European and Commonwealth medallist runs 2:17.51 behind Bryce Hoppel as Donavan Brazier and Nia Ali also impress

Jake Wightman was among the record-breakers as the World Athletics Indoor Tour began in Boston, with the European and Commonwealth medallist clocking 2:17.51 to improve the British indoor 1000m best.

Wightman, who finished fifth in the world 1500m last year, placed second to USA’s Bryce Hoppel at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday night, with the Scot’s time bettering the British record mark of 2:17.86 which had been set by Matt Yates in 1992.

NCAA champion Hoppel had been third at the bell, sat behind leader Wightman and Spain’s world indoor medallist Saúl Ordóñez, but the American went past Ordóñez on the back straight before surging off the final bend to pip Wightman on the line.

It was Wightman’s first indoor 1000m race, with the 25-year-old having clocked 2:16.27 for his only outdoor race at the distance in 2018 in Stockholm.

Chris O’Hare was another Scottish athlete in action in Boston and the European indoor 3000m silver medallist won the Tommy Leonard Memorial Men’s Mile in 3:59.62 ahead of New Zealand’s Nick Willis with 3:59.89.

In his first race since his world 800m title win in Doha, Donavan Brazier clocked the second-fastest ever indoor 600m time behind his own record of 1:13.77, running 1:14.39 and winning by almost six seconds.

His fellow American Demek Kemp won the 60m in a PB of 6.50 as Jamaica’s multiple world medallist Asafa Powell finished fifth in 6.71 and Britain’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was sixth in 6.73. In his first indoor race since 2016 and following injury, former world indoor champion Trayvon Bromell ran 6.84.

USA’s world champion Nia Ali won the 60m hurdles final in 7.94 after clocking 7.99 in the heats, with British record-holder Tiffany Porter running 8.21 after an 8.24 heat as she continued her comeback after almost two years away from racing and following the birth of her daughter in July.

The Oceanian indoor 1500m record was broken by Jessica Hull, with the Australian’s 4:04.14 gaining her a win ahead of Germany’s world 5000m bronze medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen with 4:04.38. Ciara Mageean improved her own Irish indoor record with 4:06.42 in third.

World indoor medallist Bethwell Birgen of Kenya clocked 7:44.21 to beat Edward Cheserek in the 3000m, with Britain’s Jamaine Coleman running a PB of 7:58.95 in fifth, Jonny Davies clocking 8:00.98 in sixth and Adam Craig running 8:01.81 in eighth.

USA’s Elle Purrier won the 2-mile race in a PB of 9:29.17 ahead of South Africa’s Dominique Scott in 9:31.98 and 2017 world steeplechase champion Emma Coburn in 9:32.81.

American Gabby Thomas won the 300m in 36.52, while GB’s Amy Allcock clocked 38.45. Dutch sprinter Lisanne De Witte was the 500m winner in 1:10.50, with USA’s world 400m hurdles silver medallist Sydney McLaughlin having been a late withdrawal as a precautionary measure after feeling a little stiff after travelling.

Spain’s Pablo Torrijos leapt 16.75m to take the triple jump win, while high jump victory was secured by USA’s Amina Smith with a 1.89m clearance.

Results can be found here.

More information on the seven-meeting 2020 World Athletics Indoor Tour, including dates, disciplines and scoring details, can be found here.