Running News Daily

Age is often seen as the greatest opponent in endurance sports. Yet for François D'Haene, it has become another challenge to conquer.

The legendary French trail runner has once again etched his name into the history books after setting a new supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the iconic GR20 in Corsica. Covering approximately 160 kilometers across one of Europe's most demanding mountain trails, D'Haene completed the route in an astonishing 29 hours, 46 minutes and 20 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the elusive 30-hour barrier.

The GR20 stretches diagonally across the Mediterranean island of Corsica from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south. Renowned for its unforgiving terrain, the route features around 12,000 meters of cumulative elevation gain, with steep ascents, rocky ridges and highly technical descents that have earned it a reputation as Europe's toughest long-distance hiking and trail-running route.

D'Haene began his remarkable journey at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, and reached Conca at 10:16 a.m. the following morning, maintaining an extraordinary pace across nearly 30 hours of relentless climbing and descending. Throughout the effort, a rotating team of pacers accompanied him in accordance with supported FKT guidelines, helping him maintain his rhythm across the brutal mountain course.

His performance erased the previous supported record of 30 hours, 25 minutes, set by Corsican trail specialist Lambert Santelli in 2021. In doing so, D'Haene shaved nearly 40 minutes off a mark many believed would stand for years.

What makes the achievement even more extraordinary is the story behind it. D'Haene first claimed the GR20 record in 2016, running 31 hours and 6 minutes. Several years later, Santelli eclipsed that performance on home soil. Rather than leaving the record behind, D'Haene returned a decade later—not simply to reclaim it, but to redefine what was thought possible.

At 40 years old, he proved that experience, resilience and meticulous preparation can be just as powerful as youthful speed. While many elite endurance athletes begin to slow with age, D'Haene continues to raise the standard, delivering one of the most impressive performances of his already legendary career.

His latest triumph adds another remarkable chapter to a résumé that already includes four Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) victories, four Diagonale des Fous titles, and the Hardrock 100 counterclockwise course record. Those accomplishments alone secured his place among trail running's all-time greats. This historic return to the GR20 only strengthens that legacy.

Breaking the 30-hour barrier on one of the world's most unforgiving mountain routes is more than just another record—it is a powerful reminder that greatness is measured not only by talent, but by the willingness to return, evolve and achieve what once seemed impossible.

François D'Haene did exactly that, turning back the clock and once again proving that true champions never stop rewriting history.

Kenya secured a double podium finish in a fiercely contested men’s 3000m steeplechase final at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, with Emmanuel Lemiso Someki taking silver and Nicholas Kitum Losiwareng battling his way to bronze.

Spain’s Bakr El Asri Mohsine produced the decisive move when it mattered most, surging away in the closing stages to claim the gold medal in 8:28.35 and set a new European U20 area record.

Lemiso, the African U20 champion, had positioned himself at the front of the race and moved into the lead around the 2,300-metre mark as Kenya looked capable of producing another major championship sweep in the event.

But El Asri remained within striking distance. With two laps remaining, the Spaniard began to close the gap before unleashing a powerful finishing surge that ultimately carried him clear of Lemiso and towards the biggest victory of his young career.

Lemiso refused to surrender his position, holding on strongly for silver in a personal-best 8:32.81. It was a significant performance from the Kenyan, who converted his front-running effort into a world U20 championship medal.

Behind him, the battle for bronze delivered perhaps the most dramatic moment of the race.

Losiwareng appeared to lose valuable ground after a stumble at one of the barriers late in the race. Rather than allowing the mistake to end his medal hopes, however, the Kenyan regrouped and launched an aggressive sprint over the final 100 metres.

That charge brought him back into contention with Spain’s Martí Torregrossa. The two athletes fought all the way to the line, with Losiwareng eventually securing third in 8:38.05, just 0.08 seconds ahead of his Spanish rival.

The result gave Kenya two medals from a race that had threatened to slip away in the final stages. Lemiso’s silver and Losiwareng’s bronze also underlined the depth of Kenya’s young steeplechase talent on the international stage.

For El Asri, the victory marked a breakthrough performance, while Kenya could take considerable encouragement from placing two athletes on the podium despite missing out on the title.

