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Olympic champions to receive prize money for first time at Paris 2024 Games

Olympic champions will receive prize money for the first time this year after World Athletics announced gold medalists at the Paris 2024 Games would be paid $50,000 (£39,400) each.

Athletics is the first sport to financially reward its stars for success at the Olympics, which has stayed true to its amateur ethos by never offering prize money.

Winners of all 48 athletics events will receive a payout from the world governing body, which says it will extend the benefit to silver and bronze medalists from the LA 2028 Olympics.

“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medalists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognizing the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games,” said World Athletics president Lord Coe.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.”

The size of the payouts is modest compared to those on offer elsewhere in sport – the average salary of a Premier League footballer is around £3m, for instance.

But the move is nonetheless a milestone for the Olympics, and recognition that it will be increasingly difficult to justify asking the stars of its core events to compete for glory alone.

Many Olympic hopefuls rely on funding grants and personal sponsorship deals to train full-time, while others have to retain careers in order to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, athletes are being offered million-dollar incentives to defect to the doping-friendly Enhanced Games, a project Coe has derided as “bollocks”.

While winners of individual athletics events at Paris 2024 will receive $50,000, that sum will be divided up among team members for winners of the relay races. 

“This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport,” Coe added.

“We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra $5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.”

Jakob Ingebrigtsen thinks doping is worse now than 10 years ago

Norway’s gold drought at the World Indoor Championships hit 29 years last weekend in Glasgow, with the country’s star middle-distance runner, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, sidelined by injury. In a recent interview with the Times, Ingebrigtsen did not hold back, slamming doping in athletics, saying it’s worse now than a decade ago.

“I think doping is worse now than 10 years ago,” Ingebrigtsen told the Times. “It is difficult to prove that, but it’s what I feel. The problem now is that we see fewer positive tests, and that really concerns me; it is a sign that people are getting smarter and finding better ways to evade detection, or perhaps the tests are not detecting enough.”

The Olympic 1,500m champion went on to say that not enough people are getting caught by regular testing, and the only way “cheats” are detected is through whereabouts (three missed doping tests in 12 months). “If you know what you’re doing, that is a genius way of cheating,” he says.

One thing that is different than 10 years ago is the number of athletes tested. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe introduced the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in 2017, a crucial governing body dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of athletics. Each year, World Athletics spends an estimated $8,000,000 putting systems in place to tackle doping.

Ingebrigtsen voiced his satisfaction in beating suspected dopers, like two-time world championship medalist Mohamed Katir, who was given a two-year ban on whereabouts in February. “It’s the ultimate destruction,” he said to the Times. “It’s more embarrassing for them—even when they have the audacity to cheat, and they are not doing it right.”

The 23-year-old has yet to race in the 2024 season, as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury he suffered last fall. He expects to make his debut on the track in late May and round into form to compete at the 2024 European Championships in Rome in June.

Sebastian Coe vows Enhanced Games athletes would be ‘banned for long time

The World Athletics president, ­Sebastian Coe, has hit out at plans for an Enhanced Games, that would allow athletes to take steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, and warned that anyone who competes will be banned for a long time.

Organisers of the Enhanced Games, which has been backed by venture capitalists including the billionaire Peter Thiel, have called their event “the Olympics of the future”. It will include athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics and combat sports.

Earlier this month the former swimming champion, James Magnussen, agreed to come out of retirement to compete in the Games and attempt to swim faster than the 50m freestyle record for a prize of $1m (£790,000).

However, at a press conference for the world indoor championships in Glasgow, Lord Coe was withering when asked for his thoughts.

“It’s bollocks isn’t it?” he said. “I can’t really get excited about it. There’s only one message, and that is if anybody is moronic enough to officially take part in it, and they are in the traditional part of our sport, they’ll get banned for a long time. But I really don’t get sleepless nights about it.”

His message was supported by the men’s 800m world record-holder, David Rudisha, who said: “The integrity of the sport needs to be protected at all times. This is not a good thing and just brings a lot of confusion to people and sponsors.”

Coe also promised that World Athletics would not be deterred from trialling new proposals in the long jump and other events, despite the negative reaction to a “take-off zone” instead of the traditional wooden board.

“Our sport is 150 years old and there are elements of it that you absolutely want to protect,” he said. “They are sacrosanct. But there is stuff there that just leaves people a little cold. And 31% of all long jumpers are failing attempts. Now, I’m not saying that the take-off zone is the only remedy and it’s one of a raft of changes.”

Coe said that World Athletics knew that from detailed research from the world championships in Budapest last summer, which found that people left their seats during some events, or stopped watching the event on TV.

“We’re not going to back off innovation here,” he said. “It is really important. We have a responsibility to futureproof the sport, to continue to create the landscape financially.

“We have had meetings with world-class businesses in the last few weeks. And world-class ­businesses do not routinely want to join ­enterprises they think are going in the wrong direction.”

He added: “We can’t just sit there. The holy grail of every sport is to remain salient, interesting, and exciting to young people.

“We’re not going to frame the sport entirely around them. But we have to admit that the way people consume sport, the way they consume entertainment is different than it was even three years ago. And we have to move with the times.”

Nurmi's five Paris 1924 Olympic golds make historic return for Paris 2024

The five gold medals won by one of the greatest Olympic champions in history will return to Paris in March for the first time since they were won in the French capital a century ago.

The press called him “The Flying Finn”, “The Phantom Finn” or “The Finnish Running Marvel”. In the 1920s, Paavo Nurmi, Finland's middle and long distance running ace, was known across the world for his extraordinary human athleticism. Nurmi was a superstar whose fame transcended sports, his name and deeds headlined newspapers and filled out stadiums wherever he traveled.

Nurmi's outstanding Olympic exploits in Paris 1924 established his enduring legend. His five victories there a century ago remain today the most athletic gold medals ever won at a single Games.

Thanks to the kind generosity of the Nurmi family, Nurmi's set of five 1924 gold medals will go on display in the prestigious museum of the Monnaie de Paris on the left bank of the Seine in the heart of the French capital.

Nurmi's Paris golds form part of a larger exhibition of Olympic medals. Gold, silver, bronze. A history of the Olympic medal , organized by the museum of the French mint to mark the Olympic Games of Paris 2024, offers a fascinating exploration of the history of the Olympic medal, highlighting its evolution through the editions of the modern Olympic Games.

The exhibition opens for media preview on 26 March and to the public from 27 March to 22 September 2024.

Mika Nurmi, the grandson of Paavo, and Finland's four-time Olympic champion Lasse Viren will be honored guests at the press preview and public opening ceremony.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “World Athletics is delighted that the family of Paavo Nurmi, the Paavo Nurmi Games, the City of Turku and the museum of the Monnaie de Paris have partnered with our own Museum of World Athletics to return one of the most famous sets of Olympic medals to the French capital for the first time since they were won there a century ago.

“During the year of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, we are celebrating the outstanding achievements of The Flying Finn Paavo Nurmi who in 1924 won a still unsurpassed haul of five Olympic athletics gold medals in a single edition of the Games.

“As famous as the Hollywood stars of his day, lauded by US presidents, Nurmi was the first truly global sports star. Nurmi ended his career with nine golds and three Olympic silver medals and 22 ratified world records but his achievements in Paris 1924, including an outrageous 1500m and 5000m double won with only an hour rest between the two finals, marked the zenith of his career.

“When visiting Paris for this summer's Olympic Games, I look forward to viewing this historic display of Nurmi's golds. These five medals are the athletics centre piece of an impressive six-month exhibition of Olympic medals and coins staged in the neoclassical museum of the Monnaie de Paris, the world's oldest continuously running mint.”

Chairman and CEO of Monnaie de Paris Marc Schwartz commented: “Presenting an extraordinary set of Olympic gold medals at the Monnaie de Paris Museum is truly an honor. Even years later, Paavo Nurmi stands out as one of the most renowned athletes of all time. The celebration of his accomplishments undoubtedly positions this collection as a highlight of our exhibition: 'Gold, Silver, Bronze. A history of the Olympic Medal'. Come to see it in Paris!”

World Athletics Council Member and Chairman of the Paavo Nurmi Games Antti Pihlakoski said: “The Paavo Nurmi Games and Festival organization is grateful to the Museum of the Monnaie de Paris and World Athletics and its Heritage Department for highlighting Paavo Nurmi and his unique career as an Olympic athlete. The display of his Paris 1924 medals serves not only to help a historical understanding of his feats but their continuing impact on society a century later.

“The mission of the Paavo Nurmi Games and Festival organization, with the great support of the City of Turku, is to promote a diverse culture of physical activity in the name of Paavo Nurmi, catering to people of all ages, organizing top-level sporting events, mass sports events for different age groups, and charity events, the proceeds of which are distributed to support physical activities for low-income families.

“We believe that Paavo Nurmi would be pleased that 100 years after his legendary Olympic success in Paris, his legacy continues to be an active part of his hometown City of Turku, Finland, and lives on in the international athletics and sporting community.

“Warm thanks to the Museum of the Monnaie de Paris and World Athletics.”

Kelvin Kiptum: Thousands mourn marathon world record holder at funeral in Kenya

On Friday in Chepkorio, Kenya, thousands gathered for the funeral of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died at the age of 24 in a car accident on Feb. 11 with his coach, Gervais Hakizimana.

Kiptum will be remembered as one of the biggest rising stars in the sport for his record-breaking two-hour and 35-second run to break the world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Kiptum’s widow, Asenath Rotich, led the mourners at the funeral for the Kenyan marathon star. According to BBC Africa, she broke down when revealing that the couple had been planning a big wedding celebration in April. He had stunned the world in his short marathon career, and figures from sports and politics came to pay tribute to a man whose life had promised so much.

Kenyan president William Ruto was in attendance, as well as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, who believed Kiptum would have become the first person to run a competitive marathon in under two hours. “It is a frustration to all of us that we won’t witness what I truly know he was capable of,” Coe told BBC Africa. “For sure he would have broken it. It would have been (Roger) Bannister and Edmund Hillary, both of them, wrapped into one.”

Kiptum was looking to better his world record time at the 2024 Rotterdam Marathon in April.

Also in attendance were notable Kenyan athletes Faith Kipyegon, former world record holder Paul Tergat, and 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto, who was one of Kiptum’s pallbearers at the service. Eliud Kipchoge did not attend as he continues to prepare for the Tokyo Marathon on March 3.

“Since he arrived… he has rewritten history,” said Tergat. “He has a legacy that we’ve never seen in this world. We are here to celebrate what he has achieved in a very short time.”

Before Kiptum became one of the world’s biggest marathon stars, he had worked as a livestock herder and trained as an electrician in Chepkorio. The government in Elgeyo-Marakwet County plans to honor the late marathoner by building an athletics stadium in his name.

Kelvin Kiptum death: Seb Coe, Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah lead tributes to marathon star after horror crash

The world of athletics has come together to pay tribute to Kelvin Kiptum after he died in a horrific car crash in Kenya.

Kiptum died alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana, 36, on Sunday after the car he was driving came off the road and hit a tree. Police said he had "lost control [of the vehicle] and veered off-road entering into a ditch on his left side" before he “drove in the ditch for about 60 metres before hitting a big tree”. A young woman was rushed to hospital after being injured in the crash.

The 24-year-old Kenyan is the men’s marathon world record holder, having run a staggering time of two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago in October. Kiptum had only run his first marathon in 2022 yet had rapidly emerged as a world-class talent to challenge the great Eliud Kipchoge.

His loss has left the sport reeling and Sir Mo Farah was among those to pay tribute to the immensely gifted runner. "Kelvin was an amazingly talented athlete and had already achieved so much," Farah said.

"He truly had a special talent and I have no doubt he would have gone on to have had an incredible career. I send all my sympathies and condolences to his and Gervais' family and friends at this tragic time."

British running great and World Athletics president Seb Coe wrote on Twitter : “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. On behalf of all World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation.

“It was only earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon World Record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time. An incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly.”

Kipchoge is widely considered the greatest marathon runner of all time, yet Kiptum broke his world record in Chicago last year. The 39-year-old wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the Marathon World record holder and rising star Kelvin Kiptum.

An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness. I offer my deepest condolences to his young family. May God comfort you during this trying time.”

Kiptum was a natural marathon runner and showed his talent right from the off when he ran fourth fastest time on record (2:01:53) to win the Valencia Marathon in 2022. He then set a course record of 2:01:25 at the London Marathon in April 2023 before taking a gigantic 34 seconds of Kipchoge’s world record time six months later.

London Marathon event director, Hugh Brasher, said: “Kelvin had the sport of marathon running in his feet and at his feet. He was a 'once in a generation' athlete who was set to redefine the boundaries of our sport.

“Three marathons, three wins. The fastest marathon debutant in Valencia, London's course record holder and the world record holder in Chicago, all within the space of less than 12 months. His was a flame that burned so bright and last night was tragically put out.

“As a sport we mourn for a life so tragically cut short, a talent and a work ethos that was only starting to be appreciated and a man that we had only just started to know. Our thoughts are with his family and friends and those of his coach Gervais. We hope that Sharon Chepkirui Kosgei, who was travelling with them, makes a full and speedy recovery.”

Kiptum had only recently announced his intention to run the marathon in under two hours in Rotterdam in April. Kipchoge has run a marathon in one hour 59 minutes 40 seconds, but that time does not count as an official record as it was in a specifically arranged sponsored event with pacemakers.

British marathon runner Emile Cairess said Kiptum could have become "Usain Bolt-esque" as a "figurehead of athletics". He told the BBC : "It's a massive blow because at his level, someone can really capture the attention of people outside of the sport.

"Many people thought they would never see a sub two-hour marathon in their lifetimes but since he came along, it's like it was just a given that he would do it because of his exceptional performances so far. It was almost certain that he would have done it. It's terribly sad and a real shame that we won't get to see him again or to attack that barrier."

Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies as tragedy rocks athletics world

Marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach died in a car crash in Kenya late Sunday, a fellow athlete who went to the hospital and saw Kiptum's body said.

Kiptum was 24 and on course to be a superstar of long-distance running.

Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana were killed in the crash at around 11 p.m., said Kenyan runner Milcah Chemos, who was at the hospital where the bodies were taken.

The crash happened on a road between the towns of Eldoret and Kaptagat in western Kenya, she said, in the heart of the high-altitude region that's renowned as a training base for long distance runners.

Chemos said she was among a group of athletes who had gone to the hospital in Eldoret after hearing the news of the crash. Family members of Kiptum were also with them to identify his body, Chemos said.

Kenyan media reported that a third person, a woman, was in the car and was taken to the same hospital with serious injuries.

Kiptum was the first man to run the marathon in under 2 hours, 1 minute. He set the new world record of 2:00.35 at the Chicago Marathon in October, beating the mark of fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge.

Kiptum's record was ratified by international track federation World Athletics last week.

Kenyan athletics federation president Jackson Tuwei said he had sent a team of officials to the area after being informed of the late-night accident.

Kiptum had immediate success by running the fastest time ever by a marathon debutant at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. He won the London and Chicago races last year, two of the most prestigious marathons in the world.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was one of the first to offer his condolences in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana," Coe wrote. "On behalf of all World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation."

"It was only earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon World Record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time. An incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly," Coe wrote.

World Athletics president says track and field will never be drug-free

Former Olympic champion and current World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe, recently addressed the persistent issue of doping in track and field during an interview on the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast. Coe acknowledged that achieving a completely drug-free sport is unlikely due to the inherent risks and rewards associated with doping.

When asked about concerns regarding an uneven playing field and the prevalence of doping, Coe pointed out the increased controls compared to nine years ago, when he assumed the role of World Athletics president. Despite the progress made, he admitted that reaching a utopia of a drug-free sport is unrealistic.

Coe highlighted the risk-versus-reward dynamic, stating, “If you’re a street kid, in some countries the risk versus reward is huge, and if you get caught and are returned to the street, then that’s nothing ventured, nothing gained. So it is a challenge.” Coe said the athletes with nothing to lose and everything to gain will continue to take the risk that they might get caught.

In 2017, World Athletics appointed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an independent governance organization at the core of integrity reforms. The AIU, funded annually with millions of dollars from World Athletics, plays a crucial role in ensuring fair competition and protecting clean athletes.

Coe told Jordan that he only receives about six hours’ notice on the doping ban of an athlete before it is publicly announced by the AIU. Despite the challenges, he emphasized the importance of maintaining control over the sport. “If you’re not following the rules, you are gonna get caught,” he said.

