Running News Daily

This Saturday, March 21, 2026, runners of all levels will converge on Brisbane, California for the highly anticipated 9th edition of the Marina Double 15K. Now a celebrated tradition at this scenic location, the event has earned a reputation for its fast, flat course and family-friendly atmosphere.

Participants can choose from a variety of distances: 10K, 5K, the challenging Double 15K, or the Kids’ Mile (for runners aged 13 and under). Each course provides an opportunity to push your limits while enjoying the stunning Bay Area scenery.

All entrants will receive an official race shirt and tote bag, and every finisher will take home a well-earned medal. Age-group winners across all events will earn a special performance medal, and trophies will be awarded for each of the three races. Top performers in the Double 15K will also be eligible for $200 in cash prizes ($100 for the first-place man and $100 for the first-place woman).

Conveniently located just 20 minutes from downtown San Francisco, one hour from San Jose, and only 8 minutes north of the San Francisco International Airport, Brisbane provides an ideal backdrop for a race day filled with refreshments, food, and lively event atmosphere.

From first-time runners to seasoned athletes, the 9th edition of the Marina Double 15K promises an unforgettable experience—a day to hit the road, push your limits, and soak in the breathtaking beauty of the San Francisco Bay.

In an extraordinary display of talent and determination, 11-year-old James Hall from Melbourne has broken the Under-12 world record for the 1,500 meters twice within a fortnight. His latest achievement occurred at the 2025 Australian Junior Athletics Championships near Perth, where he clocked an impressive 4:11.81 in the Under-13 boys’ 1,500m event.

This remarkable performance surpassed his previous record of 4:13.81, set just a week earlier in Melbourne. At the championships, Hall also dominated the Under-13 boys’ 800m, winning by a significant margin with a personal best of 2:05.78.  

James follows in the footsteps of his older sister, Sophie Hall, who set the Under-12 girls’ world record in February 2023. While Sophie holds three youth age group records, James has now surpassed her with five, ranging from the 800m to the 3,000m.

In an interview with Australia’s 7 News, James expressed his ambition to represent Australia at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. Born in June 2013, he would be 19 during the 2032 opening ceremony, aligning perfectly with his Olympic aspirations.  

While experts advise caution regarding intensive training for young athletes, Hall’s natural talent and enthusiasm for the sport are evident. Fans and analysts alike recognize him as one of the most promising young talents in track and field today.  

Runners gathered at the scenic Brisbane, California Marina March 22 for the annual Marina Double 15K, a one-of-a-kind event featuring a two-stage race: a 10K followed by a 5K, with combined times determining the overall results. In true Double Racing fashion, the 5K starts exactly 1 hour and 45 minutes after the start of the 10K, putting athletes to the test both physically and mentally.

The Marina Double 15K is an official event of the Double Road Race Federation (DRRF), the governing body of the sport of Double Racing. The sport was created by Bob Anderson, founder of Runner’s World magazine. The first official Double race was held in Mexico in 2010, and the format has since grown internationally.

In this unique format, the top honor—the Double Victory Cup—is awarded to the runner with the best age-graded score over the full 15K. This year, 19-year-old Jackie Holman earned the top distinction with an age-graded score of 83.48%. She ran the 10K in 37:49 and the 5K in 17:46, giving her a combined time of 55:35 and the overall win.  This shattered the best time ever for females 19 and under.  The previous record was 57:22 set Dec 22, 2013 in Pleasanton, ca by 19 year old Natalie Dimits.  

Anthony Cortes posted the fastest overall time of the day with a 33:23 in the 10K and a 16:46 in the 5K, totaling 50:09. His age-graded score was 82.12%.

Other Race Highlights

The Marina event also featured three additional races open to the public.

In the 10K Open, Andrew Elder (age 31) finished first among the men with a time of 36:46, and Maya Rossin-Slater (age 38) led the women with a time of 41:47.

In the 5K Run/Walk, Joji Morikawa (age 21) won the men’s division with a time of 18:04, and Yannan Xi (age 38) was the first female finisher in 21:02.

The Bob Anderson’s Kids Mile, open to children 13 and under, brought smiles and strong performances. Dylan Nichol (age 11) was the fastest boy with a time of 6:43, and Nadia Slater (age 9) finished first among the girls in 7:54.

Held along the waterfront paths of Harbor Park in Brisbane, California, the Marina Double featured stunning views of the bay, mild spring weather, and a welcoming, community-driven atmosphere that brought together competitive runners and families alike.

World Records for the Double 15K

• Men’s Record: Shadrack Kendulywo – 42:34 (10K: 28:33, 5K: 13:59), set in Thika, Kenya on September 14, 2024

• Women’s Record: Risper Gesabwa – 48:45 (10K: 32:55, 5K: 15:49), set on December 21, 2014

Save the Date

The next Marina Double 15K and companion events will return to Brisbane on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Whether you’re racing both legs or cheering on your kids in Bob Anderson’s Kids Mile, there’s something for everyone at this one-of-a-kind running festival.

In a historic and contentious election, Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the first female and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The election, held in Costa Navarino, Greece, saw Coventry secure 49 out of 97 votes in the first round, defeating other high-profile candidates, including Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and Lord Sebastian Coe.

Her victory marks a significant milestone in the IOC’s 131-year history, but it has not come without controversy. While she is celebrated as one of the greatest Olympic athletes from Africa, her political ties to Zimbabwe have raised concerns about how she will lead the Olympic movement into the future.

Kirsty Coventry: An Olympic Champion Turned Global Sports Leader

Before stepping into sports administration, Kirsty Coventry was a dominant force in competitive swimming. Born in Zimbabwe, she became one of the greatest backstrokers of all time, earning seven Olympic medals across five Olympic Games.

Her breakthrough moment came at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she won gold in the 200m backstroke, along with silver and bronze medals in other events. Four years later, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she added four more medals to her collection, solidifying her reputation as Africa’s most decorated Olympian.

Beyond her success in the pool, Coventry set multiple world records, won two World Championship titles, and became a role model for young athletes across the African continent. After retiring from competition, she transitioned into sports governance, serving as Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and playing a key role in Olympic policy-making.

However, her political involvement in Zimbabwe—where she served as Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation—has generated criticism. Some view her efforts as beneficial for youth sports development, while others argue that her association with a government accused of human rights violations could impact the IOC’s credibility.

Unexpected Results and IOC Power Struggles

Coventry’s election defied many expectations. Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic gold medalistand president of World Athletics, was widely seen as a frontrunner. However, he received only eight votes, a shocking defeat that underscores the complex political dynamics within the IOC.

Coe’s supporters believed his leadership in global athletics and Olympic advocacy would make him the ideal candidate, but the vote suggests that power within the IOC is shifting in new directions. Coventry’s victory signals a desire for a fresh perspective, though questions remain about how she will navigate the challenges ahead.

Challenges Ahead for Coventry’s Leadership

As she prepares to take office on June 23, 2025, Coventry faces several pressing issues that will shape her presidency:

• Financial and Sponsorship Issues – The IOC’s business model is under scrutiny, with shifting audience engagement and declining sponsorship deals requiring new revenue strategies.

• Doping and Fair Play – Strengthening anti-doping policies and restoring trust in fair competition remain major concerns.

• Inclusion and Political Tensions – The debate over transgender athletes, athlete activism, and geopolitical tensions around upcoming Games demand careful navigation.

• Upcoming Olympic Games – With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and 2032 Brisbane Games ahead, Coventry must oversee event planning, sustainability efforts, and global participation.

