Julien Alfred will not be competing in the 60m or defending her world indoor title as she makes her seasons’ debut at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

Saint Lucia’s golden girl Julien Alfred will not defend her world indoor title, after disclosing this at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix press conference.

The Olympic 100m champion revealed she has decided to forego defending her 60m title at the World Indoor Championships in March, to get stronger for the outdoor season with a focus on dethroning Sha’Carri Richardson for the world outdoor title in August.

Last season, Alfred had one of the most iconic seasons’ of any sprinter in history. She kicked off her year by claiming Saint Lucia’s first world title ever when she blazed to the 60m gold medal in Glasgow.

Julien Alfred stunned Sha’Carri Richardson for the Olympic 100m title in Paris

Not resting on her oars, the 24-year-old went to the Paris Olympic Games as an underdog but came out victorious, after defeating pre-race favourite Richardson to the Olympic title in a new personal best time of 10.71s.

With her newfound fame as the new Olympic champion, Alfred proved again her championship titles were no fluke by capping off her season in astonishing style, becoming the Diamond League champion to end the year as the undisputed sprint queen in athletics.

Why Shericka Jackson’s loss is a wake-up call to Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, and the women’s sprint division

Why Shericka Jackson’s loss is a wake-up call to Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, and the women’s sprint division

She’ll be making her 2025 season’s debut at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, competing in the 300m against a formidable field that includes British record holder Dina Asher-Smith and American 400m specialist Lyna Irby-Jackson.

‘Oblique Seville defeated Noah Lyles in the 100m semifinals at the Paris Olympic Games

Olympic and world champion Noah Lyles participated in a stopwatch count to tie his personal best, but instead resulted in a new world record.

World’s fastest man Noah Lyles counted a new Personal Best (PB) and World Record (WR) of 8.44s, when requested to tie his time using a stopwatch.

In a hilarious content video created by he asked some sprinters of the Pure Athletics group to equal their PB using the stopwatch without looking.

Noah Lyles is the reigning world’s fastest man as the Olympic and World Champion

Lyles with 100m PB of 9.79s, aimed to stop the watch tying his best, but instead stopped at 8.44s for a new WR. Following the reading, the excited Paris Olympics 100m champion said: “I’m a fast counter.”

Who’s claiming ‘His House’? Noah Lyles and Trayvon Bromell prompt to rekindle rivalry at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

Who’s claiming ‘His House’? Noah Lyles and Trayvon Bromell prompt to rekindle rivalry at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

Ivorian 200m record holder Cheick Traore with a PB of 19.93s was next and stopped the count at an unexpected time of 25.54s, while Jaylen Slade with 100m PB of 10.09s counted 11.03s.

Irish sprint star Israel Olatunde did 8.42s faster than his PB of 10.19s, and lastly Nigerian sprint sensation Udodi Onwuzurike also couldn’t match his lifetime best of 9.92s, stopping the clock at a hilarious 12.66s.

To put it mildly, Usain Bolt’s 100- and 200-meter records have endured throughout time. The retired Jamaican has not been defeated in the fifteen years since Bolt recorded his personal-best performances at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. That raises the question of how Bolt might do in comparison to the average person.

The now 38-year-old put that to bed back in 2016, as James Corden challenged him to a 100m dash on his hit American show ‘The Late Late Show’.

Bolt had to race Corden, actor Owen Wilson, and every member of the show’s crew. It came as no surprise when the record-breaking sprinter easily defeated his rivals and won first place.

In a skintight top, Corden’s physique was on full display, and he soon lost ground to the majority of the competitors. Wilson made a cheeky attempt to get ahead of the Olympian, but he was likewise utterly unsuccessful. After sprinting ahead, Bolt slowed into a light canter and easily won first place. “Usain Bolt, one,” Bolt declared following the race. One hundred, James Corden. He’s not prepared.

Bolt finished the segment by posing with his trademark pose having conquered yet another set of fairly-average opponents

Perhaps the fact that Bolt’s records have not yet fallen is evidence of his diligence throughout the years. The closest 200-meter time was recorded by US sprinter Noah Lyles in Eugene in 2022, with a timing of 19.31.

Bolt now has a 19.19 record, and Lyles has previously said that his goal is to defeat the greatest Jamaican of all time. “I know that I’m going to break it,” Lyles remarked in reference to the 2023 record. “After witnessing someone accomplish greatness, the second most popular and beloved pastime of people is witnessing them fail. “People enjoy seeing others fail. They simply do. I have no idea why.

