Running News Daily

Masai Russell has called time on a remarkable 2026 campaign, withdrawing from ATHLOS London and ending a season in which the Olympic champion won every race she contested.

The American hurdler confirmed the decision on September 15, just days before ATHLOS London’s September 18 meeting at StoneX Stadium. Russell said she and her team believe stepping away is the right decision for her body as they turn their attention to what comes next.

“I'm grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this year,” Russell said in her message to fans, before signing off with a promise to return to the track in 2027.

It brings an extraordinary season to a close: 14 races, 14 victories and an unbeaten record in 2026.

Russell’s season reached another level in August when she produced one of the defining performances of the year at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich. The Olympic champion stormed to 12.09 seconds in the 100m hurdles, breaking Tobi Amusan’s world record of 12.12 and becoming the fastest woman ever over the barriers.

The performance was not a one-off. Russell followed her world-record run by winning the Diamond League Final in Brussels in 12.20 seconds before heading to Budapest for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship.

In Budapest, she completed her perfect season in style, winning the 100m hurdles in 12.22 seconds ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan and the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser. The victory was Russell’s 14th of the year and secured her unbeaten record for 2026.

Her withdrawal means fans will not get to see the world-record holder compete at ATHLOS London, where she had originally been announced among the star-studded field. The event takes place at StoneX Stadium on Friday, September 18, as ATHLOS makes its first international appearance.

For Russell, however, the decision closes the chapter on a season that has already placed her among the defining figures of the 2026 athletics campaign.

She has collected Olympic, Diamond League and World Athletics Ultimate Championship success, while adding a world record that erased one of the most significant marks in women's sprint hurdles.

And perhaps most remarkably, she did it without losing a single race.

Now Russell turns her attention to recovery, preparation and whatever comes next.

After a year of 14 wins from 14 races, a world record and an unbeaten streak, the next time Masai Russell steps onto the track will be in 2027 — with the 12.09 world-record holder entering a new season carrying an entirely different level of expectation.

Botswana’s athletics community is mourning the sudden death of former national team sprinter Gaone Leaname Maotoanong, affectionately known as “Lux,” who represented his country at major international championships and played a significant role in its relay success.

The Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) announced his passing in a bereavement notice issued on October 22, 2026, paying tribute to an athlete whose dedication, talent and commitment to excellence earned him respect across the athletics fraternity. Maotoanong was born in 1991 and died in 2026.

Throughout his career, Maotoanong proudly wore Botswana’s national colours on some of the biggest stages in athletics, contributing to the country’s growing reputation in the men’s 4x400m relay. His international achievements included competing at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Relays and continental championships.

One of the standout moments of his career came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia, where he was part of Botswana’s gold-medal-winning 4x400m relay team. The victory represented a major achievement for the southern African nation and reinforced its standing among the leading relay teams on the continent.

Maotoanong also represented Botswana at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where the national 4x400m relay team reached the final and finished fifth. He subsequently featured in the country’s relay squad at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, having also competed at the 2015 edition in Beijing, China.

His experience on the global stage extended to the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas in 2015 and 2017, where Botswana’s 4x400m relay teams reached the finals. These appearances reflected his place within a generation of athletes helping Botswana establish itself as a consistent presence in international relay competition.

At continental level, Maotoanong enjoyed further success, winning gold in the 4x400m relay at the African Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2014 and again in Durban, South Africa, in 2016. He also helped Botswana secure silver in the relay at the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

His achievements were not limited to relay racing. Maotoanong demonstrated his individual ability in the 400m by winning silver at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, adding another significant accomplishment to his international career.

Beyond his appearances at major championships, he competed at the Commonwealth Games, African Games, African Championships, Diamond League meetings and numerous other international competitions, building a career defined by service to his country and commitment to athletics.

A Legacy Beyond The Track

Maotoanong’s contribution to Botswana athletics extended beyond competition. According to the BAA, he served as a member of the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) Athletes’ Commission from 2022 to 2025, where he contributed to efforts to advance athletes’ interests and welfare.

The role reflected another dimension of his involvement in sport, demonstrating a commitment to athlete representation and sports development beyond his own performances on the track.

In its tribute, the BAA remembered Maotoanong as an athlete, leader, mentor and friend whose contributions had left a lasting mark on Botswana athletics. The association also extended its condolences to his family, friends, teammates and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

His passing represents a profound loss for Botswana’s sporting community, particularly those who shared in the country’s relay achievements and witnessed his dedication to representing the national team. His legacy will remain part of the story of Botswana’s development as a force in African and international athletics.