The Future of the IOC Under Coventry

Kirsty Coventry’s election is both a groundbreaking achievement and a contentious decision. As the first woman and first African to lead the world’s most powerful sports organization, she carries the weight of expectation, scrutiny, and Olympic tradition.

Will she modernize the Olympic movement and steer it into a new era of inclusivity and transparency? Or will her political controversies and IOC power struggles overshadow her leadership?

One thing is certain—Coventry’s presidency will shape the future of the Olympic Games in ways never seen before.

For more updates on this developing story and the world of Olympic sports, stay tuned to My Best Runs.

In light of escalating global temperatures, Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics and a prominent candidate for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency, has proposed a reevaluation of the traditional summer scheduling of the Olympic Games.

He suggests that, by 2040, it may be necessary to adjust the global sports calendar to accommodate these climatic shifts. Drawing parallels to events like the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which was held successfully in November and December to avoid extreme heat, Coe emphasizes the need for flexibility in scheduling major sporting events. He questions the feasibility of hosting events like the World Athletics Championships in cities such as Budapest or Paris during August, given the rising temperatures.

In addition to climate concerns, Coe has expressed a strong commitment to combating online abuse directed at athletes. He has labeled the perpetrators of such abuse as “pond life” and underscored the necessity for more robust measures to protect athletes, especially women, from harassment on social media platforms.

Highlighting incidents involving athletes like Emma Raducanu and Eilish McColgan, Coe has pledged to engage with tech industry leaders, including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, to enhance safeguards against online abuse. He also proposes the establishment of a task force dedicated to protecting female athletes from gender-based violence.

These initiatives reflect Coe’s broader vision for the future of global sports, emphasizing adaptability in the face of environmental challenges and a proactive stance against the misuse of digital platforms to harm athletes.

Upcoming Summer Olympics

• 2028: Los Angeles, United States, from July 14 to July 30, 2028.  

• 2032: Brisbane, Australia, from July 23 to August 8, 2032.  

These dates and locations have been confirmed by the International Olympic Committee.

Additionally, Coe has proposed bold ideas, such as potentially moving some indoor sports from the Summer Olympics to the Winter Games, to modernize the event and address challenges posed by climate change.  

While these proposals are not directed specifically at the Los Angeles 2028 or Brisbane 2032 Games, they reflect Coe’s broader vision for the future of the Olympics.

See which stars ran 26.2 miles and set PRs this year.

After a dip in participation levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marathons are finally seeing an upswing in popularity. This year, you had a better chance of getting into Yale University (5 percent) than having your name selected in the New York City Marathon lottery (4 percent). 

While certain big shots prefer to stick to 5Ks or half marathons—or just like running to blow off some steam, like Kendrick Lamar—we’ve spotted stars in the crowds of some of the world’s largest races. The NYC Marathon, especially, is a popular destination for VIPs, with many celebrities choosing to raise money for charities. 

Here are some of the top marathon times—and most inspiring stories—from celebs in 2024.

Colin Farrell, 4:06:45

This wasn’t Farrell’s first marathon—he ran 3:53:14 at the 2021 Brisbane Marathon—but it sure was the most memorable. At October’s Dublin Marathon, the Irish actor finished in 4:06:45. But the time wasn’t important. Farrell, during the last 2.5 miles of the race, pushed his friend, Emma Fogarty, in a wheelchair. Fogarty has epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic skin condition, which can cause painful skin blistering. The pair raised nearly $1 million for Debra Ireland, a charity that helps fund research for the disorder.

Jennifer Connelly, 3:45:47

The actress, who won an Academy Award for portraying Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind, took on her first marathon on the streets of New York City in November. While she admitted she was nervous before the race, the Top Gun: Maverick alum looked like she had a blast, posing with other celebrity runners and thanking the famously boisterous New York crowd in a post-race Instagram post. She raised money for the cancer research organization Fred’s Team MSK. 

Chelsea Clinton, 3:45:51

Just behind Connelly in New York was the former first daughter. Clinton was low-key about running the five boroughs. She didn’t publicly announce her participation; instead, she told the world after the race, posting a photo with her mother, Hillary, who met her at the finish line. Clinton ran with her friend, Jen, in support of the nonprofit Every Mother Counts. 

Casey Neistat, 2:57:48

One of the most moving videos of the year was Neistat’s 12-minute documentary, “Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream.” In the video, Neistat, who has grown a massive following on YouTube since joining in 2010, chronicles his quest to break 3:00 in the marathon—ultimately a 17-year journey. He finally achieved his goal in December 2023 at the Tucson Marathon, where he ran 2:57:34. Before this year’s NYC Marathon, Neistat semi-jokingly asked his fans to refrain from waving to save him some precious seconds. It apparently worked; he nearly PR’d, running 2:57:48. 

Matt James, 3:00:41

Matt James has worn a lot of hats: Wake Forest football player, Bachelor star, and now chronic marathoner. The 33-year-old is a regular at the World Majors. This year, he nabbed a personal best of 3:00:41 at April’s London Marathon and followed it up with a 3:29:26 at the New York City Marathon. He told Runner’s World his dream marathon partner would be Gordon Ramsay, who owns an impressive 3:30:37 PR himself. “After the marathon, you’re guaranteed a fire meal,” James said.

Phoebe Robinson, 5:53:19

The comedian and writer started running in March 2023 and bookended her 2024 with the Boston Marathon (5:53:19) and NYC Marathon (6:06:52). After Boston, Robinson posted on Instagram a thought that most people have after completing their first 26.2: 

“I CAN. F***ING. DO. ANYTHING.”

Nev Schulman, untimed

Like Matt James, Schulman is a regular on the marathon circuit. He owns a PR of 2:58:54 from 2018, but lately, the host of MTV’s Catfish has focused on giving back to the running community. 

At Boston in the spring, Schulman was a guide for blind para-athlete Francesco Magisano, who finished in 4:29:43. But in August, Schulman broke his neck after a truck hit him while he was biking. Incredibly, Schulman recovered in time to guide Magisano at the New York City Marathon, where Magisano crossed the finish in 4:02:31. (Since Schulman was a guide, he’s not listed in the official results.)

The 12th Christmas Double 15K (10K + break + 5K) took place this morning (Dec. 14) in Palo Alto, California, despite challenging weather conditions, including rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph. Double racing first-timers emerged as the winners: 25-year-old Ethan Phelps finished as the top male with a total time of 50:45, while 29-year-old Taryn Cordain claimed the top female spot with a time of 59:35. The event also featured the Bob Anderson’s Kids Mile, which set a record with 70 entries, as well as 10K and 5K races.

60-year-old Jean Pommier, a world-class ultra runner ran a very strong 84% age-graded performance clocking 1:00:44. (Third photo)  Jean was our Double Victory Cup Winner. The runner with the best age-graded score.  

“The weather forecast was really bad the day before,” said Bob Anderson, the creator of Double Racing in 2012. “It was challenging, but it wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be. Our positive thinking worked, I guess.” Indeed, it was a good morning of racing, with nearly 350 participants registered.

In the Double the winner of the first leg (10k) wears the yellow jersey for the second leg. This way everyone knows who they need to beat to be the overall winner. In this case, both winners of the first leg also won the second leg. The next Double 15k is March 22 in Brisbane California.

Gout Gout recently signed with Adidas and will have the opportunity to train alongside world champion Noah Lyles, gaining valuable mentorship as he continues his path to the top.

After inking a lucrative deal with leading German athletic apparel and footwear corporation Adidas, Gout Gout will now have a chance to train with triple world champion Noah Lyles.

Gout Gout’s manager James Templeton noted that it is a great opportunity for the youngster to interact with Noah Lyles and get to know more about sprinting as he looks to chat his own path to the top.