Because they don’t know who I am, my background, my hobbies, my level of talent, or how hard I work. However, I am aware.

The 2025 track season has barely begun, and the rivalry between Kishane Thompson and Noah Lyles is already making waves! This rivalry saw them share the podium at the Paris Olympics. And while Thompson had to settle with a silver, Lyles won the gold. As the 2025 season unfolded, fans were eager to see if Thompson could finally challenge Lyles’ supremacy. However, concerns over his fitness have emerged after his season opener in Astana, casting doubt on whether he can sustain the battle.

Both sprinters opened their campaigns on different continents. While Thompson was in Kazakhstan, Lyles opened 2025 with his usual stomping grounds in the US. As expected, both sprinters won their respective 60-meter races.

But while Lyles clocked 6.62 seconds at the RADD Invitational in Florida, Thompson posted a faster 6.56 at the Astana Indoor Meet. But this rivalry of theirs is not what the hot topic is right now. Rather, it is the physical condition Kishane is in that raises eyebrows.

The Jamaican silver medalist delivered a solid performance in his indoor opener. Yet this did not turn out to be the most ideal win. The Jamaican was visibly in discomfort. For fans who have followed his career, this raised immediate concerns. Thompson has a history of injuries, from shin splints to hamstring issues, limiting his ability to race consistently at the highest level.

Just last year, he was forced to withdraw from the Silesia Diamond League after picking up a hamstring injury in the Olympic semifinals. With his immense potential, fans worry that his health could again stand in the way of a breakout season. And following this scenario, US track veterans too could not resist sharing their take on the matter. Track and field expert Rodney Green, alongside US track legend Justin Gatlin, weighed in on Thompson’s performance and the buzz surrounding his time.

“Only other thing, though, is because of this 6.48 with the negative -2, everybody is wondering, like, ‘Whoa, what’s that?’… Like, with the 6.58, and he walked away wincing a little bit,” Green commented on Thompson’s performance on the recent episode of their podcast Ready Set Go, which premiered on January 30. This brings us to the question: despite his win, is Kishane in peak performance? Because if his body language was any indication, things don’t seem that way.

Lyles, on the other hand, had a relatively controlled race at the RADD Invitational, running 6.62 seconds to win his heat. While not his fastest, it was enough to get his season rolling.

Green, having analyzed both performances, noted that Thompson’s race in Astana wasn’t as smooth as expected.“Kishane had a bad start, and he still rolled down to 6.58. I don’t think you could—or 6.56—I don’t think you could contribute; uh, you can’t read too much into his 6.5. I’d say he’s in 6.4 shape for real, right?”

But while Green suggests that Kishane could have had an even quicker time, Gatlin is of the view that the weather conditions are important too. He mentions, “The advantage is to the South… You still have warm weather—moderately warm weather—throughout the South; you still can train outdoors, and it gives them an advantage.” But the common consensus remains the same and focuses on his injury.

How Kishane Thompson chose to win his season opener without keeping any expectations

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Kishane Thompson’s indoor debut did not start as smoothly as he might have hoped. A stumble at the beginning of his 60-meter heat in Astana threatened to derail his race, but he quickly regained control, surged ahead, and clinched victory. Despite the early misstep, Thompson’s performance showcased his ability to adapt to new challenges—without any expectations weighing him down.

Summing up the excitement surrounding their rivalry, Green added, “I’d love to see them line up. You know, they raced, but they raced on different continents.” Whether their paths cross soon or not, the buzz surrounding Lyles and Thompson is only growing. However, amid rising concerns surrounding Kishane’s injury, the Jamaican sprinter threw light on how he was looking forward to his season-opening competitive sprint.

Reflecting on his sprint, Kishane shared with Athletics News, “Competing indoors is uncharted territory for me, and I have no expectations—just taking it one step at a time and enjoying the journey.” His mindset reflects a refreshing approach, one that might allow him to embrace the unknown rather than feel pressured by past performances.

Thompson’s ability to run freely without the burden of expectation is proving to be a key asset. His transition to indoor sprinting comes with its own set of hurdles, tighter turns, and quicker acceleration phases. And it will have an entirely different race rhythm. Yet, by keeping his focus on gradual progress rather than immediate perfection, he is carving out a path for himself in this new domain.

