clear 2.04m,” said Mahuchikh. “It was so close, especially the third attempt. But I am happy to come back to international level and start my season in Europe. I know I’m in really good shape, so I’m ready to fight at the World Indoor Championships in Poland.”
Elsewhere, Gabriela Debues-Stafford of Canada was a convincing winner of the women’s 3000m in 8:35.94 as Britain’s Muir was fifth with 8:40.44 and Innes FitzGerald sixth in 8:40.92.
Larissa Iapichino won the women’s long jump with 6.84m from France’s Hilary Kpatcha in second with 6.73m, as former world and Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany was fourth with 6.45m.
Azeddine Habz of France started his indoor season in fine form with a 3:33.36 win in the men’s 1500m.
