On his 30th birthday, Toshikazu Yamanishi gave himself the present of an inaugural world half marathon race walk record by clocking 1:20:34* at the Japanese Half Marathon Race Walking Championships &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze meeting &ndash; in Kobe on Sunday (15).
Younger competitors with pedigree were ready to cause an upset, but Yamanishi&rsquo;s master class underlined the number one on his gold-coloured race bib.&nbsp;
Striding away from a dwindling lead group shortly after 17km, Japan&rsquo;s two-time world champion passed the 20km mark in 1:16:26 &ndash; only 16 seconds outside the world record for the 20km race walk he set on the same course last year.
He still had a lap and a bit to go but found another gear to notch a speedy 3:47 for the 21st loop of the course.
It is the first performance that surpasses the inaugural world record standard of 1:21:30 that was approved by the World Athletics Council in December, following the announcement that the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-council-action-against-gender-based-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half marathon and marathon would become the official senior road distances for race walking events</a>.
Yamanishi, as part of a group of five, was well under world record pace from as early as halfway.&nbsp;
The weather was kind for racing; a pleasant 11&deg;C, although crowds lining the course still had warm coats to ward off the morning chill.
A large pack including world champion Caio Bonfim shot away at the start. The Brazilian was one of only two athletes without sunglasses, despite the overcast conditions.
The lead group had splintered by 3km, reached in 11:36, and Bonfim was in a second pack giving chase to a group of nine.
At 4km, the time was modest, at least modest by the standards of this stellar field. However, the gloves were off &ndash; literally for many &ndash; and 2km later the pace accelerated to hit 6km in 23:10.
Bonfim was already 50 metres behind and losing touch rapidly, with the spearhead passing 10km in 39:06.
Ahead of him, that lead group was proving stubborn. Kento Yoshikawa, Tomohiro Noda, Sotaro Osaka, Satoshi Maruo and Yuta Koga &ndash; all athletes with fast PBs &ndash; were hanging on to the quickening pace.
With lap times now around 3:50, something had to give. And so it proved.
With 4 kilometres to go, Yamanishi lit the afterburners to immediately open up a gap of 15 metres on Yoshikawa and Noda &ndash; the only pair to remain tenuously in touch.
The bespectacled leader glanced over his shoulder a couple of times at the remaining turns but he had already done enough damage to secure the win.
In fact, Yamanishi might have shaved off a couple more seconds on his new record, had he not opted to stroll the last few metres through the tape.
The birthday boy admitted he had been working on his technique to make sure there was no repeat of his penalty zone demise at last year&rsquo;s World Championships.
&ldquo;Based on my experience of the penalty zone at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, I realised I had a great opportunity to train with other athletes and be observed by other top coaches,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;I also realised that the first step would be to compare and consult with others.&rdquo;
The top four all finished inside the inaugural world record standard. Closing fast, Yoshikawa improved his PB for 20km by some margin, with 1:16:38, and Noda did likewise, finishing third after recording 1:16:42 for that split.
Yoshikawa reached the finish line in 1:20:50, followed by Noda in 1:20:57 and Maruo in 1:21:25.
Bonfim made the finish just outside the standard in 1:21:44, but he eclipsed the 1:27:58 he recorded in January back home in Brazil.&nbsp;
The women&rsquo;s race quickly became a duel between Ayane Yanai and Yukiko Umeno.
In fact, from just after 3km the two held sway, passing 10km in 45:18 by which time everyone else was more than a lap in arrears.
Like Yamanishi in the men&rsquo;s race, Umeno kept her powder dry until the last three laps and then went through the gears at a rate of knots.
In fact, by the finish in 1:35:01, she had put almost a minute between herself and the tiring Yanai, who came home second in 1:35:57.
Ayumi Sugibayashi was third in 1:39:43.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics 
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Toshikazu Yamanishi clocked a world record of 1:20:34* at the Japanese Half Marathon Race Walking Championships

Yamanishi sets world half marathon race walk record in Kobe

USA&rsquo;s Khaleb McRae produced the highlight performance at the Tyson Invitational &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Fayetteville on Friday (13), clocking a world short track 400m record of 44.52*.
The world 4x400m silver medallist sped through the first lap in 21.24 with William Jones close behind. McRae then opened up a significant lead to cross the line in 44.52, 1.11 seconds ahead of Jones. World silver medallist Jereem Richards won the other final in 45.56.
If ratified, McRae&rsquo;s time would be a 0.05 improvement on the official world short track record of 44.57, set by Kerron Clement on the same track back in 2005. Since then, both Michael Norman (44.52) and Christoper Morales Williams (44.49) have posted quicker times, but neither could be ratified for record purposes.
KcRae, who won at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix earlier this year, had a previous short track PB of 45.02. He set his outdoor PB of 43.91 last year and went on to reach the semifinals at the World Championships in Tokyo.
Most of the standout performances at the Tyson Invitational came in the sprints. NCAA indoor and outdoor Jordan Anthony took 0.04 off his PB to run a world-leading 6.43 in the men&rsquo;s 60m, finishing ahead of Traunard Folson (6.49 PB) and Davonte Howell (6.52).
In the women&rsquo;s event, Olympic champion Julien Alfred clocked a world-leading 6.99 to win ahead of by Jacious Sears (7.03) and Brianna Lyston (7.07). Elsewhere, world 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch claimed victory in the long jump with 8.29m ahead of Gregory Foster (8.19m PB), while Britton Wilson won the women&rsquo;s 400m in a meeting record of 50.66.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results/7237889/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a> 
<h2>Hocker runs 3:45.94 mile, Lutkenhaus sets world U20 record in Winston Salem</h2>
USA&rsquo;s world and Olympic gold medallist Cole Hocker set a North American short track record of 3:45.94 to win the mile at the ASICS Sound Invite &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Winston Salem on Saturday (14).
It improves on the 3:46.63 achieved by Yared Nuguse a year ago in New York, which at the time was a world short track record, and moves Hocker to second on the world all-time list behind the 3:45.14 run by Norway&rsquo;s Jakob Ingebrigtsen in Li&eacute;vin last year.
Cooper Teare was second in 3:50.49.
Another record fell in the 800m as USA&rsquo;s Cooper Lutkenhaus clocked 1:44.03 for a world U20 short track record*.
That time moves the 17-year-old to sixth on a senior world all-time list that is topped by the world short track record of 1:42.50 set by his compatriot Josh Hoey in Boston last month.
US 10,000m champion Nico Young won the 3000m in 7:33.32 to beat Nuguse, who clocked 7:33.78. Ethan Strand was third in 7:35.29.
Sage Hurta-Klecker dipped under two minutes for 800m indoors for the first time, winning the women&rsquo;s race in 1:58.78 ahead of Olivia Baker in 1:59.18.
Nikki Hiltz won the 3000m in 8:34.98.
<a href="http://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results/7233293/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a> 
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

