Cian McPhillips finishes strong to secure win at Indoor Grand Prix in Boston

It was McPhillips’ first track race since he finished fourth in the world 800m final in Tokyo last year

Sat, 24 Jan, 2026 - 22:22

Cathal Dennehy

Cian McPhillips produced a devastating last lap to take victory over 600m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Saturday, clocking 1:16.37 ahead of former world champion Donovan Brazier (1:17.20).

It was McPhillips’ first track race since he finished fourth in the world 800m final in Tokyo last year, though he had one outing over the natural terrain last month, helping Ireland to sixth in the mixed relay at the European Cross Country in Portugal.

While McPhillips’ winning time in Boston came up shy of the Irish record of 1:15.80 set by Mark English in Abbotstown recently, the manner of his victory was striking.

The Longford native was fourth as he passed 400m in 50.80 seconds but he soon circled the field before kicking clear on the final bend. He will line up over 800m at the Millrose Games in New York next weekend.

In the men’s 3000m in Boston, Andrew Coscoran finished runner-up in 7:30.97, just shy of his Irish indoor record of 7:30.75, with victory going to Australia’s Cameron Myers in 7:27.57.

Nick Griggs again ascended to new heights by coming home fourth in 7:32.79, smashing his Irish U-23 indoor record by almost 13 seconds and moving second on the Irish indoor all-time list. Brian Fay came home 10th in 7:42.58.

Two world records fell at the meeting to US athletes, with Hobbs Kessler clocking 4:48.79 for 2000m and Josh Hoey breaking the world indoor 800m record, running 1:42.50.

Elsewhere, Bori Akinola produced a polished performance to take victory over 60m at the Meeting Indoor de Lyon in France – the UCD athlete clocking 6.65 to edge victory over an international field.

Mark English, who broke the 600m and 800m national indoor records the previous week, struggled to reproduce similar magic this time and he came home third in the 800m at the same meeting in 1:46.63, with victory going to Algeria’s Mohamed Ali Gouaned in 1:45.85.

Jodie McCann was third in the 1500m in 4:11.51, won by Switzerland’s Delia Sclabas in 4:08.67.

On Friday, Lauren Roy continued her blistering start to the year by clocking a huge 200m PB of 22.89 in Texas, moving second on the Irish all-time indoor list behind Rhasidat Adeleke.

In Philadelphia, Diarmuid O’Connor broke his own Irish heptathlon record with 5596 points.

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