James Templeton is optimistic that Noah Lyles will be open to teaching Gout Gout a lot, noting that he believes the reigning Olympic 100m champion is a great personality to be around.

Noah Lyles is also an Adidas athlete and earlier this year, the American sprint king extended his contract until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Noah Lyles’ contract with Adidas is considered the richest in track and field since Usain Bolt's deal with Puma.

"We have the opportunity to go to Florida and join the training group of Noah Lyles and coach Lance Brauman (Lyles’ coach). There are about 16 or 18 top sprinters there,” James Templeton told ABC News.

"We'll be heading over for two or three weeks. That'll be a great opportunity, a wonderful educational experience. I haven't heard from Noah, but he's a great guy and I'm sure he'll be happy to take the younger guy under his wing a little bit."

Meanwhile, Gout Gout has been very impressive in his races and since 2022, he has proven to be unstoppable, running crazy times and making headlines. Gout Gout was named the holder of the Australian Under-16 100m and 200m records at the age of 14.

The following year, Gout Gout managed to break the Australian Under-18 men’s 200m record after running 20.87 seconds. He claimed top honors at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Brisbane.

In 2024, Gout Gout has been on top of the world with his crazy times and superb form. He started his season with a personal best time of 10.29 seconds to claim the win in the U-18 Boys 100m at the Queensland Athletics Championships.

Gout Gout then won the Australian U20 100m title in a time of 10.48 seconds in Adelaide before heading to the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru. In Peru, the Australian youngster won a silver medal in the 200m.

He recently signed with Adidas and then proceeded to the Queensland All-Schools Championships, clocking a time of 20.29 seconds in the heats of the 200m to showcase his authority once again.

The Grade 11 sprinter’s running style and tall frame have been compared to that of the legendary Usain Bolt.

Australia’s sprint sensation Gout Gout has signed a professional contract with Adidas at just 16.

The high schooler made headlines after he cruised to a 20.77-second win in the qualifying rounds of the 200m at the World U20 Championships this past August. The clip went viral in the athletics world, and track and field fans drew comparisons from his tall stature and running style to those of Jamaican track legend Usain Bolt.

“Usain Bolt is that you?” one comment said.

“Gout Gout reminds me of Usain Bolt. He will definitely level up with him,” said another.

The following day, Gout ran another personal best of 20.60 seconds in the 200m final, setting an Australian U18 record and winning silver. He was outrun by South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza who took home double golds in the World U20 100m and 200m and won silver in the 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics earlier that month. Walaza is two years older than Gout, who was competing against athletes three to four years older.

The Aussie’s performance surpassed Bolt’s own winning time from the 2002 Junior World Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where the 16-year-old Jamaican clocked 20.61. “It’s pretty cool because Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time, and just being compared to him is a great feeling,” Gout said.

Like Bolt, the 200m isn’t Gout’s only event. He also holds a personal best of 10.29 in the 100m and has held the Australian U18 200m record since last year, at just 15.

In 2005, Gout’s parents moved from South Sudanese to Brisbane, Australia where Gout was born in 2007. The athlete attends Ipswich Grammar School, an all-boys boarding school, in Queensland, Australia, where he first showed off his athleticism in rugby. He’ll only be 24 when the Olympics come to his hometown of Brisbane in 2032.

Did you know that off-road running was part of three historic summer Olympic Games, including the 1924 Olympics in Paris? One hundred years on, runners from four different clubs in Britain have come together to launch a campaign to bring trail running (as we now call it) back to the Olympics. The next Games to include new sports is Brisbane 2032, and the group of passionate trail runners feel strongly that trail running deserves a spot.

“At Paris 2024, four new sports are being added that include breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing,” runner Jimi Harrison said in an interview with British media outlet The Star. “We feel that new Olympic sports should reflect the trends and popularity of the current day and believe the time has come for trail running to be adopted at future Olympics.”

To raise awareness for the cause, Harrison and the group ran a relay of more than 455 km, from London to Paris. Their feat ended on Sunday in the French capital.

Backed by running shoe brand Merrell, the group are calling on Olympic decision-makers. They have written an open letter to representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Trail Running Association (ITRA) to support their cause. (Merrell recently signed Olympian Alexi Pappas to its athlete roster. Pappas, who raced the 10,000m at Rio in 2016, setting a national record for Greece, ran two big trail ultras in 2023: the Black Canyon 100K and the Leadville 100.)

Some would argue that cross-country running is a more obvious fit for inclusion in the Olympics. With shorter, looped, spectator-friendly courses, cross-country could be more attractive to broadcasters, thus generating more interest. And cross-country usually features track runners. There is less crossover between track and trail running, though it’s not unheard of for track runners to transition to trails, as we have seen.

This is not the first attempt to bring trail running to the Olympics. In 2021, a trail running company from Spain launched its own campaign to bring it to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. (They were not successful.)

Trail running has increased significantly in popularity in recent years, thanks partly to events like the Barkley Marathons, UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) and the Golden Trail Series, which make international news headlines.

In a groundbreaking initiative, children with cerebral palsy (CP) demonstrated remarkable improvements in enhanced cardiovascular fitness and mobility after participating in a study involving frame running, the University of Queensland News reported. Frame running involves using a wheeled frame with a saddle and body support, and was developed to assist people with CP or related neuromuscular disorders.

“The athlete steers the structure using his/her hands or arms,” the website explains. “Athletes can run long distances in a secure and stable bike-like structure. It gives the athletes the opportunity to move freely on their feet without the risk of falling.”

The Run4HealthCP program, led by Dr. Sarah Reedman at the University of Queensland, is focused on children aged 8 to 21 with CP. In a 12-week randomized frame running trial, participants with walking difficulties used the frames, showcasing the potential of this sport, which is slated for inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games. Children participated in two 60-minute frame-running sessions weekly.

CP is the most common physical disability in childhood, and more than 600 children are diagnosed annually in Australia (the disease impacts two out of every 1,000 children annually in Canada).

Improved endurance and cardiovascular fitness

The outcomes of the clinical trial revealed remarkable improvements across a variety of health-related areas. Participants not only demonstrated increased endurance in running, but also quicker heart rate recovery, indicating improved cardiovascular health—a critical factor, given that individuals with CP face a threefold heightened risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality compared to the general population. This statistic, unfortunately, has remained unchanged for three decades, making innovations like frame running crucial for the community.

“The improvements we’ve found so far in the clinical trial have been really interesting and across a number of different areas of health and wellbeing,” Dr. Reedman said. “We have seen that the athletes can not only run for longer, but their heart rate also returned to normal more quickly, which is really important because it shows the heart is healthy.”

Enhanced quality of life

Beyond the physical aspects, the study illuminated substantial improvements in participants’ quality of life. The ability to walk faster suggested improved movement efficiency, potentially reducing the physical toll on individuals with CP.

“We found the participants could walk faster, which shows we could potentially improve efficiency of movement,” Dr Reedman said. “It would make a big difference to people’s quality of life, because walking is very taxing on the body for people with CP, so if they’re using less energy, they’ll be less fatigued.”

The study also underscored the positive psychological impact of exercise on physical functioning and daily activities, especially considering that high-intensity exercise is often inaccessible to individuals with high support needs. The Run4Health program had initially catered to 12 participants, but has since expanded to over 100.

The program’s success has opened avenues for further research, with plans to include assessments of bone density and gross motor function. Operating across six sites in Australia, the initiative marks a significant stride toward empowering individuals with CP and transforming perceptions around accessibility and physical activity.

