BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, January 24 — Much of the buzz heading into the New Balance Indoor GP was zeroed in on Josh Hoey — who had promoted that he was going for Wilson Kipketer’s 29-year-old indoor WR in the men’s 800 — as well as Tokyo World gold medalists Noah Lyles and Cordell Tinch.
Almost no one was talking about Hobbs Kessler in the 2000.
But both Hoey and Kessler, uber-talented mid-distance runners who missed making Team USA for Tokyo last summer, hammered their way to spectacular WRs during the meet’s extraordinary final 45 minutes. Hoey’s well-paced, otherwise solo 1:42.50 in the meet’s penultimate event — finally supplanting Kipketer’s 1:42.67 from Paris in 1997 — was outstanding to be sure, even if somewhat anticipated.
But Kessler’s 4:48.79 in the infrequently contested 10-lap race kinda came out of nowhere. Sure, he recorded sterling PRs of 3:29.45 in the Paris Olympic 1500 final (5th) and 3:46.90 in the Millrose mile (2nd) last winter. The rest of ’25, however, did not go well.
“I was deeply disappointed with how last summer went; I didn’t make the U.S. team, I ran poorly at Diamond Leagues… it was really hard to get training again because I think I worked really hard and nothing came of it,” he said.
So when the gun went off in the 2000, with pacelights and rabbit Davis Bove intent on the 29-second laps it would take to get Kenenisa Bekele’s 4:49.99 WR from ’07, it was clear immediately that Grant Fisher was going after it. But who would follow and for how long?
Bove was fast at 400 (55.55), but settled in, with Fisher and then Kessler following. The pacer passed 1K in 2:23.57 and by 1200 the two Michigan natives were shedding the rest of the field. Bove stepped off after 1600, having run 3:52.96, and it was a 2-man race to the finish — with Kessler looking surprisingly relaxed.
Sure enough, on the final backstretch Kessler unleased a furious kick; his final 100s would take just 13.29 and 13.02. Fisher also went under the Ethiopian legend’s old standard with 4:49.48 — not bad for a guy who’s about to start training for a half-marathon.
Of the burst of speed he showed on the final lap, the rejuvenated Kessler said, “That’s a skill my coach and I have been working on. He went, ‘Don’t squeeze; explode!’… I think I’ve had the physical capabilities, but running fast when you’re tired is a skill. It was something that I lost that I had to relearn.”
After watching the 2000-meter pyrotechnics — and having earlier seen an attempt on his new 1:12.84 600 WR fall apart, due in no small measure to poor pacing — Hoey lined up with his brother and three others to have a go.
Jaxson Hoey proved to be an exacting pacer. “I heard 50.0 and I almost started laughing… Jaxson hit it beyond perfectly,” said Josh. It was 50.21, actually, and he slowed only slightly on subsequent laps of 25.99 and 26.31, with Jaxson stepping aside after 500.
“I could see the lights out of the corner of my eye and they kept, like, teasing me almost trying to, almost, trying to pass,” said Hoey. “It gave me a little bit of extra motivation.”
Perhaps an unpublicized shadow of doubt had been cast on the record attempt, as the Pennsylvanian noted he had a “hiccup” with hamstring issues and an MRI recently that slowed things up temporarily in recent weeks. But “it wasn’t too bad, thankfully, so I was able to get the training I needed and give this a full go of it.”
Aussie Cam Myers continued his red-hot ‘26 start with an NR 7:27.57 for 3K before the TV window. Pacer James Dunne hit 29.51 for the first furlong, then Myers, Americans Graham Blanks and Marco Langdon, and Irishmen Andrew Coscoran and Nick Griggs began cranking 29–31 second laps behind him. Blanks took over before 800, but he couldn’t break Myers, who passed him and finished in 55.98.
The meet had more surprises to offer. Trey Cunningham, another who missed making the Tokyo team, showed mid-season form with his 7.48 winner in the 60H, while Tinch clearly did not have the zip and sharpness yet and finished in 6th with 7.62.