The 2025 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix is one of the most loaded editions in meet history as the US pro season officially kicks off

Because it is sponsored by a major shoe brand and operated by one of the most powerful agencies in the sport (Mark Wetmore‘s Global Athletics & Marketing), you can always count on the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (NBIGP) to have a solid base level of talent. But the 2025 edition, which will be held at The Track at New Balance in Boston on Sunday afternoon, is especially star-studded.

Paris Olympic champions Noah Lyles, Julien Alfred, Grant Holloway, Masai Russell, and Rai Benjamin are all set to compete along with US distance stars Grant Fisher, Hobbs Kessler, Bryce Hoppel, Graham Blanks, and Parker Valby. The latter two, both New Balance pros based in Boston, will be making their professional debuts on their de facto home track.

The amount of star power is particularly notable given we are coming off an Olympic year. For most athletes, the Olympics are the culmination of a four-year training cycle and there is not always a motivation to rush right back into top-level competition — particularly since we are coming off an unprecedented stretch of four global outdoor championships in four years.

But for those that are showing up in Boston — and the Millrose Games six days later — it is time to focus on 2025, a year with indoor and outdoor World Championships and a new professional series called Grand Slam Track.

Fisher is coming off a career year that included two Olympic medals and an American record in the 2-mile (Kevin Morris photo)

“There’s some people that talk about the post-Olympic slump, kind of hard to get motivation and stuff,” Fisher told LetsRun.com last month. “And I think that applies for people that win a gold medal. If you win gold, it’s like, Man, what else is there to do now, I’m the best in the world.

“But I never had that feeling. There were two guys better than me in both events. So there’s still a carrot out in front of me…At no point did I feel the lack of motivation.”

Because NBIGP is our first real look at most of these athletes in 2025, it can serve as something of an agenda-setter for the rest of the year in track. When Lyles beat Trayvon Bromell here in the 60m two years ago, it showed his start was finally strong enough to contend with the world’s best short sprinters — and he finished that year as a triple world champion in Budapest.

Last year, Kessler looked fantastic in defeating 2022 world champion Jake Wightman in the 1500, presaging a breakout year that would see Kessler run 1:43/3:29 and make the US Olympic team in two events. Whose breakout will we be talking about when this year’s meet concludes on Sunday evening? Let’s run through some of the events and storylines to watch in Boston.

ICYMI, there’s another big meet in Boston this weekend: the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University on Friday and Saturday. We previewed that event in a separate article. LRC 2025 BU Terrier: A Super Fast Men’s Mile & New Mexico’s Squad of World U20 Medalists Comes to Boston

What: 2025 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

When: Sunday, February 2. TV window 4-6 p.m. ET.

Where: The TRACK at New Balance, Boston, Massachusetts

How to watch: Live on NBC or streaming on Peacock

*Schedule/entries *Live results *How to watch live around the world

Grant Holloway is running, which means we are required by law to mention that he has never lost a 60-meter hurdle race in his life over the 42-inch barriers used in college and pro races.

He is a perfect 63 for 63 (including prelims). Considering Holloway is coming off a year in which he set the world indoor record of 7.27 and won Olympic gold in the 110H, he is firmly in his prime and will start as a heavy favorite against a field that includes reigning US indoor champ Trey Cunningham and Olympic finalist Freddie Crittenden.

Women’s mile (3:51 p.m. ET): Engelhardt races the pros

This race comes before the TV window but is still quite strong. It features a trio of Americans who just missed out on making last year’s Olympic team in Sage Hurta-Klecker, Sinclaire Johnson, and Heather MacLean as well as three-time NCAA champion Maia Ramsden (now a pro with On Athletics Club) and Olympic 6th-placer Susan Ejore.

There is also high schooler Sadie Engelhardt, whose 4:28.46 pb currently ranks #2 on the all-time US HS list in the women’s mile, behind only Mary Cain‘s 4:24.11.

Men’s 400 (4:03 p.m. ET): Young stars Wilson & Sumner square off

America loves its phenoms, and there are two of them in this race. 17-year-old Quincy Wilson, who was upset by fellow high schooler Andrew Salvodon in his last race in the 500 meters, will step up and face the pros here, including 21-year-old Will Sumner. Sumner, the 2023 NCAA 800 champ for Georgia, missed the 2024 season due to injury, but he is working his way back into shape and ran 46.75 at Clemson last weekend.