The AIU’s Global List of Ineligible Persons currently has more than 700 athletes serving doping suspensions, with 21 per cent of the cases originating in Kenya and India. In response to the doping challenges in Kenya, the Kenyan government, AIU and World Athletics have initiated a $25 million five-year campaign to educate and test more athletes. The campaign aims to combat doping in athletics by addressing the root causes and implementing strict testing measures.

Plans underway to add World Championships marathons to World Marathon Majors

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has disclosed that plans are underway to add World Championships marathons to World Marathon Majors.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe says discussions are underway to comprise the World Championships marathons into World Marathon Majors.

As reported by Athletics Weekly, Coe noted that he has been in discussions with the WMM organizers about weaving the world championship road races into their big-city event programmes.

“The issue for us is really about how we can create those opportunities. A lot of athletes are also looking at the world championships and thinking that Chicago or New York is around the corner and asking themselves whether they should be running the worlds when they can earn good money on the roads a few weeks later.

"Maybe we can reduce the marathon to a half-marathon at the world championships which would at least take some of the athlete welfare issues away and would allow them to do it in the build-up to a marathon majors event,” he added.

The president also explained that he finds it difficult to see an end to the global warming crisis any time soon and will be keen to put measures in place that will provide the best outcome for athletes and fans.

“In light of global warming and the inability of governments to use anything other than ‘BS’ in this space then it’s going to be down to the sport to try to figure out how they navigate their way through this.

"We’ve found 76% of our athletes already said that global warming has had a profound impact on their competition and training programmes.

"I think it’s inevitable that sport will globally have to look at rejigging the calendar because there won’t be any immediate respite from this problem and we’re further from the 2030 targets than we’ve ever been, whatever anyone tells us at COP 28!” she said.

Sebastian Coe says Russia, Belarus still banned, but situation could change

Athletes from Russia and Belarus are still banned from athletics events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, but World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said on Monday that the situation could change, and that a working group is monitoring it.

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the participation of Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) at next year’s Olympics.

Athletes holding a Russian or Belarusian passport who have secured their places through existing qualification systems on the field of play will be deemed eligible to compete at Paris 2024, following specific conditions.

World Athletics, however, decided to stick to the blanket ban despite the IOC’s decision.

Athletes from both countries have faced a multitude of sanctions from international competitions since the conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022.

During a media call with agencies including Xinhua on Monday, Coe confirmed “there is no change [to the ban]”, but expressed hope that the sanctions could be lifted.

“The most important thing is that the autonomy and independence of international federations to make these judgements is really important. We made a judgement which we believe was in the best interest of our sport,” he said.

“Do I see anything changing in the foreseeable future? I don’t know. The world changes every five minutes, the situation could change. We do have a working group that is monitoring the situation within the sport, and it will advise and guide the Council on what circumstances might need to exist for any exclusion to be lifted,” Coe added.

Coe also expressed his confidence in the competitiveness of the athletics competitions in Paris, following a “stupendous” season that has seen 23 world records and nine world U20 records broken in 2023.

“The one word I would use [to sum up the 2023 season] is stupendous,” he said. “I can’t remember a season that has delivered more high quality performances across a broader bandwidth of disciplines.”

“Everywhere you look, you have the potential for some extraordinary head-to-heads in the sport, in pretty much every discipline,” added Coe.

World Athletics faces backlash for last-minute change to Athlete of the Year Awards

After months of discussion and voting on World Athletics’ social media pages for their prestigious World Athlete of the Year Award, the governing body of running/track and field did something no one could have predicted at the awards night on Monday in Monaco. For the first time in 35 years, the award was given to three men and three women, and fans across the sport are outraged.

Instead of giving out a men’s and women’s World Athlete of the Year award, as they’ve done in the past, they divided it into three categories: Track Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete of the Year, and Non-Stadia Athlete of the Year. Faith Kipyegon and Noah Lyles won the Track award, while pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and triple jumper Yulimar Rojas won the Field award. Non-Stadia accolades went to the men’s and women’s new world record holders, Kelvin Kiptum and Tigist Assefa.

Online comments

The Internet was not impressed with World Athletics changing the format at the last minute (after the voting). Many thought deserving athletes like Kipyegon, Lyles and Kiptum were robbed of their glory and success. “What is the point of having finalists if everybody wins some category that wasn’t announced prior? It should have been clear you have categories from the start, not on the final day,” a fan tweeted.

“Such a useless ceremony,” tweeted another fan. Track and field sprint legend Michael Johnson even tweeted, “Am I the only person who thinks having six athletes of the year is a bad idea? Am I missing something?”

World Athletics’ reasoning

World Athletics said its decision to divide the award into three categories came from fans and council members, who commented that it was “incredibly hard” to limit the vote to just one athlete. That is what people say when they have a tough decision to make, meaning that World Athletics chose highly deserving finalists–not that they want to split the award. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe took it differently: “The depth of talent and the outstanding performances in our sport this year more than justify the expansion of the World Athletics Awards to recognize the accomplishments of these six athletes across a range of disciplines. It is only fitting that they be recognized as the athletes of the year in their respective fields,” Coe said in a press release.

Poor communication from World Athletics

When World Athletics named the 10 nominees for the award in late October, they did not indicate they were planning to divide the award three ways. Even when they narrowed it down to five finalists, there was no indication it would be split. Most fans would have been OK with three AOTY awards if they had known during the voting process that that would be the case.

In a sport that is always looking to grow and garner more attention, going against the grain of the community and fan votes is not a way to attract new people to the sport, especially heading into an Olympic year. Although it’s easy to understand World Athletics’ reasoning for splitting the award–it’s hard to compare athletes of different disciplines, especially since a pole vaulter like world champion Duplantis can only win accolades in one discipline, whereas Lyles or Kipyegon could win medals in two or three events. Still, World Athletics had three opportunities to inform the public they would be splitting the awards this year, and I am sure fewer fans would be disappointed in the outcome.

Imagine watching the Super Bowl and seeing them hand out an offensive, defensive and special teams MVP. It would make the award meaningless.

Caster Semenya says World Athletics president Seb Coe damaged her life

Caster Semenya has claimed that World Athletics damaged her personally and professionally through the hormone suppression medication that she had to take for six years.

In her new book, The Race to Be Myself, two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya has revealed how World Athletics seemingly destroyed her life and she singled out President Seb Coe.

In her book, which was published on Tuesday, October 31, the South African claimed that they (World Athletics) damaged her personally and professionally through the hormone suppression medication she was required to take for six years. As reported by The Telegraph, Semenya explained how Coe had something against her.

“With me and Sebastian, it’s personal. He has something against me – that’s how I feel, and no one can change my mind,” Semenya writes.

She started her professional career at 18 and her hyperandrogenism, which comes under the technical label of DSD (differences in sexual development), caused a dilemma in the world of athletics. In her book, she sets the record straight that she was born with a vagina but no womb and internal testes.

After her victory at the World Championships in 2009, World Athletics noted that she could only be allowed to compete if she suppressed her testosterone levels below 10 nmol/L.

However, the restriction was lifted in 2016 after another DSD athlete – Indian sprinter Dutee Chand – brought a legal challenge against the rule.

“The man (Coe) couldn’t help himself. Coe has always struck me as a small man, unsure of himself. He couldn’t stand being questioned about the regulations or me in particular.

He could barely say my name in interviews … My thoughts are that he should concentrate on doing the job he said he would do.

Clean up the sport … Everybody knows there is a systemic doping issue in athletics, and the IAAF has made a mess of dealing with it,” Semenya narrates.

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya WhatsApp Channel for more news. 

Meanwhile, Semenya noted that she will never again take hormone suppressants – to which she attributes side effects such as weight gain, cramps, and the weakening of bones – in order to race.

She disclosed that she did not know about her DSD condition until it was made public in 2009, soon after that first World Championship gold in Berlin.

“I found out, along with the rest of the world, that I did not have a uterus or fallopian tubes. I would say I was being treated like an animal, but I grew up tending to my family’s livestock, and we treated them with more respect than that,” she explained.

World Athletics provides equipment to support Ukrainian athletes

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has met with members of the Ukrainian team and newly elected World Athletics Council member Nataliya Dobrynska in Budapest to deliver much-needed equipment provided by the Ukraine Fund.

The fund – which was established by World Athletics, together with the International Athletics Foundation (IAF) and Members of the Diamond League Association, last year and renewed in May – was created to support elite athletes affected by the conflict in their home country.

Its primary purpose is to ensure that Ukrainian athletes can continue to train, qualify for and participate in World Championship events, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. A team of 29 Ukrainian athletes is currently competing at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The fund has USD$190,000 available this year to assist the athletes, their immediate family and key support personnel. As well as paying for travel and accommodation for elite athletes at training camps, and for non-quota officials and athletes at World Athletics Series events, support also included purchasing equipment – particularly for the pole vault – to replace items that have been destroyed during missile attacks.

On Thursday (24) Ukraine marks its 32nd anniversary of independence and, meeting with the athletes the day before that anniversary, Coe said: “I am grateful you are here competing at this 40th anniversary of the World Championships.

“I know how hard it has been for you emotionally and physically. I have spoken to many of you since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. And I want you to know that World Athletics will continue to support you as long as you need help.”

The equipment provided includes pole vault poles, as well as mats.

“This year, we have heard your request to provide athletics equipment destroyed by the war, and support for summer camp training and preparation for Budapest,” Coe added. “And this is where we have focused our efforts. We have the poles, and I am delighted they are being used. The mats will follow.

“Thank you, all of you – the athletes, the coaches and the federation – for keeping our sport alive in Ukraine.”

Dobrynska said: “Today, we come together to express our huge gratitude to World Athletics, led by President Sebastian Coe, for being a pillar of support during these challenging times in Ukraine.

“In a world that sometimes feels divided, you remind us of the power of unity. You should know that all of Ukraine appreciates your commitment and involvement in what our athletes are trying to achieve under very difficult circumstances.”

It is expected that up to 100 members of the Ukrainian athletics community may require some financial support this year.

Also on Wednesday, Ukrainian 400m hurdler Anna Ryzhykova, Athlete Refugee Team (ART) member Perina Nakang, ART coach Janeth Jepkosgei and World Athletics ambassador David Rudisha met with refugees families, including those from Ukraine, currently living in Hungary.

The refugee families, who are being assisted by the UN refugee agency UNHCR and Hungarian agency Menedek, were provided with tickets to attend Wednesday morning’s session of the World Athletics Championships before meeting with the athletes.

They came together at the WCH Budapest 23 Green Zone, which is hosting sustainability awareness-raising activities and meet & greets with athletes over the course of the championships.

Sebastian Coe reelected as World Athletics president

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was elected for a third term at the 54th World Athletics Congress in Budapest on Thursday (17).

Ximena Restrepo was re-elected as a Vice President and will be joined by newly elected Vice Presidents Raul Chapado, Adille Sumariwalla and Jackson Tuwei.

A total of 192 voting members of Congress voted for Coe and three abstained. Under the World Athletics Constitution, this will be Coe’s final term as President.

In 2019, Restrepo, the 1992 Olympic 400m bronze medallist from Colombia, became the first woman to be elected as a World Athletics Vice President.

As part of the widespread reforms adopted by the World Athletics Congress at the end of 2016, World Athletics added minimum gender targets into its constitution to establish parity at all levels in the sport’s governance.

The reforms detailed a requirement to have 13 members of each gender elected to the World Athletics Council at the 2027 Congress. This target has been met four years earlier than the reform roadmap prescribed.

The remaining requirement to be met at the 2027 Congress is the election of two Vice Presidents of each gender.

"I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues and delighted to see that more of the commitments we made during the governance reform process in 2016 have come to fruition with the election of World Athletics’ first gender equal Council four years ahead of schedule," said Coe. "But the job is not done yet and we need to keep pushing for gender parity throughout our representative bodies. The strength of our sport is in its diversity and that should be reflected in our governance at all levels."

World Athletics planning a new competition format for 2026

The innovative event aims to maintain the sport's momentum by showcasing the "best of the best" in athletics during non-Olympic and world championship years.

During a media call on Monday, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe provided more insights into a planned new format scheduled to be added to the international athletics calendar in 2026. The innovative event aims to maintain the sport’s momentum by showcasing the “best of the best” in athletics during non-Olympic and non-world-championship years.

Coe highlighted the significance of this new format, stating, “Although 2026 is often referred to as a ‘fallow year’ due to the absence of World Championships or Olympics, the new event aims to offer a fresh and different experience for fans and athletes alike.” The ultimate goal for World Athletics is to incorporate this format into the four-year cycle of athletics competitions.

While the exact format is still being fine-tuned and potential hosts considered, the primary focus is to deliver two or three nights of high-quality athletics, featuring the world’s best athletes. The intention is to have smaller fields and no heats or cross-heats, creating an action-packed spectacle specifically designed for television viewers. “We haven’t entirely agreed on the format, and we are still working with potential hosts here, so there’s more to come,” Coe added.

It is speculated that the new format may draw parallels to the existing Diamond League Final, which invites top athletes from each Diamond League meet to compete in a two-day championship event.

Coe has served as the World Athletics President since 2015 and is set to stand unopposed for a third term at the upcoming World Athletics Congress in Budapest on Aug. 17, ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Regarding potential investment from countries like Saudi Arabia to enhance the sport’s growth, Coe emphasized the organization is taking a cautious approach, stating, “My default position is that investment from any country or sector looking to enter our sport would be looked at very carefully.” He also pointed out that the executive board has previously declined investments from certain sectors and countries, indicating that any potential investment would undergo thorough evaluation before being accepted.

As athletics enthusiasts eagerly await further details on this new format, the prospect of witnessing a condensed showcase of top-tier athletes and exhilarating performances in 2026 promises to be a game-changer for the sport.

Ukrainian team prepares for World Athletics Championships

The Ukrainian athletics team will gather in Slovakia this week for a final training camp before travelling to Hungary for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, starting in less than three weeks (August 19).

World Athletics’ Ukraine Fund and the International Olympic Committee’s Solidarity Fund have combined to provide training camp accommodation for 40 athletes and officials in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, which will allow Ukraine’s top athletes to complete their final preparations for their most important competition of the year.

World Athletics has provided additional accommodation for three athletes and their families for an extended period in Bankska Bystrica, from 1 June to 30 September.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “We understand how important and inspirational Ukraine’s athletes are to their country at this terrible time and we want to give them every opportunity to compete and excel, despite the great hardship being visited on them and their communities by this horrific war. They have lost so much and the least we can do is help them to keep their athletics dreams alive. I am full of admiration for their fortitude and resilience and I am looking forward to welcoming the Ukrainian team to the National Athletics Centre in Budapest in the coming weeks.”

The general secretary of the Ukrainian Athletic Association Iolanta Khropach offered her “heartfelt thanks” for the “important financial assistance provided during this terrible war in our country”.

“Your unwavering belief in us has made a profound impact on the life of our team and the opportunities to prepare for world-class competitions,” she said. “Thanks to your support, we have been able to provide the best athletes of the Ukrainian team with the necessary conditions on the final stage of the preparation to the World Athletic Championships in Budapest to achieve their sports goals. We are happy to see your willingness to lend a helping hand in difficult times for us during the war.”

World Athletics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee funded a similar programme to help the Ukrainian team prepare for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 last year, where two athletes emerged as medallists. World indoor champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the silver medal in the women’s high jump and Andriy Protsenko won bronze in the men’s high jump.

The IOC contributed an additional US$20,000 to support the Ukrainian team at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali last year.

Through its Ukraine Fund, World Athletics distributed more than US$220,000 last year to support Ukrainian athletes preparing for the World Championships and the World Athletics U20 Championships in response to the crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is distributing a further US$190,000 this year to support Ukrainian athletes preparing for Budapest.

This fund was launched by World Athletics, the Member Meetings of Diamond League Association and the International Athletics Foundation in April 2022 with the purpose of assisting professional athletes, immediate family members and their support personnel affected by Russia’s invasion of their home country.

This is in addition to the Solidarity Fund of US$7.5 million established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February 2022 to support Ukrainian athletes and the Ukrainian Olympic community.

Louisiana man Jarrett Leblanc runs 62-minute half-marathon on a treadmill

On Sunday, a Louisiana man took to the treadmill at his local gym in Lafayette, La., attempting to break the Guinness World Record for a treadmill half-marathon. Jarrett Leblanc, a 2020 U.S. Olympic marathon trials qualifier, clocked a time of 62:50 over 21.1 kilometers, breaking the old mark of 63:08 from 2020 and raising money for a non-profit organization that provides camps and programs for children with heart defects.

