2023-07-05
Josh Hoey had said he was excited to take a shot at the world 800m short track record in Boston and he was right on target as he clocked 1:42.50* to improve the 28-year-old mark at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix – the first World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting of the season – on Saturday (24).
Seven weeks on from setting a world 600m short track best, also in Boston, the US world indoor champion made more history as he took 0.17 off the world record of 1:42.67 set by Wilson Kipketer at the World Indoor Championships in Paris in 1997.
Hoey went into the race as the second-fastest indoor 800m runner of all time thanks to the North American record of 1:43.24 he ran at the US Indoor Championships in New York last year. But paced by his brother Jaxson, he leapt to the top of that all-time list, winning the race by more than two seconds.
Jaxson led his brother through the first 200m in 24.81 before 400m was reached in 50.21. Jaxson then stepped aside and Josh passed 600m in 1:16.19, holding on to cross the finish line in 1:42.50.
“We did a lot of pacing work,” said Josh, reflecting on his preparations for the race. “Just kind of kept steadily improving, taking it week by week, block by block, and we were able to make
this work.”
A world best had been set earlier in the programme, USA’s 2024 world indoor 1500m bronze medallist Hobbs Kessler clocking 4:48.79 to break the 2000m short track world best of 4:49.99 set by Kenenisa Bekele almost 19 years ago.
World short track 3000m record-holder Grant Fisher also dipped under the old world best, finishing second in 4:49.48.
[World Athletics]
US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if the country strikes a trade deal with China.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.,” Trump said on Truth Social.
It is unclear what deal Trump is referring to in his social media post. Last week, Canada’s Prime Minister Carney announced a strategic partnership with China, and agreed to reduce tariffs.
At the time, Trump called the move “a good thing”. But tensions between the US and Canada have grown in recent days, after Carney said in a speech in Davos that the US-led world order had been ruptured.
Carney also urged other “middle powers” to band together in the face of economic coercion by “greater powers”, though he did not mention Trump by name.
Trump responded to the remarks in his own speech the next day, saying: “Canada lives because of the United States.”
The US president also withdrew an invitation for Canada to join his new Board of Peace.
On Saturday, Trump said in his social media post that if Carney “thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken”.
The BBC has contacted the White House and Carney’s office for comment.
Canada’s US trade minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a statement: “There is no pursuit of a free trade deal with China.”
“What was achieved was resolution on several important tariff issues.”
LeBlanc said the government was focused on building a stronger Canadian economy and strengthening trade partnerships “throughout the world”.
Canada has been seeking to diversify trade away from the US, its largest trade partner, following the uncertainty caused by Trump’s on-again-off-again tariffs.
Under the agreement reached between Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, China will lower levies on Canadian canola oil from 85% to 15% by March, while Canada will tax Chinese EVs at the most-favoured-nation rate, 6.1% – down from 100%.
The deal was seen as a breakthrough after years of strained ties and tit-for-tat tariffs, and could see more Chinese investments in Canada.
Carney said the progress made with China sets Canada up “well for the new world order”.
[BBC]
Weather
Showers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 25 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 25 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the early hours of the morning.
Showers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Several spells of showers may occur in the North-western province. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere after 2.00 p.m.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Josh Hoey breaks world 800m short track record with 1:42.50 in Boston
Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariffs if it ‘makes a deal with China’
Showers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Engineers draw red line as CEBEU warns of union action over appointed date
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