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Neither man is the favorite here, though. That would be Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards, the 2022 World Indoor champion who finished 4th at last summer’s Olympics.

Men’s 60 (prelims 4:12 p.m. ET, final 5:54 p.m. ET): Lyles v Jacobs in a battle of Olympic champions

Olympic 100-meter champion is the most prestigious title in the sport of track & field. Anytime the Olympic 100 champion races, it is a big deal. And the men’s 60 at NBIGP will have not one Olympic 100 champ, but two: American Noah Lyles and Italy’s Marcell Jacobs. That is a rare sight indeed.

How rare? You would have to go back to the August 5, 2017 — Usain Bolt‘s final race when he was upset by Justin Gatlin at the World Championships in London — for the last head-to-head matchup between Olympic men’s 100m champions.

This should be a great matchup. Lyles is the reigning Olympic champion, World Indoor silver medalist in the 60, and he has won at this meet three years in a row. He is the favorite, but Jacobs is no slouch in the 60, either — he won World Indoors in 2022, and his 6.41 pb is faster than Lyles’ 6.43 and ranks tied for 4th all-time. Granted, that was three years ago, but Jacobs showed last year he’s still got some run in him by running 9.85 for 5th in the Olympic final.

Trayvon Bromell, the 2016 World Indoor champ, is also in this race and is still only 29 years old. Bromell’s injury history is longer than a CVS receipt, but he ran 6.42 as recently as two years ago and opened up this year in 6.62 — the same time Lyles ran in his opener last week.

Who wins the men’s 60 at 2025 NBIGP?

Women’s 60 hurdles (4:34 p.m. ET): WR holder Charlton v Olympic champ Russell

There are only five entrants in this event so it will be run as a straight final with no prelims. But the quality is very high, with reigning world indoor champ and world record holder Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas taking on Olympic 100 hurdles champ Masai Russell of the USA. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent — the 2024 world leader in the 100 hurdles (12.24, #4 all-time) is also in the field.

Men’s 3000 (4:49 p.m. ET): Kessler opens up as teen sensation Myers gets a big test

Cameron Myers, the teenage Aussie star who ran 3:50 in the mile last year at age 17, has flown halfway around the world this winter in search of top competition. He impressed last week by winning the mile at the Dr. Sander Scorcher in New York in a world U20 indoor record of 3:53.12 but will get a sterner test on Sunday in Boston, where he will face Olympic 1500 finalists Hobbs Kessler and Neil Gourley.

Kessler won big at NBIGP last year (Kevin Morris photo)

Kessler is more of an 800/1500 guy, but he has good natural endurance (he ran 7:39 for 3k in 2023). Myers, meanwhile, ran a pb of 7:41 in Australia back in December, so he’s a bit more race sharp than Kessler, who will be making his 2025 debut.

In some ways, this race is a tuneup for the more prestigious Wanamaker Mile at Millrose next week — a race that Myers, Kessler, and Gourley are all running. But it may also offer an indication of what we can expect from Kessler later this year.

Kessler showed in 2024 that he has the speed to be a factor in the 1500, but if he is to win a medal, he needs the strength to be able to access that speed in a championship final. To win gold in the Ingebrigtsen era, it is not enough to run 3:29 after three rounds of championship racing, as Kessler did in Paris. You also need to be able to change gears off of that pace. Kessler is still working on that one. The good news is, he has time: he’s still only 21.

Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr, and Cole Hocker each began their gold-medal years with a strong 3k/2-mile indoors that was far faster than they had ever managed before. In the moment, those were regarded as solid early-season performances. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see they were clues that each man had upped his endurance to the level necessary to win gold in a global final.

That doesn’t mean Kessler is going to win gold in Tokyo if he blows everyone away in the 3,000 in Boston. But a strong early-season run at a longer distance would be a very good sign that Kessler is ready to take another step forward after his 2024 breakout.

Men’s 800 (5:04 p.m. ET): Hoppel kicks off 2025 season

Bryce Hoppel takes the indoor season seriously, typically hitting up NBIGP, Millrose, and USA Indoors, where he is riding a four-year streak of US titles. America’s best 800 runner told LetsRun.com he is not planning on defending his World Indoor title in Nanjing in March, but he will be in Boston on Sunday in the 800 and will race the same distance a week later at Millrose.