Leblanc had the speed on the treadmill set at a ridiculous 12.5 mph for nearly the whole challenge. According to local news, Leblanc was six seconds ahead of the record through his first 5K split (14:54) and built a 13-second cushion, hitting 29:46 through 10K. He ended up breaking the previous mark by 18 seconds. The previous treadmill record was held by U.S. 2:12-marathoner John Raneri, who placed fourth at the California International Marathon in 2022.

The 32-year-old told local news that his inspiration behind targeting the record came from a friend who broke this same record while running on a treadmill at altitude. “He broke the record at an altitude, so with me doing it at sea level, I knew I already had an advantage,” he said. “The thought of having a World Record attempt would not only bring the community together but also the entire world to get behind a great cause to help the children.”

Leblanc works full-time as a registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer at the Lafayette General Medical Center, and wanted to use his platform and passion to raise money for Camp Bon Coeur, a camp for children with hearts that have needed mending. Leblanc has so far reached nearly $10,000 of his $25,000 goal.

This world-record feat isn’t Leblanc’s first running accomplishment. In 2015, he became the first Louisiana native to run a sub-four-minute mile on Louisiana soil, clocking 3:59.95 in front of his friends and family in Lafayette. His success has also led him to qualify for the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

Is depth of talent the issue behind Kenya’s doping scandal?

If you have been following the sport of distance running for the past five years, you’ll be aware of the rise in positive doping cases out of Kenya, whose athletes have dominated the major marathon scene for nearly three decades. Since 2000, the country has won a total of 30 Boston Marathon titles, and the remarkable performances of marathon world record holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei have put Kenyan athletics at the forefront of distance running. Still, below those few at the top, there are hundreds of aspiring talented distance runners from the East African nation willing to do whatever it takes to make ends meet.

In an in-depth interview with the BBC, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) head Brett Clothier explains that Kenya faces a unique problem that most countries don’t face—the sheer abundance of talent that sits below the elite level. “The problem is there is a huge pyramid of top-class athletes,” explains Clothier. “The difference in ability, in that pyramid, between the top and those below is not very much, because of the depth of their talent.”

Clothier adds that in the past, they have been testing the top of that pyramid, i.e., major marathon winners, domestic champions and world championship athletes, but the bottom ones have not been subject to out-of-competition testing. “That pyramid is hundreds, or even thousands, of athletes, so even though we are controlling the ones at the top very well, because of the pressure from the athletes below, who aren’t being tested out of competition, the athletes at the top are taking risks, and there is pressure to stay on top.”

The lure of financial incentives is a major driving force behind doping in Kenya. Road races tend to offer lucrative prize money and appearance fees, attracting a large professional class of runners who potentially see doping as a means to secure a better living. The extensive pyramid of top-class athletes in Kenya creates pressure to succeed, even for those not yet subject to out-of-competition testing. Clothier pointed out that these athletes do not have to go far to find performance-enhancing drugs. “When you have this illicit market, you have the opportunity for people to financially benefit from doping, and people who have the financial opportunity to sell performance-enhancing drugs,” said Clothier. “What we see is a market driven by money and demand.”

There are 165 Kenyan men who have run under 2:07 for the marathon. To put it into perspective, only three U.S. men in history have accomplished the same feat. USADA, the country’s doping agency, is backed annually by major players, including the U.S. Government and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), to help create a safe sporting environment and regularly test athletes.

Kenya’s problem is that it doesn’t yet have the funding or resources within its anti-doping agency to completely tackle the larger pool below those at the top, but the AIU and Kenyan government have increased funding for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) by five million a year for the next five years. “Funding can be a real game-changer,” said Clothier. “No other national anti-doping agency is at that level of testing in our sport.” In the last year, testing at the Kenyan National Championships has increased nearly 400 percent, which Clothier believes is a serious improvement.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe fully supports the efforts made by the Kenyan Federation and government in tackling the issue. Although running fans may feel discouraged by seeing the downfall of major marathon winners and world championships medallists who are cheating, Clothier insists that each case represents progress in making athletics a cleaner sport. The country’s fight against doping continues, but the increased testing and commitment to fixing the problem offer hope for real change. With Coe and Clothier backing the efforts to address doping in Kenya, there is reason for optimism that the nation’s anti-doping initiatives will lead to a cleaner and fairer athletic environment, benefiting clean athletes and preserving the integrity of the sport.

Six-time world champion confirms attendance for this year’s Antrim Coast Half-Marathon

Six-time world champion and former Olympic silver medalist Genzebe Dibaba has confirmed she will take to the starting line for this year’s Antrim Coast Half-Marathon.

The 32-year-old Ethiopian, who finished second in the 1500m at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, is the latest elite name to be added to the field for this year’s event, which takes place on August 25-27.

A former World Junior champion, and a two-time junior race winner at the World Cross Country Championships, Dibaba won her first world title in the 1500m at the 2012 World Indoors in Istanbul.

Her second came two years later in the 3000m at the World Indoors in Sopot, Poland, before she added the 1500m title at the 2013 World Championships in Beijing.

She would add another 1500m World Indoor title in 2016 in Portland before claiming gold in both the 1500m and 3000m at the 2018 World Indoors in Birmingham.

Dibaba, whose best half-marathon time is 1:05.18, will face stern competition from the likes of Amsterdam Marathon winner Degitu Azimeraw and former Great Ethiopian Run winner Zeineba Yimer.

However, Dibaba will enter the event as one of the favorites to cross the line first and race director Ruth McIlroy is thrilled they have added another huge name to the line-up.

"Everyone is delighted we have secured Genzebe, she's been someone we have been working towards getting to the event over the last 12 months,” said McIlroy.

"We feel we have one of the fastest half marathon courses in the world and think she, along with some other stars, will run extremely quick.

"Both the men's and women's elite races have a similar calibre to a global final so we could be looking at something very special in August.”

On the men’s side of the event, Ethiopian great Jemal Yimer is going for his third straight win in the event and is boasting considerable form after winning the Los Angeles Marathon and setting a UK & Ireland All-Comers record with a time of 58.33.

However, Yimer is only one of three runners who have broken the 59-minute mark in the field this year, with Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko having set a time of 58.26 and two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese also competing.

The local challenge will be spearheaded by Irish Olympian duo Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward, while Scotland’s Callum Hawkins also runs in a star-studded field.

Meanwhile, world junior champion Ermias Girma has been confirmed for the Condor Executive Street Mile to be run on the Friday night, with the Ethiopian eyeing up the first sub-four-minute mile.

Former Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Winnie Nanyondo is also confirmed for the event as she looks to better her personal best time of four minutes and 18 seconds.

Elsewhere, McIlroy is keen to see the Antrim Coast & Belfast bid given the green light to represent the United Kingdom in its bid to host either the 2025 or 2026 World Road Running Championships.

The bid, which has already been endorsed by Northern Ireland’s five main political parties, is Athletics UK’s preferred choice and will be the last to present to World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.

"With 50,000 runners from over 160 countries, it would be a truly great way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and showcase the beauty of our province and sporting excellence to the rest of the world,” added McIlroy.

The bid will be heard on Tuesday, July 4, with the winning regions revealed on August 18 at the World Track & Field Championships in Budapest.

World Road Running Championships in Riga Latvia September 30

Athletics fans will have the opportunity to see the world’s best milers, 5km runners and half-marathoners compete in a single day at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 under the revamped schedule announced today.

World Athletics and the Riga Local Organising Committee (LOC) have agreed to introduce a more compact programme, which will see the elite races and mass races held on the same day, October 1, at the championships.

The inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships was originally envisioned as a two-day event, with the new road mile and 5km road championships to be held on Saturday 30 September and the half marathon races on Sunday 1 October, but in a move to create a more exciting build up for fans, all events have been brought together with the mass races on one day.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “As preparations for the World Road Running Championships have evolved, it has become apparent that the event will work better as a single-day event in Riga, both for local organisers and for broadcast. It will also give recreational runners the opportunity to be fully immersed in the day, running before and after our elite runners, and will create the festival atmosphere that we want to see to celebrate road running at every level.”

The new timetable begins on the morning of 1 October with the mass races over 5km and the road mile to be followed by the elite races over the same distances. Then attention will turn to the half marathon distance with the elite races to be followed by the mass race.

This unique global running festival will not only crown the world road mile, 5km and half marathon champions, but is also expected to feature thousands of amateur runners, kids and families from up to 100 countries participating alongside elite runners.

Aigars Nords, Head of the Local Organising Committee, commented: “With three months to go to the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, we have already attracted recreational runners from more than 50 countries all over the world. Saturday 30 September will see thousands of kids and families warm up for the championships during Kids’ Day, while Sunday 1 October will provide a unique opportunity for everyone to earn their mass race medals, not only in the road mile, 5km, and half marathon, but also in the half marathon relay, a new mass race, aimed at recreational runners not yet ready for the challenges of a half marathon.”

Any recreational runner who is ready for a challenge can register for any of the official mass races of the World Championships in Riga and earn a unique medal from the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

WRRC Riga 23 updated schedule

Saturday 30 September 202310:00 – 15:00 Kids’ Day

Sunday 1 October 202310:00 Mass race | 5km11:30 Mass race | Road mile11:50 Women | 5km12:15 Men | 5km13:00 Women | Road mile13:10 Men | Road mile13:30 Women | Half marathon14:15 Men + mass race | Half marathon | Half marathon relay (10.5km + 10.5km)

Sebastian Coe welcomes perfect stage for the world’s best athletes to shine at WCH Budapest

“With the introduction of the super-fast Mondo track of the National Athletics Center, the stage is set for exhilarating battles and historic performances at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe after running the first lap on the new track, accompanied by local young athletes.

The build up through the one-day meetings of the Wanda Diamond League and the Continental Tour have seen some thrills and spills already.

And you don’t need to wait long for finals. They have been set throughout the Championships from the first day, Saturday 19 August. All athletes are looking for a loud crowd to keep them focused on medals and records.  But a passionate home crowd is super important to Hungarian athletes and their performances.

On day one, the men’s shot put is the first final in the stadium – defending champion Ryan Crouser (USA) broke the world record recently and will duel with two-time world champion Joe Kovacs (who may be in a USA vest but has family ties much closer to here – his grandfather is from the village of Szentpéterfa in Hungary).

For those who want a weekend of watching the strongest men in athletics, Sunday 20 August features the men’s hammer throw.  

“I don’t need to tell the people of Hungary that there is a huge national tradition in this event. Five of Hungary’s 10 Olympic athletics gold medals are for the hammer. And Hungary’s very own Bence Halász, who won the European Athletics silver medal in Munich last year and bronze at the World Championships in Doha in 2019 will be wanting his home crowd to give him a little extra muscle,” added President Coe.

The National Athletics Center in Budapest, a brand new, purpose-built facility, is emerging as the Central European region's athletics stronghold.

“As Budapest and the whole country prepares to welcome athletes from more than 200 countries; for Central European fans this is a unique opportunity to see the world’s best athletes compete in their own region. My message to all of you is don’t miss out. Book your tickets and your place in history now,” – added the World Athletics President

This historic occasion marks the first time in the 40-year history of the World Athletics Championships that a Central European country has been granted the opportunity to host the world's third-largest sporting event.

"We are organizing the biggest sporting event of the year, and the level of interest we have already witnessed is extraordinary. With tens of thousands of international fans and our very own passionate Hungarian supporters, we have already sold over 190,000 tickets.

The World Championships will be broadcast to an estimated one billion viewers worldwide, bringing immeasurable value and pride to Hungary," stated Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Minister of Defence and responsible for Sport and the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 organization.

The Minister encouraged fellow sports enthusiasts to witness the remarkable performances of Hungarian athletes firsthand, cheering them on throughout the thrilling opening weekend and celebrating their potential podium finishes.

On Saturday, the track that witnessed Sebastian Coe's inaugural lap will be open for everyone to experience, ahead of the world's top athletes competing in August. The National Athletics Centre's family opening day on June 17 invites participants to enjoy the track and engage in races, free of charge. Additionally, participants can seize the opportunity to purchase tickets for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, from August 19 to 27, at an exclusive 50% discount. Secure your tickets now at tickets.wabudapest23.com.

At 69, Bobby Kersee is track's 'mad scientist' and as influential as ever

Four years ago, the man associated with speed more than any track and field coach in the world felt himself slowing down, and he did not know why.

Since he was born in Panama in 1954 to a Panamanian mother and U.S. Navy father, Bobby Kersee has always been restless, a self-described wanderer with energy that matched his athletes. But in 2019, feeling unusually sapped, he called his doctor in St. Louis. Blood tests produced results dangerously far beyond the norm. Pancreatitis kept him stuck in a hospital for four weeks.

Once discharged, Kersee gave up red meat and alcohol.

What he would not quit was track.

Forty years after coaching his first world champion Kersee, now 69, paced relentlessly for four hours on Thursday while watching his training group at West Los Angeles College.

“Everyone kind of says the same thing: You know, he's different in terms of he's basically a mad scientist,” said Athing Mu, the 20-year-old reigning Olympic and world champion at 800 meters who switched to Kersee’s coaching in September to expand her range. “He knows what he's doing.”

Under cloudy skies at the track high above Culver City, nine athletes in his training group, dubbed Formula Kersee, ran tailored workouts and waited for his every word, from the barked “let’s go!” to commands about mechanics he hollered to athletes mid-run. He lifted hurdles, held court with reporters and stopped only to film block starts with his iPhone.

At an age when he might have become anachronistic, Kersee and his methods still represent sprinting’s gold standard, associates and athletes say. Invigorated by a training group that describes itself as a family and could be dominant into the next decade behind headliners Mu and 23-year-old 400-meter hurdles world champion and world record-holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Kersee said his career has no discernible finish line.

His coaching, primarily of sprinters and hurdlers, has brought his athletes at least one gold medal in 10 consecutive Summer Olympics, a litany of world championships and world records and, for Kersee, veneration, criticism and influence.

As the first professional meet held at UCLA’s Drake Stadium since 1990, and a key early tentpole in USA Track & Field’s attempted plan to grow its U.S. fanbase before the 2028 L.A. Olympics, this weekend’s Los Angeles Grand Prix is both a callback to a time when track’s popularity soared and, its organizers hope, a harbinger such times can return.

Outside of Sebastian Coe, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 who has since ascended to lead track’s global governing body, World Athletics, few figures have spanned both eras as prominently as Kersee.

Athletes and associates credit his ability to turn seemingly outlandish goals and times into tangible results to an ability to know what they need. Malachi Davis, who has overseen McLaughlin-Levrone’s training since she turned professional, likened Kersee to a conductor, his whistle and yellow stopwatch replacing a baton to direct “a beautiful dance of confidence and knowledge.”

Many coaches can teach how to run fast and build a race plan, McLaughlin-Levrone said, but Kersee understands “how to break it down piece by piece.”

Robert Forster, a Santa Monica-based physical therapist who has worked with Kersee’s athletes since 1983, said Kersee understands the “work-rest ratio” better than any coach, and does not overtrain where other coaches might double down on mileage. Forster has seen Kersee send an athlete home to rest just from the look on their face, and likes to tell a story about the 2016 Olympics, that Kersee later confirmed. Allyson Felix, the Los Angeles native who under Kersee became the most decorated athlete in track’s history, was nursing a severely sprained ankle and the physical therapist told Kersee it needed to be iced 20 minutes every hour. Forster did not expect, however, that Kersee would stay up the entire next night icing the ankle as Felix slept.

Kersee was an early adopter of technology, upgrading his video cameras at a Westwood electronics store years before he could film block starts of sprinters Jenna Prandini and Morolake Akinosun on his iPhone and zip the footage to an iPad on the infield of the West L.A. track.

Yet the Kersee mystique has endured as much because of his grasp on psychology as biomechanics — feeling for when to push and when to pull back.

Brandon Miller, a top 800-meter hopeful who began working with Kersee in September, has heard other athletes describe Kersee as “crazy.” He disputes that characterization, but noted that Kersee knows to stoke his competitiveness entering a workout’s final repetition with four words: “OK, what you got?”

“I've never met any coach like him,” Mu said. “He's not going to make you do anything that's for his sake. You know, it's gonna be all for you and the benefit of you and your career. And so, I come in here, I knew that he was very intentional, and that's something I needed, especially if I want my career to be long.”