The final standings were:

1. Bakr El Asri Mohsine (Spain) — 8:28.35, European U20 Area Record

2. Emmanuel Lemiso Someki (Kenya) — 8:32.81, Personal Best

3. Nicholas Kitum Losiwareng (Kenya) — 8:38.05

In a race decided by the final two laps, El Asri had the speed to take gold, Lemiso had the strength to secure silver, and Losiwareng had the resilience to fight back from adversity and complete Kenya’s double podium finish.

Keely Hodgkinson is relishing the quality of competition awaiting her in Birmingham as she prepares to defend her European 800m title and pursue an unprecedented hat-trick on home soil.

The Olympic champion arrives at the European Athletics Championships as the reigning two-time European champion over two laps, having successfully defended the title in Rome in 2024 after first winning European gold in Munich in 2022. Now, with a home crowd expected to rally behind her, Hodgkinson has another opportunity to underline her place among the leading 800m runners of her generation.

Her credentials are formidable. Hodgkinson produced the fastest race of her career at the Stockholm Diamond League, clocking 1:54.33 to break the British record and move to second on the world list for 2026. Only Austria’s Audrey Werro has gone faster this year, with her 1:53.80 placing her at the top of the rankings.

The Birmingham field also includes formidable opposition, with Femke Broeders-Bol at 1:55.60 and France’s Anaïs Bourgoin at 1:55.65, ensuring Hodgkinson will have little room for error if she is to extend her European reign.

Yet the 24-year-old Briton is not allowing the weight of expectation to overshadow what she has already achieved. Reflecting on her British-record performance in Stockholm, Hodgkinson emphasised that the mark represents the fastest she has ever run and something she wants to appreciate rather than take for granted.

“It was my fastest time ever and I’m going to remind myself of that because I’m proud of that,” Hodgkinson said.

Her perspective on the European Championships has also evolved as the standard of women’s 800m running across the continent has risen dramatically.

Looking back to the 2024 European Championships in Rome, Hodgkinson pointed to how much the event has progressed since then. She noted that the improvement in the European standard means winning a continental title now carries a significance comparable to a global championship.

“It means that a European title is just as important and just as fun as a world title at this point,” she said.

That transformation has added another layer to Hodgkinson’s challenge in Birmingham. She is not simply defending a title; she is entering an 800m environment that has become increasingly competitive, with several athletes now capable of producing times that would previously have been considered exceptional.

For Hodgkinson, however, the pressure of a home championship appears to be part of the attraction. With two European titles already secured, an Olympic gold medal in her collection and a new British record to her name, she arrives in Birmingham with both experience and ambition.

The target is clear: another European crown, another chapter in her remarkable 800m career and, potentially, a third consecutive continental title in front of a home crowd.

The men’s 1500m final at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene delivered a compelling display of young middle-distance talent, with Kenya’s Wilson Chepkwech producing a remarkable late surge to take the world junior title on August 9, 2026, at Hayward Field.

Just 16 years old, Chepkwech timed his decisive move perfectly in the closing stages. After staying within contention through the earlier laps, he unleashed a spectacular final 400 metres in 52.87 seconds, powering away from his rivals to cross the finish line in a personal-best 3:37.46.

His compatriot David Kapaiko Sekento also enjoyed an outstanding race, securing the silver medal in a personal-best 3:38.32. Sekento remained firmly in the medal battle throughout the closing stages and held on strongly to complete a Kenyan 1-2.

Morocco’s Osama Er Redouani completed the podium in 3:39.68, also setting a personal best. His bronze added an international dimension to a final in which all three medallists produced the fastest performances of their careers.

The quality of the race was reflected in the closeness of the leading trio, with less than three seconds separating the gold medallist from bronze. Chepkwech’s finishing speed ultimately proved decisive, while Sekento and Er Redouani demonstrated the competitiveness required to challenge for medals on one of the biggest stages in junior athletics.

The podium was therefore led by Wilson Chepkwech – 3:37.46 (PB), followed by David Kapaiko Sekento – 3:38.32 (PB) and Osama Er Redouani – 3:39.68 (PB).

For Chepkwech, the victory represents a significant early milestone and an indication of the potential he possesses as he continues his development. His age makes the performance particularly notable, but the strength of the final also underlined the depth of talent emerging across the international middle-distance scene.

