Running News Daily

The International Olympic Committee has unveiled a significant and highly consequential policy direction for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, introducing new eligibility criteria that would restrict participation in the women’s category to biological females.

At the center of the proposed framework is a “once-in-a-lifetime” sex verification process, designed to establish eligibility with scientific certainty. According to the guidelines, this screening would involve testing for the presence of the SRY gene — a genetic marker typically linked to male biological development. The intention, the IOC suggests, is to create a clear and consistent standard that governs entry into women’s competition across all Olympic disciplines.

The policy is expected to apply broadly, encompassing both transgender athletes and competitors with differences in sexual development (DSD). However, the framework does not amount to a blanket exclusion from sport. Instead, athletes who do not meet the specified criteria would remain eligible to compete in alternative categories or classifications aligned with their profiles, though details of these pathways are yet to be fully clarified.

This announcement represents one of the most defining moments in modern Olympic governance, arriving amid an increasingly complex global debate surrounding fairness, inclusion, and competitive integrity. For years, international sport has grappled with how to balance evolving understandings of gender identity with the foundational principles of level competition — a challenge that has produced varied approaches across federations.

By moving toward a standardized model, the IOC appears to be seeking greater uniformity ahead of 2028. Yet, the decision is unlikely to settle the debate. Instead, it is poised to intensify scrutiny from athletes, scientists, human rights advocates, and sporting bodies worldwide, all of whom bring differing perspectives to an issue that sits at the intersection of science, ethics, and identity.

As preparations for Los Angeles continue, attention will now turn to how this policy is implemented in practice — and how it shapes the Olympic landscape. Whether viewed as a step toward clarity or a source of further contention, its impact will be profound, influencing not only who competes, but how the very concept of fairness in elite sport is defined for years to come.

Italy’s Sofia Fiorini produced a stunning performance in Birmingham on Saturday, rewriting the women’s marathon race walk world record while cruising to European Championships gold in emphatic fashion.

Fiorini crossed the finish line in 3:15:11, smashing the existing world-record benchmark of 3:17:00 and delivering the defining performance of her young career. The mark remains subject to the usual ratification procedures.

The 21-year-old Italian controlled the race with remarkable authority before making a decisive move inside the final 10 kilometres. From there, she opened an unbridgeable gap and powered away from the chasing pack to secure the European title in spectacular style.

Her winning margin was more than four and a half minutes, underlining just how dominant Fiorini was over the marathon distance. Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo took silver, while Spain’s Raquel González completed the podium with bronze in 3:20:49.

Fiorini’s breakthrough comes just four months after she claimed silver at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Brasília. There, she set a European U23 record of 3:25:42, finishing behind Ecuador’s Paula Milena Torres.

That performance had already established Fiorini as one of the emerging forces in the new marathon race walk discipline. In Birmingham, however, she took another extraordinary leap forward, improving her personal best by more than 10 minutes and moving herself into the history books with a world-record performance.

For Italy, it was a remarkable statement of strength on the European stage. For Fiorini, it was the perfect combination of endurance, confidence and tactical precision — a commanding victory that transformed her from a rising talent into a world-record holder.

Sofia Fiorini: European champion, world-record holder and the undisputed queen of the Birmingham marathon race walk.

Spain’s María Pérez produced a breathtaking performance in Birmingham, storming to the inaugural European Athletics Championships women’s half-marathon race walk title in a stunning world record of 1:30:06*.

The 30-year-old Spaniard delivered a commanding display on the streets of Birmingham, pulling away from the field in the closing stages to win the gold medal by almost a minute. Her performance established the first championship benchmark for the new European half-marathon race walk event and placed Pérez firmly at the centre of another historic moment in race walking.

Pérez’s winning time smashed the previous world-best mark of 1:31:39, producing a remarkable improvement of 1 minute and 33 seconds. Italy’s Alexandrina Mihai followed in second in 1:31:04, while Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Olyanovska secured bronze in 1:31:07. France’s Pauline Stey was fourth in 1:31:12, meaning the top four all finished inside the previous world-record mark.

