On the evening of March 23(Beijing time), at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25, Josh Hoey of the United States claimed gold in the men’s 800m final, finishing with a time of 1:44.77. Eliott Crestan from Belgium and Elvin Josué Canales from Spain took silver and bronze, respectively.

Throughout the race, Hoey delivered a dominant performance. He surged to the front within the first 100 meters and maintained a strong lead. In the penultimate lap, he was briefly overtaken by fellow American Brandon Miller, but he quickly fought back, regained the lead, and held on until the finish line. His aggressive and direct racing style made him one of the standout performers of the event.

“I’m really happy to be in Nanjing and compete on this stage,”said Hoey after the race. “That last lap was tougher than I expected, but I had to push through. Winning this race feels amazing.”Experiencing Nanjing for the first time, he also expressed appreciation for the enthusiastic crowd. “The fans were really welcoming, and I’m grateful for that. If I have the chance, I’d love to explore the city after the competition.”

Belgium’s Eliott Crestan finished just behind, earning silver with a time of 1:44.81, while Spain’s Elvin Josué Canales took bronze in 1:45.03.

Meanwhile, Chinese athlete XI Xiaoheng delivered an impressive performance in the 800m heats, clocking 1:48.06—a personal best—to advance to the semifinals. He became the first Chinese runner to reach the men’s 800m World Indoor Championships semifinal. However, in the semis, he finished with 1:49.59, missing out on a spot in the final.

BACK