As tributes emerge, Maotoanong will be remembered not only for the medals and championships he helped his country achieve, but also for his service to fellow athletes and his contribution to the wider sporting fraternity.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated by the Botswana Athletics Association in due course.

Gaone “Lux” Maotoanong’s name will endure in Botswana athletics as a reminder of a career spent representing his country with pride, both on the track and in service to the athletes who followed.

Ethiopian marathon star Ruti Aga has been handed a six-year suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for methylprednisolone and being found guilty of tampering with an anti-doping investigation by submitting a forged medical document.

The former Tokyo Marathon champion tested positive for the prohibited substance after winning the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in China on March 15, 2026, in a time of 1:08:04. At the time, Aga was ranked 11th in the world, reflecting her standing among the leading marathon runners internationally.

Methylprednisolone is a glucocorticoid classified under Class S9 of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List. It is prohibited in competition, and its detection prompted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding its use.

However, the case became considerably more serious when investigators examined Aga’s explanation for the substance’s presence in her sample. The Ethiopian athlete said she had taken the medication as part of treatment for a knee injury and submitted a prescription that she claimed had been issued by a medical clinic.

According to the AIU’s findings, the clinic named in the document did not exist. The individual identified as the prescribing doctor was a family member who was not registered to practise medicine. When questioned, the family member reportedly said they had used an old prescription pad from a former workplace.

That workplace subsequently confirmed that the individual had never worked there and that the prescription pad did not belong to the institution. The AIU, working with the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Authority, established that the medical document was forged.

The investigation also found that Aga had provided false information during an AIU interview on April 21, 2026, before submitting the disputed medical document on May 4. The findings resulted in a separate tampering charge in addition to the original anti-doping violation.

The AIU imposed a two-year suspension for the presence and use of a specified substance and a further four years for tampering with the investigation. The combined penalties resulted in a six-year ban, with Aga ineligible to compete until September 10, 2032, when she will be 38 years old.

The sanction marks a major setback for a runner whose career has included victories and podium finishes at some of the world's most prestigious road races.

Aga won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019, following a series of outstanding performances on the World Marathon Majors circuit. Between 2016 and 2019, she collected six podium finishes at the major marathons, including second-place finishes in Berlin in 2017 and 2018, second place in Tokyo in 2018, third place in Berlin in 2016 and third place in New York City in 2019.

She has not competed at a World Marathon Major since 2022, but continued to achieve success elsewhere on the international road-running circuit.

Between 2023 and 2026, Aga recorded five marathon victories across Dongying, Daegu, Xiamen and Hangzhou, including back-to-back wins at the Xiamen Marathon in 2025 and 2026. She also finished runner-up twice in Dubai and once in Sydney, maintaining a strong presence in elite marathon competition.

Her personal best of 2:18:09 further underlines the level at which she has competed throughout her career.

Despite those achievements, the six-year suspension places her future in the sport in serious doubt. If she returns when the ban expires in September 2032, Aga will be 38 and will have spent six years away from competition under the sanction.

The case also serves as a reminder that anti-doping proceedings extend beyond laboratory results. Athletes are expected to comply with anti-doping rules throughout an investigation, and attempts to mislead investigators or submit forged evidence can result in additional sanctions beyond those imposed for the original violation.

For Aga, the ruling brings a difficult chapter to a career that once saw her among the world's leading marathon runners, with her Tokyo victory and years of international success now overshadowed by one of the most consequential disciplinary cases of her career.

At 81, Spanish endurance runner Juan López García is challenging conventional ideas about ageing, proving that extraordinary athletic achievements can emerge long after most people believe their sporting years are behind them. In 2025, López clocked an astonishing 4:47:39 for 50 kilometres, reportedly shattering the men's 80-and-over world record by nearly 50 minutes.

Known affectionately as “Super López,” the Spaniard has become an extraordinary example of late-life athletic development. His story is even more remarkable because he did not spend his youth chasing medals or building a career in competitive running. Instead, he spent decades working as a mechanic in Toledo, Spain, fixing engines and earning his living before discovering his own remarkable endurance potential in retirement.

López did not begin running until he was 66, and he did not enter his first race until he was 70. What started as a simple way to stay active gradually developed into a passion that would transform his life. Rather than accepting the limitations commonly associated with advancing age, he continued training, racing and discovering what his body could achieve.

His journey offers a powerful reminder that sporting potential does not always emerge early. Sometimes, it takes decades of life experience before a person discovers an ability they never knew they possessed.

