Silver For Hamish Kerr At The 2025 World Indoor Championships

Overnight in Nanjing, the 2024 Olympic Champion proved he’s a consistently world-class athlete, claiming his third global medal in the last 12 months. Kerr entered the competition as the reigning world indoor champion and Olympic champion.

Wearing the golden bib, Kerr maintained his trademark smile throughout the competition, which resulted in his second-place finish behind the entertaining Sanghyeok Woo of South Korea and ahead of Raymond Richards of Jamaica.

Kerr had a strong opening to the competition, with easy first-attempt clearances at 2.14 and 2.20. However, 2.20 proved to be where some of the field came unstuck, with five of the 12 strong final failing to advance beyond 2.20.

Kerr had a nervous moment with a first-time failure at 2.24 but regained his composure to fly over the bar on his second attempt. Six athletes progressed from 2.24 to the next height of 2.28. Kerr proved calm and cool under pressure, nailing his first attempt clearance at 2.28 to move into second place in the competition behind leader Woo.

The first-time clearance proved crucial to Kerr’s final result. Five athletes returned for the final height of 2.31 in the competition. Woo sailed over 2.31 to retain his lead, while Kerr and the remaining three others all had three misses at 2.31.

Leaving Kerr in the silver medal position on count-back with all things said and done.

Alison Andrews-Paul opened up the day for the Kiwis on the track. The Canadian-based Kiwi was making her black singlet debut after winning the Oceanian 800m title in 2024. Racing away in a heat that featured Abbey Caldwell of Australia, Alison was in contention early. The realities of indoor racing took their toll on Andrews-Paul as she was bumped around a little and lost contact with the leaders with 200m to go. She fought to the line for a 5th-place finish in the heats. Her time in the tactical race of 2:05.76 was off her recent best of 2:00.81 and saw her championship campaign end in the heats.

Tiaan Whelpton wrapped up the morning session in “The Cube” in Nanjing, competing in heat 7 of 8 in the men’s 60m. He was seeded alongside Australian record holder Lachlan Kennedy, who ran an impressive sub 6.50s 60m at the ACT championships in Canberra with Whelpton. On the day, Whelpton set a personal best and the fastest time ever by a Kiwi, clocking 6.50 on the dot. Tiaan achieved a clean qualification in the 60m with a time of 6.62, securing his spot in the semi-finals.

Returning later in the day for the semi-finals, Whelpton was to start in heat 3 of 3 in the 60m. With just the first two and then the fastest two qualifying through, it was a tough ask for Whelpton to move to the finals.

It was not to be as Whelpton notched a 6.70s performance in the semi-final to finish in 8th in his semi.

Maia Ramsden had a challenging task to advance out of the women’s 1500m heats, seeded alongside Georgia Hunter Bell of GBR, and Georgia Griffith of Australia.

Running wide of the first 200m, ramsden settled in behind Hunter Bell. The pace was mild through the first 400m - going through =two laps in 72s.

Ramsden moved to the font as the pace increased, with five laps of the 200m track remaining before being swallowed back up by the leaders.

Griffith flew around Ramsden as the race moved into the final 500m.

Ramsden lost contact with the front group as Griffith drilled the pace down with 300m to go. Unfortunately, Ramsden’s 4.14.89 for 6th in her heat was not enough to advance, with only the top three going through automatically.

Nagel went in heat three, making her long-awaited black singlet debut. Nagel sat locked into the group as the pace was reasonably mild through 800m in just over 2.20. Heather Mclean of the USA broke the race open at just over 1000m, leaving Laura Nagel running out the back with Ireland’s Sophie O’Sullivan with just two laps to go.

Both athletes fought to regain contact with the front pack, but never quite reconnected. Nagel gave everything to the line for a debut she can be proud of. Her finishing time of 4:18.61 and 8th place won't see her advance to the final.

The shot put duo of Maddison-Lee Wesche and debutant Kaia Tupu-South were to go in the women’s shot put final. It was not to be for Wesche, who was eliminated from the competition at the end of round three with a throw of 16.52 in the second round. Wesche registered fouls in rounds one and three. Wesche concluded her campaign in 15th place.

On debut, Kaia Tupu-South also had trouble early with a foul in the third round. Her best in the first round of 16.45 was not enough to advance beyond round three and she was eliminated - finishing in 16th.

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