USA’s Khaleb McRae produced the highlight performance at the Tyson Invitational, clocking a world short track 400m record of 44.52*

McRae breaks world short track 400m record in Fayetteville

Kenya&rsquo;s Agnes Ngetich and John Korir claimed convincing victories at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Eldoret on Saturday (14).
Fresh from her title-winning performance at the World Cross Country Championships, Ngetich dominated the women&rsquo;s race from the early stages to secure a decisive victory, while Korir produced a strong late surge to win a closely contested men&rsquo;s race.
Ngetich had said at the pre-event press conference at the World Cross was just the beginning of her season, and here &ndash; in front of her home fans &ndash; she produced an even more dominant display than her one in Tallahassee, winning by one minute and 14 seconds.
Ngetich moved straight to the front from the opening bend and was followed only by world cross-country silver medallist Joy Cheptoyek through the first kilometre. By the end of the first lap of the 2km loop, Ngetich already held a 12-second lead, while Faith Cherono and Daisilah Cherono had moved ahead of Cheptoyek. Her advantage had grown to 35 seconds by 4km, with Mercy Chepkemoi moving into second place.
As Agnes Ngetich continued to extend her lead, Catherine Reline worked her way into third by the 6km mark. The order remained unchanged through the closing stages, Ngetich crossing the finish line in 32:28. Chepkemoi finished second in 33:42, ahead of Reline (33:51) and Cheptoyek (34:07).
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just like last time,&rdquo; said Ngetich. &ldquo;The climate was the same, and I loved the atmosphere. Everyone was cheering me on and it gave me motivation. I wasn&rsquo;t feeling lonely because the fans were everywhere.
&ldquo;About the World Cross Country Championships, I had waited for that medal for a long time and I appreciate it a lot. Cross country is something I&rsquo;ve loved since I was young.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s race was competitive from the start, with a large lead group remaining together through the early stages. At one point, Daniel Ebenyo and Korir shared a water bottle while running side by side.
Eight athletes were still together at 6km, but as they approached 8km, Korir launched a decisive surge. The field stretched into single file as he pulled clear.
Korir crossed the finish line in 29:44, raising his arms in celebration. Amos Kiprotich and Silas Senchura followed in 29:46, finishing second and third respectively. Defending champion Ebenyo faded on the final lap to place fifth in 29:57.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m feeling good and I came here to see how my shape is,&rdquo; said Korir. &ldquo;My target is the Boston Marathon, and this race helped me see how my body would respond. This is my first cross-country race and I&rsquo;m happy to win.&rdquo;
Conditions in Eldoret were warm and sunny, typical for February, with large crowds lining the course throughout the day. A light breeze occasionally provided some relief from the heat, while cloud cover arrived only during the final lap of the senior men&rsquo;s race.
Naomi Korir won the senior women&rsquo;s 2km race in 6:42 after catching the leaders in the final kilometre. World 1500m bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot successfully defended his title in the men&rsquo;s 2km race, winning in 5:52 ahead of Munguti Kyumbe (5:53), Timothy Cheruiyot (5:54) and Emmanuel Wanyonyi (5:55).
Justin Lagat for World Athletics

Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich and John Korir claimed convincing victories at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country

Ngetich and Korir victorious in Eldoret

Geoffrey Kamworor produced a commanding performance to win the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon &ndash; a World Athletics Gold Label road race &ndash; in 58:14 on Saturday (8), returning to the event 13 years after his first victory there.
The 33-year-old Kenyan, a multiple world champion at the half marathon and cross country, controlled the race from the early stages, running behind pacemaker and training partner Edwin Kipsaisak through the opening kilometres before gradually breaking the field apart.
After passing 10km in 27:42, Kamworor began to assert his dominance in the latter stages of the race. A decisive surge between 16km and 17km ensured he would not be challenged as he went on to win by nine seconds.
Birhanu Balew of Bahrain finished second in an Asian record of 58:23, while Kenya&rsquo;s Gideon Rono placed third in 58:38.
&ldquo;Actually, I knew I was going to win around 14km,&rdquo; said Kamworor, who came within 13 seconds of the PB he set in 2019. &ldquo;I knew I&rsquo;d prepared well and I came here wanting to run a fast time. It&rsquo;s great to come back and win even faster.&rdquo;
Kamworor&rsquo;s victory continues a remarkable second chapter in his career following the serious leg injury he suffered in a road accident in 2020. The Kenyan, who has also won the New York Marathon twice, now turns his attention to the London Marathon later this year.
In the women&rsquo;s race, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Asmarech Anley won on her half marathon debut, clocking 1:07:22 after making her decisive move in the closing kilometres.
Tanzania&rsquo;s Magdalena Shauri had led much of the race in the absence of a pacemaker, but she was overtaken by Anley and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Melknat Wudu with about two kilometres remaining. Wudu finished second in 1:07:27, with Shauri third in 1:07:32.
&ldquo;This was my first half marathon,&rdquo; said Anley. &ldquo;I realised I could win with about a kilometre to go. The times might have been faster with a pacemaker, but I&rsquo;m happy to win.&rdquo;
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Asmarech Anley (ETH) 1:07:22 2 Melknat Wudu (ETH) 1:07:27 3 Magdalena Shauri (TAN) 1:07:32 4 Jesca Chelangat (KEN) 1:07:33 5 Cynthia Chepkwony (KEN) 1:07:35 6 Aselef Kassie (ETH) 1:07:47 7 Gete Alemayehu (ETH) 1:08:43 8 Margret Chacha (KEN) 1:08:57
Men 1 Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 58:14 2 Birhanu Balew (BRN) 58:23 3 Gideon Rono (KEN) 58:38 4 Jemal Mekonen (ETH) 58:55 5 Samwel Masai (KEN) 58:59 6 Benjamin Ratsim (TAN) 59:56 7 Jirata Dinki (ETH) 59:57 8 Yismaw Dillu (ETH) 1:00:05