The scale of his achievement became even clearer when researchers examined his physiology. In a scientific study published in Frontiers in Physiology, López recorded a maximum oxygen uptake, or VO₂ max, of 52.8 millilitres per kilogram per minute. This measures the body's ability to take in and use oxygen during intense exercise and is a key indicator of aerobic fitness. Researchers described the value as the highest they knew of in an individual over 80, comparable to the 70th percentile among healthy men aged 20 to 30.

His other physiological measurements were equally remarkable. López reached his lactate threshold at 10.5 kilometres per hour, precisely the average speed he maintained during his record-breaking 50K. His maximum fat oxidation rate was measured at 0.55 grams per minute, achieved at 84 per cent of his VO₂ max. Researchers also found evidence of exceptionally well-preserved muscle oxygen utilisation, helping explain how he could sustain such a demanding effort for nearly five hours.

López's performance was no accident. Reports indicate that he runs between approximately 65 and 120 kilometres per week, training across six days and incorporating faster sessions alongside endurance work. His approach reflects the discipline of his former profession: consistency, attention to detail and a willingness to keep working towards a goal. Although genetics undoubtedly contribute to his extraordinary physiology, his training demonstrates the potential for endurance fitness to develop well into later life.

His achievements extend beyond ultrarunning. In 2024, López ran the marathon in 3:39:10, establishing a European record in the men's 80-and-over category. He has also claimed the world marathon title in his age group, further underlining his remarkable versatility across long-distance events.

What makes López's story so compelling is not simply the time he ran or the records he broke. It is the fact that his journey began when many people would consider their opportunity for competitive sport long gone. He did not grow up dreaming of world records, nor did he spend his younger years building an elite running career. He discovered the sport in retirement and gradually transformed a simple recreational activity into an extraordinary pursuit of endurance.

His case also offers valuable lessons for sports science. Ageing inevitably brings physiological changes, but regular physical activity can help preserve cardiovascular fitness, muscle function and the body's ability to use oxygen efficiently. López's results cannot be expected of every older athlete, and his individual genetics may play an important role. Nevertheless, his example provides researchers with a rare opportunity to understand how training and exceptional physiology can combine to support high-level endurance performance in advanced age.

At 81, Juan López García was not merely participating in sport to stay active. He was running 50 kilometres at an average pace of approximately 5:45 per kilometre, demonstrating a level of endurance that would challenge many younger runners. His story is a powerful reminder that age does not have to mark the end of ambition, discovery or physical achievement.

For anyone who believes they have waited too long to start running, the Spanish mechanic offers an extraordinary example. He began at 66, entered his first race at 70 and went on to produce one of the most remarkable age-group performances in endurance running.

Super López did not spend his life chasing youth. He discovered running late, committed himself to the process and continued to push his limits. At 81, his message is unmistakable: it is never too late to begin, and sometimes the most extraordinary chapter of an athletic life comes when nobody expects it.

Ethiopia’s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola delivered a sensational performance at the 2026 Bank of China Beijing Marathon, storming to victory in 2:03:10 on Sunday, October 18, to set a new course record and establish the fastest marathon time ever recorded on Chinese soil.

Tola produced a commanding display in the Chinese capital, becoming the first man to break 2:04 at the Beijing Marathon. His remarkable performance demolished the previous course record of 2:07:06 by almost four minutes, underlining his position among the world’s leading marathon runners.

The Ethiopian star also surpassed the previous reported best marathon time on Chinese soil of 2:05:34, set by a Kenyan runner in Shanghai in 2023, ushering in a new era for marathon running in China with his outstanding 2:03:10 performance.

The 2026 Beijing Marathon and National Marathon Championships attracted approximately 32,000 runners, transforming the streets of the Chinese capital into a celebration of distance running. The race began near the iconic Tian’anmen Square before heading towards the Olympic Park, with elite athletes and amateur runners setting off together under the same starting gun on a beautiful autumn morning.

More than 23,000 participants, representing over 70 per cent of the field, travelled from outside Beijing, highlighting the event’s national appeal and its ability to bring together runners from across China and beyond. The combination of world-class competition and mass participation made the marathon a major sporting occasion, with Tola’s record-breaking run providing the standout performance of the day.

Over more than four decades, the Beijing Marathon has evolved through changing courses, growing participation and increasingly impressive performances. However, its connection to the Chinese capital’s distinctive identity remains unchanged. Known as the “Dual Olympic City” for hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics, Beijing once again provided a memorable stage for an event that combined elite athletics, community participation and the beauty of the city in autumn.

