World Indoor Tour Meeting in Astana Preview
The World Indoor Tour Gold series begins in Astana, Kazakhstan, at the Astana Indoor Meet for the Amin Tuyakov Prizes. This highly anticipated event features an exceptional roster of international talent, including Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, and the USA’s Chase Jackson and Nia Ali. Astana sets the stage as the first of nine elite-level competitions in the 2025 series. Subsequent stops include Belgrade (29 January), Boston (2 February), Ostrava (4 February), Karlsruhe (7 February), New York (8 February), Liévin (13 February), Torun (16 February), and Madrid (28 February).
Men’s 60 Metres
Olympic 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson will make his indoor debut in the men’s 60m. The 23-year-old Jamaican sprinter, who clocked 9.79 to secure Olympic silver, narrowly missed gold to Noah Lyles by just five thousandths of a second. Thompson boasts a personal best (PB) of 9.77 in the 100m, achieved at the Jamaican Trials in Kingston. Recently, he recorded an outdoor 60m PB of 6.48, despite a -2.1 m/s headwind, in Spanish Town last weekend, ranking him among the top five Jamaican sprinters in history.
Kishane Thompson reflected on his Olympic journey:
"Everyone wants to win when they line up, but I’ve chosen to see my Olympic loss as a win. It was my first Olympics, my first big moment, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve learned from it, and now I’m focused on moving forward."
Thompson will face a formidable line-up, including compatriot and training partner Rohan Watson, the Jamaican 100m champion who clocked a PB of 9.91. Watson also earned bronze in the 4x100m relay at the World Championships in 37.76 alongside Thompson. Other competitors include Jamaicans Michael Campbell, with a PB of 10.07, and Nishion Ebanks, who finished second to Thompson in Spanish Town with 6.54.
Adding star power to the field is Canadian sprinter André De Grasse, a seven-time Olympic medallist. De Grasse’s accolades include 200m gold at Tokyo 2021 (19.62) and 4x100m relay gold at Paris 2024 (37.50). In 2023, De Grasse secured the Diamond League 200m title in Eugene with a time of 19.75. The Astana meeting marks his return to the track after finishing sixth here in 2024.
Women’s 60 Metres
A thrilling clash is expected in the women’s 60m as Jamaican sisters Tia Clayton and Tina Clayton go head-to-head. Tia, who placed seventh in the 100m final at the Paris Olympics (11.04), claimed her first Diamond League victory in Chorzów with an impressive 10.83. Meanwhile, Tina boasts two World U20 100m titles, won in Nairobi (2021) and Cali (2022). Both began their 2025 season strongly, clocking 7.14 and 7.32, respectively.
Joining them is Jamaican veteran Natasha Morrison, who clocked a PB of 10.85 at the Diamond League final in Eugene (2022) and has earned relay golds at the World Championships in Doha (2019) and the Tokyo Olympics (2021). Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas, sixth in the 200m final at the Budapest World Championships (22.29), will also be in the mix.
Women’s 400 Metres
Two-time World Championships bronze medallist Sada Williams from Barbados will headline the women’s 400m. Williams, who recorded PBs of 49.75 in Eugene (2022) and 49.60 in Budapest (2023), is coming off a strong start to the season, having clocked 23.62 in the 200m. Her main rival is Jamaican hurdler and relay specialist Janieve Russell, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 400m hurdles (2018, 2022). Russell also boasts five Diamond League wins in the hurdles and an Olympic bronze in the 4x400m relay.
Women’s 60 Metres Hurdles
Nia Ali, two-time World Indoor 60m hurdles champion (2014, 2016), returns to the Astana meeting after placing second in 2024. The Doha 2019 World Outdoor champion narrowly missed the US Olympic team in 2024 but demonstrated her class by clinching her first US outdoor title in 2023. Ali will look to regain top form in Astana, aiming to secure an early-season victory.
Women’s Shot Put
US throwing star Chase Jackson headlines the women’s shot put field. Jackson claimed back-to-back World Championship titles in Eugene (2022) with 20.49m and Budapest (2023) with 20.43m. Despite a disappointing Olympic performance in Paris, she rebounded with a season-best throw of 20.64m in Lausanne. Jackson will face Sweden’s Fanny Roos, a European Indoor silver medallist, and the USA’s Jessica Ramsey, both ranked in the World Athletics top 20 last season.
Women’s 3000 Metres
Ethiopian middle-distance standout Hirut Meshesha leads the women’s 3000m line-up. Meshesha, who captured gold in the 1500m at the African Games and set an indoor PB of 3:56.47 in 2024, will be challenged by compatriot and rising star Marta Alemayo, the 16-year-old World U20 cross-country champion, and seasoned Ethiopian runner Axumawit Embaye, a two-time World Indoor silver medallist in the 1500m.
Women’s High Jump
Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Dubovitskaya will compete on home soil in the women’s high jump. Dubovitskaya, who set an Asian record of 2.00m and won World Indoor bronze in 2022, aims to secure a win after finishing second in Astana last year. Her competitors include compatriot Kristina Ovchinnikova (PB: 1.96m), France’s Solène Giquel, a Budapest World Championships finalist, and Czech high jumper Michaela Hrubá, the 2016 World U20 champion.
Men’s Long Jump
US long jumper Marquis Dendy, the 2016 World Indoor champion, headlines the men’s long jump. With an indoor PB of 8.26m, Dendy has also claimed two World Indoor bronze medals (2018, 2022). He faces stiff competition from compatriot Isaac Grimes (PB: 8.35m), Cuba’s Lester Lescay, and Croatia’s Roko Farkas, the reigning World U20 champion.
Men’s High Jump
Germany’s Tobias Potye, the 2022 European silver medallist, enters as the top favorite in the men’s high jump. Potye boasts a lifetime best of 2.34m and will look to kick off his season with a commanding performance.
Women’s Triple Jump
Uzbekistan’s Sharifa Davronova, a two-time World U20 champion, leads the women’s triple jump field. She will face Slovenia’s Neja Filipič, a Diamond League finalist, and Lithuanian champion Dovilė Kilty in what promises to be a closely contested event.