Geoffrey Kamworor produced a commanding performance to win the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 58:14

Kamworor returns to Ras Al Khaimah with commanding victory

World champions Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and&nbsp;Cole Hocker&nbsp;are among the first athletes announced for the Prefontaine Classic &ndash; the ninth meeting on this year&rsquo;s Wanda Diamond League circuit &ndash; in Eugene on 4 July.
USA&rsquo;s Jefferson-Wooden returns to defend her 100m title. Her victory at Hayward Field last year formed part of a sensational season for the 24-year-old as she followed her Prefontaine Classic victory with US 100m and 200m title wins and Diamond League victories in Silesia and Brussels before completing a golden 100m, 200m and 4x100m treble at the World Championships in Tokyo.
She improved her 100m PB to 10.65 at the US Championships in Eugene and then to 10.61 in Tokyo to become the fourth-fastest sprinter of all time. She has not been beaten over 100m since the Olympic final in Paris in 2024, when she got bronze behind Julien Alfred and Sha'Carri Richardson.
Jefferson-Wooden will be joined at the Prefontaine Classic by her compatriot and fellow global gold medallist Hocker, who added the world 5000m crown to his Olympic 1500m title in Tokyo.
He will contest the Bowerman Mile in July as part of a field that will also star Australia&rsquo;s Cameron Myers and New Zealand&rsquo;s Sam Ruthe.
Hocker ran a PB of 3:47.43 in last year&rsquo;s Bowerman Mile when he finished fourth behind Niels Laros, Yared Nuguse and Azeddine Habz. Myers was a further two places back in 3:47.50.
Myers has already clinched wins in Boston and New York on the World Indoor Tour this year, clocking a 3:47.57 mile at the latter.
Ruthe, meanwhile, ran an outright world U18 mile best of 3:48.88 in Boston &ndash; a performance that saw the 16-year-old <a href="https://worldathletics.org/worldathletics-plus/athlete-of-the-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selected by fans as the athlete of the month for January</a>.
<h2>Duplantis set for Doha, Silesia and Shanghai/Keqiao</h2>
Following his <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/diamond-league/news/mondo-duplantis-london-diamond-league-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement for the Novuna London Athletics Meet</a>, world pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis has been confirmed for three more Wanda Diamond League meetings.
The Swedish 26-year-old will start his campaign at the Diamond League season opener in Doha on 8 May before heading to Shanghai/Keqiao on 16 May, London on 18 July and Silesia on 23 August.
As well as working towards another Diamond League title, these meetings will form part of his preparations for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September, for which Duplantis has been announced as the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-ultimate-championship/2026/news/press-releases/mondo-duplantis-ultimate-championship-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inaugural Ultimate Star</a>.

World champions Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Cole Hocker are among the first athletes announced for the Prefontaine Classic

Hocker, Myers and Ruthe for Bowerman Mile, Jefferson-Wooden to race 100m in Eugene

World cross-country champion Agnes Ngetich and bronze medallist Daniel Ebenyo will defend their titles when the Sirikwa Classic returns as the final World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season at the Lobo Village in Eldoret on Saturday (14).
The event comes one month after the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee and falls on Valentine&rsquo;s Day &ndash; a perfect backdrop for a celebration of athletics excellence. What a day for fans in Kenya to turn out in large numbers to watch and celebrate their stars who put their nation on top of the medal table in Florida.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited,&rdquo; said Ngetich. &ldquo;This is home and defending my title here in Eldoret is something I really want to do. The atmosphere is always special at Sirikwa.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve stayed healthy and training has been good. My coach and I have been working consistently and I feel strong.&rdquo;
The race is set to offer a rematch between the top two in Tallahassee, with Uganda&rsquo;s silver medallist Joy Cheptoyek also expected to take part in the 10km contest.
Kenyan trials winner Maurine Chebor, who placed eighth at the World Cross Country Championships, will be another contender to watch, as will Mariam Lufti Njoki, who won another major cross-country race in Eldoret recently.
They will be joined by Caren Chebet, who featured alongside Ngetich and Chebor on Kenya&rsquo;s team silver medal-winning squad in Tallahassee, plus Kenya&rsquo;s Catherine Reline, Uganda&rsquo;s African 3000m steeplechase gold medallist Loice Chekwemoi and her compatriot Martha Chemutai, who also raced in Tallahassee.
Still revelling in her world champion status, Ngetich recognises that with triumph comes responsibility and she's eager to embrace it in Eldoret.
&ldquo;Being a world champion is the result of years of dedication and commitment. It's what I've been training for, and I'm proud to have achieved it,&rdquo; said the world 10km record-holder. &ldquo;Of course, there's responsibility that comes with it, but I don't see it as pressure &ndash; I see it as motivation. I want to keep performing well, but I'm taking each race as it comes and focusing on myself.
&ldquo;Running at home gives me the opportunity to race physically in front of my community &ndash; the people here in Kenya. It's a privilege because many people cannot travel outside the country to watch these races, so bringing world-class competition here means a lot.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s 10km race promises fierce competition, headlined by Ebenyo &ndash; the two-time defending champion and world cross-country bronze medallist. He will go up against John Korir, champion in both the Boston and Chicago marathons.
&ldquo;My race plan for Saturday is built on faith, courage and championship mentality,&rdquo; said Ebenyo, who hopes to become the first athlete to complete a hat-trick at the Sirikwa Classic. &ldquo;I am not just showing up to compete &ndash; I am showing up to contend, to fight and to finish strong.&rdquo;
Cross-country is often where marathon runners meet with track stars, and Korir will be there to settle some scores with Ebenyo. The two athletes have clashed twice at the Chicago Marathon: Korir won in 2024 when Ebenyo was fifth, then Ebenyo finished 13th last year when Korir failed to finish.
&ldquo;I am so excited to run the Sirikwa Classic with a home crowd cheering me,&rdquo; said Korir. &ldquo;My race plan is to win in front of the home crowd and the fans who usually watch me on TV, and to give them the chance to watch me live.&rdquo;
After the Sirikwa Classic, Korir will go back to the Boston Marathon to defend his title in April.
Robert Kiprop joined Ebenyo on the Kenyan team in Tallahassee. He finished seventh at the Sirikwa Classic in 2024 and fifth last year, and he also returns along with Germany&rsquo;s Hendrik Pfeiffer, George Manangoi, Emmanuel Kipsang, Brian Kipsang and Enos Chebet.
As well as seeking another win, Ebenyo sees the Sirikwa Classic as an opportunity to inspire other runners, especially young ones.
&ldquo;When I look into the crowd and see young athletes watching, I'm reminded that my race can plant faith in someone's heart,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That responsibility pushes me to give my best, because representation matters and example speaks louder than words.&rdquo;
As well as the elite senior races, the meeting will feature an 8km U20 men&rsquo;s race and a 6km U20 women&rsquo;s race as well as a 2km loop event.
Justin Lagat for World Athletics

