That didn’t take long. The ball dropped, the clock struck one, and everyone got busy! The last several weeks have seen a flurry of action, and as usual in a post Olympic season, those not on the podium have been the busiest. Every quadrennial cycle is basically the same. The year before the Games, everyone is getting ready. Everyone wanting to be at their very best, next year. Some racing less frequently. Some getting necessary surgeries. A few even taking the year off. Then the big year, the Olympic year. Training cycles set for Trials and Games! Then the year after, the redemption cycle. Those not at the Games, or just off the podium, on a tour of redemption. Looking to prove that they, should’ve been! This is that year. Often one of the most exciting seasons on record, as athletes are looking for revenge, while others are looking to not have revenge enacted upon them! With races often out performing those of the Games. So I expect the final results at the end of the year to be spectacular!
That said, the results so far in this indoor season, seem to be headed in that direction. As several athletes appear to be “coming back” and/or moving up. Of course that could change with national championships and then World Indoors just a few weeks away. However today I’m going to take a look at some athletes making noise early in 2025.
First I’m going to start with athletes that I thought were going to make a bit more noise, the men’s sprinters. Specifically the 60m sprinters. With the Olympic 100m final being as close and deep as it was, I was expecting a showdown over 60m indoors. That hasn’t happened yet. We haven’t seen Christian Coleman, who just missed the US team. I thought he would’ve established dominance in the event he holds the WR in. Kishane Thompson ran a very fast 60m outdoors (6.48), then ok indoors (6.56). Just not quite what I thought he would run. Noah Lyles (6.52) has yet to break 6.50, and Lamont Jacobs is only at 6.63. Now I’m not worried about any of them. It simply appears that everyone is more interested in being ready for the impending wars in the 100m outdoors, and that’s fine with me! In the meantime, it’s been nice to see a resurgence from Ronnie Baker, who really fell off after his 9.83 semi in Tokyo ’21. He hadn’t been a factor since, until now, as Ronnie is near the top of the 60m list at 6.50 and has looked very good. If he is indeed returning to form, US Nationals outdoors could get very interesting this year.
Speaking of returning to form, last year’s early season sensation on the women’s side was Jacious Sears who blazed 10.77 and became the second fastest collegian ever. She fell to injury however, and we didn’t see her healthy again in 2024. She’s back now, looking very good, setting a PR 7.02 in the 60m at Millrose. If she can stay healthy, the American 100m team could be in store for an upgrade this year. The 100m outdoors could be in for a few changes as Shericka Jackson appears to be healthy again having competed in a low key outdoor 60m. Along with an early season surprise in young Luxembourg sprinter, Patrizia Van Der Weken, who’s twice gone under 7.10 with a 7.07 best, running with a race pattern that leads me to believe she will be improving on her outdoor best of 11.00.
Where the real action has been however, is in the middle distances – both for the men and women. The men have been led by Olympic medalists Cole Hocker, Grant Fisher, Yared Nuguse, Hobbs Kessler, and Bryce Hoppel – with a surprise appearance by Josh Hoey. Yes, this is a list of Americans. In part because Jakob Ingerbrigtsen and Josh Kerr have been relatively quiet. I say, in part because the men above have been making lots of noise on their own! All running fast races, with Fisher (7:22.91, 3000m) and Nuguse (3:46.63) setting world records, and Hoey (1:43.90) setting an American record. African runners dominated everything from 800m thru the marathon from the 90’s to 2020. Then in Tokyo things began to change, and since then American and European runners have jumped back into the picture in a major way. This recent rash of record breaking and fast running, seems to indicate that this is going to continue for a while.
The women are also cutting into African dominance, with several English speaking women turning in very fast times. Indoors this season, that has been led by elite Cranny and the recently returned Shelby Houlihan. Both of whom have run 4:20 miles, Cranny (4:20.83), Houlihan (4:20.30), with each looking very good in the process.
We have also gotten a Grant Holloway sighting, as he opened up with an easy looking (for him) 7.42, though Dylan Beard has been winning the rest of the races, while leading the world at 7.38. Their meeting at Nationals could be interesting. Meanwhile women’s Olympic champion, Masai Russell seems intent on proving that her Paris win was no mistake, as she’s undefeated at 7.78 so far. The one area that’s been fairly quiet so far is in the field events. We’ve not seen Mondo Duplantis or Ryan Crouser yet. Usually by now, both have been in WR territory. However Chris Nilsson has jumped over 6.01m, as he attempts to get ready to compete against Mondo. The biggest return story to the track is easily Houlihan, but a close second might be Malika Mihambo, who has struggled in recent seasons. So far this year however, she’s already long jumped 7.07m and looked like her injury woes are behind her. If so, we could get some outstanding competition between her and Olympic champion Tara Davis Woodhall, and that’s what the season following the Olympics is all about!
Up next we get national championships, European indoors, and World Indoors – the peak of the indoor season. What should be a compact month of high level, indoor competition before we head outdoors. I’m hoping that includes some the kind of competition that we got in Paris – close and deep. That’s when this sport is at its best, when wills, determination, and preparation collide in fierce mano a mano competition. The pure essence of sport. I can hardly wait.