Ethiopia completed a clean sweep of the men’s podium, demonstrating the country’s remarkable depth in marathon running. Muktar Edris finished second in 2:04:34, while Adane Kebede Gebre took third place in 2:05:10, giving Ethiopia all three top positions in a high-quality international field.

China’s Dalin Li led the home contingent in fourth place in 2:08:30, followed by compatriot Tianyu Chen in fifth in 2:09:09. Fakun Jiang finished sixth in 2:09:29, while Yunce Xie secured seventh in 2:09:47. Jinh u Mao placed eighth in 2:10:39, Shaohui Yang finished ninth in 2:10:42, and Ciren Zhaxi completed the men’s top 10 in 2:11:13, rounding off a competitive race dominated by Ethiopia at the front and featuring a strong Chinese presence among the leading finishers.

Tola, the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon champion, arrived in Beijing with high expectations and delivered emphatically. His performance not only rewrote the course record but also established a new benchmark for marathon racing in China, making the 2026 edition a landmark moment for the event.

Anchinalu Dessie Leads Ethiopian Success in Women’s Race

Ethiopia also celebrated victory in the women’s race, with Anchinalu Dessie Genaneh taking the title in 2:20:36 after an impressive performance over the 42.195-kilometre distance.

Dessie’s victory gave Ethiopia a memorable double at the Beijing Marathon, with the East African nation claiming the top spot in both elite races. China’s Cuomu Ciren finished second in 2:23:48 to lead the home challenge, while compatriot Ying Lu secured third place in 2:24:24.

The women’s race also showcased considerable depth, with nine athletes finishing inside 2:30:00. Qing Zhu placed fourth in 2:27:26, followed by Yuyu Xia in 2:27:33. North Korea’s Hye-Song Kim finished sixth in 2:28:14, ahead of Shuangshuang Xu in 2:28:25 and Yiting Yang in 2:28:47. Hongmei Jiang took ninth in 2:29:56, while Yi Tian completed the top 10 in 2:30:31.

The 2026 Beijing Marathon will be remembered for Tola’s extraordinary course-record victory, Ethiopia’s dominance in the men’s race and the country’s success in the women’s contest. With tens of thousands of participants filling the streets, the event once again demonstrated the power of marathon running to unite elite athletes and everyday runners in one of the world’s most historic cities.

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon weekend will get an early burst of elite racing when a stacked field of national champions, established distance runners and emerging talents line up for the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K on Saturday, October 31.

With the world’s biggest marathon taking place the following day, the popular Central Park race promises to deliver a thrilling showcase of speed and depth, bringing together elite athletes from the United States and several other countries ahead of Sunday’s main event.

The men’s field features a formidable international lineup, led by Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat, whose personal best of 12:57.52 places him among the fastest entrants. Fellow Kenyan Amon Kemboi, with a best of 12:58.51, adds further strength to the field, setting the stage for a potentially exciting contest over the five-kilometre distance.

Australia’s Morgan McDonald, boasting a personal best of 13:00.48, is another major contender, while American Anthony Camerieri enters with a best of 13:04.07. Other notable names include Jackson Sharp of Australia, American Bob Liking and Reid Buchanan, Latvia’s Arturs Medveds, H abtom Samuel of Eritrea, and American Luke Tewalt.

The women’s race is equally compelling, featuring a deep field packed with American talent and international challengers. Josette Andrews headlines the entries with an impressive personal best of 14:25.37, while Annie Rodenfels, whose best stands at 15:00.64, adds further quality to the American contingent.

Bailey Hertenstein and Elly Henes are also among the leading entrants, with personal bests of 14:48.91 and 14:47.15, respectively. Great Britain’s Alex Millard, with a best of 15:02.64, provides international competition, while Whittni Morgan, Ednah Kurgat, Katelyn Tuohy, Rachael R udel, Madie Boreman and Ella Donaghu strengthen an impressive domestic lineup.

Kenya will also be represented in the women’s race by Hilda Olemomoi, whose personal best of 14:52.84 makes her one of the athletes to watch. With several runners capable of producing a fast performance, the battle for the podium could be fiercely contested.

Beyond the individual names, the event offers a compelling opportunity for elite athletes to test their speed on one of the most prominent stages of New York’s running calendar. The short, fast-paced contest also provides fans with a chance to see some of the sport’s leading distance runners in action before marathon Sunday.

The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K will take place through Central Park on Halloween, Saturday, October 31, one day before the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1.

With national champions, international contenders and promising rising stars all in the mix, the race is shaping up to be a major highlight of an action-packed marathon weekend in New York City.