Running News Daily

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.

Kenyan distance runner Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi is set to make his long-awaited marathon debut at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, October 18, stepping up to the 42.195-kilometre distance for the first time in what promises to be a high-quality international field.

Lasoi arrives in Amsterdam with an impressive credential over the half marathon, having clocked a personal best of 58:10. His transition to the marathon will therefore be one of the major storylines to follow as he takes on a distance more than twice as demanding as the half marathon.

The 26-year-old Kenyan will face a formidable lineup that includes several athletes with marathon personal bests below 2:05. Leading the field is compatriot Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba, the defending champion and current Amsterdam course-record holder after his 2:03:30 victory last year. Kipchumba will return to the Dutch capital looking to defend his title and challenge his own record.

Ethiopia's Haymanot Alew is another major name on the start list, boasting a 2:03:31 personal best from Berlin in 2024, just one second outside Kipchumba's Amsterdam course record.

His compatriot Tsegaye Getachew will also return to a race where he has enjoyed considerable success. Getachew won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2022 and 2024 before finishing second last year in a personal-best 2:04:18.

The field also features Ethiopian marathoner Lemi Berhanu, who owns a personal best of 2:04:33, while Israel's Maru Teferi brings a 2:04:44 personal best set in Valencia in 2024.

With the Amsterdam course known for its fast profile and the race carrying a World Athletics Platinum Label, the stage is set for another potentially fast edition. The marathon starts at the Olympic Stadium, with the course taking runners past landmarks including the Rijksmuseum, along the Amstel River and through Vondelpark before returning to the Olympic Stadium for the finish.

For Lasoi, however, the focus will be on answering one intriguing question: how will his exceptional half-marathon speed translate over the full marathon distance?

His debut will provide the first major indication of his potential at 42.195 kilometres, while placing him alongside an experienced group of elite marathoners capable of producing world-class performances.

The confirmed names currently include Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi, Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba, Haymanot Alew, Tsegaye Getachew, Lemi Berhanu and Maru Teferi, setting up a fascinating international contest in Amsterdam on October 18.

At 103 years old, Germaine Smith has delivered an extraordinary reminder that age does not have to stand in the way of pursuing remarkable goals after completing the Fox Cities Half Marathon in Wisconsin in an impressive time of 2:04:40.

Smith captured attention with her inspiring performance, beginning the race in a wheelchair before getting out and completing part of the 13.1-mile course on foot. Her determination to keep moving forward made her achievement particularly memorable, turning an ordinary race day into a powerful story of perseverance and resilience.

The centenarian's finish was about far more than the time displayed on the clock. At an age when many people have long since stepped away from physically demanding activities, Smith demonstrated a remarkable willingness to remain active and embrace the challenge of completing a half marathon.

Her participation in the Fox Cities Half Marathon offered a powerful reminder that running and movement can remain meaningful at every stage of life. While the race brought together athletes pursuing personal records and competitive goals, Smith's journey stood out for the determination and courage behind her finish.

Completing 13.1 miles at 103 is an extraordinary accomplishment, and her decision to cover part of the course on foot made the moment even more special.

Smith's remarkable achievement is a celebration of the human spirit, showing that the finish line is not always about speed, but also about determination, courage, and the willingness to keep moving forward.

Her story also highlights the inclusive spirit of distance running, where participants of different ages and abilities can share the same course while pursuing their own personal goals. For Smith, the experience was a reminder that taking part in a race can be just as meaningful as competing for a podium position.

At an age when every milestone carries a special significance, Smith's accomplishment offers an uplifting message to people of all generations. Her journey demonstrates that determination and a love for physical activity can continue to inspire others, regardless of age or athletic background.

Beyond the finish line, her achievement serves as a source of encouragement for anyone who has ever questioned whether they are too old to take on a new challenge. Smith's remarkable effort shows that personal victories come in many forms and that the courage to participate can be just as powerful as the achievement itself.

At 103, Germaine Smith has shown that the joy of taking on a challenge has no age limit.

The TCS New York City Marathon is set for a small but significant change to its iconic 26.2-mile course, with runners facing a revised section in the Bronx between Miles 20 and 21.

For 15 years, every New York City Marathon runner passed through the exact same stretch of the Bronx around Mile 20, navigating a short loop that surrounded a neighborhood supermarket and a 24-hour laundromat for much of race day. This November, that familiar loop will disappear.

New York Road Runners (NYRR) is making its first course change to the marathon in 15 years. Instead of looping near East 140th Street, runners will head north on Alexander Avenue, turn onto Third Avenue and then cut south on 138th Street toward the Madison Avenue Bridge.

The adjustment removes two turns from the Bronx section, reducing the number from seven to five. While that may sound insignificant for a race covering 26.2 miles, the change comes at a point when runners are already deep into the marathon and every turn, road surface and change in rhythm can become more noticeable.

However, the primary reason for the change is not to make the course faster or help runners shave seconds from their finishing times.

Bronx resident Jennifer Alicea told The New York Times that the previous route made it extremely difficult to reach her only nearby grocery store on marathon day. NYRR's Metellus, who grew up in the Bronx, described the affected blocks as food deserts and saw the course's required recertification as an opportunity to address the problem.