A similar study has been ongoing in Canada. The CCPSA, in collaboration with the Conductive Education Academy and the Ontario Cerebral Palsy Sports Association, delivered a pilot program to introduce frame running in the Greater Toronto Area in 2021. The CCPSA is in discussions with Athletics Canada to help develop an athlete pathway for frame running in Canada.

Julien Alfred, Britton Wilson and Noah Lyles each started their seasons with winning doubles at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida.

Commonwealth 100m silver medallist Alfred improved to a 21.91 (1.8m/s) Saint Lucian 200m record, while two-time world 200m champion Lyles ran 20.16 (-1.2m/s) on Friday (14). They also won their 100m races the following day, Alfred clocking a wind-assisted 10.72 (2.4m/s) and Lyles running 9.95 (1.6m/s) ahead of Joseph Fahnbulleh (9.98).

Alfred picked up from where she left off following an indoor season that included PBs of 6.94 for the 60m and 22.01 in the 200m set at the NCAA Indoor Championships for the best ever one-day indoor sprints double. That 6.94 places her joint second on the world indoor 60m all-time list.

After some relay performances to open her outdoor campaign, the 21-year-old improved her previous 200m PB of 22.46 set last May, taking it to 21.91 in her first individual race of the season.

Finishing second in that collegiate race was McKenzie Long in a PB of 22.31, while Alfred’s Texas teammate Rhasidat Adeleke improved her Irish record to 22.34 in third.

In another race, world finalist Melissa Jefferson ran 23.02 (1.8m/s) to win ahead of five-time Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah (23.23). Kiara Grant won the pro 100m race, clocking 10.99 (1.6m/s).

Also getting his outdoor season under way, Lyles ran 20.16 into a headwind (-1.2m/s) to dominate his 200m race. In one of the collegiate races, Alabama’s Tarsis Orogot ran a wind-assisted 19.60 (2.9m/s), while Terrence Jones went quickest in the collegiate 100m races, clocking 9.91 (1.0m/s) to match the Bahamian record.

Like Alfred, Wilson also threatened a world record at the NCAA Indoor Championships when she ran 49.48 to win the 400m. She achieved another fast time on Saturday (15), running a collegiate record of 49.51 to win her 400m race, the day after she claimed a 400m hurdles win in 53.23 when making her individual season debut. Anna Hall finished second in that hurdles race in 54.48 and Masai Russell was third in 55.39. Adeleke ran another Irish record to finish second behind Wilson in the 400m, clocking 49.90.

In the sprint hurdles, two-time world champion Grant Holloway won his 110m hurdles heat in 13.03 (1.1m/s) ahead of Rasheed Broadbell (13.12). Holloway then won the final in 13.05 (0.5m/s). After a wind-assisted 100m hurdles heat win of 12.55 (2.8m/s), 2019 world champion Nia Ali won the pro final in 12.53 (1.4m/s) ahead of world champion and world record-holder Tobi Amusan (12.59), who won her heat in 12.74 (1.1m/s). World indoor 60m hurdles silver medallist Devynne Charlton was third in the final in 12.64.

World indoor champion Jereem Richards got things off to a fast start as he won his first 400m race of the season in a PB of 44.68. Alonzo Russell also ran a PB of 44.73 for the runner-up spot.

Will Claye and Christian Taylor were separated by a single centimetre in the men's triple jump, respectively leaping 16.90m and 16.89m. Thea LaFond recorded 14.13m to win the women's contest.

At the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, on Saturday (15), Olympic and world silver medallist Rai Benjamin made his 400m hurdles season debut and clocked 47.74 for a dominant victory. 

Cravont Charleston won the elite men’s 100m race in a wind-assisted 9.87 (3.0m/s) ahead of Kyree King (9.98) and world 400m champion Michael Norman (10.02).

Juliette Whittaker topped the 1500m in 4:12.49 on Friday and the following day won the 800m in 2:01.79 ahead of her Stanford teammate Roisin Willis in 2:01.97.

Talie Bonds improved her PB to 12.65 (1.2m/s) to win the 100m hurdles.

At the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, Nikki Hiltz pipped Michaela Rose in a close 800m race, 1:59.03 to 1:59.08, as both athletes dipped under two minutes for the first time on Friday (14). Claire Seymour (2:00.04), Elise Cranny (2:00.25) and Valery Tobias (2:00.31) also went sub-2:01.

On Saturday (15), Cooper Teare opened his season with a near 1500m PB of 3:34.96 ahead of Fouad Messaoudi (3:35.16).

Australian 15-year-old Gout Gout made a statement on the third day of the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Brisbane on Saturday (15), clocking 20.87 (-0.1m/s) to win the 200m by almost half a second.

“It means a lot because I’ve been training so much for this. I was really nervous. The gun went, and I was good and I just kept pushing," he told Athletics Australia.

 

On April 8, World Athletics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a new Olympic event in athletics that will debut at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The new event is the race walk marathon mixed relay, which will feature 25 teams, each comprising one male and one female athlete, who will complete the marathon distance (42.195 km) in four alternating legs of 10.54 km.

The event, scheduled to take place at 7.30 a.m. on Aug. 7, 2024, will be held on the same course as the individual race walking events at the foot of the world’s iconic Eiffel Tower.  

The relay event will replace the men’s 50 km race walk, which was dropped following its last appearance at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The 50 km race walk had appeared on every Olympic program since the event made its debut at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles (apart from Montreal 1976). 

World Athletics had proposed the inclusion of the women’s 50 km event, but the IOC rejected the idea, which led to a consultation between the IOC and World Athletics on this new mixed-gender relay event. 

Canadian Olympian and the reigning Olympic 50 km bronze medallist, Evan Dunfee, was unhappy to hear the news regarding the new event, especially after the 50 km race was cut for a more gender-balanced competition.

“In 2017, we were told there was no way to have a women’s 50 km walk in Tokyo because it was ‘impossible’ to change the program three years out. Now, less than 500 days away from the start of the 2024 Olympics, we’ve had our event completely changed,” Dunfee said on Twitter. “There is no endurance event for the race walk, which is what the event needs to be to make any sense.”

The current Olympic race walk program for the Paris Games has two individual 20 km race walk events and the mixed marathon relay. 

When asked about the future of the sport, Dunfee shared, “Sadly, I suspect by Brisbane 2032, race walking will cease to exist.”

At the 2023 Australian Track and Field Championships in Brisbane on the weekend, 16-year-old running phenom Cameron Myers continued his record-setting season with a second-place finish in the senior men’s 1,500m final in 3:38.02, beating Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s U16 world record of 3:39.92 by nearly two seconds.

Myers, who is still in high school, became the second-youngest Australian to reach a podium at the national track championships, winning silver and lowering his Australian U18 record. Myers had a share of the lead alongside Matthew Ramsden into the final 100m, but was overtaken by Callum Davies in a race to the line, winning in 3:37.92. (Davies is seven years older than Myers.)

There have been a few East African athletes who have run faster than 3:38 for 1,500m at 16, but their ages are not verifiable.

This is the second time this season that the young Australian has made headlines. In January, Myers became the second-youngest person to break the four-minute mile barrier, at 16 years and 259 days, setting a new U16 world record of 3:55.44. The only other athlete younger than Myers to go sub-four was the Olympic champion, Ingebrigtsen.

16-year-old phenom Cameron Myers places second in record time at the 2023 Australian Track and Field Championships.

His record-setting 1,500m time is only three and a half seconds off the 2023 World Championship standard of 3:34.20. 

