DyeStat.com – News – Tsegay Comes Up Just Short of WR in Women’s 3,000 at World Tour Indoor Final

Grant Holloway One Of Seven Indoor Tour Winners To Earn Free Pass To Next Year’s World Indoor Championships

Photos and Story by John Nepolitan of DyeStat

Before the start of the indoor season facility operators in Birmingham, England bought a new track for the Utilita Arena. It was put to the test Saturday in the World Tour Indoor Final and lived up to its reputation for being fast.

Although there were no world records, there were a handful of noteworthy performances. 

The meet started with a near-world record when Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia), who was on world record pace through the mile, fell off just a bit before kicking home to run the No. 2 women’s 3,000 meters in world history with 8:16.69. That just missed the world record of 8:16.60 by Genzebe Dibaba from 2014.

Dina Asher-Smith (UK) ran a national record 7.03 (tied for No. 3 for 2023) in the heats of the 60 meters and then came back to win the final in 7.05.

Grant Holloway (USA) continued his undefeated streak in the 60-meter hurdles with a 7.35 meet record. It was  the fastest time in the world for 2023. Daniel Roberts was second in 7.47 seconds. 

Neil Gourley (UK) won the Boston stop of the indoor tour and got second in the Millrose Games. He kicked past Josh Kerr (UK) over the last lap to set a new national 1500 meters record of 3:32.48, the second-fastest time in the world this year and lowering the Kerr’s British record of 3:32.86 from 2022.

Marquis Dendy (USA) took the lead in the long jump on his first jump but lost it when Tajay Gayle (Jamaica) jumped 8.13m on his last jump. Dendy responded to take the win with 8.28m (27-2), tied for the fourth-best mark in the world. 

Keely Hodgkinson (UK) took .02 off her national record in the 800 meters with a world-leading time of 1:57.18. 

The Indoor Tour winners earned a free pass to next years World Indoor Championships in Scotland. The seven athletes who earned the pass are: Hodgkinson, Holloway, Gourley, Jereem Richards (Trinidad &Tobabo, men’s 400m), Hamish Kerr (New Zealand, men’s high jump), Thobias Montler (Sweden, men’s long jump) and Alysha Newman (Canada, women’s pole vault).