“I think it’s a hell of a season-opener,” said Cunningham. “I started training this year later than I ever have, so I’m really happy with where I’m at. There was definitely a lot more in the tank, especially with the start, so we’ll see what happens next week.”
In the 600, American half-mile titans Donavan Brazier and Bryce Hoppel were clearly not ready for 24-second laps and challenging Hoey’s 800 WR, especially with a rabbit that went out in 22.71. But Ireland’s ’25 revelation in the 800, Cian McPhillips, who dropped 2 seconds to 1:42.15 and 4th place at the Worlds in Tokyo, closed strongly for 1:16.77.
The 300 finale was set up to give Lyles, the sport’s ultimate showman, a chance to put an exclamation point on the meet. He ran a solid 32.15, but training partner Jereem Richards — the Tokyo 400 silver medalist with a lifetime best of 43.72 — pipped him at the line in 32.14.
NEW BALANCE MEN’S RESULTS
60: 1. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 6.53; 2. Eloy Benitez (PR) 6.56; 3. Jordan Anthony (US) 6.57; 4. Terrence Jones Jr. (Bah) 6.60; 5. Udodi Onwuzurike (Ngr) 6.68; 6. Cravont Charleston (US) 6.70.
300: 1. Jereem Richards (Tri) 32.14;
2. Noah Lyles (US) 32.15 (x, 9 A);
3. Vernon Norwood (US) 32.38 PR; 4. Trayvon Bromell (US) 35.36 PR.
400: 1. Khaleb McRae (US) 45.38; 2. Quincy Wilson (US) 45.96; 3. Elija Godwin (US) 46.43; 4. Johnnie Blockburger (US) 46.66.
600: 1. Cian McPhillips (Ire) 1:16.37 PR; 2. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:17.20; 3. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:17.24 PR; 4. Mehdi Yanouri (US) 1:17.83.
800: 1. Josh Hoey (US) 1:42.50 WR (old WR 1:42.67 Wilson Kipketer [Den] ’97) (in/out: x, 8 A) (24.81, 25.40 [50.21], 25.99 [1:16.19], 26.31) (50.21/52.30);
2. Filip Ostrowski (Pol) 1:44.68 PR; 3. Ryan Clarke (Neth) 1:44.72 NR;… rabbit—Jaxson Hoey (US) (24.62, 25.40 [50.02]).
2000: 1. Hobbs Kessler (US) 4:48.79 WR (old WR 4:49.99 Kenenisa Bekele [Eth] ’07) (56.62, 58.12 [1:54.74], 59.07 [2:53.81], 59.23 [3:53.04], 55.75) (in/out: 9, x W; 1, 1 A, but USATF won’t ratify);
2. Grant Fisher (US) 4:49.48 PR (2, 2 W, A) (in/out: 8, 10 W; 2, 2 A);
3. Pieter Sisk (Bel) 4:52.41 NR (5, 5 W);
4. Jake Wightman (GB) 4:53.69 NR (9, 9 W);
5. Foster Malleck (Can) 4:54.08 PR; 6. Romain Mornet (Fra) 4:55.54 NR; 7. Sam Gilman (US) 5:09.36 PR; 8. Luke Houser (US) 5:13.22 PR.
3000: 1. Cam Myers (Aus) 7:27.57 NR (10, x W);
2. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 7:30.97; 3. Graham Blanks (US) 7:31.97; 4. Nick Griggs (Ire) 7:32.79 PR;
5. Marco Langon (Vill) 7:34.56 PR (4, 4 C);
6. Matthew Wilkinson (US) 7:37.36; 7. Morgan Beadlescomb (US) 7:38.59.
60H: 1. Trey Cunningham (US) 7.48; 2. Connor Schulman (US) 7.51 PR; 3. Jamal Britt (US) 7.54; 4. Dylan Beard (US) 7.58; 5. Cordell Tinch (US) 7.62; 6. Daniel Roberts (US) 7.66.
TJ: 1. James Carter (US) 53-6½ (16.32).