The victory adds another prestigious chapter to Pérez’s already remarkable career. Already the world-record holder over 35km, the Spanish star now has a second European title to her name, eight years after she captured the 20km race walk gold at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin.

Pérez has also established herself as one of the dominant figures of modern race walking, having won world titles over both 20km and 35km. Her latest triumph demonstrates once again her ability to rise to the biggest occasions and set new standards while doing so.

The Birmingham race was therefore more than a European title. It was a landmark performance that gave the newly introduced half-marathon race walk its first championship champion and a world-record benchmark to chase.

María Pérez has done it again — another European crown, another record and another unforgettable chapter in her extraordinary career. 

World record pending the usual ratification procedure.

Nairobi has formally entered the race to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, placing Kenya at the centre of a historic contest that could bring the sport’s premier global track and field event to African soil for the first time.

Nairobi has formally submitted its bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, with the Kenyan capital facing competition from London, Rome and Munich. Four cities are now in contention for one historic decision, with World Athletics expected to announce the successful host after the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships conclude in Budapest next month.

For Nairobi, however, this is about far more than securing another major sporting event. A successful bid would break a decades-long geographical barrier: despite Africa’s enormous influence on global athletics, the World Athletics Championships have never been staged on the continent.

A Nairobi victory would bring the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time in the event’s 50-year history and stage the global showpiece at an altitude of approximately 1,800 metres. The proposed venue is Moi International Sports Center Kasarani Stadium, which has a capacity of 48,063, while the Kenyan government has committed full backing for infrastructure, security and event delivery. Kenya’s athletics credentials are equally compelling, with 17 current world records and 72 World Championships gold medals, making it the second-most successful nation in championship history.

The significance of Nairobi’s bid is amplified by Kenya’s extraordinary place in the history of the sport. The country has produced generations of world-class distance runners and currently holds 17 recognised world records across middle- and long-distance events.

Kenya is also the second-most successful nation in World Athletics Championships history by gold medals, with 72 titles after the 2025 edition. At the Tokyo 2025 championships, Kenya claimed five gold medals, including victories by Beatrice Chebet in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

The country also has recent experience staging major international athletics competitions. Nairobi hosted the 2017 World U18 Championships and the 2021 World U20 Championships, while Kenya previously staged the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa and the 2010 African Athletics Championships in Nairobi.

A Nairobi victory would therefore carry a powerful symbolism: the athletes who have helped define modern distance running on African soil could finally compete for world titles at home, in front of a Kenyan crowd.

The competition, however, will be formidable. London is seeking a return to the city that hosted the highly successful 2017 World Championships, while Rome and Munich bring their own strong European sporting traditions and established event infrastructure.

Yet Nairobi offers something none of its rivals can match — the opportunity to open an entirely new chapter in the history of the championships.

The World Athletics Championships have travelled across Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East, but Africa has remained the missing continent on the event’s hosting map. Kenya’s bid seeks to change that.

With the formal bid now submitted and the final presentation and defence completed, Nairobi’s campaign enters its decisive phase. September will determine whether the championships finally make their long-awaited debut on African soil.

Four cities. One host. One potentially historic decision.

In September, World Athletics will decide whether the world’s greatest track and field athletes will converge on Nairobi in 2029 — and whether Africa will finally get its moment on the biggest stage of all.

The TCS Sydney Marathon is no longer content to be a one-day spectacle reserved for those wearing race bibs. In 2026, the event is extending its reach across the Harbour City, turning marathon week into a citywide celebration that runners, spectators, residents and visitors can all enjoy.

The fourth edition of the marathon’s Run Perks program will run from Tuesday, August 25, through Monday, August 31, surrounding race day on Sunday, August 30, with Medal Monday following on August 31.

