Less Than 24 Hours After Cole Hocker Runs American Record In 2,000 Meters In Virginia, Kessler Follows With World Record 4:48.79 In Boston; Hoey, Paced By Brother Jaxson, Clocks 1:42.50 To Lower Indoor 800 World Record

By David Woods for DyeStat

Jon Ratner photos

Josh Hoey and Hobbs Kessler failed to qualify for last September’s World Championships. Four months later, they are world record-holders.

In the New Balance Grand Prix, they emphatically rebounded in the first major invitational of the 2026 indoor track and field season.

Paced by brother Jaxson, Hoey set a world indoor record of 1:42.50 for 800 meters Saturday in Boston. Hoey broke a record that had lasted for nearly 29 years, a 1:42.67 by Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer in March 1997.

“It’s such a joy. I’m so proud,” Jaxson Hoey said.

Josh Hoey’s respective splits were 24.81, 50.21. 1:16.19 (which would have won the 600), 1:42.50.

“Just trying to stay calm behind my brother and let him lead me,” he said in an NBC interview. “The last 200, I could just feel the support of everyone and the work of the last couple of months.”

Hoey set the previous American record of 1:43.24 in last February’s USA Championships at Staten Island, N.Y.

In the 2,000 meters, Grant Fisher was chasing a world indoor record to add to the ones he set last year in the 3,000 and 5,000. And he did go under the world record... but was overtaken by Kessler.

With a last lap of 26.31, Kessler finished in 4:48.79. Fisher was second in 4:49.68.

Kessler said he has sought to “explode” at the finish, not squeeze.

“It’s a skill we’ve been working on,” he said. “I think I’ve had the physical capability. Running fast while tired is a skill. And that’s what I kind of lost.”

At 1,600, Fisher clocked 3:52.82 and Kessler 3:53.04.

Both were under the 19-year-old world indoor record of 4:49.99 by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele. The two crushed the American indoor record of 4:52.92 set Friday night by Cole Hocker, whose mark lasted less than 24 hours.

Belgium’s Pieter Sisk was third in 4:52.41 and Great Britain’s Jake Wightman fourth in 4:53.69.

The 22-year-old Kessler was fifth in the 1,500 at the 2024 Olympics. But he was fourth at the 2025 nationals, missing the world team by one spot. He said it was “bitter” not to perform as he thought he should.

“I worked really hard, and nothing came of it,” he said. “But I train with a super bunch of guys. Just hanging out with them, it made it fun to train again. They had really good habits. I picked up on their good habits.”

In other men’s highlights:

>> Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago overtook training partner Noah Lyles, winning the 300 by one-hundredth of a second, 32.14 to 32.15. Lyles’ American record of 31.87 dates to 2017. Richards, 32, won a silver in the 400 at the 2025 worlds.

>> Trey Cunningham tied the world lead in the 60 hurdles with a time of 7.48. Connor Schulman was second in a PB 7.51 and outdoor world champion Cordell Tinch fifth in 7.62.

>> Khaleb McRae held off high schooler Quincy Wilson, 45.38 to 45.96, in the 400.

“I knew the race would come down to who got to the break first,” McRae said. “I know it’s hard to get around  me. So I had to make sure I got to it first. You saw the rest.”

>> Jamaica’s Akeem Blake won the 60 over Puerto Rico’s Eloy Benitez, 6.53 to 6.56. Bowerman Award winner Jordan Anthony was third in 6.57.

>> Cameron Myers, a 19-year-old Australian, took the 3,000 in 7:27.57, a meet and national record. He climbed to No. 10 on the all-time indoor list. Andrew Coscoran of Ireland was second in 7:30.97 and Graham Blanks third in 7:31.97. Blanks was coming off a 19th-place finish in world cross country two weeks ago at Tallahassee, Fla.

St. Pierre Wins 3,000 After Maternity Leave

Less than nine months after giving birth to her second son, Elle St. Pierre has returned to world class.

The Vermont 30-year-old outdueled two Australians, Linden Hall and Jessica Hull, to take the 3,000 in a world-leading 8:26.54. The time ranks No. 5 in U.S. indoor history, and St. Pierre has three of the fastest five.

St. Pierre said returning from childbirth once before made it less scary to do so again. She gave birth to her first son in March 2023 and subsequently won the world indoor title at 3,000 in March 2024.

“So I feel it helped me prepare and come back a second time,” she said. “Honestly, this is the meet I’d been thinking of when the days were getting hard.”

St. Pierre, who trains part-time at this track, was passed by Hall before the last lap. But on the closing straightaway, St. Pierre passed Hall, who was second in a PB of 8:27.03.

Hull, after leading through 2,400, faded to third in 8:36.03. She was coming off a gold medal in the mixed relay at world cross country.

In other women’s highlights:

>> Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi, last year’s world silver medalist, took the 1,500 in a world-leading 4:01.22. She held off Sinclaire Johnson, whose 4:01.30 PB made her No. 4 on the all-time U.S. indoor list. Klaudia Kazimierska, a former Oregon miler, was third in a Polish record of 4:01.78. Elsabet Emare of Ethiopia was eighth in 4:05.38, a world under-18 indoor record.

>> Roisin Willis, in her pro debut, ran a personal best of 1:59.59 in the 800 for a world lead.

>> Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, in her first indoor race since 2023, won the 60 in 7.08. Jamaica’s Brianna Lyston was second in 7.11.

>> In a duel among three global medalists, Monae Nichols was first with a long jump of 21-9.5 (6.64m). Former Florida jumpers Jasmine Moore (21-6.75/6.57m) and Claire Bryant (21-4.25/6.51m) were second and third.

>> Jamaica’s Danielle Williams set a world lead in beating two-time world indoor champion Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas in the 60 hurdles, 7.87 to 7.92.

Indiana’s Caleb Winders Runs 4:02 mile

In the junior boys international mile, Caleb Winders of Bloomington North IN dropped his personal best by nearly 11 seconds to finish first in a US#1 of 4:02.56.

The North Carolina signee set a state indoor record, bettering the time of 4:05.62 by Martinsville’s Martin Barco in 2024. Winders had heretofore been known as a half-miler, setting a state record of 1:46.85 in winning New Balance Nationals Outdoor last June. He is US#1 at 600 this year in 1:17.46, another state record.

Winders was fifth through three-quarters in 3:03.46, then passed the field with a final 440 yards of 59.10. His times were 3:47.44 at 1,500 and 4:01.21 at 1,600.

Carter Smith of Mifflin County PA was second in 4:02.71 and Brian Burns of Bentonville AR third in 4:04.17.

Braelyn Combe of Corona CA won the girls mile in 4:38.97, also a US#1. Paige Sheppard, a junior at Union Catholic NJ, was second in 4:40.29.

Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.