A packed field appeared for the Paris 800m. Twelve men and a pacemaker are a crowd. If the pacemaker can stretch the field out quickly it may work out, but here Wyclife Kinyamal started fast too, and when the pacemaker (Sieradzki) finally managed to get in front Kinyamal, Josh Hoey and Bryce Hoppel all got involved in little bumps and collisions.

When the field had settled down Hoey, Hoppel and Kinyamal were following the leader, who reached 400m in just over 49 seconds. Fast, and perhaps too fast. On the back straight the pace slowed a bit, Kinyamal went backwards, with Kramer and Masalela gaining ground.

On the final straight Hoey was still leading, but then Attaoui unleashed a stunning sprint finish. From fifth position he found some room on the inside and went past everyone, including Hoey. Behind them Hoppel came third. Max Burgin and Mark English finished strongly where Kramer and Masalela went backwards.

It's already the fourth race of the season where the winner breaks 1"43. The big field resulted in eleven men going below 1"45 in a single race for only the second time in history. Curiously the first time was last year in Chorzów, and the athlete finishing at number eleven was... Mohamed Attaoui!

    Result:
 1  Mohamed Attaoui        ESP   1:42.73
 2  Josh Hoey              USA   1:43.00
 3  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:43.11
 4  Max Burgin             GBR   1:43.61
 5  Gabriel Tual           FRA   1:43.84
 6  Mark English           IRL   1:43.98
 7  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:44.02
 8  Tshepiso Masalela      BOT   1:44.16
 9  Slimane Moula          ALG   1:44.46
10  Yanis Meziane          FRA   1:44.55
11  Wycliffe Kinyamal      KEN   1:44.85
12  Nicholas Kebenei       KEN   1:45.03

Just three days after the Bislett Games another strong 800m field gathered in Stockholm. Emmanuel Wanyonyi had just missed the World Lead in Oslo but this time he clearly showed who is currently the king of the 800m.

As he usually does Wanyonyi was close behind the pacemaker, but Josh Hoey and Gabriel Tual were not far off. On the back straight both Djamel Sedjati and Slimane Moula moved forward as well.

Still Wanyonyi was not to be caught. He improved the World Lead by 0.75 seconds and ran the first 1"41 of the season. He has now broken 1"42 five times, one more than the legendary Wilson Kipketer. Sedjati had a fast finish and came second. Hoey ran the first 1"42 of his career as did Moula. Five runners went below 1"43 in a single race for only the sixth time in history.

    Result:
 1  Emmanuel Wanyonyi      KEN   1:41.95
 2  Djamel Sedjati         ALG   1:42.27
 3  Josh Hoey              USA   1:42.43
 4  Gabriel Tual           FRA   1:42.72
 5  Slimane Moula          ALG   1:42.77
 6  Kethobogile Haingura   BOT   1:43.61
 7  Wycliffe Kinyamal      KEN   1:43.95
 8  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:44.08
 9  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:47.59

A strong field lined up for the Oslo Diamond League 800m race. Apart from Olympic Champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi the field included Djamel Sedjati, Gabriel Tual and Mohamed Attaoui and Kethobogile Haingura. But it was Wanyonyi who followed the pacemaker closely.

As the pacemaker left the race Wanyonyi was substantially ahead, but on the final straight he seemd to be tiring and Sedjati and Tual were approaching fast, with Attaoui not too far off either. It looked as though Wanyonyi would be beaten, but just before the finish Wanyonyi found something extra and he crossed the line victoriously. Attaoui sprinted into second place, while Sedjati and Tual were close behind.

Although Wanyonyi just missed Masalela's World Lead both he and Attaoui broke 1"43. Sedjati and Tual opened their seasons impressively with low 1"43 marks, and with six runners breaking 1"44 it was a very fast race overall.

    Result:
 1  Emmanuel Wanyonyi      KEN   1:42.78
 2  Mohamed Attaoui        ESP   1:42.90
 3  Djamel Sedjati         ALG   1:43.06
 4  Gabriel Tual           FRA   1:43.09
 5  Kethobogile Haingura   BOT   1:43.58
 6  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:43.73
 7  Mark English           IRL   1:44.33

After his win in Doha Tshepiso Masalela traveled to Rabat, where the Diamond League meeting happened to be scheduled on his 26th birthday. And he sure turned it into a celebration party.

