The Seiko Golden Grand Prix returned to Tokyo’s National Stadium on May 17, bringing with it a host of notable performances as athletes began to find their feet for the 2026 outdoor season. Noah Lyles made his 100m debut this year, breaking records in the women’s 3,000m and 400m, and Japan had a night to remember on home soil.
Lyles opens with 9.95 in Tokyo
The main event was Noah Lyles’ return to the field where he won the 200m and fourx100m titles last September. The Olympic and multiple world champion competed in his first 100m race of the season, running 10.05 in his heat before improving to 9.95 (+0.6 m/s) in the final to take the win.
Two 18-year-olds filled the secondary positions. American Tate Taylor took second place with a time of 10.04 seconds, while Briton Jake Oddie-Jordan took third place with a time of 10.09 seconds, a result that will attract a lot of attention given his age.
Lyles was then measured in his evaluation.
“I’m happy with the race, I’m happy with the time I had. It wasn’t my fastest race, but it was definitely in the top five quickest season openers, so I would say it was very worth the trip and I’m excited to have it in a fun place like Tokyo.”
American runners dominate
Lyles wasn’t the only American to win. World indoor 60m champion Jordan Anthony won the 200m in a time of 20.05 seconds, against a headwind of 1.3 meters per second, beating Courtney Lindsay (20.28 seconds) with a strong finish. World 400m hurdles champion Ray Benjamin, in his first race since the World Championships, won the flat 400m in a time of 44.69 seconds, edging Zambian Olympic bronze medalist Muzala Samukunga (44.83) by 0.14 in a tight battle on home turf.
“I think I could have done a better execution, but this is the first one,” Benjamin said. “I feel happy to win and play a good match in front of a good crowd.”
Meeting records fall
Britain’s Yemi-Marie John put in one of the performances of the night, smashing her personal best in the women’s 400m from 50.50 to 49.85 to set a new meet record. The World and Olympic relay medalist said the Tokyo track played its part.
“It was always a fast race because I know the Tokyo track is very nice. I was hoping for a fast race, great energy and a great atmosphere.”
The men’s 3000 meters produced an impressive Japanese sweep and national record. Nagya Mori led the way with a time of 7:38.98, breaking Suguru Osako’s 2014 national record of 7:40.09, and he was followed by Ryoto Egawa with a time of 7:39.36, and Yu Shibata with a time of 7:39.51, three men short of the old national record in the same race. Kenya’s Janet Jepkoch won the women’s 3,000 meters with a time of 8:39.24 minutes.
Other results to note
- 110m hurdles: Japan’s Tatsuki Abe won with a time of 13.26 (-0.2 m/s), ahead of American Connor Shulman (13.33).
- 100m hurdles: US indoor champion Aliyah Armstrong won with a time of 12.75 (-0.9 m/s), beating Japanese champion Yumi Tanaka (12.81).
- 400m hurdles: Turkey’s Ismail Nazir ran a record 48.25 to win on the track on which the world record was set at the Tokyo Olympics.
- spear for men: Czech Jakub Vadeljic opened his season with a distance of 85.24 metres, his farthest throw since Paris.
- Women’s Javelin: Rima Otabor (Bahamas) won with 61.57m; Japanese Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi placed fifth (60.36m) in her first competition since the World Championships.
- Men’s long jump: Japanese Yuki Hashioka jumps 8.22 m (+1.9 m/s)
- Men’s high jump: Su Shibuya (JP) won the countback with a first-time PB clearance of 2.24m
Looking forward
The Seiko Golden Grand Prix was the third gold meeting of the World Athletics Continental Tour for the 2026 season. The Diamond League continues to build towards the peak months, with Grant Fisher and Nico Young already confirming their participation in the Oslo 5000m on June 10, where they will face world-class competition including Beriho Aregawi and European record holder Andreas Almgren.
