NANJING, China — A pair of bronzes highlighted the opening day's action for Team USATF Friday at the 20th World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Nanjing Sports Training Centre. The capacity crowd enjoyed four finals at a meet that was supposed to happen in March 2020 before it was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and postponed until 2025.
Earning the first global medal of her career, Taliyah Brooks put together a 4669-point total for bronze in Nanjing. A Paris Olympian in the heptathlon, Brooks had the fastest time overall in the 60 hurdles to start the day, going 8.09, and she cleared a season best 1.78/5-10 in the high jump. A lifetime best of 14.39/47-2.5 in the shot put kept her in medal contention and she strengthened her grip on a podium spot with a 6.35/20-10 effort in the long jump that moved her to second in the point standings. Closing out the day with a 2:19.67 in the 800, Brooks moved to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. performer list.
“That 800 was probably the hardest 800 I’ve done in a few years so I’m just glad it’s over,” said Taliyah Brooks. “We’ve worked really hard, so to be able to take [a medal] home, it gives me some confidence going into the outdoor season and shows me what I need to work on.”
Uncorking the fourth-farthest throw ever by an American in the final round of the women's shot put, Chase Jackson again earned World Indoor bronze, matching the medal she got at Glasgow last year with a 20.06/65-9.75 to miss silver by one centimeter. Jackson was facing the two best women in the world in 2025 in Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands and Canada's Sarah Mitton, and the competition lived up to the pre-meet hype as all three cracked the 20-meter barrier. Schilder, the European champion and world leader coming into this meet, took the lead in round two with a 20.07/65-10.25 throw that would end up as her best of the day, but Mitton responded almost immediately with a 20.36/66-9.75 blast to take a lead she wouldn't relinquish. The Canadian improved to 20.48/67-2.25 on her last attempt to seal the victory.
A blip at an earlier height was all that kept Eli Kosiba off the medal stand in the men's high jump as he cleared 2.28/7-5.75 to end up fourth. Kosiba, the NCAA Division II indoor champion for Grand Valley State last week, sailed over the first two heights on his first attempt at each bar before needing two attempts at 2.24/7-4.25. He again needed two tries at 2.28 before missing three times at 2.31/7-7, which would have been a lifetime best. That extra attempt at 2.24 gave Jamaica's Raymond Richards the bronze ahead of Kosiba based on fewer total misses.
In the evening's other final, 2018 World Indoor bronze medalist Ronnie Baker ended up sixth in the men's 60 with a time of 6.59. Baker, the third-fastest man in history, was in the mix for a medal for 50 meters before he started to pull up with only a few steps remaining, grabbing his left hamstring.
During the morning session the first final of the Championships, the men's triple jump, was won by Italy's Andy Diaz Hernandez with a massive leap of 17.80/58-4.75. Russell Robinson was the top U.S. finisher in eighth with a best of 16.50/54-1.75, while team captain Will Claye was 10th at 16.31/53-6.25.
Qualifying rounds in six other running events saw all the Team USATF athletes advance to the next round. Three Americans topped the qualifiers for the men's 400 final, with World Indoor Tour winner Brian Faust and Jacory Patterson turning in the fastest overall semifinal times at 45.89 and USATF champion Chris Bailey winning his semi in 45.91. No other athletes broke 46 seconds. 2024 World Indoor bronze medalist Alexis Holmes and Rosey Effiong were comfortable qualifiers for the women's 400 semifinal.
Middle distance action included heat wins by USATF champions Nia Akins in the women's 800 and American indoor record holder Josh Hoey in the men's 800. Those two moved on to the semifinal, as did Brandon Miller, who was second in his heat, and Valery Tobias, who placed third in her section. Luke Houser won heat three in the men's 1500 and moved on to the final with Sam Prakel, who was the runner-up in heat one. In the women's 1500, American record holder Heather MacLean and Sinclaire Johnsonplaced second in their heats to secure berths in the final.
Medal Count (2)
Gold (0)
Silver (0)
Bronze (2) - Taliyah Brooks: Pentathlon (4,669 points) - Chase Jackson: Shot Put (20.06)