Kishane Thompson Makes His Ambitions Clear Ahead of 2026 Indoor Debut in Sweden

Reigning world 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson is set to headline the BAUHAUS-galan Indoor on January 22, promising one of the most anticipated international sprint battles of the winter season.

In Stockholm, Kishane Thompson will go head-to-head with reigning world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu and European all-time No. 5 Samuele Ceccarelli.

The women's 60m will be equally star-studded, featuring Jamaican sprint sensations and World Championship medallists Tina and Tia Clayton.

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"I’m really looking forward to a great competition," Kishane Thompson said before the race, as quoted by Watch Athletics.

Never before has Sweden hosted a men's 60m race with such a high-calibre field. Spectators in Stockholm will have the rare opportunity to see Thompson, currently the fastest man on the planet, compete in only his second-ever indoor race.

"This will be my first competition in Stockholm, and I’m really excited to open my season there," he added. "I’ve heard the field is strong and the crowd is fantastic, so I’m expecting a great race."

The 24-year-old Jamaican burst onto the global scene last year, clocking a stunning 9.75 in the 100m, the fastest time in a decade.

Despite being hailed as the ‘next Usain Bolt,’ Kishane Thompson has secured silver medals at both the 2024 Olympics and the 2025 World Championships.

His sole indoor 60m performance was a 6.56-second run in Astana a year ago, suggesting a spectacular performance is on the cards.

The lineup also includes confirmed stars like world indoor champion Azu, Italy's Ceccarelli, Britain's Jody Smith, and American Lawrence Johnson.

Ceccarelli holds the fifth-fastest time in European history (6.47), while Smith's 6.52 this winter ranks among the world's best this season.

"This will undoubtedly be one of the hottest duels of the international indoor season," said event director Jan Kowalski. "We’re extremely proud to welcome a star of Kishane Thompson’s calibre in such incredible form."

Sweden's Isak Hughes (PB 6.74) will compete on home soil, though Henrik Larsson is sidelined with an injury. The deep field also features Ali Anwar Al Balushi (Oman), Ippei Takeda (Japan), Coby Hilton (USA), Romell Glave (Great Britain), Rohan Watson (Jamaica), Jan Volko (Slovakia), and Simon Verherstraeten (Belgium).

In the women's sprint, 21-year-old twins Tina and Tia Clayton are already established as two of the most exciting names in athletics. Both were part of Jamaica's silver medal-winning relay team at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

"I’m really looking forward to competing in Stockholm," said Tina Clayton. "It will be my first indoor competition there, and I understand the field will be strong. Let’s see what happens next!"

Representing Sweden will be Julia Henriksson and Nora Lindahl, both of whom competed at the Tokyo World Championships. Lindahl has a 60m best of 7.30, while Henriksson, the Swedish 100m and 200m champion, boasts a personal best of 7.22.

The middle-distance events will also feature top-tier talent, with one of the world's most promising athletes, Birke Haylom, arriving in Stockholm with high hopes.

"I feel like I’m in top shape," Haylom declared. "I’m going to Stockholm to do something special and try to make history."

Meanwhile, Swedish record holder Andreas Kramer will open his season in an unusual 1500m race, setting up a thrilling duel with Norwegian prodigy Håkon Moe Berg.

"I feel like I want revenge," said Kramer, a two-time major championship silver medallist. After a strong 2025 season that included another sub-1:44 800m run and a new Swedish 1000m record, his World Championship ambitions were derailed by illness. He is now focused on 2026, with the European Championships in Birmingham as his primary target.

The BAUHAUS-galan Indoor, held at Sätrahallen on January 22, is the first major indoor athletics event in Sweden since the Globen Gala concluded in 2017.

The meet has already achieved World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver status, offering valuable ranking points and enhanced qualification opportunities for major championships.