In this 2023 track season, Myers has achieved personal bests in the 1,500m, mile and 3,000m. He is in his final year of high school at Lake Ginnindera College in Canberra, training with Australian distance coach Dick Telford. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Myers does not exceed training volumes of 80 kilometres a week and has a plan appropriate for an athlete of his age. 

Ben Lipschuetz of Los Altos California hopes to clock the best time ever run for male runners 80 plus for the Double 15k on Dec 17 in Palo Alto.  

The Double 15k is a two stage race.  First runners run 10k and then take a break.  The second stage is 5k and it starts  one hour 45 minutes after the start of the 10k. Times are added together for scoring.  

The Double Road Race Federation (DRRF) is the governing body for Double Racing.  The first Double was held October 2010 in Mexico.  The first Double 15k held in the US took place Dec 2012.  The overall world record was set May 10, 2015.  Kenyan's Julian Kosgei clocked 29:11 for the 10k leg and then followed that up with a 14 minute flat 5k.  His combined 43:11 is the current world record.

The Women's record is held by Kenyan's Risper Gesabwa.  On Dec 14, 2014 in Pleasanton California she clocked 48:45 (32:55 10k followed by 15:49 5k).  The American record for men was set by Joe Moore in Manhattan, Kansas on Nov 9, 2013.  Joe clocked 44:48 (30:04/14:48).  Kim Conley set the record for women in Pleasanton, Ca Dec 21, 2014.  She clocked 49:24 (33:34/15:49).

The best time recently run is 44:40 (29:56/14:44). 4th best time ever. 18-year-old Joseph Njoroge clocked this time in Thika Kenya September 14, 2022.

The next two official DRRF Double 15k coming up are Dec 17 in Palo Alto California and March 25, 2023 in Brisbane California.  Both flat fast courses.  

The world record Ben has his eye on was run by 83-year-old Eddie Reyna Dec 22, 2013.   Eddie clocked 1:59:56 (1:23:02 for 10k followed by 36:54 for 5k leg).

Ben recently competed at the Trailblazer 10k Sept 24 in Mountain View,Ca.  He clocked 1:08:09 on the long 10k course.

"I met up with Ben after the Trailblazer race," says Double 15k director Bob Anderson (photo with Ben), "and told him he could smash the 80 plus world record.  This might even be an understatement."

The 80 plus world records for females was set August 23, 2014 in Pleasanton by 80-year-old Barbara Robben 1:57:26 (1:17:56 plus 39:30 for 5k leg).  

"Our Palo Alto event is nearly sold out but there are a few spots currently available," says race director Bob Anderson. There is also an open 10k, 5k and kids mile for 13 and under. 

(Second photo: Palo Alto 2021 winners.  Anthony Cortes clocked 49:26 (32:46/16:40) and Delaney Miller clocked 57:19 (38:36/18:43).  Both wearing the yellow jersey showing they won the first leg. 

(Third photo: 70-year-old Suzanne Koonce was the Victory Cup winner.  She clocked 1:18:49 (52:36/26:13).  The Victory Cup is awarded to the runner with the best age-graded score.

 

 

Anthony Cortes (first photo) from Half Moon Bay, California won his third straight Double Racing event August 7 in San Francisco.  He clocked 25:21 for the Double 8k.

Double racing veteran Jose Pina was just 23 seconds behind in second place.  Anthony had won the 5k (15:59)  and Jose did close the gap by four seconds running at 4:59/mile pace but not enough to over take Anthony.  Times from the two legs of a Double are added together for scoring.

Participants in the Double 8k first ran 5k at 8:20am and then 3k at 9:35am.  The runner (male and female) who wins the first leg wears the yellow jersey in the second leg so everyone knows who they need to beat in the second leg.

In the female division 14-year-old Evey Powell (second photo with her mom in red cheering her on) from England blew away the field clocking 30:31. 7th best time ever. Her 12-year-old sister won the open 5k clocking 22:05 earlier in the day.

71-year-old Sharlet Gilbert from Richmond, California clocked 44:29 to win the 70 plus division.  This is the second fastest time for this divison.  She set the record in 2021 clocking 43:38 on the same course.

The best time ever for the Double 8K was clocked Sept 6, 2015 in Nyahururu, Kenya.  17-year-old Eligah Kariuki from Kenya posted 23:33.  Kristen Rohde (USA) holds the women's record clocking 27:34 in Palo Alto, Califonria Feb 19, 2017. 

At most Double Racing events there are also open races.  At this recent event there was also the Golden Gate 10k and 5k run/walk.

Nina Zarin’s from Arlington Va was the overal winner in the Golden Gate 10k clocking a blistering 35:59. First male was Noah Gonzalez clocking a solid 37:36.

18-year-old Dominic Robles won the Golden Gate 5k clocking a fine 16:54.

"What a fun morning we had in San Francisco August 7. The weather was perfect for our sold out field," said race director Bob Anderson.

This was an official Double Racing event sanctioned by the Double Road Race Federation (DRRF) which was founded in 2010 when the sport was created.  Over 150 events have already been held in six countries.  

There are four official Double Racing events: Double 5k (3k+break+2k), Double 8k (5k+break+2k), featured event Double 15k (10k+break+5k) and Double 21k (15k+break+6k).  Stats, records and more details can be found on the website DoubleRoadRace.com 

The next Double Racing events scheduled are: Palo Alto Californiua Dec 17 (Double 15k), Brisbane California (Double 15k) March 2023 and Golden Gate August 6, 2023.

"If you would like to set up an official Double Racing event get in touch," says Double Racing creator Bob Anderson. 

My Best Runs is the official sponsor of the DRRF.

In glorious running conditions the 2022 Sydney10 saw record fields and performances. In the women’s, four-time Olympian Lisa Weightman, ran the fastest women’s 10km road time ever in Australia, while in the men’s there was a breakthrough and surprise for Brisbane’s Kieren Perkins.

WOMEN 10KM

In her last race, eight months ago, Lisa Weightman placed a magnificent 26th. In Sydney this morning, Lisa Weightman just carried on from her last race, her fourth Olympic marathon eight months ago in Japan, with a stunning 31:20 10km time. It fell just three seconds short of the Australian record set by Benita Willis in Manchester in 2006, however it was the fastest time ever on Australian soil. It sliced 30 seconds from Lisa’s previous best.

“I’m very pleased and especially after a break and reset post-Olympic Games,” she said. “I would have been happy to get anything with a 31 in-front of it, but to get that close to Benita national record is great.”

Lisa setup the performance on the first lap.

“I passed 5km in 15:30, a PB, and was feeling good and knew I was on for a good run.”

She finished in 32:20, ahead of a tremendous run by Leanne Pompeani clocking 31:43.

The result confirmed some training adjustment are working for Lisa.

“I felt strong from the work I done on the Melbourne university track with the boys.”

Secord placed Leanne Pompeani also entered the record books. Her time of 31:43, was a 43 seconds PB and was the third fastest in Australian history.

She ran hard from the gun and was trailing Lisa.

“After passing 5km in about 15:30, Lisa started to put the foot down and I knew I couldn’t go with that pace,” said Leanne.

“Towards the end, I was definitely feeling it, like you want to stop, but knew I was on for a PB so pushed on. I had ‘banked’ time early as I had run quicker than expected.”

The battle between NSW-based pair of Aynslee van Graan and Jess Noble was terrific. For much of the race Aynslee held the lead, but Jess was able to pass her in the last kilometres to take third in 33:31, from Aynslee with 33:36.

Both claimed satisfying PB. For Jess it removed 80 seconds from her previous best and for Aynslee 16 seconds.

Jess, a fourth-year physiotherapist from Newcastle was very happy.

“I felt I had the potential to run that time,” she said.

