Sprint Victories For Aleia Hobbs, Noah Lyles Part Of Entertaining Afternoon In Boston

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan Photos | RESULTS

Still just 22 years old, Femke Bol of The Netherlands opened her 2023 season at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with her first world indoor best Saturday in Boston. 

The World Championships silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles and the European champion in the flat 400 crushed the all-time best in the 500 meters, running 1:05.63. 

The previous record of 1:06.31 by Russia's Olesya Forsheva had been on the books since 2006.

For one of the world's great talents, who turns 23 later in less than three weeks, the 500 record was ripe for the taking. 

"It was fun to run a 500 to start (the season)," Bol said. "The 400 will be short now."

NON-TV WINDOW WEBCAST REPLAY

Bol's performance kicked off the elite professional TV window at the new venue for the meet, The TRACK at New Balance. 

There were some February fireworks in the sprints, where Aleia Hobbs continued her hot start to the season by winning the 60 meters in 7.02 seconds. 

Noah Lyles ran a personal-best 6.507 to beat Trayvon Bromell (6.509) by a razor-thin margin. 

The men's mile was almost as close, as Great Britain's Neil Gourley beat Sam Tanner of New Zealand, 3:52.84 to 3:52.83. Sam Prakel was third in 3:53.58. 

Grant Holloway remained unbeaten in the 60-meter hurdles with a world-leading 7.38 seconds. 

Heather MacLean won a great women's mile race against Lucia Stafford of Canada, running a world-leading 4:23.42. She beat Stafford by a tenth of a second. MacLean's 1,500 split was 4:06.07.

Ajee' Wilson won the women's 800 meters in 2:00.45 and Kaela Edwards established a new personal best in second place with 2:01.09.  

Woody Kincaid, who recently broke the American record in the indoor 5,000 meters on the track at Boston University, added a victory in the 3,000 meters with a personal-best 7:40.71. Christian Noble was second in 7:42.55. 

Great Britain star Laura Muir won her first race on U.S. soil when she took the 3,000 meters in 8:40.34. British runners swept the top four places. 

Mariano Garcia from Spain won the men's 800 meters in 1:45.26. 

Gabby Thomas, who attended nearby Harvard, won the 300 meters in a world-leading 36.41 seconds. 

Noah Williams won the men's 400 meters in 45.88 seconds. 

Devynne Charlton from the Bahamas won the women's 60-meter hurdles in 7.87 seconds. 

Bridget Williams added six centimeters to her career best in the pole vault and won the women's competition with 15-7.75 (4.77m). Olympic and World champion Katie Moon (formerly Nageotte) competed for the first time since her New Year's Eve wedding and finished fourth 14-7.25 (4.45m).

Tejaswin Shankar of India, a former NCAA champion at Kansas State, won the men's high jump with a clearance at 7-5 (2.26m).

In the Junior Boys International mile, Rocky Hansen (Christ School NC) ran a US#1 time of 4:01.11 to beat a strong field. Connor Burns (Southern Boone MO) finished second in 4:03.08 and Simeon Birnbaum (Stevens SD) was third in 4:05.29. 

Sadie Engelhardt (Ventura CA) moved to US#2 with her victory in the Junior Girls International mile, running 4:40.59. Tatum David (Olney IL) was closing on Engelhardt on the final lap, but finished second in 4:40.86. Early leader Ellie Shea (Emerging Elites MA) finished third in 4:42.08. 

The Chaminade NY boys won the George Eastment 4x800 relay and moved to US#1 with 7:51.92.