Some of the names Hoppel is up against in Boston may not sound familiar to a US audience, but this will not be an easy race. Belgium’s Pieter Sisk ran 1:43.48 last year. And Spain’s Elvin Canales just ran a national indoor record of 1:44.65 in Luxembourg two weeks ago — the fastest time in the world indoors in four years. Hoppel’s indoor pb is faster (1:44.37 from 2021), but he’ll need to be on his game to win in Boston.

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Men’s 1500 (5:21 p.m. ET): There’s a lot going on here

From a LetsRun.com perspective, this is the most interesting race of the day, with a lot of notable distance names: Graham Blanks (pro debut), Vincent Ciattei (4th at US Olympic Trials), Grant Fisher (2025 opener), Ollie Hoare, Josh Hoey (fresh off a US 1000m record), Joe Waskom, and Jake Wightman.

You would expect the 1500 specialists — Ciattei, Hoare, Waskom, Wightman — to be the best here. But Fisher, tuning for a 3000m showdown against Cole Hocker next week at Millrose, is a double Olympic medalist and is going to be competitive in any race he runs.

The two most interesting guys here are Hoey and Wightman. Last year for Hoey was about finally realizing his potential — after being stuck in the 1:47s since high school, he ran 1:43 for 800 at age 24. This year is about taking the next step and making a US team — and potentially expanding his range. Hoey told Jeff Hollobaugh in a recent Track & Field News profile that he did a big block of altitude training in Flagstaff this fall and winter and is looking to race the 1500 as well as 800 in 2025.

So far, so good. He opened up with a 3:52 mile pb at BU on December 7. Then on January 14, Hoey came just shy of the world record in the indoor 1000m by running 2:14.48. If he wins here, Hoey will stamp himself as a threat in the 1500 as well — though given how loaded the US is in that event right now, it still makes sense to prioritize the 800.

As for Wightman, we know how good he can be when he is healthy. The problem is, the 30-year-old Brit has not been healthy when it matters the last two years, missing the 2023 Worlds with a foot injury and the 2024 Olympics with a strained hamstring following a tear in his calf.

Despite that, Wightman still ran 1:44.10 for 800 and 3:47.83 in the mile last year, and he opened up this year with a solid 7:44 3k on January 4. He has a great shot to win on Sunday, though he has a history of coming up just short in Boston: in six appearances at the NBIGP, he has finished 2nd four times but has never won.

Who wins the men’s 1500 at 2025 NBIGP?

Women’s 3000 (5:39 p.m. ET): Valby debuts, Coburn returns, plus Hull v Bell

It’s time to give New Balance some credit here. For years, NB would use this meet as a showcase of its biggest stars by putting them up against soft fields they knew they could beat or having them run odd distances so they could get nice finish line photos or brag about breaking obscure American records. Not this year. New Balance just made two huge signings by inking Graham Blanks and Parker Valby, and their pro debuts will be baptisms by fire as Blanks is in a strong 1500 field and Valby is in a loaded 3000.

Valby will make her pro debut on her new home track on Sunday (Courtesy New Balance)

To that, we say: great! Professional running is hard, and adjusting to a new level of competition is part of the process of becoming a pro. It’s not like the people who became fans of Blanks and Valby during their college careers are going to abandon them just because they lose one race in February.

Valby certainly has it tough in this 3k as she is up against Jessica Hull and Georgia Bell, both of whom medalled in the 1500 at last year’s Olympics, as well as 20-year-old Ethiopian Melknat Wudu (8:32 pb), US 1500m Olympian Emily Mackay, and Elise Cranny, doubling back from the mile at BU on Friday. But Valby is also coming off a fall of base training with her New Balance Boston teammates and her first-ever altitude stint in Flagstaff, so it will be interesting to see what progress she has made since the Olympics.

Another interesting storyline — not just in this race, but throughout 2025 — is the comeback of Emma Coburn. Long the US’s top steepler, Coburn, 34, broke her ankle last season, causing her to miss the Olympic Trials — the first time she had missed out on a US team since 2013.

In her absence, four Americans broke 9:10 last season — and none were named Courtney Frerichs. Can Coburn make it back to Worlds this year? She made a solid start by running a 4:33 mile at elevation in Boulder on January 11. This race offers a much bigger challenge.

