The indoor season is well and truly underway, with the first few days of February witnessing some spectacular performances. James Rhodes brings you the highlights in the Weekend Round Up.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix often delivers memorable performances, and this year’s edition was no different. The third stop of the World Indoor Grand Prix (gold) provided considerable success for the British athletes who travelled to Boston.

The best was kept until last; the women’s 3000m. Melissa Courtney-Bryant delivered a superb run to win in 8:28.69. As well as a considerable PB, that is a Welsh Record and the second fastest by a British athlete indoors. Only Laura Muir, in Karlsruhe in 2017, has run faster. Notably, it is also inside the particularly tough World Indoor Championships qualifying standard.

Behind, Georgia Bell (8:36.96) and Hannah Nuttall (8:40.01) both set PBs. They now sit fifth and eighth respectively on the British all-time list. All three were inside the European Indoor Championships standard of 8:48.00.

In the men’s race over the same distance, Tonbridge’s James West ran 7:37.13 (PB) to secure a European Indoor standard and move to fifth on the British all-time rankings. Andrew Coscoran won the race in emphatic style (7:30.75), breaking Alistair Cragg’s longstanding Irish Record in the process. Neil Gourley finished seventh (7:49.95).

In the men’s 1500m, Tom Keen set an outright PB of 3:35.12 to finish fourth in a strong field. That time is a European Indoor Q and places him seventh on the British all-time list indoors. Jake Wightman was a late withdrawal.

European Round Up

Numerous meetings took place across Europe with British interest. The standout performance came at the Meeting de l’Eure in France. Opening his season, George Mills improved Josh Kerr’s 3000m British Record to 7:27.92 securing victory in the process.

It is the second fastest by a European athlete indoors, although some might consider it a European Record. The current is held by now-banned Mohamed Katir. Notably for the year ahead, it is inside the qualifying time for the World and European Indoor Championships. In the same race, Charles Wheeler improved to 7:44.68 finishing fifth.

At the same meeting, Erin Wallace ran a UK lead of 2:02.61 in the 800m. An impressive race having been forced to withdraw from her season opener in Belgrade on Wednesday due to illness. Staying in France, Tom Randolph opened his season with 1:51.74 over 800m at the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting on Friday.

A number of Brits travelled to Belgium for the IFAM Gent Indoor. They included Issy Boffey (2:03.00), Abbie Ives (2:03.90 iPB) and Shaikira King (2:04.34) in the women’s 800m. The men’s races over four laps saw Jack Higgins (1:48.86), David Race (1:49.40), Henry Fisher (1:49.76) and Finley Mclear (1:50.05) compete. Finley also ran 1:48.67 at the GP Jyväskylä Indoor in Finland midweek.

In the pre-programme, heptathlete Holly Mills ran 2:13.58 for 800m, her fastest since March 2023. Ted Higgins (1:51.05) and Basil Rock (1:51.70) also competed, the latter improving his indoor best by three seconds.

Elsewhere, Thomas Bridger continued his fine form with a 3:40.25 PB over 1500m at the Reykjavik International Games. Over the same distance, Eleanor Strevens (4:19.21) was less than one second shy of her PB. Alex Melloy set an indoor PB of 3:41.69 finishing ninth over 1500m at the Nationales Hallenmeeting Erfurt in Germany.

Closer to Home

A large crowd visited the Emirates Arena in Glasgow for the Scottish EAP Indoor International. Notable performances came from Joe Wigfield (3:37.72 for 1500m), Ava Lloyd (2:05.13 for 800m) & Dom Nolan (14:15.13 for 5000m).

Photo: Bobby Gavin / Scottish Athletics

Further south, Khai Mhlanga (2:09.89) and Harry Ware (1:53.59) won the 800m titles at the South of England Indoor Championships. Mya Jade Mairs-Ingram set a Championship Record in the U20 race over the same distance (2:11.98) whilst Samuel Stapley (1:55.97) took the honours in the men’s U20 race.

Photo: Mark Hookway