STATEN ISLAND, New York, February 22–23 — A statement win in American Record time in the 800 for Josh Hoey and an impressive 1500/3000 double for Hobbs Kessler highlighted the USATF Indoor Championships at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. The event served as Team USA’s selection meet for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
Hoey came into the meet as the revelation of the indoor season, having set an AR in the 1000, winning the 1500 at the New Balance Indoor GP and then adding another AR in the 800 with a dominant victory at Millrose. The confidence from those runs fueled his aggressive run at nationals, as he took the lead early and set the pace through the 200 (24.73) and 400 (50.36). By 600 (1:16.70) only Brandon Miller could keep up with the hot tempo. But an explosive final 100 opened up a decisive gap as Hoey crossed the line in 1:43.24 off a final 200 in 26.54.
Not only did that smash the 1:43.90 AR he ran at Millrose, but it moved the Pennsylvania native to No. 2 on the all-time world list. “I was feeling good today and that kinda just put me in the front. I was like I might as well take it,” said Hoey, who finished 4th at the Olympic Trials last summer. “I prefer not to run at the front, but I also take a lot of inspiration from guys like Jakob [Ingebrigtsen], where if you wanna run fast you gotta do it by yourself. I think that come outdoors I’m hoping to get into meets where I won’t be the favorite, I’ll really have to demonstrate some discipline.”
Behind him, Miller (1:44.26) moved up to No. 4 on the U.S. all-time list, while former NCAA Division II champion Wes Ferguson (1:44.92) is now No. 6.
Kessler’s quest for the distance double began on Saturday with the 3000. Steeplechaser Matthew Wilkinson set an honest pace through 1000 (2:35.56) and 2000 (5:10.72). Dylan Jacobs moved into the lead with two laps to go, with Kessler right on his heels. Jacobs, who won NCAA titles for both Tennessee and Notre Dame, held his position at the bell, and desperately tried to hold off the Olympic 1500 finalist down the stretch. At the tape, both dipped like sprinters, with Kessler scoring his first national title in 7:38.00, barely ahead of Jacobs (7:38.02).
“That’s kind of like the rule of indoor track, 90 percent of the time whoever…
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