World cross-country champion Agnes Ngetich and bronze medallist Daniel Ebenyo will defend their titles when the Sirikwa Classic returns as the final World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season

Defending champions Ngetich and Ebenyo head fields for Sirikwa Classic

World-leading performances by Bozhidar Sar&acirc;boyukov and Audrey Werro were among the highlights at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting &ndash; the sixth World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event of the season &ndash; in the Serbian capital&rsquo;s Atletska dvorana on Wednesday (11).
Sar&acirc;boyukov won a thrilling long jump clash with a leap of 8.45m &ndash; improving on the Bulgarian record and joint world lead of 8.39m he set just three days ago in Metz &ndash; while Werro dominated the 800m in a Swiss short track record of 1:57.27. Both were among a series of national and meeting records set as athletes ramp up their preparations for the World Indoor Championships in Poland next month.
European indoor champion Sar&acirc;boyukov and multiple global gold medallist Miltiadis Tentoglou traded the lead in the long jump but ultimately the Greek champion had no response to Sar&acirc;boyukov&rsquo;s 8.45m in the penultimate round.
Sar&acirc;boyukov started strongly, opening with 8.23m and then going three centimetres farther in the second round, but Tentoglou improved that mark by a single centimetre with his own second jump to take the lead.
But Sar&acirc;boyukov was just getting warmed up and the 21-year-old improved to 8.29m in the fourth round and 8.45m in the fifth. Tentoglou closed with 8.26m but had to settle for second place, while Jamaica&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor bronze medallist Carey McLeod was third on 8.22m. That&nbsp;8.45m leap moves&nbsp;Sar&acirc;boyukov to joint ninth on the world indoor all-time list.
The men&rsquo;s shot put offered another key clash and saw world indoor silver medallist Roger Steen defeat his US compatriot Jordan Geist, who started as the world leader.
Not only did Steen clinch the win, but he also achieved the farthest indoor throw in the world so far this year, improving on the 22.04m thrown by Geist in Ostrava earlier this month by three centimetres, managing 22.07m in the final round. Steen launched himself into the lead in the third round with 21.50m and improved to 21.60m in the fourth round before that 22.07m from his final attempt. Geist was second with 21.51m this time and Nigeria&rsquo;s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi was third on 21.28m.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/698cdad9a04fcb1ebdf77774.jpg" alt="Roger Steen in Belgrade" />
<div>
Roger Steen in Belgrade (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> L&aacute;szl&oacute; M&aacute;rton Zsigmond)
</div>
</div>
Ivana &Scaron;panović gave the home crowd cause for early celebration as she twice improved the meeting record in the triple jump. Serbia&rsquo;s 2023 world long jump champion is now focusing on the triple jump and she recorded 14.19m from her opening attempt before improving to 14.27m in the third round.
It secured her a second win of the season, following the national indoor record of 14.41m she set when competing in the same Atletska dvorana arena last month. Sweden&rsquo;s double 2021 world U20 champion Maja &Aring;skag finished second on 13.79m.
The field action opened with a home win and closed with one, too, as Serbia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Angelina Topić topped the high jump with her third-time clearance of 1.96m, equalling the meeting record. She decided to end her competition after that successful jump and took the win ahead of Montenegro&rsquo;s Marija Vuković (1.94m). Milica Garda&scaron;ević also got a win for Serbia, equalling her season&rsquo;s best with 6.61m in the long jump.
<h2>Meeting records fall</h2>
On the track, Diamond League champion Werro secured her third 800m win in as many races this month, improving her own Swiss short track record to 1:57.27. It is the second time the 21-year-old has dipped under 1:57.50 in 11 days, following her 1:57.49 in Val-de-Reuil, and the performance moves her to eighth on the world short track all-time list.
With a solo run she won the race by more than four seconds and beat the meeting record of 1:59.66 that had been set by Tsige Duguma in 2024. Caroline Bredlinger was second in 2:01.80.
"It&rsquo;s really a great reward, because I trained hard this winter and I felt ready to do a big time today," said&nbsp;Werro.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/698cda67a04fcb1ebdf77770.jpg" alt="Audrey Werro in action at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting" />
<div>
Audrey Werro in action at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> L&aacute;szl&oacute; M&aacute;rton Zsigmond)
</div>
</div>
Joceline Wind secured another win for Switzerland in the 1500m. The World University Games champion surged into the lead with 500 metres remaining and could not be caught, setting a meeting record of 4:08.87. Italy&rsquo;s Marta Zenoni chased her over the finish line in 4:09.40.
The meeting record also fell in the men&rsquo;s 3000m, which came down to a sprint between South Africa&rsquo;s Tshepo Tshite and Kenya&rsquo;s Ishmael Kipkurui. Former 800m specialist Tshite clocked 7:50.87 in a tactical race, holding off world 10,000m fourth-place finisher Kipkurui (7:51.05). Ethiopia&rsquo;s Hailemariyam Amare was third in a PB of 7:55.06.&nbsp;
Italy&rsquo;s two-time world indoor medallist Zaynab Dosso also twice improved the meeting record in the 60m, running 7.05 in the heats and 7.02 in the final to improve her own mark and miss her national record by just 0.01. Great Britain&rsquo;s world 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt was second in 7.09, equalling her PB.
After a series of call backs, the men&rsquo;s 60m final got under way at the fifth time of asking and was won by Hungary&rsquo;s Dominik Illovszky in a meeting and national record of 6.52 ahead of Toluwabori Akinola in an Irish record of 6.54.
Poland&rsquo;s European indoor champion Jakub Szymański maintained his season win streak in the 60m hurdles, setting a season&rsquo;s best and meeting record of 7.43 &ndash; the joint third-fastest time of his career. USA&rsquo;s world and Olympic 110m hurdles medallist Daniel Roberts was second in 7.57.
Denmark&rsquo;s Ida Beiter Bomme won the women&rsquo;s final in 7.96 ahead of Hungary&rsquo;s Luca Koz&aacute;k in 7.98. Norway&rsquo;s Elea J&oslash;rstad Bock went fastest in the heats, clocking 7.97, and she finished third in the final in 8.02.
Germany&rsquo;s Jean Paul Bredau went quickest in the 400m, winning the first of the two finals in 46.42. Belgium&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor champion Alexander Doom won the second final in 46.84.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results/7228107/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a>