The result brought the individual track events at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 2026 to a memorable conclusion at Hayward Field. With three athletes setting personal bests and a fiercely contested battle for the medals, the 1500m final provided an exciting showcase of the young talent that will shape the future of the event.

Kenya has a new women’s 1500m world champion at U20 level.

Josephine Sembeyo Mancha produced a composed and determined performance in Eugene to win gold at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26, ending Kenya’s long wait for another world title in the event.

Mancha crossed the finish line in 4:16.73, edging American Claire Stegall by just 0.04 seconds in one of the most dramatic finishes of the championships. Kenya’s Caren Chepchirchir completed the podium to make it a memorable double medal for the country.

The final was anything but straightforward. A cautious opening lap of roughly 78 seconds saw the athletes remain tightly bunched, creating a dangerous situation as several runners went down in a series of falls.

The chaos continued throughout the race, with a discarded spike even left on the inside of lane one for more than a lap, adding another unusual obstacle to an already unpredictable contest.

Through it all, Mancha remained patient.

Rather than becoming caught up in the disorder around her, the Kenyan kept her composure and positioned herself for the decisive moment. As the bell sounded and the race entered its final lap, the contest suddenly came alive.

Mancha unleashed her finishing speed and surged toward the line, but Stegall refused to surrender. The American launched herself forward in a desperate diving attempt at the finish, making the outcome almost impossible to separate with the naked eye.

In the end, it was Mancha who had done enough.

Josephine Sembeyo Mancha — gold, 4:16.73.

Claire Stegall — silver.

Caren Chepchirchir — bronze.

For Kenya, however, the significance of the victory goes far beyond a single race.

Mancha’s triumph ends a 14-year wait for a Kenyan women’s U20 1500m world title. The last Kenyan to achieve the feat was Faith Kipyegon, who captured the crown in 2012 before going on to build one of the greatest middle-distance careers in athletics history.

Fourteen years later, Mancha has restored Kenya to the top of the global U20 podium.

In a final defined by falls, uncertainty and a breathtaking finish, the young Kenyan showed exactly what championship racing demands: patience, resilience and the ability to produce when it matters most.

Eugene has a new 1500m champion, and Kenya has another name to remember.

Jake Wightman has been handed the honour of captaining Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, a role that carries added significance as the team prepares to compete on home soil.

For Wightman, the appointment is about much more than wearing the captain’s armband. It represents an opportunity to lead a large British team in front of a home crowd, with familiar surroundings and the support of friends, family and passionate athletics fans providing an extra source of motivation.

The British middle-distance star says the prospect of competing in a stadium the athletes know so well could give the team a powerful home advantage.

“It's a big honour to be selected as captain, especially for a home championship and for a team of this size,” Wightman said.

The Birmingham setting is particularly appealing to the athletes because it is a venue where many of them have competed repeatedly throughout their careers. Rather than facing an unfamiliar environment, they will step onto a track that already carries memories of previous competitions and major performances.

Wightman believes that familiarity, combined with the energy of a home crowd, could make the championships especially memorable for the British team.

“We’re competing in a stadium where we have all competed so many times, in front of our friends and family,” he said.

That sense of belonging could prove important when the pressure of championship competition begins to build. With medals, personal ambitions and national pride at stake, having thousands of supporters behind them could provide the athletes with an additional lift when it matters most.

For Wightman, however, the message to his teammates is refreshingly simple: embrace the occasion.

“If we could choose anywhere to compete, it would be this stadium,” he said. “It's mainly about going out, having fun and having our biggest supporters there watching.”

Wightman’s appointment also reflects the experience he brings to the British team. A major championship medallist himself, he understands the demands of competing at the highest level and the importance of maintaining confidence when the spotlight is at its brightest.

Now, as captain, he will have another responsibility — helping create an atmosphere in which Britain’s athletes can perform at their best.

With a home crowd behind them and Wightman leading the way, Great Britain and Northern Ireland will arrive in Birmingham with the opportunity to turn familiar surroundings into a genuine competitive advantage.

For the captain himself, the goal is clear: enjoy the moment, embrace the support and give everything on the track when the championships begin.