Coco Gauff and Ilona Maher show support for fellow American sporting star Gabby Thomas after the three-time Olympic gold medalist details examples of being followed at airports and asks for advice in video on social media

Image: Gabby Thomas won one individual and two team golds at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Gabby Thomas pleaded for advice on TikTok after expressing concern she was being stalked by a group of men at airports in America.

Thomas described how “three to six” middle-aged men appeared to be waiting for her in various US airports including Chicago and Miami, even sometimes showing up at her departure gate.

The 200m world and Olympic champion detailed how the men regularly appeared, asking her to sign pictures of herself, and that she was most disturbed by the fact they appeared to know her flight information.

In her video on TikTok, Thomas said she had changed her email passwords and does not tell anyone her flight details.

“At this point, every time I travel, I’m afraid that these men, are going to show up and harass me,” said Thomas.

“They have my flight information. And they show up at the front door of the airport at the correct concourse or they show up at my gate, which means they have flight tickets and they get past security and all that.

Thomas with her gold medal for winning the 200m Olympics final in Paris last summer

“They show up and they ask me to sign a bunch of these photos and pictures of me, like 40 of them. I don’t know what they’re doing with them, probably selling them, I don’t care. What scares me is that they have my flight information.

“I don’t even know what time I’m flying out sometimes. I don’t tell anyone my flight information. I’ve changed all my email passwords. I don’t know if they’re hacking me. But they get really aggressive and hostile if I say ‘no’.

“When I’m by myself, it’s really scary. They got really hostile with my boyfriend yesterday. It’s not even airline-specific but I don’t know how they’re getting my flight information. And it’s really starting to freak me out.

“And honestly, I don’t know who to go to about this. Do I go to the police? Do I go to airport security?”

Coco Gauff said she had her own experiences of being followed at airports

Fellow American sporting star Ilona Maher, who plays for the Bristol Bears in Premiership Women’s Rugby, showed her support in response on the social media platform, while Grand Slam tennis champion Coco Gauff admitted she too had experiences of similar instances.

“This happens to me too, I don’t know how it happens, my theory is maybe someone at the airport tips them off,” Gauff said.

Thomas concluded her appeal for advice by stating: “I don’t get why people can’t respect privacy? I really don’t get it. I don’t like feeling unsafe when travelling. I don’t know what to do, any advice is welcome.”

Gout Gout of Australia (right) celebrates with his mother Monica, winning the U18s, 100m final during the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships at Queensland and Athletics Centre in Brisbane. Image source:

Gout Gout has overcome identity challenges and personal struggles to break records but who are the people behind his success?

Gout Gout is an emerging sprinter from Australia who has captured the attention of the athletics world with his blistering speed.

Beyond his achievements on the track, Gout Gout’s journey is one of resilience and complexities of identity.

He was born to South Sudanese parents, Bona and Monica Gout, and is the third of their seven children. Gout Gout’s story has with time highlighted the struggles and triumphs of a young athlete navigating personal and professional challenges.

‘Roughest moment of my entire life’- Usain Bolt opens up about his greatest moment of fear

‘Roughest moment of my entire life’- Usain Bolt opens up about his greatest moment of fear

His South Sudanese parents migrated to Australia in 2005 to seek better opportunities for their family. The couple decided to settle in Australia with the main focus being to give their children a brighter future.

Their parents were out to give them an opportunity that they might not have had in their homeland and relocating to Australia might have opened huge doors for him.

During their migration, it led to their family name being recorded as ‘Gout’ instead of its original spelling, ‘Guot.’ To an ordinary person, that might seem like a minor discrepancy but it carries deeper cultural and personal significance.

Over the years, the youngster’s parents have worked toward correcting this mistake, specifically his father but their efforts seem to bear no fruit. There has been a contradiction between his father and his manager James Templeton concerning the name.

His sprinting journey began at an early age and with time, he has shown a natural aptitude for speed and agility, excelling in school competitions and gradually making his way onto the national scene.

His parents, despite their initial doubts about his career path, have grown to become his biggest supporters. They supported his passion and talent and encouraged him to follow his dreams.

‘Uncharted territory for me’ – Kishane Thompson makes surprising admission ahead of new season

‘Uncharted territory for me’ – Kishane Thompson makes surprising admission ahead of new season

His rise in athletics has not been without its challenges since a young sprinter, the pressures of competition, balancing personal and academic commitments, and dealing with the weight of expectations have all tested his resilience.