World-leading performances by Bozhidar Sarâboyukov and Audrey Werro were among the highlights at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting

World leads for Werro and Sarâboyukov in Belgrade

With less than 40 days to go until the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, which will be held from 20&ndash;22 March at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Toruń, organisers officially unveiled the medals which the best athletes in the world will compete for.
At a press conference marking the 40-day milestone, one of the main highlights was the unveiling of the championship medals. Their design was created in partnership with the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Tourist Organisation, which provided its logo as the base for the medal.
&ldquo;I am pleased that we can present to the world the full set of medals that will hang around the necks of the athletes,&rdquo; said Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Kujawy Pomorze region. &ldquo;The medal combines scattered and seemingly unordered points connected into triangles, which form the well-known &lsquo;constellations of good places&rsquo; in the region, along with graphic elements related to the championships. The star theme highlights the prestige of the competition and the uniqueness of the achievements of the athletes who will step on to the podium.&rdquo;
The group of event supporters has also been joined by ORLEN S.A., a major corporation in the fuel industry. Sports sponsorship is an important element of the social campaigns carried out by the company and includes support for young talent as well as professional sport at the highest level. &ldquo;ORLEN&rsquo;s involvement in the development of sport is long-term and multi-dimensional,&rdquo; said Paweł Patkowski, Director of the Sports Sponsorship Office at ORLEN S.A. &ldquo;For years, the company has supported numerous sports initiatives throughout Poland &ndash; from programmes aimed at children and youth, through local events, to cooperation with athletes and teams representing the country on the international stage. The goal of these activities is to promote physical activity and build strong foundations for the future success of Polish sport.&rdquo;
The unveiling of the medals was attended by Polish national team athletes Marika Popowicz-Drapała and Maksymilian Szwed. &ndash; &ldquo;I like this medal, its shape mimics a star,&rdquo; said Popowicz-Drapała, who has won numerous medals at both national and international competitions. &ldquo;Kujawy Pomorze and Toruń are associated with astronomy, so it fits perfectly.&rdquo;
Szwed, a member of the ORLEN Team, expressed a similar opinion. &ldquo;The fight for medals will certainly be very intense, because every athlete coming to Toruń will have one goal: winning a medal at the most important indoor event of the season,&rdquo; he added.
The upcoming World Athletics Indoor Championships is already visible across the entire region. Every day until the start of the event, sport activities will be held in all counties of the region. Interestingly, teams are being formed by various groups, including sports clubs and hobby organisations. The first location visited as part of the project &ldquo;50 Relays of Kujawy Pomorze&rdquo; was the Primary School in Sadki near Nakło. The relay also reached Mogilno for a volleyball match and Janikowo for a winter swimming event.
&ldquo;The upcoming championships is a great opportunity to promote an active lifestyle,&rdquo; said Całbecki. "Every day, a different municipality hosts a variety of sports and integration activities aimed at everyone &ndash; children, youth, adults and entire families. We also want the coming days to be connected with building a sense of community and the joy of experiencing the approaching celebration of sport together. We are creating these championships together.&rdquo;
Ticket sales for the championships are still ongoing, but only a very limited number of tickets remain available. "There are sessions for which tickets are already sold out, but it is still possible to secure the opportunity to take part in this sporting celebration,&rdquo; added Wolsztyński.
<a href="https://www.ebilet.pl/en/sport/lekkoatletyka/mistrzostwa-swiata-w-lekkiej-atletyce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tickets can be purchased via the eBilet.pl platform</a>. The arena has been divided into three pricing categories, and the cheapest tickets cost 100 PLN. The competition at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Toruń will begin on 20 March. Morning sessions will start each day at 10:05, while afternoon sessions will begin at 18:10 on Friday, 18:25 on Saturday, and 17:40 on Sunday. The first set of medals will be awarded during the first championship session, in the women&rsquo;s high jump. The discipline is expected to include, among others, Poland&rsquo;s world silver medallist Maria Żodzik.