The initiative brings restaurants, pubs, cafés and tourism operators into the marathon experience, offering a wide range of special deals designed to encourage people to explore Sydney while supporting local businesses. Offers are listed through the official TCS Sydney Marathon app, with location-aware features helping users discover participating venues closest to them.

What makes Run Perks particularly appealing is that the benefits are not exclusively reserved for competitors. While some individual offers are specifically aimed at marathon participants, many are available to the wider marathon community, meaning you do not necessarily need a race bib or finisher’s medal to take part in the broader race-week experience.

The deals range from straightforward food and drink specials to experiences designed to help visitors discover more of Sydney. Among the offerings are $20 schnitzels at The Glenmore Hotel, a $25 pizza-and-beer deal at The Australian Heritage Hotel, and a $19 lunch special at 4 Doors Down. Other venues are offering coffee deals, discounts on meals, tours and attractions across the city.

There are also race-specific opportunities for those taking part in the marathon. Some businesses are offering post-race incentives for finishers who present their medals or proof of participation, while others are extending discounts to spectators, support crews and the wider marathon community.

The concept reflects a broader shift in how Sydney is embracing its marathon. After making history as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major, the TCS Sydney Marathon is becoming increasingly intertwined with the identity, tourism and business life of the city itself. The 2026 edition is expected to attract more than 40,000 participants, building on the 32,963 finishers recorded in 2025.

That scale gives Run Perks significance beyond a collection of discounts. Thousands of runners and their families will spend several days in Sydney, while spectators and residents will encounter the event throughout the city. By encouraging people to eat locally, visit attractions and experience different parts of Sydney, the marathon is helping turn the economic and social impact of race week into something that extends well beyond the course.

The timing is also important. Sydney is still establishing itself as one of the world’s major marathon destinations, having entered the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2025. The 2026 event represents its second year as a Major and comes with ambitions for an even larger field and an even greater international profile.

And that is perhaps the most interesting part of Run Perks: the marathon is becoming less about what happens between the start and finish lines and more about what happens throughout the entire city.

From a coffee before sunrise to a post-race meal, an afternoon exploring The Rocks or an evening enjoying one of Sydney’s many restaurants and pubs, race week is being woven into the everyday rhythm of the city.

The official marathon app remains the best source for the latest participating venues, opening hours, redemption requirements and individual offer conditions, as these vary from business to business.

With more than 40,000 participants expected on August 30, Sydney is preparing for much more than another marathon. It is preparing for a week in which the entire city gets a chance to move, celebrate, explore and benefit from the energy of one of the world’s fastest-growing major marathons.

Sydney Marathon may have a start line and a finish line, but in 2026, its footprint stretches far beyond both.

Hobbs Kessler has been officially elevated to third place in the men’s 1,500m from the 2025 U.S. Outdoor Championships, nearly a year after finishing fourth in the original final.

Kessler crossed the line fourth in a tightly contested race won by Jonah Koech. Ethan Strand finished second and Cole Hocker third, with the top three earning places on the U.S. team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The standings have now been revised following USADA’s three-year sanction against Koech. His Athlete Biological Passport showed abnormalities consistent with blood doping, and his results from the specified period were disqualified. Koech did not challenge the case.

With Koech’s result removed, Strand moves into first place, Hocker rises to second and Kessler is promoted to third.

For Kessler, the revised classification brings an official U.S. championship bronze medal almost eleven months after the race.

However, the change comes long after the 2025 World Championships had already taken place. Kessler was not part of the three-athlete U.S. 1,500m team in Tokyo, and the later adjustment to the results cannot recreate that competition or the circumstances surrounding it.

That is one of the complexities of anti-doping enforcement: results can be corrected and championship records updated after a sanction, but those changes occur after the original competition has passed.

Kessler’s record now reflects a third-place finish, while Koech’s disqualification reshapes the final standings of one of the most closely contested races at the 2025 U.S. Championships.

Koech’s three-year period of ineligibility runs until July 2029.

Nearly a year later, the results have changed — and Hobbs Kessler officially moves from fourth to bronze.