The timing also carries added significance. This year marks 50 years since the New York City Marathon expanded beyond Central Park in 1976, becoming the five-borough race that has since grown into one of the world's most famous marathons.

The route will still cover the same 26.2 miles through New York's five boroughs, but the Bronx experience will be slightly different. For elite athletes, two fewer turns could mean a smoother rhythm during the crucial closing stages. For thousands of recreational runners, the bigger difference may be felt by the communities living along the course rather than on the race clock.

The New York City Marathon has long been celebrated not only for its elite competition but also for the connection between the race and the communities it passes through. The latest adjustment reflects that relationship, showing how even an established course can evolve while preserving the character of the event.

So, two fewer turns, the same five boroughs and the same 26.2 miles — but potentially one less headache for residents of the Bronx.

For runners taking on New York this November, the question remains: will you even notice those two fewer turns when you reach Mile 20? 

Alison dos Santos carries visible scars on his forehead and parts of his body, but behind them lies a remarkable story of survival that has become an important part of his journey in athletics.

When he was just 10 months old, the Brazilian suffered severe third-degree burns after boiling oil spilled onto him. The accident left permanent scars and could easily have changed the course of his life before it had even begun.

He survived the ordeal, and as he grew older, the scars became a visible reminder of an accident he had endured as a baby. For much of his childhood, they also brought unwanted attention and insecurity. But eventually, athletics gave him something far more powerful: confidence, purpose and an opportunity to define himself through his talent rather than his scars.

That transformation took him all the way to the world's biggest sporting stages.

Dos Santos announced himself among the world's elite 400m hurdlers with an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo 2020, clocking 46.72 seconds. In 2022, he reached another milestone by becoming world champion, confirming himself as one of the leading figures in an event that had entered an extraordinary era.

Two years later, he added another Olympic bronze medal in Paris, continuing to establish himself among the very best 400m hurdlers on the planet.

Then came Zürich.

On August 27, 2026, dos Santos delivered the race that changed his place in history. He stormed to 45.80 seconds, breaking Karsten Warholm's five-year-old world record of 45.94 and becoming the first man in history to run under 46 seconds twice.

The moment carried another layer of significance because Warholm was in the race. The Norwegian had established the previous world record in the unforgettable Tokyo Olympic final in 2021, a race in which dos Santos himself had won bronze. Five years later, the Brazilian returned to the same record-breaking narrative — this time as the man rewriting history.

But dos Santos was not finished.

Just over two weeks after his historic run in Zürich, he travelled to Budapest for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, where the world's leading 400m hurdlers assembled for another highly anticipated showdown.

On September 13, dos Santos once again stood at the centre of the action. He produced another extraordinary performance, winning the men's 400m hurdles in 45.98 seconds and successfully defending his position at the top of an event filled with heavyweight names.

Rai Benjamin finished second in 46.40, while Warholm took third in 46.78. Dos Santos had once again beaten two of the athletes most closely associated with the modern history of the 400m hurdles.

The 45.98 also made him the first athlete to break 46 seconds twice, while ranking as the third-fastest performance ever recorded in the event at the time. His world record of 45.80 remained firmly at the top.

His latest victory therefore added another remarkable chapter to a season that had already produced a world record and a string of elite performances. Dos Santos has combined speed, consistency and resilience to turn 2026 into one of the defining seasons of his career.

And perhaps that is what makes his story so compelling. The hurdles he clears today are visible to the world, but some of the hardest obstacles he has overcome were faced long before he ever entered a stadium. His scars tell the story of what happened to him as a child; his achievements tell the story of what he chose to become.

The scars never disappeared. Neither did the determination of the boy who survived them.

Today, Alison dos Santos is not defined by the accident that marked his childhood. He is defined by the athlete he became — an Olympic medallist, a world champion, a world-record holder and now the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate champion in the 400m hurdles.

From surviving a devastating accident as an infant to standing on the highest level of his event, Piu has spent his life clearing hurdles — long before he ever started racing over them.

Eilish McColgan is set to return to the streets of London on Sunday, September 27, 2026 with history firmly within her sights as she bids to claim a record-breaking fourth Vitality London 10,000 title.

The British distance star will line up in the capital looking to add another chapter to her impressive record at the event. A fourth victory would make McColgan the outright most successful female winner in the race’s history.

McColgan arrives as the defending champion after producing a superb performance last season. She stopped the clock at 30:35 to take victory, finishing ahead of Jessica Warner-Judd and Alex Bell.

That triumph gave McColgan her third London 10,000 crown, putting her level with the existing record for most women’s victories. She now has the opportunity to move clear and establish a new benchmark.

Her latest challenge comes after another busy period on the road. McColgan returned to racing at the Big Half before competing at the Great North Run, continuing her preparations for another major 10km outing in the British capital.

The London 10,000 has become a particularly successful fixture in McColgan’s career, and she will once again be among the leading names expected to fight for the women’s title.

Standing between her and history will be a competitive field, including familiar rivals such as Warner-Judd, who finished runner-up to McColgan last year.

For McColgan, though, the objective is clear: another victory would not simply add another title to her collection. It would make her the sole record holder for women’s victories at the Vitality London 10,000.

With three wins already secured, all eyes will be on McColgan as she chases a fourth crown and another memorable achievement on the streets of London.