American runner Josh Hoey broke the men's 800m indoor world record with a time of 1:42.50 at the 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on January 24. Paced by his brother Jaxson, Hoey surpassed the 29-year-old mark set by Wilson Kipketer. The event also featured Hobbs Kessler setting a world best in the 2000m.
The 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, took place on January 24 at The Track at New Balance in Boston. Josh Hoey, a 26-year-old self-coached runner from Pennsylvania, targeted the long-standing indoor 800m world record of 1:42.67 held by Denmark's Wilson Kipketer since 1997. With his brother Jaxson setting the pace through 200m in 24.81, 400m in 50.21, and 600m in 1:16.19, Hoey surged ahead to finish in 1:42.50, winning by more than two seconds and also setting an American record.
"We did a lot of pacing work," Hoey said afterward. "Just kind of kept steadily improving, taking it week by week, block by block, and we were able to make this work. The last 200 I could feel just the support of everyone, and the work of the last couple of months just bottomed out, and I'm happy I got that time."
This marks Hoey's second world record, following his 600m best of 1:12.84 set seven weeks earlier on the same track. He also holds the North American 1000m record at 2:14.48 and ran 1:42.01 outdoors last July. Despite missing the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2025 World Championships, Hoey won gold in the 800m at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing.
Poland's Filip Ostrowski took second in 1:44.68, a personal best, while the Netherlands' Ryan Clarke set a national record of 1:44.72 for third.
Elsewhere, Hobbs Kessler ran 4:48.79 in the men's 2000m, breaking Kenenisa Bekele's 19-year-old world best of 4:49.99; Grant Fisher followed in 4:49.48. Cameron Myers of Australia won the men's 3000m in 7:27.57, an Australian record. Trinidad and Tobago's Jereem Richards edged Olympic champion Noah Lyles in the men's 300m, 32.14 to 32.15.
On the women's side, Britain's Dina Asher-Smith won the 60m in 7.08, ahead of Jamaica's Brianna Lyston at 7.11. Roisin Willis took the 800m in a world-leading 1:59.59, Nicole Yeargin the 400m in 52.63, Dorcus Ewoi of Kenya the 1500m in 4:01.22, and Elle St. Pierre the 3000m in 8:26.54. Jamaica's Danielle Williams won the 60m hurdles in 7.87, and Monae’ Nichols the long jump with 6.64m.
Ireland's Cian McPhillips won the men's 600m in 1:16.37, a personal best. Jamaica's Ackeem Blake took the men's 60m in 6.53, Khaleb McRae the 400m in 45.38, and Trey Cunningham the 60m hurdles in 7.48.