World Athletics Indoor Championships

Official medals unveiled, Orlen becomes an event supporter

Official WIC Kujawy Pomorze 26 medals unveiled, Orlen becomes event supporter

Three championship records were bettered at the Asian Indoor Championships, which concluded on Sunday (8) after three days of action at Tuanbo Sports Center Athletics Arena in Tianjin, China.
World indoor bronze medallist Liu Junxi delighted the home crowd by winning the men&rsquo;s 60m hurdles in a championship record of 7.53. Kazakhstan's two-time winner and former championship record-holder David Yefremov finished outside the podium in fourth place.
India&rsquo;s Tajinderpal Singh Toor, another two-time winner at these championships, took an early lead in the men&rsquo;s shot put and threw a championship record of 19.85m in round three. China&rsquo;s Xing Jialiang then bettered it with 19.99m just moments later, only for Toor to take back the lead in round four with 20.05m.
In the final round, China's Chen Chengyu, who had been in third position with 19.72m, sent his shot out to 20.07m to snatch the gold and the championship record.
India&rsquo;s two-time NCAA high jump champion Tejaswin Shankar, who has focused more on combined events in recent years, underlined his versatility by winning the men&rsquo;s heptathlon in Tianjin.
The Asian silver medallist set an Indian record of 5993 &ndash; breaking Dmitriy Karpov's 14-year-old championship record &ndash; with a series that included a 2.23m high jump as well as PBs at 60m (7.11), 60m hurdles (8.02) and pole vault (4.20m).
China's Hua Zihui took silver (5749) ahead of Japan&rsquo;s Yuma Maruyama (5637).
In women's shot put, Olympic bronze medallist Song Jiayuan took gold with 18.36m, coming within one centimetre of the championship record. She led a podium sweep for the host nation ahead of Jiang Yue (17.11m) and defending champion Sun Yue (15.95m).
Of China&rsquo;s 10 gold medal-winners in Tianjin, three of them retained their titles.
All three title-defenders hails from the host nation. Zhang Mingkun (8.01m) and Xiong Shiqi (6.42m) successfully defended their titles in the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s long jump respectively, while Su Wen (16.55m) led a Chinese 1-2-3 in the men&rsquo;s triple jump.
Kyrgyzstan's Nursultan Keneshbekov, who won the 1500m/3000m double at the 2024 Asian Indoor Championships, this time had to settle for silver medals in those events. Japan&rsquo;s Kazuya Shiojiri won the 3000m in 7:53.87, while Asian steeplechase bronze medallist Zakaria El-ahlaami of Qatar won the metric mile by exactly one second in 3:43.75. That was one of four titles won by Qatar, all in men&rsquo;s disciplines.
Two-time world pole vault medallist Ernest John Obiena completed his collection of continental titles by winning his first Asian indoor title. The Asian record-holder from the Philippines vaulted 5.70m to win by 10cm from China&rsquo;s Li Chenyang.
Kazakhstan&rsquo;s 2022 world steeplechase champion Norah Jeruto beat Japan&rsquo;s Nozomi Tanaka to the 3000m title, setting an indoor PB of 8:46.87. Tanaka had won the 1500m title just 24 hours prior in 4:19.15.
Elsewhere, triple jumper Sharifa Davronova regained the Uzbek tradition by winning the women&rsquo;s event with 14.05m.
Hosts China once again dominated the championships by earning 34 medals (10 gold, 11 silver, and 13 bronze) while Qatar, with four gold, finished second on the medals table.
Ram Murali Krishnan for World Athletics

Three championship records were bettered at the Asian Indoor Championships in Tianjin

Liu leads Chinese gold rush at Asian Indoor Championships

Great Britain&rsquo;s Georgia Hunter Bell produced a world-leading 4:00.04 in the women&rsquo;s 1500m at the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe &ndash; the fifth World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold fixture of the year &ndash; on Sunday (8), while Ukraine&rsquo;s Yaroslava Mahuchikh produced the highlight of the meeting on the infield.
Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Hunter Bell followed the pacemaker through 800m in 2:08.60 before taking control of the race. Ethiopia&rsquo;s Birke Haylom remained within striking distance for much of the second half, but the Briton&rsquo;s decisive finishing speed &ndash; capped by a 28.82-second final lap &ndash; secured victory in a world-leading 4:00.04, just 0.2 shy of the indoor PB she clocked when earning world indoor bronze last year.
Haylom finished second in 4:00.88, while European indoor champion Agathe Guillemot set a French short-track record of 4:02.12 in third.
&ldquo;I was trying to look up at the screen to see what's going on, but I wanted to try to lead the whole race,&rdquo; said Hunter Bell, the world 800m silver medallist. &ldquo;When the pacemaker dropped out, I tried to just hold that position.
&ldquo;I'm getting used to frontrunning, it's a new thing for me; I wanted to practice something different,&rdquo; added Hunter Bell, who will be targeting her first global gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 next month. &ldquo;I wanted to get the world lead, I wanted to try to go sub-4:00 and win. So I achieved two out of three: I won and got the world lead.&rdquo;
Three weeks after opening her 2026 campaign with a world-leading 2.03m in Lviv, Mahuchikh claimed the women&rsquo;s high jump with a second-time clearance of 2.01m.
The Olympic champion and outdoor world record-holder cleared 1.94m, 1.96m and 1.98m prior to her eventual winning height. She rounded out her series with three attempts at 2.04m. Her compatriot Yuliya Levchenko finished second with 1.96m.
&ldquo;I am happy I jumped over two meters again, but of course I wanted to clear 2.04m,&rdquo; said Mahuchikh. &ldquo;It was so close, especially the third attempt. But I am happy to come back to international level and start my season in Europe. I know I'm in really good shape, so I'm ready to fight at the World Indoor Championships in Poland.&rdquo;
In what was her first indoor race in almost four years, Gabriela Debues-Stafford returned to winning ways to take the women&rsquo;s 3000m in highly convincing fashion.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Yenawa Nbret had led for much of the race, then USA&rsquo;s Elise Cranny had a brief stint at the front, but Debues-Stafford moved decisively to the head of the pack with just under two laps remaining and quickly established an unassailable lead.
The Canadian surged clear to win in 8:35.94 &ndash; the second-fastest time of her career and just two seconds shy of her PB &ndash; finishing ahead of Cranny (8:37.06) and Nbret (8:38.90).
By contrast, the men&rsquo;s 3000m was a much closer contest, with the top four separated by just 0.62. The field passed 1000m in 2:30.76 and 2000m in 5:08.37. Getnet Wale took a stint at the front, but the Ethiopian later faded to eighth. Instead it was Stefan Nillessen of the Netherlands who timed his finish best, winning in 7:38.48 ahead of Kenya&rsquo;s Jacob Krop (7:38.64) and Uruguay&rsquo;s Valentin Soca (7:38.90).
<h2>Victories for Stark and Guttormsen</h2>
World bronze medallist Grace Stark won the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles in 7.86 in her first race of the year, but it wasn&rsquo;t plain sailing for the US athlete.
France&rsquo;s Laeticia Bapte was level with Stark until the final strides but stumbled slightly before the finish, taking second place in 7.95, just ahead of compatriot Sacha Alessandrini, who clocked a personal best of 7.95 for third. In the heats, Bapte had narrowly edged Stark, with both credited with 7.93. The heats had been delayed due to the high jump running longer than scheduled.
Norway&rsquo;s Sondre Guttormsen won the men&rsquo;s pole vault with a first-time clearance at 5.84m before ending his competition with three attempts at 5.90m. USA&rsquo;s Cole Walsh cleared 5.78m for second, while Ernest John Obiena finished third with 5.70m less than 24 hours after winning the Asian indoor title in Tianjin.
Diamond League champion Larissa Iapichino won the women&rsquo;s long jump with 6.84m, having taken the early lead with 6.77m in the opening round before producing her winning mark in round three. France&rsquo;s Hilary Kpatcha finished second with 6.73m, while two-time world champion Malaika Mihambo placed fourth with 6.45m.
France&rsquo;s Azeddine Habz &ndash; the outdoor world leader in 2025 &ndash; took to the track for the first time this year and was rewarded with victory in the men&rsquo;s 1500m. He followed the pacemaker through 800m in 1:53.95 before maintaining the tempo to the finish, crossing the line in 3:33.36, just 0.28 short of the meeting record set by Daniel Kipchirchir Komen in 2005. Italy&rsquo;s Federico Riva closed strongly but finished second in an Italian short-track record of 3:33.94.
The men&rsquo;s 60m produced one of the closest finishes of the meeting, with the top four &ndash; representing four different continents &ndash; separated by just three hundredths of a second. Cameroon&rsquo;s Emmanuel Eseme won in 6.53 ahead of Oman&rsquo;s Ali Al Balushi (6.54), Germany&rsquo;s Owen Ansah (6.55) and Jamaica&rsquo;s Odaine McPherson (6.56).
Elsewhere, Germany&rsquo;s Alexander Stepanov produced a late surge to win the men&rsquo;s 800m in a personal best of 1:46.17, while Egypt&rsquo;s Bassant Hemida was the fastest winner of the three women&rsquo;s 400m races, clocking 51.97.

INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe

Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell produced a world-leading 4:00.04 in the women’s 1500m at the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe

Hunter Bell clocks world-leading 1500m in Karlsruhe as Mahuchikh clears 2.01m

Global medallists across the jumps, throws and sprints will be in action at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold fixture &ndash; at the Serbian capital&rsquo;s Atletska dvorana on Wednesday (11).
One of the highlights of the programme will be the men&rsquo;s shot put, where a deep international field brings together world and continental medallists.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/698b39adba7042dabbe1ef4e.jpg" alt="Belgrade WIT 2026 where to watch" /></a>
In-form US thrower Jordan Geist, who has produced a world-leading 22.04m in two separate competitions this year, takes on a high-quality field that includes world indoor silver medallist Roger Steen, Mexico&rsquo;s world silver medallist Uziel Mu&ntilde;oz, 2022 world bronze medallist Josh Awotunde, European indoor silver medallist Wiktor Petersson, three-time African champion Chukwu Enekwechi and 2022 European silver medallist Armin Sinancevic of Serbia.
The World Indoor Tour has already had several close contests in the men&rsquo;s long jump this year, and that trend looks set to continue in Belgrade.
Miltiadis Tentoglou, winner of numerous global and European titles, takes on European indoor champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov of Bulgaria, who recently jumped a world-leading 8.39m PB in Metz. Sweden&rsquo;s Thobias Montler &ndash; a multiple medallist at major indoor championships &ndash; and Japan&rsquo;s Shunsuke Izumiya, fourth at the 2025 World Indoor Championships, add further depth.
Tentoglou still holds the meeting record with his 8.25m from 2022, but he&rsquo;ll be out for redemption after finishing fourth in Belgrade last year in a competition won by Montler.
On the track, the women&rsquo;s 800m brings together Diamond League champion Audrey Werro, who has won both of her races so far this year, world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso of South Africa and world indoor bronze medallist Patricia Silva of Portugal.
<h2>Sprints and hurdles take centre stage</h2>
The women&rsquo;s 60m features European indoor champion Zaynab Dosso alongside world 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt and 2021 European indoor champion Ajla Del Ponte. Belgian record-holder Rani Rosius is also entered, as are Jael Bestue of Spain and Australia&rsquo;s Torrie Lewis, both of whom impressed over 200m in Metz on Sunday.
Several accomplished 200m runners step down in distance for the men&rsquo;s 60m. Joshua Hartmann, the German 200m record-holder, lines up alongside European 200m champion Timoth&eacute; Mumenthaler of Switzerland and South Africa&rsquo;s 2023 World University Games 200m champion Tsebo Matsoso. They will face strong opposition from Italy&rsquo;s 2023 European indoor champion Samuele Ceccarelli and Ireland&rsquo;s Bori Akinola.
World bronze medallist Grace Stark opened her 2026 campaign in Karlsruhe on Sunday with a 7.86 victory in the 60m hurdles. In Belgrade the US athlete will take on compatriot Alaysha Johnson, who has been a consistent performer on this year&rsquo;s World Indoor Tour.
Poland&rsquo;s European indoor champion Jakub Szymanski heads the men&rsquo;s 60m hurdles field after an unbeaten start to his season, having won all six of his races so far this year across heats and finals. He faces a strong US contingent that includes world and Olympic medallist Daniel Roberts, Jamal Britt &ndash; who was third in Boston and Madrid, clocking a PB of 7.51 in the latter &ndash; and Eric Edwards, runner-up in Ostrava.
South Africa&rsquo;s Tshepo Tshite, a former 800m specialist, had never contested the 3000m indoors before this year. In two races last week, he set a national short-track record of 7:38.17 when finishing second in Ostrava, then won in Madrid in 7:39.11.
The 29-year-old will start as favourite when he races the distance again in Belgrade, where he&rsquo;ll face Kenya&rsquo;s Ishmael Kipkirui, fourth over 10,000m at last year&rsquo;s World Championships, and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Hailemariyam Amare, the 2022 African champion at both 5000m and steeplechase.
<h2>Serbian stars lead women&rsquo;s jumps</h2>
Home fans will have plenty to cheer in the women&rsquo;s field events.
Serbia&rsquo;s Ivana &Scaron;panović, the 2023 world champion in the long jump, has made notable recent progress in the latest chapter of her career, now specialising in the triple jump. At the end of January, competing in the same arena where the Belgrade Indoor Meeting will be held, the 35-year-old set a national indoor record of 14.41m.
She will be keen to continue that momentum in Belgrade as she takes on a field that includes Sweden&rsquo;s Maja &Aring;skag, another athlete who excels at both horizontal jumps.
Angelina Topić is another Serbian jumper who has started her season well. The world bronze medallist opened her 2026 campaign with an indoor PB of 1.98m, equalling her own outright national record. The 20-year-old will face Ukraine&rsquo;s 2021 Olympic bronze medallist Iryna Gerashchenko, who recently returned to action after a maternity break, 2024 world indoor bronze medallist Lia Apostolovski and European U20 champion Lilianna Batori.
In the women&rsquo;s long jump, Serbia&rsquo;s home hope Milica Gardasevic takes on 2023 world bronze medallist Alina Rotaru-Kottmann, 2022 world bronze medallist Leticia Oro and Burkina Faso&rsquo;s Marthe Koala.
</div>