The field was very strong, with Kethobogile Haingura, Wyclife Kinyamal, Brandon Miller, Max Burgin and Olympic Champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi. But it was Masalela who followed the pacemaker closely, and on the back straight it was still Masalela leading. And as they entered the final straight Masalela wasn't just in the lead, he was running away. And not only did he win by a distance in a new PB, it had taken so little out of him that he turned around right after the finish line and danced in front of the fans!

It was an amazing display of front running, and a new World Lead as well. No one could come close, although Burgin ran very solidly and set a new PB as well. Wanyonyi was never challenging for the win, although he did have a strong finish. But the day certainly belonged to Masalela, who could not have wished for a better birthday present.

    Result:
 1  Tshepiso Masalela      BOT   1:42.70
 2  Max Burgin             GBR   1:43.34
 3  Emmanuel Wanyonyi      KEN   1:43.37
 4  Brandon Miller         USA   1:43.52
 5  Kethobogile Haingura   BOT   1:43.82
 6  Wyclife Kinyamal       KEN   1:44.63
 7  Abderrahman El Assal   MAR   1:44.70
 8  Yanis Meziane          FRA   1:44.95
 9  Pieter Sisk            BEL   1:45.10
10  Abdellatif El Guesse   MAR   1:45.48
11  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:45.63
12  Aaron Cheminingwa      KEN   1:47.27

The first Diamond League 800m race saw a strong field, including Bryce Hoppel, Wyclife Kinyamal, Slimane Moula, Andreas Kramer and Tshepiso Masalela The pacemaker (Sieradzki) did a good job and reached the bell in 49.5, followed by Laban Chepkwony, Kinyamal and Hoppel.

On the back straight both Masalela and Moula moved forward as Chepkwony went backwards. As they reached the final bend it was Masalela who went past everyone and took over the lead from Kinyamal. On the final straight Hoppel seemed to be struggling, but still managed to work himself past Kinyamal who was clearly decelerating as well. Moula showed his trademark fast finish, but was just unable to catch the leaders.

And so it was Masalela who triumphed in a new World Lead of 1:43.11. Behind him Hoppel, Kinyamal and Moula still set very solid marks and Ibrahim Abass Chuot ran a big PB. The 2025 outdoor season has started!

    Result:
 1  Tshepiso Masalela      BOT   1:43.11
 2  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:43.26
 3  Wycliffe Kinyamal      KEN   1:43.37
 4  Slimane Moula          ALG   1:43.55
 5  Ibrahim Abass Chuot    QAT   1:44.08
 6  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:44.84
 7  Abdellatif El Guesse   MAR   1:45.02
 8  Aaron Cheminingwa      KEN   1:45.21
 9  Hatim Oulghazi         QAT   1:46.22
10  Laban Chepkwony        KEN   1:47.00

After his spectacular runs Josh Hoey was the obvious favorite at the world Indoor Championships in Nanjing. But at the start both Eliott Crestan and Brandon Miller also fought for the lead, so important at an indoor race.

Hoey managed to take the lead though, ahead of Crestan and Miller. But as they reached halfway in a superfast 50.63 Miller sprinted into the lead. That had taken much out of him though, and Hoey retook the lead before they reached the bell. Meanwhile Samuel Chapple and Elvin Josué Canales were closing as well.

On the final lap Miller faded, Hoey grimly hung on with Crestan getting ever closer. In the end the finish line came just too early for the Belgian to overtake the tiring Hoey. Behind them Canales celebrated his bronze as he crossed the finish line.

It all concludes a very impressive indoor season by Hoey. First he won at the Millrose Games in an ultra-fast time. He then went even faster as he became number two on the all-time indoor world rankings when he won the US Championship. And now he has rounded off his indoor season with the World Indoor Gold!