Raised by a grandmother as an “A-train baby” bouncing between the Bronx and Queens, Kersee lost his mother, Daphne, when he was 14, before moving to San Pedro for high school.

He put himself through college at Long Beach State by working at a youth correctional facility in Whittier, where Kersee watched wards from midnight until 8 a.m. After graduating, he had two jobs: Track coach at Cal State Northridge, and counselor at another youth facility in Chino. He took over UCLA’s track and field program in 1980 and that provided enough money to be comfortable. Coaching Greg Foster to his first world championship in 1983, and watching his athletes win six golds and four silvers at the Los Angeles Olympics one year later, provided the final confidence he could sustain coaching as a career.

But he did not leave behind the edge required to do his former jobs.

“I used to work in the prisons, so you can’t walk into the prisons being Mother Teresa,” he said. “And then I did find myself carrying a little bit too much of that to the track. I had to calm myself down and say, 'Wait a minute, you’re not working with a warden.'”

Once, an elderly woman approached Kersee in an airport in Indiana and told him she did not like what she had seen from Kersee or the other famed coach with the B.K. initials: Bobby Knight. He did not belittle his athletes, he said, but he also didn’t leave room for interpretation about who ran the workout. The edge created a mystique that “he's crazy,” Miller said. “But he's not. I feel like everybody has preconceptions of everybody but you won't really know unless you're there and you're with them every day.”

Just as when he built his vaunted World Class Athletic Club in the 1980s, he will only train those he can coach hard and have chemistry. His athletes typically train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He treats Monday Zoom calls with the group as though he is re-interviewing for the job. It’s more convenient than years before, he said, when he recalled gathering before dawn in Europe to address their complaints with him.

“I think we have that understanding that I’m going to listen and respect them,” he said. “But my job is to get the job done for them individually and collectively but you hired me. And if you hired me, let me do my job.”

That job, essentially, can be reduced to one thing: Imparting confidence in his plan. And no one does it like Kersee, said Davis, who sprinted professionally before aiding McLaughlin-Levrone.

“He's a competition coach, so the time it counts, you feel confident,” Davis said. “And your head coach is basically your general and then competition is basically war. And yes, you prepare for war but that final voice, that presence, that action, that essence, that’s Bobby. And he earned that by what he’s accomplished throughout his career.”

Kersee allows that age has softened him. As McLaughlin-Levrone recalled last August, Kersee earned her trust when he saw her overwhelmed with emotion at a 2020 practice and handed her a paper showing a wheel of emotions, saying he had trouble expressing himself, too.

Though accustomed to criticism of himself for years — he joked he would be buried in a track, and "probably as much as people hate me, they’ll put me in lane one, because I’ll be stepped on the most" — he worries about how the inundation of social media affects athletes’ mental health. He has traveled to support the singing ambitions of Formula Kersee sprinter Chloe Abbott. This spring, a smiling Kersee was featured on TikTok when his athletes remade the opening credits of the 1990s sitcom “Family Matters.”

Four decades into his career, he has “a whole lot of knowledge and a whole lot of patience,” he said. “But still, don’t let grandpa get out of the chair.”

Ato Boldon was never coached by Kersee during his sprinting career but has known him for 31 years, since they overlapped at UCLA, and has seen a “golden-hearted” side to the coach. He also described Kersee’s coaching equivalent as either Knight or San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

“Everybody under him wins,” said Boldon. “But it’s not necessarily a democracy.

“... As time has gone on, people are like, ‘Wow he’s so this or he’s so that, he’s so abrasive.’ Listen, do you want results, or do you not want results?”

No one argues that Kersee gets results. The most common criticism is how rarely his athletes compete en route to smashing records and claiming gold.

Among athletes, meet directors, agents and track officials who see a need for the sport’s biggest stars and strong competition to draw in casual fans, it has become a question of how to unite what is best for the top athletes’ futures with what is best for the sport’s growth. The tensions surrounding the discussion are not dissimilar from the way “load management” in the NBA has sparked concerns whether it will turn off fans from the regular season.

Because many top athletes train under Kersee, he has become a focal point. There is also his history of pulling athletes late before a meet, sometimes because of injury, and sometimes as a power play, as in 1994, when a dispute over pay led him to withdraw Gail Devers from a high-profile Los Angeles indoor meet.

The topic reignited last week when he withdrew Mu and McLaughlin-Levrone from the Grand Prix, a meet for which he serves as co-promoter. It came soon after telling Track & Field News in February that even he would like to see McLaughlin-Levrone run more often, and told The Times in March that there was no reason meets in the U.S. couldn’t draw thousands if the sport’s leaders banded together to promote strong competitions.

Asked about the balance of what is best for his athletes, or the sport, Kersee this week called it a byproduct of limited sponsorship money within the sport, which incentivizes performances at the biggest meets, which often require qualification earlier in the season. Only a handful of stars make big money and can afford to be choosy. He contrasted it with the NFL and NBA, where athletes can still earn a paycheck while resting.

“I think it’s a little tougher on our athletes to try to balance out wanting to run for the public and run for our sport and also knowing if I run too much or make one little mistake it might cost me making a team,” Kersee said. “That if I go out there and run five or six races I’m going to get to the point of, 'OK why is he running me so much and she gets injured over there, did she really need to run?'”

McLaughlin-Levrone released a statement after being pulled from the Grand Prix field that she “regrettably” would not be competing, citing her coach’s choice. It also said she trusted his judgment, which the world record-holder echoed again Thursday.

“He has a plan and he is going to work it out to perfection,” said Boldon, who will call Saturday’s meet as part of NBC’s broadcast team. “It might not benefit USATF, it might not benefit the fans, but you tell me, what moment stood out most from last summer's world championships?”

It was McLaughlin-Levrone’s stunning 50.68 time to win the 400-meter world title and lower her own world record. The run cut through the noise to make SportsCenter. It also left McLaughlin-Levrone sore for days, she said. Seeing her parents in the stands, for the first time after becoming the first woman to run under 51 seconds, she told them “that hurt, so bad.”

“We've been very calculated in when we run and I think it's yielded us great results,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “Bobby always uses analogies and he's like, 'You don't take the Ferrari out every day for a drive. You take it out when it needs to come out and it does its things and you put it back in the garage.' So, your body can only be pushed to a certain level so much in your career.

“You only have so many races in your legs and I think we're really strategic about which ones we choose to run. Obviously I know the sport wants to see a little bit more and I think we're trying to figure out how to do that in a safe way that we can still accomplish our goals and give them something to look forward to.”

For McLaughlin-Levrone and Mu, the question is not whether they will make this summer’s world championships in Hungary, or next summer’s Paris Olympics, but which events — possibly plural — they will run.

When Kersee evaluates whether to bring an athlete into his coaching, he also looks for their potential range. He thought he lost his job coaching Felix when he told the 200-meter star during his interview that he would have her run the 400.

Mu and McLaughlin-Levrone’s youth and potential range is one of the sport’s most speculative discussions; news about their upcoming races create instant headlines. The duo are “two of maybe the most talented athletes he’s ever had,” Boldon said.

Their world championships last summer gave McLaughlin-Levrone an automatic berth into the upcoming world 400-hurdle field, and Mu an entry into the 800. With that secured, Kersee has focused on running McLaughlin-Levrone in the open 400 meters, where Marita Koch’s world record of 47.60 has been effectively unapproachable for 38 years — only four women have run even faster than 49 seconds in the past 20 years. She once thought 47.60 was “impossible.” Not anymore.

“It's a very daunting number to look at, I'll tell you that,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “But at the end of the day, I think if we can take the 400 hurdles to 50.6, I think 47.6 isn't too far off.”

In addition to her 800-meter world title, Mu once owned the collegiate 400-meter record and ran on the U.S. 4x400-meter relay team that won Olympic gold in Tokyo.

“I'm still super young and I have not touched the surface of a lot of things yet,” Mu said. “But I do have visions, which is like really big goals of competing in obviously the Olympics again, and then worlds and hopefully, doubling up.”

Would that mean the 800 and 400, or the 800 and 1,500?

“Hopefully both,” she said. “I mean, I would love to have a chance to do 4/8 and then go ahead and do the 8/15 at some point.”

Maybe this explains why Kersee moved so quickly across the track during practice. There was no sign he had once slowed down.

“I’m glad,” he said, “I have that Energizer Bunny still in me.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

World Athletics renews Ukraine Fund in wake of destruction of track and field facilities

World Athletics, together with the International Athletics Foundation and members of the Diamond League Association, has renewed the Ukraine Fund established last year to support professional athletes affected by the conflict in their home country.

The Fund’s purpose is to ensure that elite Ukrainian athletes can continue to train, qualify for and participate in World Championship events this year, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

The fund currently has $190,000US available to assist athletes, their immediate family and key support personnel, and there will be a particular emphasis on purchasing pole vault equipment after the destruction through missile attacks of a key sporting complex in Bakhmut.

This year’s other priorities will be paying for travel and accommodation for elite athletes at training camps over the summer season, covering travel and accommodation for non-quota officials and athletes to participate at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 from August 19 to 27 and the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 from September 30 to October 1.

The Ukrainian Athletic Federation general secretary, Iolanta Khropach, explained that a large sporting complex in Bakhmut - an athletics stadium, an indoor arena, throwing fields, a medical centre and the Sergey Bubka Olympic Sports College - had been destroyed in the battle for Bakhmut in recent months.

"It was the only centre where athletes could conduct training camps at any time of the year," she wrote in a letter to World Athletics.

"This was very important because in cold winters we do not have enough arenas for training.

"It was also a very important training centre for pole vaulters.

Now there is nothing left in Bakhmut.

"We are grateful for all the help, support and understanding that you give us, but we ask you, if it is in your power, to contact the manufacturers of athletics equipment with a request to provide us with athletics equipment as humanitarian aid."

The federation reports that track and field facilities in Kharkiv and Chernihiv have also been badly damaged during the fighting.

World Athletics intends to work with equipment manufacturers to replace equipment that has been damaged or lost and ship it to training camps near Ukraine’s western border.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe added: "Last year the Ukraine Fund enabled the Ukrainian Federation to send a strong team to the World Athletics Championships Oregon23, where Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Andriy Protsenko won medals, and we want to make sure Ukrainian athletes have the same opportunity to compete and succeed this year.

"They have been put in a terrible situation following the invasion of their country.

"This year’s fund will provide further support to enable them to find stability and security as they prepare to represent their country this year.

"The deliberate destruction of Ukrainian athletics facilities and equipment is also a serious attack on the accessibility of our sport.

"We will do whatever we can to help athletics survive and recover in Ukraine."

The Ukraine Fund will provide financial assistance to the following two groups.

Group One includes athletes who are affiliated to the Ukrainian Athletic Federation and have qualified, or have a credible chance to qualify, to compete at any upcoming World Athletics Championships until Fund closure.

Group Two will cover Ukrainian Federation requests for funding for specific activities, such as the cost of training camps, purchase of athletics equipment, or travel and accommodation of out-of-quota Federation officials and support personnel to World Athletics Championships.

Funding for Group One involves enrolment, subsistence and accommodation, at training camps/temporary housing, welfare support, travel and accommodation to compete at qualifying events for World Championships and travel and accommodation to compete at World Athletics Championships if not otherwise provided.

Funding for Group Two involves enrolment, subsistence and accommodation at training camps to prepare for World Championships, travel and accommodation to accompany Group One athletes at qualifying events for World Championships, athletics equipment to replace lost or damaged equipment (for elite athletes and grassroots), support to general operations of member federations, officials and coaches.

It is expected that up to 100 members of the Ukrainian athletics community may require some financial support this year.

The fund can receive additional contributions from other athletics organisations at any time until its closure which is set for December 31 2023.

Potential beneficiaries can register for consideration by emailing UKRFund@worldathletics.org, while other athletics organisations who would like to contribute to the fund can do so by contacting the same address.

Kenya's track sensation Mary Moraa has her eyes firmly focused on a World Championship conquest in Budapest later in the year

Barely in her 20s, Kenya's track sensation Mary Moraa is already hogging the global limelight and stealing headlines at whim. 

The 2022 Commonwealth Games 800 metres gold medallist has rocked premier global athletics shows in recent years to deservedly cut herself a niche in the Hall of Fame. 

Fondly known as "The Kisii Express" by her dotting fans, Moraa has already claimed her space in the cutthroat world of athletics. Undoubtedly, the decorated track prodigy deserves every ounce of international acclamation.

Only recently, she set a new PB in April after storming to the 400m title at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in an astonishing time of 50.44. 

The sublime performance she pulled off in the blistering contest saw her smash her previous national record by 0.24 seconds, subsequently attaining the World Athletics Championships qualifying standards of 51.0 seconds.

"My previous 400m best was 50.67, which I attained at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels in September."

In Botswana, the two-lap specialists obliterated a stellar field that boasted Olympic and world finalist Candice McLeod of Jamaica, USA’s Kyra Jefferson, and the Botswana duo of Naledi Lopang and Thompang Basele. 

She breezed to victory ahead of South Africa’s Miranda Coetzee and McLeod who crossed the line in 51.13s and 51.17s respectively.

She rallied from behind to take the lead with 30m to go on her way to the winner's podium at the National Stadium, Gaborone.

Moraa smashed the national record when she won the Kenyan trials for World Championships and Commonwealth Games in 50.84 on June 25, last year at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani.

Moraa, 23, has vowed to step into the big shoes of her role model Hellen Obiri, the middle and long-distance track sensation.

 "I've always admired Obiri. I grew up watching her clinch titles and her amazing performances have inspired me a great deal. To an extent, there is a part of her that lives in me. I just want to be exactly like her," Moraa said.

"To date, Obiri still inspires me a great deal and I'm eager to emulate her success on the international stage," she added. 

Indeed, Moraa has every reason to admire Obiri. She is the only woman to have won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track, and cross-country races. 

Notably, Obiri is a two-time Olympic 5000 metres silver medallist from the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the 10,000 meters.

 She is a two-time world champion, having claimed the 5000 m title both in 2017 and 2019 when she set a new championship record. 

Obiri also tucked away a bronze in the 1500 metres during the 2013 World Championships and a silver in the 10,000 m in 2022.

She won the 3000 meters race at the 2012 World Indoor Championships, claimed silver in 2014, and placed fourth in 2018. She romped to the 2019 World Cross Country title and triumphed in the 2023 Boston Marathon.

Moraa said she and Obiri share a lot in common. Besides being compatriots, Moraa is elated they hail from the same county.

 Coached by seasoned National Police athletics team gaffer Alex Sang, Moraa has her eyes firmly trained on a World Championship conquest in Budapest, Hungary later in the year.

She said she intends to run the 800m race at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August, adding that she is determined to breast the tape in under two minutes. 

Born on June 15, 2000, Moraa attended Nyangononi Primary School in Bassi Borabu, Kisii County where she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 2014.

Her potential in athletics came to the fore at Nyangononi when she ran away with several titles in the sprints and middle-distance races.

 "I stamped authority in 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m and even shattered the 400m East Africa school games record in 2014," Moraa proudly recounted. 

Upon completing her studies, Moraa proceeded to Ibacho Secondary School in Kisii County but lasted there for only two years before transferring to Mogonga PAG Mixed secondary school where she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2018.

"While at Ibachi, I experienced difficulties paying my school fees and it was the principal who would chip in most of the time. Unfortunately, he got transferred from the school and I was left stranded. 

"I later joined Mogonga Mixed Secondary School, where I got a lot of support from the principal who also happened to be my coach."

An orphan from a disadvantaged background, Moraa got financial help from her school principal Aron Onchonga who paid all her school fees at Mogonga. Indeed, aside from affording her pertinent financial assistance, Onchong'a played a key role in honing her skills and carving her path to stardom. It was during her years in Mogonga that Moraa started jutting out her talons on the track.

 "I am grateful to the school administration and the Principal for the moral and financial support they gave me while there."

During my years in Mogonga, I wanted to remain a role model to the young girls who shied away from sporting activities. I was determined to train and participate in various activities even after completing school," said Moraa.

Botswana’s Nijel Amos 800m star and Olympic medalist, banned three years for doping

Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the joint-third-fastest 800m runner in history, was banned three years for doping.

The case stemmed to last June, when he tested positive for GW1516, an experimental drug which can modify the body’s metabolism but has been considered too dangerous for human use.