“I felt good in the race, except for a 4-5km patch.”

Jess was watching Aynslee closely, knowing she was a threat.

“I could see her most of the way, she is super quick.”

It has been a tremendous 12 months of progress for Jess which she puts down to ‘such a good and positive training group’ under coach Ben Toomey.

But as Jess is still so young, still 20, it does raise the question of how far can she go in the sport?

“I’m not one to think too far ahead,” she said. “I never thought I could run these times.”

Aynslee van Graan only arrived back in Australia from South Africa on Thursday morning after travelling home to see family and friends.

The women claimed the following places on the event’s all-time list: Lisa Weightman #1, Leanne Pompeani #2, Jess Noble #24 and Aynslee van Graan #28.

MEN 10KM

There was a surprise in the men’s 10km with Brisbane’s Kieren Perkins, 29, continuing his amazing rise over the last couple of years. He destroyed his PB clocking 28:57 to destroy his previous best mark of 29:29 set at Launceston in December. Just four years ago he was a 34-35 minute 10km athlete, but under the coaching of Bert Squad led by Peter Bracken, has had enjoyed an amazing rise in the last few years. He has also received some help with his track sessions from Jayden Russ, which assisted him under 14 minutes in the national 5000m championship.

“I shocked myself,” is how Kieren described his performance. “I felt good early and ran with Jacob Cocks (from SA) for 2-4 km, then put my foot down and pull away.”

After he had broken away, defending champion, who had not run for a few months, Kieren Tall was the only remaining danger.

“I felt he (Tall) was there and if I knew if gave him a sniff he could be a problem, so I kept the pressure on.”

“With 2km to go I kicked away. I didn’t want him near with 400m to go should he have I kick.

“I felt strong mentally and physically and felt I could keep pushing throughout.”

Kieren also felt the cool weather in Sydney assisted him.

Can he explain his improvement over the last few years?

“I think taking athletics more seriously and a new squad and positive culture.”

Kieren is an Army logistics officer and has he is full-time runs around 5am daily. No surprise he has little trouble with the six monthly 2.4km Army fitness test.

Defending champion Kieren Tall (Run Crew), was returning to racing and pleased with his second place in 29:16.

“It was better than I expected,” he said. He was a little conservative early ‘so I wouldn’t blow up’.

Next for Kieren is a big training block ahead of concentrating on some road races later in the year.

Third was Queensland’s Liam Boudin in a one second PB time of 29:21, holding off SA’s Riley Cocks (29:25) and Bendigo’s Nathan Stoate (29:30).

The men claimed the following places on the event’s all-time list: Kieren Perkins =#2, Liam Boudin #8, Jacob Cocks #11, Nathan Stoate #13.

To mark the 226th World Athletics Council Meeting in Monaco, a special Heritage display was staged this week in the foyer of Le Meridien Beach Plaza. The exhibit contained 15 recent acquisitions made by the World Athletics Heritage Collection, which will soon be on display in glorious 3D in the virtual Museum of World Athletics (MOWA).

One of the oldest artefacts exhibited was a solid silver trophy donated by Kenya’s Olympic legend Kipchoge Keino, and one of the youngest items on show was a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch.

Yet arguably the greatest recent addition to the collection are three running spikes worn by eight-time world champion and four-time Olympic Games gold medalist Michael Johnson.

Entering the collection is one of Johnson’s iconic gold spikes from Atlanta 1996 (right foot), one from Sydney 2000 (left foot), and thirdly, a shoe from Johnson’s final race in 2001 (right foot). Each shoe is autographed.

“I can still vividly remember the chills I felt…”

The trio now form part of the World Athletics Heritage Collection thanks the extraordinary generosity of Brad Hunt, who was Johnson’s agent during his outstanding running career.

“I visited the Heritage exhibition while at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha,” commented Hunt. “The scale of the collection was particularly impressive, considering it had only been created in 2018.

“The historic display of artefacts included items from the careers of Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt. In men’s sprinting history, there was one glaring omission. By offering the spikes which Michael (Johnson) gave me after some of his most memorable races, I hope to have helped fill that gap in the World Athletics Heritage Collection,” added Hunt.

Johnson stunned the world of sport in 1996. At the Atlanta Games he won an unprecedented Olympic men’s 200m and 400m double. In the process, with a 19.32 clocking, Johnson destroyed his own 200m world record (19.66) which he had set less than two months before the Games on the same track at the US Olympic Trials.

“Both Olympic shoes were given to me two or three weeks following the Games they were used in,” confirmed Hunt. “The 1996 shoe was given to me in Hawaii, where we travelled for our post-Olympic celebrations. The 2000 shoe was given to me in Los Angeles.

“I can still vividly remember the chills I felt when I became the first person Michael told of his decision to wear gold spikes in the 1996 Olympic Games. We were sitting on a flight to Los Angeles from the Atlanta Olympic Trials to Los Angeles for Michael's first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

“Michael had just set his first world record (19.66 200m) the day before (23 June). We were discussing how much attention his purple spikes had received when he declared he would be wearing gold in the Games.”

14c gold in the material

Four years later, Johnson retained his Olympic 400m title in Sydney, Australia. Johnson had become world record-holder for the distance (43.18) at the World Championships in Seville, Spain, the previous year.

“Although the 2000 shoe is made with actual 14c gold in the material, thus making them shinier (with significantly more material value), the 1996 shoe is my favourite because these gold shoes were an actual media phenomenon!

“The amount of secrecy involved with the shoes' clandestine development and historical Olympic debut created one of the strongest identities an athlete has ever had with his or her footwear,” concluded Hunt.

The following year Johnson undertook his ‘Golden Victory Lap’ tour, finishing his career at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane. It is one of the shoes which he wore in that last season which completes this extra special induction of footwear into the World Athletics Heritage Collection.

The three spikes will soon be on display in the virtual MOWA.

In 2022, the spikes will also go on public show at MOWA’s onsite public exhibitions in Portland and Oregon, USA, in the lead into and during the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

The 2032 Olympics will be the third time Australia hosts the Games first Melbourne in 1956 Sydney in 2000 and now Brisbane 2032

The Australian city and surrounding South-East Queensland region were approved as the Games hosts at an International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Tokyo on Wednesday.

"Brisbane 2032 is the first future host to have been elected under, and to have fully benefited from, the new flexible approach to electing Olympic hosts," said IOC President Thomas Bach in a statement.

The Olympics are slated to run from July 23-August 8, with the Paralympic Games taking place from August 24-September 5, across 37 venues.

Brisbane and the surrounding region is set to host or co-host a number of sporting events in the next few years, including the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in cycling, and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in soccer.

The region also hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, an area which will host some events in 2032.

"The Brisbane 2032 vision and Games plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for social and economic development in Queensland and Australia," said Bach, who is currently in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games, which were delayed for a year due to Covid-19.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk holds a queue card after the Brisbane announcement during an IOC session in Tokyo.

It will be Brisbane's first Games, although Australia has previously hosted two: Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000. Brisbane's bid for the 2032 games was unopposed.

Opposition to hosting the Games has grown in recent decades as citizens question the long-term impact on their neighborhoods and public finances.

Detractors bemoan an Olympic legacy of "white elephants" like the rusting stadia in Athens left after the Greek capital hosted the 2004 Games, which cost $11 billion and became powerful symbols of waste during the country's debt crisis.

On Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a 54 million euro ($63.6 million) project to redevelop the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA).

The venue was overhauled for the 2004 Games but has been running at a loss and cost the Greek state 200 million euros ($235.5 million) since 2005, according to a government press release. The aim is to reopen the site in 2023 and create 1,400 permanent jobs.