Gout Gout rose to fame following his remarkable performance at the 2024 Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane. He broke Peter Norman’s Oceanian record of 20.06 and also bettered Usain Bolt’s world age-16 best of 20.13 seconds.

He has also been compared to the fastest man alive, Usain Bolt, on several occasions but he has managed to demonstrate his ability to overcome these obstacles with focus and determination.

‘I always put Jesus first’ – Jodean Williams speaks after beating Shericka Jackson at Queen’s Grace Jackson Invitational

‘I always put Jesus first’ – Jodean Williams speaks after beating Shericka Jackson at Queen’s Grace Jackson Invitational

Gout Gout’s future in sprinting looks incredibly promising with his spontaneous improvements and dedication to training. Beyond the track, Gout hopes to use his platform to inspire young athletes.

With the unwavering support of his parents, Bona and Monica, and his determination, he continues to make a name for himself in the world of sprinting.

World champions Mondo Duplantis and Karsten Warholm will get their 2025 Wanda Diamond League campaigns under way with appearances in Xiamen and Keqiao, the first two meetings in this year’s series.

The Red Star Macalline Wanda Diamond League will be held in Xiamen on 26 April, while the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala – usually staged in Shanghai but this year in Keqiao – will take place one week later on 3 May.

Olympic pole vault champion Duplantis has fond memories of competing in China. Last year, he kick-started his outdoor season in Xiamen with a world record of 6.24m, then followed up with a 6.00m victory in Suzhou one week later.

The Swedish superstar went on to improve his world record with his 6.25m triumph at the Olympic Games in Paris before upping it to 6.26m at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia.

Warholm, meanwhile, will be competing in China for the first time. The Norwegian, who holds the 400m hurdles world record at 45.94, had to contend with some injuries throughout 2024, but still managed to win his third European title. He also earned Olympic silver and broke 47 seconds in four of his races.

Two other world champions have recently had appearances confirmed for the early season Diamond League meetings.

World and Olympic 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway will star in Xiamen, while world and Olympic high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh will compete in Keqiao. The Ukrainian, who holds the world high jump record at 2.10m, had already been confirmed for Xiamen.

Despite winning his indoor debut at the Astana Indoor Meet, Kishane Thompson emphasised that his focus remains on the 100m, which he believes matters the most.

Olympic 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson has reacted to his win at the Astana Indoor Meet for Amin Tuyakov Prizes.

Kishane was making his indoor debut at the event and despite the 60m win, he still insisted that the 100m is what matters the most.

In the race, Kishane Thompson clocked an impressive 6.56 seconds to cross the finish line first ahead of the duo of Ali Anwar Al Balushi and Shuhei Tada who clocked respective times of 6.60 and 6.62 seconds.

‘It’s my first time seeing snow’- Kishane Thompson admits to culture shock in Astana as he enters new territory

‘It’s my first time seeing snow’- Kishane Thompson admits to culture shock in Astana as he enters new territory

His first race of the season was the 60m at the Central Hurdles Relays and Field Events where he clocked a personal best time of 6.48 seconds. He insisted that his focus is not on the indoors but his coach is making some changes in their build-up, the reason behind his indoor debut.

“We don’t necessarily focus on indoors, but if I have to compete I do my best to get my job done. Let’s see what goes after this trip,” Kishane Thompson said after the race.

“The Jamaicans are more comfortable outdoors, because for us the 100m matters most that’s why we don’t necessarily focus on indoors.”

He added that the race was great despite a slight strain after crossing the finish line. Kishane appeared to have limped a little bit before walking to his rivals.

The Jamaican 100m champion explained that the new environment has made him feel a little bit different but he will just pick up from where he left from once he heads back to Jamaica.

“The journey was very long but I love the energy and the vibe I get for the people, so that makes up for the long flight,” Kishane said.

“Honestly, it wasn’t too bad. For some reason, I feel a bit more rusty than usual. It’s probably the new environment, another climate and running indoors.

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“I loved the environment and the vibe, I was able to adapt as best as possible. It gave me a new experience.”

His main goal of the season will be winning a gold medal in the men’s 100m at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan and the few races before the event will be mainly for buildup.

Several sprinters, including Noah Lyles, the defending champion and Letsile Tebogo have already expressed interest for the title, promising a thrilling showdown in the 100m.