The ban was backdated to last July, when Amos was provisionally suspended pending an investigation. His ban now runs to 2025, which means the 29-year-old Amos will miss the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Amos received a one-year reduction of what would otherwise be a four-year ban because he made an early admission and acceptance of the suspension.

That came after he requested a supplement be tested for the presence of the drug. The test did not detect any GW1516 in opened and sealed bottles.

GW1516 was developed to help build endurance and burn fat but was found to cause cancer during tests on rodents. Anti-doping organizations have warned athletes not to use it on safety grounds.

The drug has previously been found in samples given by professional cyclists and by Olympic race walker Elena Lashmanova. The Russian served a two-year ban and was later stripped of the 20km gold medal she won at the 2012 Olympics for another doping offense.

In 2012, Amos, then 18, took silver in the 800m at the London Games in what many called the greatest Olympic race in history. Kenyan David Rudisha lowered his world record. Amos matched Seb Coe as the third-fastest man in history in the event (1:41.73). Every runner’s time was the fastest ever for that finishing placement.

Amos has not won an Olympic or world championships medal since. In July 2019, he ran 1:41.89, the world’s best time since that London Olympic final.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Amos and American Isaiah Jewett got tangled in the final lap of their semifinal. In an act of good sportsmanship, the runners helped each other up and later jogged across the finish line together in the last two places. Amos was granted a place in the final and finished eighth.

Russian doping ban lifted, but Ukraine war keeps athletes out

Russia and its athletes will remain banned from competition due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday afternoon, the World Athletics Council announced the reinstatement of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) following a seven-year doping suspension. Despite their reinstatement into the sport, however, Russia will remain banned from competition due to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“Athletes and officials for Russia and Belarus are still excluded for the foreseeable future due to the invasion of Ukraine,” said World Athletics president Seb Coe.

In the case that Russia decides to leave Ukraine, Coe says his instinct is that the ban would be reversed, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in all World Athletics events.

According to Rune Andersen, who served as the head of the World Athletics Task Force around reinstating the RusAF, told the WA Council that all required conditions have ultimately been met. RusAF has also accepted the ruling stating that there must be no backsliding from the new position.

“I believe RusAF still has a lot of progress to be made,” said Coe. RusAF has to follow 35 “special conditions” intended to ensure that anti-doping reforms remain in place, and continue to operate effectively. These special conditions will continue to be reviewed over the next three years.

The RusAF has been suspended from competing in World Athletics events since 2015 due to multiple doping violations. They are currently not eligible to host World Athletics events or send teams to international championships due to the World Athletics sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine.

“The integrity of our major international competitions has already been substantially damaged by the actions of the Russian and Belarusian governments through the hardship inflicted on Ukrainian athletes and the destruction of Ukraine’s sports systems,” said Coe in a press release. “Russian and Belarusian athletes, many of whom have military affiliations, should not be beneficiaries of these actions.”

The World Athletics stance on Russia continues to contrast with that of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is working to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors to participate in international competition and the Paris 2024 Games, as neutral athletes.

The reinstatement of RusAF was one of four noteworthy announcements to come from the 2023 World Athletics Council meetings. 

World Athletics bans transgender athletes from female category

On March 23, World Athletics announced a complete ban on transgender athletes competing in the female category. No athletes who have been through male puberty will be allowed to participate in women’s events from March 31st onward.

“Transgender athletes should not be competing in the female category,” said World Athletics president Seb Coe. “Science may be insufficient, but the council agrees it must be guided by our overarching principle to protect all biological females in our sport.”

“This has not been an easy decision,” said Coe. “We entered a consultation months ago, we wanted to hear from all stakeholders, and the judgment we took was in the best interest of our sport.”

World Athletics will soon establish a transgender working group to bring data and science to the council meetings. The working group will give the World Athletics Council a better understanding of transgender athletes in our sport. Coe said he intended to appoint a trans female athlete as chair of this group.

The previous World Athletics transgender policy stated to be eligible for female competition, athletes had to keep their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for a 12-month period. The new ruling will bar all transgender athletes from the female category. 

“It was impossible to maintain the transgender regulations for what they were,” said Coe. “A full ban on transgender athletes in the women’s category is the right approach.”

The press conference also dealt with athletes in the DSD category. More information to come.

80-year-old runs wild time at USATF 100 Mile Championships

The USATF 100-mile road national championships were held in Henderson, Nev. on Friday and Saturday at the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival, and while the elite men and women produced impressive results, the performance of the weekend has to go to David Blaylock, an 80-year-old athlete from Salt Lake City, Utah. Blaylock finished the race in a fantastic time of 29 hours, 47 minutes and 29 seconds, and he was followed by three other men in the 80-plus age division, each of whom finished the race.

80-plus division 

Before this year’s race, Blaylock had already raced the Jackpot 100 several times, and he had managed to break 30 hours on multiple occasions. In 2022, the final year of his 70s, he ran 31:56:28 at the event. While this was still a great result, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if Blaylock, now in the M80 division, didn’t break 30 hours again over 100 miles, but he did just that on Saturday, crossing the finish line with 12 and a half minutes to spare.

The fact that Blaylock ran 100 miles at the age of 80 is impressive enough, but his sub-30-hour result makes the achievement all the more amazing. His average pace was just over 11 minutes per kilometre for the 160K race. Although it’s unclear where Blaylock’s result ranks all-time among Americans, based on the USATF record books, his 29:47 sits near the top. The current M80 American record over 100 miles belongs to Maurice Robinson, who posted a time of 29:03:21 at a race in Kansas in March 2022.

While Blaylock ultimately won the M80 race by more than 20 minutes, his victory was far from a lock. He had to chase 83-year-old Edward Rousseau for most of the run, and for a long stretch, he was an hour back of first place. It wasn’t until the 95th mile that Blaylock made the pass on Rousseau, and from that point on, his lead only grew.

Rousseau ended up crossing the line in a fantastic time of 30:09:08, and 80-year-olds Ian Maddieson and Denis Trafecanty finished third and fourth, respectively, in times of 37:15:39 and 37:59:42.

The elite races

San Francisco‘s Jonah Backstrom, 49, took home the men’s national 100-mile title with a winning time of 14:11:03. He won the race by more than 30 minutes over second-place finisher Zach Merrin, who finished in 14:48:59. Third place went to Pete Kostelnick, who stopped the clock almost an hour later in 15:47:24. In the women’s race, Nevada local Sierra DeGroff won in 15:59:56, just eking out a sub-16-hour result. She finished close to an hour ahead of second-place Lisa Cabiles, who completed the race in 16:42:54. Heather Huggins finished third in a time of 17:09:29.

How I Won the World Cross-Country Championship at Age 83

Seventy years after his first cross-country race and 46 years after competing as an elite runner, the author competes—and triumphs—on a tough Australian course

Last weekend, in Bathurst, Australia, I did something I thought I would never do again: I ran once more in the World Cross-Country Championship. Not the main men’s open race, in which I competed for England in 1966 and New Zealand in 1977. Not at age 83. But for the first time, the World Athletics federation added Masters championships, and—almost like a dream—I not only participated again, but raced at the front of the M80 field and managed to outlast a stubborn Australian for the win.

If you believe that running after eighty is about leisurely slow toddling, wait till you’re up there, racing to your limit, and you make the sharp u-turn at halfway and see that you are being closely stalked by a lean lanky Aussie with M80 on his bib and a threatening scowl like Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. 

He is called James Harrison, and he made me work for it. I have won and lost many hard races over the years, and this was one of the hardest. The only possible tactic was unrelieved pressure. I finally broke him three-quarters through the four-kilometer distance, on the second two-kilometer lap, as we gasped up a big steep rough-surfaced hill that broke many hearts that weekend. At last, I sensed him drop. It took tenacity, months of focused training (including hill repeats), and years of learning the wiles that true cross-country demands. 

This was a course where every decision counted about where you placed your next stride. Every sharp oxygen-draining uphill demanded that you keep momentum over the crest, every downhill was there for attack, not recovery, every tight turn required poise and pace. Those things don’t come easily after age eighty (and on two replaced knees in my case), but it was a World Championship of cross-country running, and we were there to take those tests. 

I won’t claim the sheer thrill of winning the race was the same as ever. But it was real, and it had a private significance. I ran below my best in the senior world championship in the past. Nothing can change those results, but it felt good this time to get it right. And the sense of achievement is something that few things in the last years of life are ever likely to equal.

World Athletics, under President Seb Coe (who learned cross-country in England in his early teens), has grown tired of holding its cross-country championships on boring flat safe horse-race circuits, like those I encountered in my days in the main race. They decided to take some security risks to revitalize the sport. American senior administrator David Katz now acts as course consultant for each World Cross-Country, and insists on the real thing. 

“Cross-country has one distinctive thing, the course. That has to be the talking point, and each one must be unique as the race moves around the world. The media and the public need to understand that cross-country is special in its challenges, not just another long race,” Katz said in Bathurst. 

The previous championships in 2019 in Aarhus, Denmark, set the world chattering about a course that included loops over the steeply-sloping grassed roof of the Moesgaard Museum. This time (after several Covid-related postponements) the Aussies gave us a course that was a raw slice of the Australian outback. On the side of Mount Panorama, it was broken and unpredictable, rusty dirt, grey raggedy scrub grass, and diabolical hills. Scattered blue gum trees provided the only shade. Each morning, you could find fresh kangaroo poop. 

They added some challenges to make it even more uniquely Australian. There was a “billabong,” of treacherous ankle-deep wet mud that caused many runners to skid and flop to a slimy downfall. (Some of the slower kids in the scholastic races lay down and daubed themselves heroically.) There was a dash through the straight vines of a winery, followed by tight turns, and, in honor of Bathurst’s motor-race circuit, a “chicane” where you had to steer through a forest of car tires. 

High on a dry hillside there was a stretch named “Bondi Beach,” deep shifting sand decorated with lifeguard flags and “Beware of Sharks” signs. An Aussie joke, yet for the runners, another testing change of racing rhythm, another response to the challenge of contours and terrain. No other kind of running does that. Cross-country is the closest our sport gets to true interaction with the earth.   

Added to all that was the Outback summer heat, 95 degrees for the main races on the Saturday late afternoon. In the different races, several runners were taken to hospital, and at least four passed out during the race, including, it seemed, the women’s favorite and race leader, Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia), who collapsed dramatically and glazy-eyed as she was passed by Beatrice Chebet (Kenya) within strides of the finish. 

As a serious evening storm approached, its clouds like dark riders, the men’s race was hastily moved forward, and 22-year-old Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo had to win his first major title while lightning flashed behind the mountain and brutal wind gusts sent runners staggering. Slower runners were caught in torrential rain.  Australia does nothing by half measures. 

For me and many others, Australia was an unexpected opportunity. Three months before the race, World Athletics and World Masters Athletics announced that they were combining to add masters championships, part of a new and excellent policy to make the event a full cross-country festival, as well as the world’s elite team and individual championships. Hundreds of spectators doubled as competitors. I met so many old friends out there, it was like a global runners’ reunion. 

In addition to the usual competitors from Europe, North America and Africa, there were teams from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and other Pacific nations, none of them obvious participants in a sport that is essentially one of cold winter.

I guess an 83-year-old who last ran the World Cross-Country in 1977 was another less-than-obvious participant. I never imagined it. I gave up cross-country for good, I believed, when my orthopedic surgeon confessed, after he watched me and the knee he had implanted struggle over a muddy course, that it gave him nightmares for weeks. 

But a lifetime of racing has taught me that you have to seize the moment. Before committing, I watched videos of the course, which like a good actor came across looking much more attractive than it was. When I actually saw the steep downhills, I thought I was out of my mind. But another thing I have learned is that in running, only one thing is absolutely certain—you won’t run well if you’re not in the race. 

I registered. I did the work. I seized my moment. I got the sheer thrill of winning a race. I was lucky in that the course’s surface proved (mostly) not too lumpy or too soft, and I was lucky in some top Europeans and South Americans not making the journey. In every race, you can only compete against those who show up. 

Young readers, please note. In January 1953, aged 13, I ran my first cross-country race, in my high school’s inter-house league, well back in the field. Seventy years a runner. You never know what a high school race might lead to. 

Being called world champion at 83 is a nice way to celebrate that small private anniversary—and at this age, I can surely be forgiven a memory lapse, if sometimes I forget to add “over-80.” It could also be a nice way to round off seventy years of running. Round off, except for the next race, that is.

(Roger Robinson ran the world cross-country championship for England and later New Zealand, and set a Masters record of 2:20:15 at the Boston Marathon.  He is regarded as the outstanding historical writer on running. He recaptures history from personal observation in When Running Made History (Syracuse University Press) and he researches vivid and accurate accounts of the sport’s best stories in his new book, Running Throughout Time: the Greatest Running Stories Ever Told (Meyer & Meyer). Available through Amazon and all online outlets and bookstores.)

Bathurst ready to welcome the world on ‘toughest ever’ championship course

Absence, they say, makes the heart grow fonder. But in the case of World Athletics Cross Country Championships, it also seemingly makes the courses tougher.

Four years have passed since the memorable 2019 edition in the Danish city of Aarhus, where athletes had to run up a museum roof, trudge through a mud pit, and dash through a Viking zone. It was widely regarded as one of the most unique and challenging courses ever at a World Cross.

Now, on the eve of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23, many people are convinced that the course for this year’s edition is even tougher.

“In recent years we’ve talked about reinvigorating cross country, and we adjusted the course in Aarhus to create a more challenging one,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “I’m delighted that the team here in Bathurst have picked up that torch and done an outstanding job. I’d say this is certainly one of the toughest courses ever for a World Cross.

“We are really pleased to be here,” he added. “In the 50-year history of the World Cross, this is just the second time it has been held in Oceania, and it’s the first time it has been held in Australia.

“Bathurst has one of the most iconic motor racing tracks in the world, but now, in the same breath, people will think of Bathurst staging the World Cross Country Championships.”

Local Organizing Committee Co-Chair Matt Whitbread expressed his pleasure at welcoming the world to Australia for a global athletics event.

“We’re delighted to have everyone here in Bathurst,” he said. “After the last edition in Denmark, there was plenty of inspiration. We got the brief that the course needed to be hard, and hopefully we’ve achieved that.

“We were originally scheduled for 2021, then 2022, and we’re finally here now,” he said. “We’re thrilled to be here and we welcome you all.”

Coe also used the opportunity to underline the importance of cross country.

“World Athletics takes cross country very seriously, and the importance of cross country goes beyond a great World Championships like this,” he said.

Championships ambassador Paul Tergat is living proof of someone who benefitted from cross-country running. A five-time world champion at cross country, the Kenyan legend also set world records on the track and roads during his long career.

“Cross country is part of my DNA,” said Tergat. “This is where my career started. Being here, especially in Australia where I have such fond memories, makes it more special.

“With cross country, not only do you have to think about the athletes you’re racing against, you also have to think about the terrain and the course,” he added. “I believe that makes you tougher. Each course is different, which makes cross country unique.”

Cheptegei and Kamworor ready for rematch

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor – who, between them, have won the past three senior men’s titles – will once again go head to head on Saturday.

Cheptegei’s compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, who took silver in 2019, is also in Bathurst, meaning the full podium will be reunited.

“It’s exciting that the people who shared the podium in 2019 are all back here,” said Cheptegei, the 5000m and 10,000m world record-holder. “I know it’s going to be mind-blowing and will be something that will stay in our hearts and minds for a long time.”

Memories of the 2017 World Cross Country Championships have certainly stayed with Cheptegei over the past six years. On that occasion, with the World Cross taking place on home soil, Cheptegei had built up a huge lead but fatigue eventually got the better of him and he faded to 30th, as Kamworor successfully defended his title.

“Sometimes you have to accept what life throws at you and then learn from it,” said Cheptegei. “I can proudly say that I am a better athlete because of the incident in 2017. It taught me a lot of lessons about my life and my career. When you want something in life, it’s important to chase your goals, but you also have to be patient and make certain judgements.”

For Kamworor, it was the 2011 edition of the World Cross that holds most significance.

“The first major title I won was the U20 title at the 2011 World Cross Country Championships,” he said. “That motivated me so much, and ever since then I have loved cross country.”

Despite winning two individual senior titles and one U20 title, Kamworor is yet to win a senior team gold at the World Cross. He hopes that will change on Saturday, though.

“We had great training with the team and we hope to do our best tomorrow and hopefully win the team title,” he said.

Hull and Coburn take different routes to Bathurst relay

Dramatically contrasting paths have led accidental contender Emma Coburn and child prodigy Jessica Hull to the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst where they are both in contention for medals.