Ky Robinson’s face took a beating, but he gets faster every race.

Steeplechase is an event known for its spectacular falls. Combine barriers, a water jump, and tightly packed runners going at high speeds, and you’ve got an environment ripe for catastrophe.

Still, even by the steeple’s high standards, what happened to Ky Robinson, a 19-year-old Stanford freshman, was ghastly.

It was early in the race at the Pac-12 championships at USC on May 15. Robinson’s trailing leg clipped a barrier, and down he went. He rolled. Straight into the path of a Washington runner.

Through no fault of his own, the Washington runner stepped on Robinson’s face with his spikes, dragging a path across Robinson’s left cheek. It could have been worse—the spikes didn’t puncture all the way through the cheek and more important, they missed his eye.

Robinson popped right up. “I didn’t realize how bad it was immediately,” he told Runner’s World. “I felt my face, my lip, I looked down and saw the blood.” He convinced himself that he had just cut his lip.

He managed to finish third in the race in a four-second personal best of 8:41.81. “The adrenaline rush took the pain away,” he said.

After the race ended, he went over to a teammate, D.J. Principe, who had been in a steeple for the first time. Principe just pushed Robinson over toward medical officials on the track.

One of them came to him with a towel, and Robinson, still unaware of how bad his wounds were, tried to brush off the help. The medic grabbed him by the arm and marched him off the track.

Another member of the medical staff on duty at the time happened to be a plastic surgeon. He gave Robinson 27 stitches to close the gashes, the deepest of which goes for several inches across his left cheek.

One of the toughest parts of the night for Robinson was FaceTiming his parents in Brisbane, Australia, to let them know what happened. He wore a mask. “When I was talking to my mum, I was like, ‘I can show you,’ and she said, ‘Don’t you dare take that mask off, I don’t want to see.’”

Robinson, however, never missed a day of training. And he’s only gotten faster in the three weeks since the fall. He set another PR, 8:40.45, at the NCAA West Regional, qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

“I had a little PTSD going over the barriers,” he said. “I found I was stepping on a lot more barriers instead of straight hurdling.” 


But by the time of his semifinal heat of the championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Robinson had cast most of the doubts from his mind. He won his heat in 8:36.29, another four-second best. (He did run to the outside of lane 1, or in the inside of lane 2, to get a clear look at the barriers, adding distance to his race.)

On June 11, in the final, Robinson finished sixth in 8:32.01, another large personal best. He set a Stanford school record, and broke his own Australian and Oceanian U-20 records. He has cut 13 seconds off his PR since being sliced in the face.

The wounds are still visible—and could be for some time. He’s using a scar cream and it might take as long as a year for the marks to subside.

This much is clear, though: There’s nothing wrong with his legs.

How does your marathon time compare to Hollywood legend Colin Farrell's?

Farrell took part in the Brisbane Marathon last weekend, placing 222nd out of 683 total participants, with a not at all shabby time of 03:53:14. The race was reportedly the Irish actor’s first marathon.

Pat Carroll, one of the event’s MCs, told Australia’s NCA NewsWire that Farrell was relatively new to running: 'His security guard told me he'd only been running for three months in preparation so it's not a bad effort,' he said.

According to Carroll, Farrell’s security requested that his participation in the race be kept quiet, although they did approve a bit of fanfare as he approached the finish line. 'I was talking to his 24/7 security guard while he's been in Australia, and I asked if we could go a bit crazy when he came down the finish line and he said: "Okay" so that's why we gave him a bit of a reception as he came down the home straight,' Carroll said.

In a video posted to his Instagram page, Carroll is heard saying: 'Ladies and gentlemen, Colin Farrell is entering the home straight. Let’s give it up for Colin Farrell, famous Hollywood actor.'

He added that another MC asked Farrell for a chat following the race, but he declined. Carroll said: 'His exact words were: "Nah, I'm knackered", which is understandable when you've just run a marathon.'

Farrell did pose with fans for pictures after the race, however. Instagram user @lettuceloveyou posted a picture with Farrell, saying, 'What a bloody buzz that experience was. It’s safe to say I might do another'.

Farrell is currently in Australia filming Thirteen Lives, a Ron Howard-directed drama about the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand. Actor Viggo Mortensen, who is also starring in Thirteen Lives, came along to cheer Farrell across the finish line with an Irish flag in hand, Carroll told NCA NewsWire.

Chinese athletes preparing for Tokyo 2020 have been forced to train in isolation due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Olympic hopefuls are being kept "behind closed doors" around the country, an official told Xinhua.

Coranavirus has killed more than 1000 people and spread to at least 27 countries since it originated in Chinese city Wuhan.

More than 40,000 people have been infected and the World Health Organization has declared a global emergency.

"Athletes are training behind closed doors in camps in various domestic and overseas cities in preparation for the Olympic Games and qualifying tournaments," said Liu Guoyong, the vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC).

"Up until now, no athlete from the national team has reported to be or is suspected of being infected with the virus.

"We will do our best to prevent all athletes from becoming infected."

The COC has been in contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the participation of Chinese athletes in Tokyo 2020 qualifiers, Liu said.

This comes after China's women's football team were kept in quarantine in Brisbane after arriving in Australia for an Olympic qualification tournament.

The squad had been in Wuhan, where the event was due to take place before the virus forced its move.

Four players were unable to leave China at all, including experienced midfielder Wang Shuang, with the tournament schedule this month re-jigged.

Liu added that Chinese athletes would have special arrangements for accommodation and transport.

"There will be over 100 Olympic qualifying tournaments around the world between February and April," he said.

"Hopefully the Chinese athletes can prepare well and claim more Olympic berths.

"The IOC has asked various international sports federations to provide all possible assistance and convenience to Chinese athletes."

The World Athletics Indoor Championships, initially scheduled for March in Nanjing, is the most high-profile sporting event to be postponed because of the virus so far. It has been delayed by a year until March 2021. The Hong Kong Marathon was also cancelled as well as many other events.  

The opening test event for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, an Alpine Skiing World Cup in Yanqing, was also cancelled.

Other sports affected include boxing, football, wrestling, basketball, tennis, hockey, badminton, diving, equestrian, golf and biathlon.

German Olympic Sports Confederation President Alfons Hörmann described the virus as the "greatest threat" to Tokyo 2020, with Japan one of the countries with confirmed cases.

This year's SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit in Beijing, scheduled for between April 19 and 24, is also at risk.

"We will keep a close eye on the development of the situation to decide when sporting events can be resumed," Liu said.

Kentfield, California's Brian Pilcher, competing in the Dipsea Race for the first time since winning his third race in 2016, crossed the finish line in Stinson Beach first on Sunday morning to claim his fourth career victory.

Colorado’s Mark Tatum (age 59) finished second with San Rafael’s Alex Varner (33) and Sausalito’s Chris Lundy (48) — the two-time defending champion  –finishing third and fourth, respectively.

With his 4th win, 62-year old Brian Pilcher ties Shirley Matson for 2nd most wins in history (after Sal Vasquez with seven wins).

Sausalito’s Chris Lundy, 48, who began with a two-minute penalty after winning the last two Dipseas, said afterwards. 

“I had a good race today,” Lundy said. “It was a little bit slower than last year, but I felt really good and ran as fast as I could. I like the heat, but it still slows you down a little bit.”

Corte Madera’s Clara Peterson, 35, who finished 10th last year, rounded out the top five. Peterson also earned the award for best woman’s time, and two of her four children walked to the stage to accept her two trophies.

