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Josh Hoey, center, of United States, leads the field on his way to winning the men's 800-meter at the Wanda Diamond League 'Athletissima Lausanne' athletics meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) Switzerland Diamond League Meeting
Lausanne

Josh Hoey, a world record to kick off the season

Spectators had marveled at his devastating kick over the final 50 metres at Athletissima last year. It was a pleasure to see him back in the spotlight in Boston, where Josh Hoey shattered the indoor 800m world record — a mark held for nearly 29 years by the legendary Wilson Kipketer.

The indoor season has exploded out of the blocks. A flagship event at Athletissima in recent years, the 800 metres is living through a golden, almost surreal phase, with benchmarks falling one after another. In Boston, Hoey clocked 1:42.50, slicing 0.17 seconds off the previous record. The American is now perfectly on track for the World Indoor Championships in Toruń (Poland) at the end of March, where he will be defending his title.

An athlete with an unconventional path, Josh Hoey turned professional straight out of high school in 2018, but had to wait until 2024 to truly break through at the highest level. Now 26, he is firmly among the leading contenders for the outdoor world record, still held by David Rudisha since 2012 in 1:40.91. Bring on the 51st edition of Athletissima on August 21!