Colorado-based Coburn, 32, is looking forward to leading USA in the mixed relay, despite being an athlete who spurned cross country at school and college in favour of volleyball and track.

Coburn instead went on to become a steeplechase specialist, winning the 2017 world title at that discipline, as well as the 2019 world silver and 2016 Olympic bronze.

Coburn said the longer cross country courses were the reasons she never got into the discipline.

“I was never that mentally into it (cross country) because I played volleyball during the same season in high school,” Coburn said. “In college I tried it, but I wasn’t that great. I always loved the steeplechase and the track.”

Being able to compete in a mixed relay – the ninth time Coburn has represented the USA at a global championship – where each runner completes a 2km loop has changed her attitude about cross country.

“This 2km distance I think is really fun,” she said. “The muscular strength in my legs will be beneficial on some of the technically challenging parts of the race, like the mud pit.

“As a steeplechaser, I like the challenge of this course. We’ll be going for it, trying our hardest to conquer the course and come out with some hardware.

“This is a fun opportunity and something different for me. I’m eager to try new things and mix it up and this is an opportunity to challenge my mind and body.”

Coburn will be supported in the mixed relay by US teammates Heather MacLean, a 2021 Tokyo Olympic 1500m semi-finalist, steeplechase expert Alec Basten, and 2019 mixed relay runner Jordan Mann.

The USA will be vying for the medals alongside Australia, whose team boasts a cross country child enthusiast in Hull.

Twenty years ago Hull kicked off her athletics career doing 2km primary school cross country carnivals across the road from her home in New South Wales, Australia.

“It’s kind of scary,” Hull said. “It was part of my school sports days and it was 2km. Now I’ll do a 2km hot lap of the Bathurst course. So it’s kind of a full circle moment.

“If we were to get the win out there, it would be pretty special,” she added. “It is incredible that we can talk about the Aussie team even having a win. It would be quite a remarkable day if we got to hear the national anthem while we are out there.”

Athletics has taken Hull, 26, from school cross country carnivals to the world stage where she’s been a 1500m finalist at three majors – the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (11th), the 2022 World Championships in Oregon (7th) and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (8th).

Hull will be joined on the tough Bathurst course by three other Australian 1500m specialists: Commonwealth champion Oliver Hoare, Commonwealth bronze medallist Abbey Caldwell, and Olympic finalist Stewart McSweyn.

The mixed relay is the first medal event on the championship programme on Saturday (18). 15 teams will compete for the medals, running in a 4x2km man-woman-man-woman format with each athlete having a wristband which they transfer to their teammate in the takeover zone.

“Cross country is an absolutely essential part of the development of young athletes. Any athlete who can master cross country and can do so from a young age is going to be well placed to pursue an endurance career on the track.”

Bryan Morseman and Stephanie Hodge crowned Triangle Challenge champions

Bryan Morseman and Stephanie Hodge have been crowned the overall winners of the 46th Bermuda Triangle Challenge.

The PwC Bermuda Marathon, Half-Marathon and Half-Marathon Relay yesterday rounded off the competition which featured competitors also tackle the Butterfield Mile and BF&M 10K Run and Walk.

At the end of three races in three days, Morseman, of the United States, sealed the top honour in the male category with an accumulated time of 4hr 22min 25sec after finishing third in the mile and recording back-to-back victories in the 10k and marathon.

Poland’s Wojciech Kopec finished in second place overall with a total time of 3:22:54, while Kieran Morris rounded out the top three after claiming three successive third places for a time of 3:30:07.

Canadian Hodge capped her 17th Triangle Challenge with overall victory in the female category, building on a third-place finish in the mile with successes in the remaining races for a winning time of 4:22:25.

Britain’s Faith Geraghty settled for second place overall, clocking a total time of 4:30:56 after finishing second in all three events, while compatriot Shelley Jones completed the podium places.

There was also success for a host of local competitors across the various age categories.

Paula Barrow was crowned the overall winner of the female 20 to 29 division, while there was also top honours for Leana Coetsee in the 30 to 39 division. Of the male entrants, Ben Train took top spot in the 30 to 39 age category, while James Rawlins did likewise in the 40 to 49 division.

Meanwhile, American Kristin Corapi claimed victory in the female 40 to 49 category, prevailing over Bermuda’s Zoey Roberts, while there was also success for compatriots Karen Hoch in the 50 to 59 group and Gail White in the 60 to 69 division.

American Daniel Zheng was successful in the male 20 to 29 division, while compatriots Sidy Diallo (60-69) and Joe Schlereth (70 and over) proved victorious. Anthony Collins, of Great Britain, took the honours in the remaining 50 to 59 category.

Elite runners Ellie Stevens and JJ Santana rounded off a memorable visit to the island after being crowned Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge champions.

Stevens, of Great Britain, built on the momentum of a second-place finish in the mile, with successive victories in the remaining events to clock a winning total time of 2:06:28.

American Amanada Nurse (2:08:43) claimed second place, while compatriot Christina Vergara Aleshire completed the top three with an overall time of 2:08:58.

Just like Stevens, American Santana built on a second-place finish in the opening event with successive wins in the 10k and half marathon, clocking 1:45:29 overall.

Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield finished an impressive second overall in a combined time of 1:50:27, with Elias Graca completing the podium places in 1:51:43.

There was also a standout performance from 79-year-old Jean Gardner, the oldest competitor to tackle the Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge, in finishing fourth overall in the Female 70 and Over division in an impressive time of 4:36:40. Notably the division was won by Maria Duffy, mother of Olympic and record four-time world triathlon champion Flora.

AIU report shows five nations represent 54 per cent of banned athletes

Earlier this week, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) released its Global List of Ineligible Persons of 473 athletes or athlete support currently serving sanctions. Five countries account for more than half the total number of sanctions, with 92 athletes representing Russia.

The majority of the cases listed are related to infractions in the last five years. But there are lifetime bans for offenses dating back a decade. Many of the Russian infractions date from before the 2015 doping scandal, but numerous infractions have been detected in the last three years.

Russia is followed by India, with 65 recorded sanctions, Kenya with 54, Morocco with 24 and China with 20. These five countries make up 54 per cent of the AIU’s Global List of Ineligible Persons. 

Russia (RusAF) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) are working with World Athletics to lift the ban on Russian athletes and the federation. 

When World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was asked to comment on the RUSADA situation at a year-end media conference, he said, “The council will have a better update after their next meeting in March 2023.”

Kenya entered the spotlight in recent months, with many well-known distance runners receiving sanctions for doping violations. Last month, 2021 Boston champion Diana Kipyokei was given a six-year ban for a positive test for the weight-reducing and endurance-increasing drug triamcinolone acetonide. Twenty-one of the 54 Kenyan athletes serving suspensions were caught in the past year.

Since 2016, the East African nation has been classified in Category A of the countries under surveillance by World Athletics and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), alongside Belarus, Ethiopia, Morocco and Ukraine.

Coe said after the World Athletics Council Meeting in November 2022 that Athletics Kenya has “a long journey” to regain trust, and that Kenyan sports minister Ababu Namwama and the council were working toward a solution.

In an attempt to crack down on doping, the Kenyan sports minster told BBC News Africa in December that he hopes to fast-track modifications to legislation and crack down on doping the same way the government does with illegal drugs–by criminalizing it.

Previous attempts to criminalize doping in Kenya have been unsuccessful, with a motion submitted by former member of parliament and 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir being defeated in 2016. Korir and his wife, Tarah Korir, lived in Waterloo, Ont. for several years before moving back to Kenya. 

Kenya targeting 2029 World Athletics Championships

Kenya has revealed plans to bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships after missing out on the 2025 hosting rights last year.

Sports Minister Abadu Namwamba has confirmed Kenya's intent to become the first African nation to stage the event as the country looks to play host in six years' time.

Namwamba's announcement came during World Athletics President Sebastian Coe's visit to Kenyan capital Nairobi this week.

"Having lost the bid for 2025, we will prepare for 2029 and we believe we will be in a very strong position to put in a compelling bid," said Namwamba.

"We will be banking on the goodwill from World Athletics.

"We will come up with a much stronger bid."

Nairobi was among four bidders for the 2025 World Athletics Championships with Japanese capital Tokyo securing the event in July 2022.

Speaking at the time of the decision, Coe cited concerns over the Moi International Stadium as a reason why the Kenyan capital lost out to Tokyo.

The venue in Kasarani hosted the 2020 World Athletics under-20 Championships and has also staged the Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, in the past two years.

"There were challenges around the stadium which would have needed a great deal of refurbishment and that was concern expressed by the [World Athletics] Council about the timeframe and the quantum of resource that would be needed in order to do that," said Coe in July.

"I have spoken to the Kenyan Athletics Association, and they know that I am fully committed to helping them or any other African country stage a World Championship in the foreseeable future."

Only the United States has won more medals than Kenya at the World Athletics Championships.

Kenya has claimed 62 gold, 55 silver and 44 bronze medals with much of their success coming over the long-distance races.

Coe visited Nairobi where he met Kenyan President William Ruto and Sports Minister Abadu Namwamba as well as representatives from Athletics Kenya and anti-doping authorities and several athletes.

There were fears that Athletics Kenya would be banned by World Athletics following a spate of positive doping cases.

However, the governing body evaded a lengthy ban after the Kenyan Government acted promptly, committing $25 million (£20.5 million/€23.7 million) to fight doping.

According to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), Kenya has 54 athletes serving bans - the third most behind Russia with 92 and India with 65.

Kenya is one of seven "Category A" nations deemed by the AIU to have the highest doping risk and threaten the overall integrity of the sport.

Diana Kipyokei and Lawrence Cherono, both former Boston Marathon winners, are among the high-profile Kenyan athletes currently banned.

Last year's delayed World Athletics Championships was staged in Eugene in the US.

Hungarian capital Budapest is set to host this year's edition before Tokyo stages the event in two years' time.

Infrastructure key in hosting major global events, Sebanstian Coe Says

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has said that Kenya will need to work on its infrastructural facilities among other areas if they are to host the World Athletics Championships.

Coe said that the county’s capacity and integration of all different facets that will give athletes the very best, must be attained as Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei disclosed that Kenya is now keen on hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

Kenya lost its bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships to Tokyo, Japan with the country's poor infrastructure especially the lack of a modern stadium costing the country dearly.

Coe hinted that World Aesthetics is ready to help Kenya build capacity in terms of the technical aspect to bolster their chances of hosting the world event.  

“It’s quite understandable this is a country with a passion for athletics and wanting to stage big events. While the country’s track record is good, other areas still fall short,” said Coe, adding that the country also has to show progress and make coherent steps in resolving doping challenges.

Coe noted that Kenya might have hosted quite successful 2017 World Athletics Under-18 Championships and 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships but having a strong technical base will be key to hosting major events.

Coe said by-passing the 2027 bid will help Kenya prepare well for 2029 bid.

Tuwei welcomed the move by World Athletics to help them in technical capacity saying Kenya won’t relent on putting up another bid.

Coe, at the same time, said the only way out for Kenya to get out of Category “A” of the countries with most doping cases is the reduction of the cases.

In 2018, World Athletics placed Kenya among four countries in ‘Category A’, the others being Ethiopia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Athletes from these federations selected to compete in major events will have to undergo at least three out-of-competition doping tests in the 10 months before a World Athletics Championships or Olympic Games.

One of the tests must be of blood and the tests should be done two weeks apart.

World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe meets Sports CS Ababu

Kenya is ready to abide by World Athletics guidelines in view of preserving the country’s strong tradition of competing and winning clean, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has said.

Nawamba Wednesday told the visiting World Athletics President Sebastian Coe that the government will champion for cultural change in sport by inculcating the value of integrity amongst the athletes.

Namwamba said that they will partner with the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) and Athletics Kenya to ensure that issues pertaining to athletics sports management and Kenya's battle against doping is achieved.

"I am a strong believer in Abraham Lincoln's philosophy that it is more honorable to lose than to cheat. Our athletes must also live by this," Namwamba told Coe, who paid him a courtesy call at Maktaba Kuu office, Nairobi Wednesday afternoon.

Coe, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, is on a one week private visit and holiday in the country.

The World Athletics boss will  Thursday hold discussions with Athletics Kenya officials, coaches and athletes at the Weston Hotel, Nairobi.

Coe, 66, will also have a session with the media starting at 11m at the same hotel.

Coe’s visit comes five weeks after chairing a World Athletics Council meeting in Italy , which gave the country a great reprieve on matters of doping.

Even though Kenya stayed in Category “A” of countries where doping is prevalent, the country escaped a ban despite the skyrocketing cases of doping cases in the country.

Coe lauded Kenya’s efforts to fight the doping scourge adding that the move by the Kenyan government to increase the funding in the fight against doping to Sh619 million annually for a period of five years, was evident enough.

Coe said that the funding will help increase the number of tests, investigations besides bolstering the already comprehensive education programs by Athletics Kenya and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

In the last four years, 90 Kenyan athletes have been banned or suspended for varying doping offences with 30 cases coming last year.

Kenya will look to criminalize doping in athletics

In an attempt to crack down on doping, Kenyan Sports Minster Ababu Namwama told BBC News Africa that he hopes to fast-track modifications to legislation and crack down on doping the same way the government does with illegal drugs.

Last week, the East African country avoided a sanction by governing body World Athletics—despite having 55 athletes currently serving doping-related suspensions. Kenya has the third highest number of suspensions behind Russia (102) and India (61) and is categorized as one of the seven “Category A” nations threatening the overall integrity of the sport.

On Dec. 2, the Kenyan government reached an agreement with World Athletics to spend USD $25 million over the next five years to combat the war on doping, which will help pay for more anti-doping personnel, increase testing and investigation and strengthen education.

“I believe we need to criminalize doping and elevate the handling of doping substances to the same level [as] narcotics,” says Namwama. “Convicted dopers should be dealt with the way we deal with drug traffickers.”

According to Kenyan law, any person who is in possession of any narcotic drug is guilty of an offense and faces a fine of five million Kenyan shillings (USD $40,000) or imprisonment for up to five years. They may also be forced into a rehabilitation program for a minimum of six months.

France is one country that outlaws doping in sports with prison sentences and fines. In 2009, the government adopted a law that penalizes the possession and trafficking of doping products in sports. Offenders can receive up to five years in jail and a 75,000-euro fine. For more severe cases, the penalty may also be increased to seven years and a fine of 150,000 euros. If an athlete is found guilty of personal use, they can be sentenced to a year in prison and a 3,750-euro fine.

During a World Athletics Council meeting in Rome in November, WA president Sebastian Coe said Kenya faces “a long journey ahead” to regain the trust of the World Athletics.

Coe told BBC News Africa that he has no problems with Kenya criminalizing the trafficking of these substances, but pointed out that criminalizing athletes can be complicated.

Previous attempts to criminalize doping in Kenya have been unsuccessful, with a motion submitted by former member of parliament and 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir being defeated in 2016. Korir and his wife Tarah Korir lived in Waterloo, Ont. for several years before moving back to Kenya. 

No ban for Kenya, says World Athletics president sebastian Coe

World Athletics president confirms east African nation will not receive a global suspension from the sport despite an alarming spate of drugs positives.

Speculation that Athletics Kenya will be barred from international competition was proved unfounded on Wednesday (Nov 30) when World Athletics president Seb Coe said the country has escaped a ban but will continue to sit on an anti-doping ‘watch list’.

Speaking at a World Athletics council press conference in Rome, Coe said the large number of top Kenyan athletes to test positive for drugs was “concerning” but the nation will not receive a Russian-style suspension due to, among other things, a pledge by the Kenyan government to plough $5 million per year into anti-doping efforts over the next five years.

“World Athletics has been concerned,” said Coe. “Kenya has been on the watch list for a few years already. 

“In one year 40% of all the positive tests in global athletics have been in Kenya and this is not a situation that World Athletics was prepared to sit and watch develop.”

Coe added that there has been “a lot of recent reportage, some of which has been correct and some not. But we have made real progress.”

As well as the Kenyan government funding, Coe said the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) will continue to work closely with Kenya to implement the plan. 

He added: “All stakeholders internationally and domestically are now aligned to resolve this situation and I am pleased we have a united response. But my instinct tells me it will be a long journey.

“This has to be collectively driven through all the stakeholders, internationally and domestically, who have a role and responsibility to solve this as quickly as possible.”

Coe said money would be spent on anti-doping education and “a deeper dive into the entourage of some of the people who surround the athletes”. 