Brisbane’s Cliff Lentz, 54, Novato’s Dominic Vogl, 32, Montrose, Colo., resident Heath Hibbard, 66, Larkspur’s Diana Fitzpatrick, 61, and San Rafael’s Wayne Best, 51, placed 6-10, respectively.

The Dipsea was first run in 1905 and is considered to be the oldest trail race in America. It is run every year on the second Sunday in June.

The scenic 7.4 mile course from Mill Valley, California to Stinson Beach is also considered to be one of the most beautiful courses in the world.

The stairs and steep trails make it a grueling and treacherous race. And its unique handicapping system has made winners of men and women of all ages. Because of its beauty and challenge, it is a very popular event, and because of safety and environmental concerns the number of runners is limited to about 1,500.

While racers enter from all over the world, the Dipsea is primarily a Northern California event and the entry process is tilted slightly to favor local contestants.

Featured video: 2019 Boston Marathon John Hancock U.S. Elite Open Team for Monday April 15.

Abdi Abdirahman, a four-time Olympian, placed sixth at the 2017 Boston Marathon. He is a multiple national champion in the 10,000m, 10K, 10-mile and half marathon. 

Shadrack Biwott finished third this year in Boston. Last year, he was second American and fourth overall. Biwott placed fifth at the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon in a personal best time of 2:12:01.

Aaron Braun, 13th at the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, is a versatile road runner. Braun is a national champion in the 12K and was top American at the 2015 Houston Marathon.

Sarah Crouch has finished top-ten three times at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, including this year where she was top American and ninth overall. She is a past champion of the Tallahassee Marathon and finished 11th at the 2016 Boston Marathon.

Jeffrey Eggleston has raced on three IAAF World Championships Marathon teams, placing as high as 13th in 2018. He has won the Pittsburgh, Woodlands, Lima and San Diego Marathons and has been runner-up in Brisbane, Pittsburgh and at Twin Cities.

Scott Fauble was the second American and seventh overall at the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon. Fauble placed fourth in the 10,000m at the 2016 Olympic Trials and represented the United States at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.  

Lindsay Flanagan, the 2015 Pan American silver medalist in the marathon, finished 11th at the 2017 Boston Marathon and set her personal best of 2:29:25 at the Frankfurt Marathon this year.  

Sara Hall is the tenth fastest U.S. women’s marathoner of all time having set her 2:26:20 mark at the 2018 Ottawa Marathon. Hall has earned national titles in the marathon, 20K, 10-mile, mile and cross country. She is married to Ryan Hall, who is a John Hancock Elite Athlete Ambassador and holds the American course record of 2:04:58 at the Boston Marathon. 

Jordan Hasay set an American debut record of 2:23:00 with her third-place finish in Boston in 2017. She then ran the second fastest marathon of all time by a U.S. woman at the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, where she placed third in 2:20:57. Hasay is an 18-time All American and a national champion at 15K and 20K.  

Elkanah Kibet, a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, has had two top-ten finishes at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. At the 2017 IAAF World Championships Marathon, Kibet finished top American and 16th overall. He was 8th in Boston in 2018.

Desiree Linden, a two-time Olympian, returns to Boston as defending champion. A top-five finisher in eight Abbott World Marathon Majors, additional accomplishments include placing seventh at the 2016 Olympic Games Marathon, tenth at the 2009 IAAF World Championships Marathon, second at the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and second in the 10,000m at the 2015 Pan American Games. In addition to her 2018 win in Boston, she placed second in 2011.

Timothy Ritchie, the 2017 U.S. National Marathon champion, ran for the U.S. at the 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships where he placed 23th. Ritchie is the head men’s cross country coach at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Dathan Ritzenhein is the fourth fastest U.S. marathoner of all time with a 2:07:47 personal best. Career highlights for the three-time Olympian include finishing ninth at the 2008 Olympic Marathon, winning the bronze medal at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and finishing 13th at the 2012 Olympic Games 10,000m. 

Sarah Sellers ran through freezing rain and torrential wind this year to finish second behind Des Linden. In her 2017 marathon debut, Sellers won the Huntsville Marathon. In New York this year she finished 18th.

Brian Shrader is a versatile runner on the track and roads. He made his half marathon debut in Boston this year at the B.A.A. Half Marathon, running 1:05:26. He also made his marathon debut in 2018, running 2:13:31 at the USA Championships in Sacramento.  

Becky Wade, a champion of the California International Marathon, finished 11th at the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon and tenth at the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. 

Jared Ward placed third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and followed with a sixth-place finish at the Olympic Marathon in Rio de Janeiro, less than a minute and a half out of medal contention. In 2017 Ward was tenth at the Boston Marathon and this year, he finished top American and sixth overall at the TCS New York City Marathon. 

Morris Gachaga and Jackline Chepngeno made it a Kenyan double, taking line honours at the FNB CApe Town 12 ONERUN in dramatic fashion on Sunday May 20.   Almost 13 000 runners of all shapes and sizes finished the traditional harbourside 12km dash from Milnerton into the city centre in perfect running conditions, the colourful mass transforming the usual silent Sunday city centre into a bustling party-town.  

Gachaga crossed the finish line in Bree Street in 33:42, some 15 seconds off of his world best time from 2017. “Racing for the win was more important than chasing my time from last year,” Gachaga said after the race.

“We did start out fast, for the first three kilometres we were on record pace, but then we started watching each other and the pace dropped a bit.” Those first 3km were passed in 8:15, 5km going by in 14:02 with all the main contenders in the lead pack of twelve athletes.  Gachaga, after driving the pace to the 3km mark, then slipped back into the pack with Kenya’s Victor Chumo taking up the front running.

The South African challenge fell away just after 8km which was covered in 22:47, with only Stephen Mokoka, the 2016 Champion, still in the mix. 10km came and went in 28:25 and it was at this point that Gachaga and Chumo kicked again, dragging Mande Bushendich with them.  On the climb up Wale Street, Chumo surged again and as they entered the final 800m in Bree Street, Chumo and Gachaga had broken away from John Langat (Kenya), Abdallah Mande and Mande Bushendich, with Mokoka dropping off further.

Chumo and Gachaga raced down Bree Street where Gachaga’s knowledge of the route giving him the advantage as he timed his sprint to the line perfectly, passing Chumbo in the final 300m to defend his title. The female race saw Kenya’s Jackline Chepngeno take control after 2km. Uganda’s Stella Chesang, who was widely tipped to win the race after winning the 10 000m title at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, hung on till 9km, before she had to give way to the relentless surging of Chepngeno. For Chepngeno the victory was the perfect start to 2018 after having taken 2017 off from racing, having given birth to her son.

“The last kilometre I was worried about Stella (Chesang) after her win in Brisbane (Commonwealth Games), so I ran really hard. I did not know where she was, so I needed to race to the line,” said Chepngeno. “Winning was really good for me. This was my first race back after my pregnancy and it is a big confidence booster for me.”

The 2018 Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth. It will be held April 4-15 on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia... In 1982 when the event was held in Brisbane, Australia Rob de Castella won the marathon in 2:09:18 just six seconds off the Games record of 2:09:12 set by Ian Thompson in 1974 in Christchurch. Robert recalls the moment as one of his “great memories” from a career that included four Olympic Games and three top 10 finishes. De Castella, now 61, said he cannot return to Brisbane without thinking about his captivating performance in 1982. "The 1982 Games was a launching pad for my career. Everything changed for me after that. The privilege of running a marathon in front of my countrymen and women was incredible." ABC commentator Tim Lane says, “It’s a performance to remember for all time," as he neared the finish line. “These days the crowd could get close to the runners...that Brisbane race is one of the great memories I have of my athletics."