Belgrade Indoor Meeting

Global medallists across the jumps, throws and sprints will be in action at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting

Field stars and sprint showdowns set for Belgrade Indoor Meeting

Italy&rsquo;s Mattia Furlani and Bulgaria&rsquo;s Bozhidar Saraboyukov produced the standout field performance at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athl&eacute;lor Cr&eacute;dit Mutuel &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; on Sunday (8), both soaring to world-leading marks of 8.39m in the men&rsquo;s long jump.
The highlights on the track, meanwhile, came courtesy of Yann Schrub, who delighted the home crowd by setting an outright French record to win the men&rsquo;s 3000m, and 400m hurdles specialist Femke Bol, who made her highly anticipated debut in the women&rsquo;s 800m, coming away with a highly promising 1:59.07 victory.
The men&rsquo;s long jump developed into a compelling duel between Furlani, the world indoor and outdoor champion, and Saraboyukov, the European indoor champion. Furlani first took control in the second round with 8.38m and consolidated his position with 8.33m in round three. Saraboyukov responded in the fourth round with 8.37m to move within one centimetre of the lead.
Both athletes then produced identical winning marks of 8.39m in the fifth round. They remained closely matched in the final round too, Furlani jumping 8.23m and Saraboyukov 8.24m, but neither could improve further as Furlani claimed victory on countback.
Their shared winning distance places them jointly 23rd on the world indoor all-time list and equal seventh on the European indoor all-time list. It is also just the seventh occasion in history that two men have surpassed 8.39m in the same indoor competition.
Schrub delivered one of the performances of the meeting in the men&rsquo;s 3000m. The 2023 European cross-country champion tracked the pacemaker for most of the way, then took up the running in the closing stages before going on to win comfortably in a meeting record and outright national record of 7:29.38. Luxembourg&rsquo;s Ruben Querinjean was second in 7:40.64.
Schrub&rsquo;s winning mark moves him to third on the European short track all-time list, second on the world list for 2026, and 16th on the world short track all-time list.
Much of the pre-meeting attention centred on the women&rsquo;s 800m, where two-time world 400m hurdles champion Bol was making her debut over the distance. The Dutch athlete, looking remarkably comfortable throughout for a debutante at the distance, followed the pacemaker through 400m in about 57 seconds and passed 600m in 1:28.86.
Swiss duo Valentina Rosamilia and Lore Hoffmann closed slightly on Bol in the closing stages, but Bol held on to win in 1:59.07, taking almost a second off the Dutch short-track record that had stood since 2001. Rosamilia (1:59.90) and Hoffmann (1:59.91) finished second and third respectively, both setting short-track personal bests.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always a pleasure to race here,&rdquo; said 25-year-old Bol, who holds the world short track record for 400m. &ldquo;It was nice. A bit long but I&rsquo;ll get used to it.&rdquo;
<h2>Meeting records tumble</h2>
Several meeting records were set elsewhere in Metz. Algeria&rsquo;s Mohamed Ali Gouaned won the men&rsquo;s 800m in a meeting and national record of 1:44.67, moving to 17th on the world indoor all-time list.
Just days after setting a European short track record of 45.01, Hungary&rsquo;s European indoor champion Attila Molnar set a meeting record of 45.57 in the men&rsquo;s 400m.
Slovenia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Tina Sutej cleared 4.80m to win the women&rsquo;s pole vault with a meeting record, while Czechia&rsquo;s Amalie Svabikova cleared 4.75m.
Poland&rsquo;s Pia Skrzyszowska won the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles in 7.82 ahead of Switzerland&rsquo;s Ditaji Kambundji (7.87), whose runner-up finish marked her fastest season opener and first race since winning the world title in Tokyo last year.
Luxembourg&rsquo;s world indoor bronze medallist Patrizia van der Weken ran a season&rsquo;s best of 7.08 to win the women&rsquo;s 60m, with the Netherlands&rsquo; Minke Bisschops finishing second in a personal best of 7.11.
Norway&rsquo;s world indoor bronze medallist Henriette Jaeger clocked 50.62 to win the women&rsquo;s 400m ahead of Slovakia&rsquo;s world 400m hurdles bronze medallist Emma Zapletova, who set an outright national record of 50.78, and Czechia&rsquo;s Lurdes Gloria Manuel, who ran a personal best of 51.03.
Spain&rsquo;s Jael Bestue set a national record of 22.69 in the women&rsquo;s 200m A race, while Australia&rsquo;s Torrie Lewis clocked 22.70 to win the B race.

Italy’s Mattia Furlani and Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboyukov produced the standout field performance at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlélor Crédit Mutuel

Hodgkinson among stars ready to light up Liévin

Chepkirui to defend Nagoya Women's Marathon title

Hodgkinson smashes British short track 800m record with 1:56.33

Kipyegon runs 29:46 10km debut in Monaco

Chemnung and Gebrhiwet run half marathon world leads in Barcelona