NEW YORK – Reigning world 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles served notice to Olympic sprinters and Marco Arop ran the second-fastest indoor 1,000m ever on Feb 4 at the Boston Grand Prix.
The indoor athletics meet serves as a signpost on the road to March’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the Paris Games.
Lyles, who was also part of the United States 4x100m relay team that won the 2023 world title, is keen on more golds after winning the 60m in a personal-best and 2024 world-leading 6.44 seconds.
“I’m just thinking about in 2022 when I PR-ed (set a personal record) and I ran an American record and last year when I PR-ed at this meet and I became the three-time world champion,” Lyles said.
“Now I’m looking another major PR. Guess what that means? We’re coming after everything – all the Olympic medals. I don’t care who wants it. It’s mine.”
Lyles, whose time was 0.10sec off countryman Christian Coleman’s world indoor record, warned that his starts are much better.
“I just improved my 60 meters, the worst part of my race,” Lyles said. “It’s dangerous out here.”
Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake was second (6.45sec) and American Ronnie Baker third (6.54sec).
Sudan-born Canadian Arop, the reigning world 800m outdoor champion, clocked the second-best men’s indoor 1,000m in 2:14.74, with American Bryce Hoppel a distant second in 2:16.91.
Arop’s time is second only to the world indoor record of 2:14.20 set in 2016 at Stockholm by Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti.
“I had so much fun out there,” Arop said. “I was chasing that world record. I’m just happy with the way everything turned out. Being world champion means I just have to keep working harder.”
American Hobbs Kessler spoiled the competitive return of 2022 world outdoor champion Jake Wightman, holding off the British star down the stretch to win the 1,500m in 3:33.66, with Wightman next (3:34.06).
Kessler, the 2023 world road mile champion, outlasted Wightman, who could not defend his world title in 2023 due to a foot injury.
“I was trying to do it as smooth as possible, even though the world champion had got me stoked,” Kessler said. “I’m really proud of the win.”
Reigning world indoor champion Grant Holloway won the 60m hurdles in a 2024 world-best of 7.35sec with fellow American Trey Cunningham second in 7.49sec.
“Just to start the season off on a fast opener, my fastest opener ever, I’m looking forward to it,” Holloway said. “It’s an Olympic year. But first things first. We’ve got to take care of world indoors.” AFP