This, he said, “allows us more horsepower to challenge some of these issues”.

Kenya aside, an update on the ongoing Russian ban was tackled by Coe and Rune Andersen, head of the World Athletics taskforce on restoring Russia to global competition.

Coe emphasised that two separate sanctions exist – the anti-doping related ban and the sanction relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

With regards anti-doping, good progress and cultural change has been made and Russia’s possible reinstatement into competition will be discussed again in March 2023.

Related to this, the Ukrainian Athletic Association was awarded the ‘president’s award’ as part of the World Athletics awards with Coe presenting Ukrainian AA president Yevhen Pronin with the honor during the press conference.

“I couldn’t think of anyone worthier than this for this year’s award,” said Coe. “What the Ukrainian Athletics Federation president, the coaches, and the athletes have done is just worthy of everyone’s respect and recognition.”

Elsewhere, Coe spoke about 2022 being “an immensely strong year for athletics” with four World Athletics Series events involving more than 4000 competitors from 180 countries with 554 national records and a television audience of more than one billion people.

The World Indoor Championships in Belgrade had an economic impact of $43m with the World Championships in Oregon having an impact of $273m.

The Continental Tour, meanwhile, saw 162 events with 12,000 athletes across 159 nations with 118 national records and 2400 PBs. Diamond League figures, Coe added, were not yet available for 2022.

Further council decisions included awarding the World Relays to Bahamas in 2024 as a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics. The road mile will become an official world record event from January. And the World Road Running Championships will switch from a biennial event to annual from 2025.

Kenya doping: World Athletics urged not to ban country despite doping cases

World Athletics has been urged not to ban Kenya from the sport for violations of doping rules by a government minister from the East African country.

The nation is reportedly at risk of a sanction following a string of cases, with 55 of its athletes serving suspensions issued by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Kenya's situation will be discussed at the World athletics council meeting in Rome next week, BBC Sport Africa understands.

Ababu Namwamba, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, has written to World Athletics president Lord Coe to assure him that Kenya's government is taking firm measures to uphold the integrity of athletics.

"We cannot allow our nation to be banned because of the actions of some greedy unethical individuals," Namwamba said.

"We will target and deal decisively with the criminals and their syndicates. We must work together to eradicate doping and cheating from athletics and sports in general."

Kenya is among seven countries deemed a 'Category A' federation - the highest doping risk - by the AIU, meaning athletes from the countries have to undergo at least three tests in the 10 months prior to a major event to be able to compete there.

Its total of 55 athletes serving bans is the third most of any nationality behind Russia (102) and India (61).

Russia has been banned by World Athletics from competing as a nation in athletics since 2015 but untainted athletes were still able to compete under a neutral flag until the country's invasion of Ukraine in February, when all athletes, support personnel and officials from the country were banned.

Seventeen Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned by the AIU this year for a range of violations, with a further eight provisionally suspended and awaiting the outcomes of their cases.

An overarching ban by World Athletics and the AIU would be a huge blow to the reputation of the East African country, which has won 34 of its 35 Olympic gold medals in track and field events.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) welcomed the government's intervention and said it would continue supporting "all efforts and actions as a partner in dismantling all systems and avenues perpetuating the vice of doping in athletics".

A statement from the body said the country had built an "illustrious history" in the sport and that "it is not ready to sacrifice this reputation due to the greed of a few actors".

"We join our voice in pleading with World Athletics and other parties to withhold any punitive measures such as a ban and consider the multifaceted efforts of the Kenyan community, led by the government, as a positive sign and contribution towards a zero-doping environment in Kenya," NOC-K president Paul Tergat added.

Two-time Olympic champion and marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge has said the increasing number of doping cases is "worrying" and "clean sport is the way to go".

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts said Kenya has a zero tolerance to doping and is "fully committed to ending the doping menace".

"We must defeat doping and its perpetrators. This is a serious concern and that is why the government is giving total undivided attention," Namwamba added.

"We are treating it as a matter of top strategic national interest."

Tobi Amusan, Alison Dos Santos headline World Athletics climate change initiative

World Athletics (WA) announced the inaugural group of ‘Champions for a Better World’ on Thursday. Nine athletes, including three runners and six field athletes representing the six continental areas will lend their voices toward advocating for sustainable practices in sport and encourage other athletes to take a more active role in addressing environmental concerns. The athletes have been recruited to support WA’s efforts to reduce the sport’s environmental impact in alignment with the World Athletics Sustainability Strategy.

The Champions for a Better World group is announced as world leaders gather at the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference, and alongside new data from a survey carried out at four different WA championship events in 2022, with 737 athletes across 122 countries giving responses.

More than 76 per cent of athletes are seriously concerned or very concerned about climate change, with over 66 per cent feeling impacted directly by its effects. Seven in ten athletes believe climate change has already impacted athletics directly, and 90 per cent said that WA has a role to play in addressing sustainability in the sport.

“It’s clear that an overwhelming majority of our athletes are very concerned about the impacts that climate change is having on their lives and on our sport,” said WA president Seb Coe. “It’s critical for us to act on those concerns, to put practical applications in place where we can, and to drive the sport forward with the advocacy and the high-profile voices that athletes can bring.”

Brazil’s 400m hurdle world champion Alison Dos Santos shared that he believes athletes have a platform to raise awareness:  “As athletes, we have the important mission of raising awareness about the need to take care of the environment, both at social and economic level. Being able to influence others is very gratifying to me. I am very happy and enthusiastic about embracing this challenge.”

2022 Champions for a Better World

Track athletes

Tobi Amusan (NIG)100m hurdles world record holder, 2022 world champion

Ajla Del Ponte (SWI)sprints, 2021 European indoor 60m champion, 2022 Olympic 100m finalist

Alison Dos Santos (BRA)400m hurdles, 2022 world champion, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist

Field athletes

Kelsey-Lee Barber (AUS)javelin, 2019 and 2022 world champion

Sam Mattis (USA)discus, 2021 Olympic and 2022 World Championships finalist

Eliza McCartney (NZL)pole vault, 2016 Olympic bronze medallist

Ernest John Obiena (PHL)pole vault, 2022 world bronze medalist

Elena Vallortigara (ITA)high jump, 2022 world bronze medalist

Hugues Fabrice Zango (BFA)triple jump, world indoor record-holder, 2022 world silver medallist, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist

Video messages from each athlete will be shared on WA social media channels over the next two weeks.

Kenyan Double thanks to Brimin Misoi and Selly Kaptich, Hendrik Pfeiffer is German star with seventh place in Frankfurt Heatwave

The Kenyan duo of Brimin Misoi and Selly Kaptich triumphed at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday, defying unusually high temperatures. The heatwave put a brake on what might have been a crop of personal bests on the traditionally fast course but one record was set: temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius towards the end of the elite race made this the warmest Frankfurt Marathon in 33 years.

While the surprise winner of the men’s title, the 33-year-old Brimin Misoi, overcame the tough conditions to run a personal best of 2:06:11, his equally mature compatriot, the 37-year-old Selly Kaptich, confirmed her status as one of the pre-race favourites. Hendrik Pfeiffer raised the home fans’ spirits by finishing seventh in 2:11:28, not quite achieving his intended goal of breaking 2:10 but a highly creditable performance, given the conditions. The men’s champion Brimin Misoi clearly slowed in the last 10 kilometres as did Kaptich and Pfeiffer and almost all of the elite finishers.

After a two-year interruption because of the Corona Pandemic, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon returned in impressive style with a festival of running in front of thousands of appreciative fans. Taking into account events held in conjunction, 20,551 runners were entered. 11,708 took part in the marathon, confirming its position as Germany’s second biggest marathon. The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is an Elite Label Road Race of World Athletics, the international athletics federation.

“We’ve succeeded in staging a wonderful comeback to Frankfurt’s streets and the Festhalle. We had to overcome many challenges and are very happy about today,” said Jo Schindler, race director of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. “The athletes had good conditions at the start. Past the half marathon mark they were going well, then it became tough, keeping going in such sunshine. Respect and hats off to every finisher. It was a good result but the race had potential for even more.”

Men’s Race

Temperatures were hardly ideal for fast times, nonetheless, the top three men finishers each set personal bests. A big group stayed together, running on a pace which would bring the leaders across the line in around 2:06. Shortly after 25 kilometres, the scenario was transformed as the Kenyans Brimin Misoi and Samwel Mailu seized the initiative.

Their rivals failed to muster a reply and suddenly a finishing time of 2:04seems possible. But the rising temperatures forced Misoi to slacken his pace from kilometre 37 although he remained unchallenged for the win as he was cheered to the roof of the Festhalle in 2:06:11. “I expected to win. My form was good. The course is outstanding, I am sure I can run faster here,” he said. His previous personal best was 2:08:41, set in May this year at altitude in Nairobi, which is always a tough event. Misoi showed that he is a true competitor by taking over two-and-a-half minutes off that time.

Samwel Mailu was a distant second but deserved the applause and was right to celebrate a brilliant marathon debut in 2:07:19. This was achieved after completing his original role as a pacemaker for Misoi and the rest of the leading group to outstanding effect. The organisers had agreed on the eve of the race to his request that he could race to the finish, once his pacing duties were done. The Ethiopian Derese Ulfata also produced a solid performance to finish third in 2:07:30, also a personal best.

The home fans also had good reason to celebrate the success of Hendrik Pfeiffer. In a controlled effort, the German finished a creditable seventh in 2:11:28, not quite the sub-2:10 he had wanted but his second fastest time ever, nonetheless. “I’m mega-happy. It was a great result and rounds off a great year for me,” said Pfeiffer, who at the European Championships in Munich in August finished 24th, helping Germany to win the silver medal in the team competition.

The women’s race

The women were on course for a sub 2:20 result and a course record until late in the race. Kenya’s Valary Aiyabei clocked the current record of 2:19:10 three years ago and this remains the only sub 2:20 result in the history of the event. Selly Kaptich, who was the fastest runner on the start list with a PB of 2:21:06, ran right behind the three pacemakers right from the start. They reached half way in 69:40 and at this stage Ethiopians Atalel Anmut Dargie and Yoshi Chekole still managed to hold on to the group. A bit further behind a second group with six runners followed in a promising split time of 70:34. Among these runners was Helah Kiprop, Kenya’s marathon silver medallist from the World Championships in 2015. 

However just a few kilometers later in the race the picture changed decisively. Dargie was the first one who could not hold the pace and when the former track runner Kaptich increased the pace further at 25k (1:22:27) Chekole dropped back as well. Kaptich covered the following 5k section in a very fast 16:18 and her 30k split time of 1:38:45 then indicated that a sub 2:19 finish might be possible. But all of a sudden the Kenyan leader was in trouble as well. In the warm conditions she slowed considerably. Kaptich was not in danger of being caught because she was well ahead by over two minutes and the women behind her also slowed as well. But the course record was soon out of reach and a time of sub 2:20 became unrealistic as well. 

With time of 2:23:11 Selly Kaptich ran the third fastest marathon time of her career. Behind her Helah Kiprop had moved up into second place and then finished in 2:24:40 with fellow-Kenyan Jackline Chepngeno taking third with 2:25:14. “It was a great day for me. The atmosphere was superb and I think I could break the course record if I could come back next year and if weather conditions would be cooler,“ said Selly Kaptich. 

Results

Men:

1. Brimin Misoi KEN 2:06:11

2. Samwel Mailu KEN 2:07:19

3. Deresa Ulfata ETH 2:07:30

4. Balew Yihunie Derseh ETH 2:09:21

5. Martin Kosgey KEN 2:10:22

6. Bonface Kiplimo KEN 2:11:08

7. Hendrik Pfeiffer GER 2:11:28

8. Stephen Mugambi KEN 2:11:34 

9. Merhawi Ghebreslasie ERI 2:12:34

10. Justino da Silva BRA 2:12:41

Women:

1. Selly Kaptich KEN 2:23:11

2. Helah Kiprop KEN 2:24:40

3. Jackline Chepngeno KEN 2:25:14

4. Sofia Yaremchuk ITA 2:25:36

5. Caroline Jepchirchir KEN 2:27:58

6. Sardana Trofimova KGZ 2:28:50

7. Meseret Alemu ETH 2:29:21

8. Martha Akeno KEN 2:36:33

9. Rebecca Lonedo ITA 2:39:54

10. Corinna Coenning GER 2:40:48

Misoi and Kaptich take Frankfurt Marathon titles

Brimin Kipkorir Misoi and Selly Chepyego Kaptich achieved a Kenyan double at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (30).

Both athletes made a break around 25km into their races on a warm and sunny morning, Misoi going on to win the men’s event in a PB of 2:06:11 and 2014 World Half Marathon Championships bronze medallist Kaptich holding on to take the women’s title – her first marathon win – in 2:23:11.

Misoi wasn’t considered one of the pre-race favourites but he ran a well-judged race to triumph by more than a minute ahead of pacemaker Samwel Nyamai Mailu, who carried on to complete the full 26.2 miles in 2:07:19 on his debut at the distance.

Kaptich, meanwhile, had been the fastest athlete on the women’s start list and while she struggled in the latter stages and ultimately missed her goal of breaking the 2:19:10 course record, she managed to maintain her advantage and won by almost a minute and a half ahead of Helah Kiprop (2:24:40).

Misoi formed part of the leading men’s group that followed pacemakers through 10km in 29:52 and 15km in 44:40, with half way reached in 1:02:58. Misoi then put in a surge and a series of sub-2:55 kilometres saw him break away from his rivals. He was on sub-2:05 pace as he reached 30km in 1:28:44 behind Mailu and clearly felt he had more to give as he moved past the pacemaker a short while later.

Misoi went through 35km in 1:43:33 and although he wasn’t able to maintain that pace, he clocked 1:59:12 for 40km and then reached the finish in 2:06:11 for a PB and the fifth fastest winning time in Frankfurt.

Although his pace also slowed as the temperatures rose, Misoi’s compatriot Mailu felt good enough to finish the race after doing his pacemaking duties to 30km and ran 2:07:19 for the runner up spot, while Ethiopia’s Derese Geleta was third in 2:07:30.Hendrik Pfeiffer was the top German finisher, running 2:11:28 for seventh place.

In the women’s race, Kaptich followed the male pacemakers through 10km in 33:14 and 15km in 49:38, joined by Ethiopian duo Atalel Anmut and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole. The trio were still together as the halfway mark was passed in 1:09:40.

Around 5km later, Kaptich was ready to make her move. Having dropped Anmut, Kaptich and Chekole went through 25km in 1:22:27, 19 seconds ahead and on course record pace. Kaptich then kicked again and left Chekole behind, picking up the pace to pass the 30km mark in 1:38:45, more than a minute ahead. At this point, a chase group led by Kenya’s 2015 world silver medallist Kiprop was working hard to close the gap (1:40:56).

By 35km it was Kiprop in second place, as she passed that mark in 1:58:15, two minutes behind Kaptich (1:56:12), their compatriot Jackline Chepngeno a further 10 seconds back.

The podium places seemed decided and while Kiprop began to reel Kaptich in, passing 40km in 2:16:28 behind Kaptich’s 2:14:42, she couldn’t catch her.

Kaptich went on to win in 2:23:11 to Kiprop’s 2:24:40 and Chepngeno’s 2:25:14.

Italy’s Sofiia Yaremchuk was fourth in a PB of 2:25:36 and Corinna Coenning was the top German athlete, finishing 10th in 2:40:48.

How Fast Will These Celebrities Run the 2022 NYC Marathon?

From actors to former pro athletes, there are quite a few notable people running the Big Apple’s big race on November 6.

Celebrities—they’re just like us. They eat breakfast, they go to work, and they run marathons too! 

The 2022 New York City Marathon fast approaches, which means 50,000 runners will stand on the starting line in Staten Island ready to cover 26.2 miles. Among them are TV stars, Olympians, models, and race car drivers, all hoping to achieve the same goal as everyone else—cross the finish line in Central Park.

So what celebs and notables are racing the NYC Marathon this year? Take a look! You might spot them cruising the streets of the Big Apple on November 6.

1 Amy Robach, Amy Robach, co-host of ABC News’ GMA3: What You Need to Know and 20/20, is running her fourth marathon. The 49-year-old completed NYC in 2019, Berlin in 2021, and Chicago just a month ago. Her co-host, TJ Holmes, is also running. The pair ran the NYC Half together earlier this year.