    Result:
 1  Josh Hoey              USA   1:44.77
 2  Eliott Crestan         BEL   1:44.81
 3  Elvin Josué Canales    ESP   1:45.03
 4  Samuel Chapple         NED   1:45.55
 5  Brandon Miller         USA   1:46.44
 6  Tom Dradiga            UGA   1:50.19

Everything went orange on this particular day at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. The host nation collected no less than five gold medals turning the hall into a wild celebration party. Several gold medals, such as the two on the relays, may have been expected. But Samuel Chapple winning 800m gold was a total surprise.

Chapple was far from a favourite. Eliott Crestan, who had a stellar season last year, was the favourite, and Elvin Josue Canales and Catalin Tecuceanu would probably be his main rivals, although one could never ignore Mark English. Chapple had never broken 1:45 in his life. He only just qualified from the heats as a fastest loser. And at 26 he could hardly be called a young talent either.

For a long time the race went as expected. Crestan took the lead, Canales and English followed. Chapple was nowhere near the lead. The pace was fast as Crestan was obviously trying to win it from the front. But on the final lap Chapple, on the waves of the home crowd cheering him on, moved forward as Canales faded. And around the final bend it was clear that Crestan was struggling too. Chapple came closer and closer as the Belgian ran out of gas just too soon and was beaten on the line.

Chapple was both ecstatic and baffled by his success. To run a new personal best in an indoor final is definitely not something seen very often. Crestan had to settle for silver. Amazingly English won his fifth European medal, after indoor bronze in 2019, indoor silver in 2015, and two more outdoor bronzes in 2022 and 2014!

    Result:
 1  Samuel Chapple        NED  1:44.88
 2  Eliott Crestan        BEL  1:44.92
 3  Mark English          IRL  1:45.46
 4  Catalin Tecuceanu     ITA  1:45.57
 5  Elvin Josue Canales   ESP  1:45.88
 6  Ryan Clarke           NED  1:46.47

Josh Hoey had shown tremendous form recently, and many felt he was the clear favourite at the US indoor Championships. But he displayed such a tremendous run that he surpassed expectations once again.

Right from the start Hoey went into the lead and kept driving forward. The halfway split was recorded as 50.36, fast for any race, and certainly for an indoor race. Brandon Miller was hanging on, but over the last lap Hoey was way too strong and finished way ahead in a stunning 1:43.24!

It's yet another American record, improving his own mark by 0.64 seconds. Within a few weeks Hoey has lowered that record by almost a full second. His time is also the second fastest ever seen, with only the legendary Wilson Kipketer ever having run faster, when he set the World Indoor record at 1:42.67 way back in 1997.

Next stop for Josh will be the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing. If he can maintain this level for a few weeks more it is very hard to see anyone stopping him from winnnig the World Indoor gold medal.

    Result:
 1  Josh Hoey              USA   1:43.24
 2  Brandon Miller         USA   1:44.26
 3  Wes Ferguson           USA   1:44.92
 4  Isaiah Harris          USA   1:45.64
 5  Jonah Koech            USA   1:45.82
 6  Shane Cohen            USA   1:46.73

The famous Millrose games provided yet another fast indoor race. Josh Hoey had improved himself spectacularly in 2024 and showed how he can be major force on the 800m. When he took the lead Bryce Hoppel, who finished fourth in the Olympic final in Paris last year in a new American record, settled in behind him. It seemed a matter of time before he would seize the lead and secure victory.

Not so. Although Hoppel ran a new personal best in a time faster than the previous American record, Josh grimly held on and not only finished first, he also beat Donavan Brazier's American record by 0.31 seconds.

His time of 1:43.90 lifts Hoey to number three on the all time indoor list, behind legend Wilson Kipketer and Elliot Giles. It was only the third time in history that three athletes ran below 1:45 in a single indoor race. And in sixth place young talent Cooper Lutkenhaus, just seventeen years old, ran a world best for the under eighteen category.

    Result:
 1  Josh Hoey           USA   1:43.90
 2  Bryce Hoppel        USA   1:44.19
 3  Jonah Koech         USA   1:44.82
 4  Mark English        IRL   1:45.15
 5  Alex Amankwah       GHA   1:45.82
 6  Cooper Lutkenhaus   USA   1:46.86
 7  Shane Cohen         USA   1:47.01