Lamecha Girma breaks the world indoor 3000m record in Lievin (© Dan Vernon)
World record-holder Lamecha Girma and 2022 world 100m champion Fred Kerley will make their New Balance Indoor Grand Prix debuts on 4 February, organisers of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting announced.
Girma, the Olympic silver medallist and three-time world silver medallist at the steeplechase, headlines the men’s 3000m field. The Ethiopian clocked a world indoor record of 7:23.81 for that distance in Lievin last year, then went on to break the world steeplechase record outdoors with 7:52.11.
Kerley, one of the world’s most versatile sprinters, will contest the first 60m race of his career at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, where he will face previously announced Noah Lyles, the world 100m and 200m champion.
The women’s 3000m will bring together world indoor silver medallist Elle St Pierre of the USA, European silver medallist Ciara Mageean of Ireland, and world U20 5000m record-holder Medina Eisa of Ethiopia.
Those top athletes join the previously announced Gudaf Tsegay, Grant Holloway, Marco Arop, Jake Wightman, Gabby Thomas, Daniel Roberts, Trey Cunningham, Mariano Garcia and Bryce Hoppel.