2 Ashton Kutcher, Ashton Kutcher is multiple-time Teen Choice Award-winning actor who has been prominently featured in film and television ever since he appeared on That ’70s Show in the ’90s and early aughts. The 44-year-old will race his first-ever marathon in support of his nonprofit, Thorn, which aims to eliminate child sexual abuse from the internet.

3 Casey Neistat, Casey Neistat is a filmmaker and YouTube star who has done everything from build an app to start a podcast to film documentaries. He has completed the New York City Marathon five times, with a course best of 3:03:17 from 2013. The 41-year-old recently moved back to his native New York from Los Angeles, so the race is a homecoming of sorts.

4 Claire Holt Actress Claire Holt, 34, is most famous for her roles in H20: Just Add Water, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries and its sequel The Originals. She’s racing to raise money for the Boston Children’s Hospital.

5 Ellie Kemper You might know her best as Kimmy Schmidt or Erin Hannon, but actress and comedian Ellie Kemper is playing herself as she runs 26.2 miles over the streets of New York. The 42-year-old will race to support The Brotherhood Sister Sol, an organization that educates, organizes, and trains Black and Latinx youth to challenge inequality and create opportunity.

6 Lauren Ridloff Forget fighting zombies and celestial beings—The Walking Dead and The Eternals star has to push through her first marathon. The actress, 44, is raising money to support PS 347, a New York City public school serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

7 Marit Bjørgen Norweigian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen has earned 15 Olympic medals. How will she fare without her skis? The 42-year-old has set a lofty goal for herself—a sub-3:00 time.

8 Matt James The Bachelor star Matt James ran his first marathon in Chicago in 2019. Since then, he’s caught the bug, completing last year’s New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon earlier this spring. The 30-year-old will run to support ABC Food Tours.

9 Meghan Duggan Olympic gold medal hockey player and New Jersey Devils Director of Player Development Meghan Duggan is trading in her skates for running shoes. All 26.2 of her miles are in support of the Women’s Sports Foundation.

10 Monica Puig Another Olympian on this list? Retired tennis player Monica Puig struck gold in singles at Rio. Now, she’ll have a new athletic challenge—completing a marathon. Tennis players run much farther than you think over the course of a match, so watch for her to run a fast time. 

11 Nev Schulman The host of MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show is no stranger to the New York City Marathon, having run it multiple times. The 38-year-old even grew up near the finish line. Schulman will run to support NYRR Team for Kids.

12 Nicole BriscoeNicole Briscoe is used to commentating on races as a NASCAR anchor on ESPN. But during the New York City Marathon, she’ll be the one on the road herself—no car needed.

13 Pia Wurtzbach Model and actress Pia Wurtzbach, who won the Miss Universe pageant in 2015, chases her first marathon finish in Central Park. The 33-year-old is prepared, having recently finished a 20-mile long run.

14 Ryan Briscoe As a professional IndyCar driver, Ryan Briscoe is always ready to race. Except this time, he’ll have to leave his car behind. His wife Nicole Briscoe, mentioned earlier, is also running, making the NYC Marathon a family affair.

15 Sierra Boggess The original Ariel in Broadway’s The Little Mermaid, Sierra Boggess is running the New York City Marathon with her sister Allegra. The sisters have teamed up to raise money for the Cancer Support Community.

16 Tiki Barber, It wouldn’t be a New York City Marathon without legendary New York Giants football player Tiki Barber. The 47-year-old, who also co-hosts Tiki & Tierney, has completed the last seven editions of the Big Apple’s premier road race. Will this year be his best finish? 

17 TJ Holmes, Veteran journalist TJ Holmes takes his talent to the marathon course. The 42-year-old will race with his co-host of ABC News’ GMA3: What You Need to Know, Amy Robach. He beat his co-host by just a step in the NYC Half earlier this year, but who will come out on top when the distance is doubled?

18 Zac Clarkhe Bachelorette star Zac Clark finished the Boston Marathon earlier this year and has run the New York City Marathon seven times. Will he best his personal record of 3:48:43 from 2014?

World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2023 to be postponed

It is with regret that the World Athletics Council has decided to postpone the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2023, scheduled for 17-19 March 2023, until March 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed).

This decision was taken with the agreement of both the Nanjing organizing committee and the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), due to the ongoing pandemic conditions.

Nanjing was originally selected to host the 2020 World Athletics Indoor Championships, which were first postponed until March 2021, and then to March 2023, as the pandemic continued.

The next edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships will now be in Glasgow on 1-3 March 2024, and the bid process has already commenced for the 2026 edition of the championships, which is why 2025 has been designated as the year for the Nanjing championships.

“We’re disappointed that we have had to postpone this event again due to circumstances beyond our control, but we have done so to give certainty to athletes and Member Federations preparing for the 2023 competition season,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said. “Unfortunately, the time frame will prevent us from relocating the 2023 event, but the indoor championships will return in 2024 in Glasgow.

“We have offered Nanjing the 2025 edition because we are mindful of the substantial preparations the LOC has already done to host the event and we want to avoid potential financial losses for all parties. I want to thank CAA and the LOC for their cooperation in resolving this situation.”

Despite this postponement, athletes will still have substantial competitive opportunities available in the early part of 2023 through the World Athletics Indoor Tour, which will offer a full calendar of events from late January to March (more events to be added) and is organized across four different tiers of competition – Gold, Silver, Bronze and Challenger.

Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships schedule will favor double bids

Next year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest will last for nine days - one less than the last five editions of this event - and will favor athletes seeking double bids.

Popular doubles such as the 100m/200m, 800m/1500m, 1500m/5000m, 5000m/10,000m, 20km/35km race walk, women's long jump/triple jump and women's 200m/400m have all been made possible with athletes attempting them not having to contest more than one round in any given session.

The 2023 World Championships schedule - from August 19 to 27 - will involve 49 disciplines including six road events which will be spread across five separate mornings.

All track and field finals will be contested in the evening sessions, with at least four finals scheduled every day, even on the first day.

The final two days will feature eight medal events and both will end with women's relays.

And, as has been the case at recent major championships, the mixed and single-sex 4x400m finals are held either side of the individual one-lap disciplines to allow athletes to partake in both relays and individual disciplines should they so desire.

The first evening session will end with the mixed 4x400m final.

The men's 100m will be in the spotlight on the second day, while the women's 100m takes center stage on day three.

The women's 1500m will be one of four finals held on day four.

The men's 400m hurdles will conclude the action on day five.

Both 35km race walk finals will be held on the morning of day six and there will be no rest on the seventh day, as both 200m finals will conclude the evening session.

The women's marathon starts on the penultimate day, which will later include the men's pole vault and both 4x100m finals.

The men's marathon will be held on the morning of the final day and the championships will end with both 4x400m finals.

"The release of the timetable is a significant milestone for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, now less than a year away," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.

"After seeing the extraordinary crowds that descended on Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games and Munich for the European Championships in the last month, we know the appetite for our sport across Europe is as strong as ever and we're looking forward to taking our premier event to central Europe for the first time.

"Creating the timetable for an outdoor World Championships is a complex balancing act, taking into account the needs of athletes, broadcasters and the host city, as well as our other stakeholders.

"I’m confident that a return to a nine-day programme and evening-only finals in the stadium will be embraced by our athletes and audience in Budapest, and by those watching around the world."

Peter Deutsch, chief executive of the Budapest 2023 local organising committee, added: "We have created a schedule that best serves the interests of the athletes, including Hungarian athletes and the audience.

"There will be a lot of competitions late in the evening because that will be the right weather for the athletes.

"Every night there will be great excitement, there will be finals, and every night there will be Hungarians in the field for the home fans to cheer on.

"Our aim is for the World Championships to strengthen Hungarian athletics, to achieve the best results and to make this wonderful sport as popular as possible."

Tickets are due to go on sale in late 2022.

America's Heather MacLean runs sub four minute 1500m in Monaco

Heather MacLean became the 12th American woman ever to break 4:00 in the 1500m today in Monaco, running 3:58.89. When she finished out her collegiate eligibility at UMass in 2018, she was a 4:19.19 1500m runner.

The Monaco track is known for its speedy middle-distance performances and in the women’s 1500m Faith Kipyegon came within three tenths of a second of breaking Genzebe Dibaba’s world record with 3:50.37.

Allie Wilson led through 400m in 59.89 and 800m in 2:01.64 before Adelle Tracey took over to keep the pace as hard as possible. Kipyegon hit the front with 600m to go and despite hammering the final lap she fell agonisingly short of the mark but still went No.2 on the all-time rankings.

America's Heather Maclean (3:58.89) and Elise Cranny (3:59.06) were second and third with sub-four performances.

“I have been chasing the time for quite some time but I am happy with the personal best,” the Olympic and world champion said. “I knew this was the best place to get the world record but I am so disappointed I lost it in the last metres. I hope for the best next time. We will see when.

“I was definitely ready for it today. I am heading home now and want to get a good Diamond League final in Zurich.”

It was a first class track meet. World champion returns to winning ways at the Diamond League while fellow Brit Lizzie Bird smashes the national 3000m steeplechase record

Jake Wightman bounced back to form after his defeat at the Commonwealth Games by taking the 1000m at the Diamond League in Monaco on Wednesday (Aug 10).

The world 1500m champion destroyed many of the world’s top 800m runners over the neutral distance of one kilometre as he improved his Scottish record from 2:16.27 to 2:13.88 to go No.3 on the UK all-time rankings and No.9 on the world all-time lists.

Seb Coe’s long-standing UK record of 2:12.18 remains an elusive target and Steve Cram is No.2 all-time with 2:12.88 but Wightman has now overtaken Steve Ovett and James McIlroy on the rankings.

In Monaco the pacemaker Erik Sowinski led through 400m in 51.02 and Marco Arop was in pole position through 800m in 1:45.46, but Wightman, who spent much of the race running alone in no man’s land a few metres ahead of the main pack, finished strongly to pass Arop in the final metres as Clayton Murphy was third, Commonwealth 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal fourth and the Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir 12th.

“I did not really know I was in shape to do this today. It was just very, very hard as I had run on my own,” said Wightman. “I knew Arop is a little bit quicker on the home straight so I had to judge the right moment. I had to stay strong to be able to catch him.”

Wightman steps down to the 800m at the European Championships next week and said: “This is a really nice step towards Munich. The main difference between the 1500m and 1000m is just the speed of the first couple of laps. You go from running 55s to 52.”

Lizzie Bird smashed the British record for 3000m steeplechase as she improved Aimee Pratt’s national mark by almost eight seconds to 9:07.87.

Pratt set a British record twice at the World Championships last month as she ran 9:18.91 in her heat and 9:15.64 to place seventh in the final. But Bird ran 9:17.79 to take silver at the Commonwealth Games and here in Monaco swiped a further 10 seconds off her best as she pipped former world champion Emma Coburn at the finish to place third behind Ethiopia duo Workua Getachew and Zerfe Wondemagegn.

Bird, 27, was encouraged to try the steeplechase while studying at Princeton in the United States. She was a reluctant steeplechaser at first and suffered injuries from 2016-18 but set a UK record of 9:19.68 when placing ninth in the Olympics last year and the Shaftesbury Barnet athlete is now closing in on the nine-minute barrier while combining athletics with a career in immigration law based in Colorado.

There is more: Distance runner Grant Fisher’s record-breaking 2022 season continued tonight at the Herculis meeting in Monaco where he ran 7:28.48 for 3000 meters, finishing 3rd, to break Bernard Lagat’s 7:29.00 American record which had stood since 2010.

Fisher’s 3000 record is his third American record of the year as in February he set the indoor 5000 record (12:53.73) and outdoors he set the American 10,000 mark in March(26:33.84).

Determined Flora Duffy ready to defend Commonwealth Games title in Birmingham

The world has found itself on a rollercoaster ride since the last edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the same could be said for the great Flora Duffy’s triathlon career.

Champion on Australia’s Gold Coast back in 2018, the Bermudian then suffered an injury that would put her out of contention for both the 2018 and 2019 world titles, before returning with Olympic dreams only to have them put on ice by the pandemic. Duffy then delivered a 2021 for the ages by scooping the Olympic and world titles, and now she hits Birmingham as the world number two, back in sizzling form.

The stage is set for another classic Commonwealth Games battle as triathlon makes its fifth appearance on the schedule across a sprint distance course that starts and ends in Sutton Park either side of a fast, technical through transition 20km bike. The rivalries are fierce and Friday afternoon’s action will be relentless, and don’t miss Sunday’s Mixed Relay and PTVI Para Triathlon action, the official where-to-watch information will be available here shortly.

—The first Bermudian ever to win an Olympic gold, Flora Duffy’s place in the history books of her home island is already secured, but being the first triathlete to successfully defend their Commonwealth Games title would certainly warrant an extra chapter. It was another great Emma Snowsill who won in Melbourne back in 2006, and as Duffy looks to surpass the Australian’s record three world titles this year, another Commonwealth crown would further underline her credentials as the greatest the sport has ever seen.

She will have the current number one Georgia Taylor-Brown to contend with, though, as well as a partisan crowd getting behind the home-nation athletes. Taylor-Brown finished second behind Duffy in Tokyo and again at last year’s WTCS Abu Dhabi, but since then, victory in Yokohama and silvers in Leeds and Montreal have put the Brit in pole position in the world title chase, and her current form will make her a hot favourite again in Birmingham.

Teammate Sophie Coldwell has also been putting together some exceptional swim-bike-run form, and after hitting back-to-back WTCS podiums in Leeds she will love being back in front of the home crowds and can be explosive over the sprint distance.

Scotland’s Beth Potter hit her first WTCS podium in Hamburg and will relish another shot at a Commonwealth Games medal – four years ago she became the first Scot to compete at the Games in different events, grabbing 12th in triathlon having previously finished fifth in the 10,000m back on home soil at Glasgow 2014, and her star has been in the ascension ever since.

Nobody on the start list has more Commonwealth Games experience Andrea Hansen (formerly Hewitt), who was third back in Melbourne 2006, fourth in Glasgow and 13th on the Gold Coast, and she is joined by fellow New Zealanders Nicole Van der Kaay and Ainsley Thorpe in the quest for medals. 

The 2013 World Champion Non Stanford makes her return to the blue carpet for the first time since her top 10 finish at last year’s WTCS Abu Dhabi, representing Wales alongside Olivia Mathias and Issy Morris.

A strong Canadian trio of Dominika Jamnicky, the returning Amelie Kretz and Emy Legault will be looking to make a splash in both the individual and Mixed Relay, while Australia’s Natalie Van Coevorden, Charlotte McShane and Sophie Linn all have the potential to deliver eye-catching performances.

India’s Pragnya Mohan is among the names representing the emerging triathlon nations, as athletes from the likes of Mauritius, Namibia, Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago will also be ready to relish their moment in the spotlight against some of the biggest names in the sport.

World Athletics to introduce repechage round in track events for Paris 2024

Runners knocked out in the opening round of track events from 200 to 1500 meters at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will get another opportunity to continue in the competition after World Athletics announced they are to introduce a repechage round.

Under the new format approved by the World Athletics Council, athletes who do not qualify by place in round one heats, including the hurdles, will have a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals by participating in repechage heats.

The word repechage comes from the French verb "repêch", which literally means to "fish up again".

Idiomatically, it means "to get a second chance".

The repechage will replace the former system of athletes advancing through fastest times in addition to the top placings in the first-round heats.

These events will now have four rounds - round one, repechage round, semi-finals and the final, with schedules varying according to the specific nature of the event.

The new format means that every athlete competing in the events with a repechage round will have at least two races at Paris 2024.

As the 100m already has preliminary heats, before round one, the repechage will not be introduced in this event.

In addition, the repechage will not be introduced in distance events as the need for proper recovery between rounds makes the format impractical.

A number of sports already use the repechage system, including judo, rowing, taekwondo and wrestling.

But, unlike athletics where a runner could be knocked out in the first round and still go on to win gold thanks to the repechage, a competitor in these sports can win a bronze medal at best.

Cycling and rowing, however, use a similar system to the one athletics is proposing. 

"After consulting with our athletes and broadcasters, we believe this is an innovation which will make progression in these events more straightforward for athletes and will build anticipation for fans and broadcasters," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.

"The repechage rounds will give more exposure to our sport during the peak Olympic period and will be carefully scheduled to ensure that every event on our Olympic programme retains its share of the spotlight."

The final regulations of the format, including the timetable as well as system of advancement in each event, will be announced well in advance of the Olympic Games, World Athletics have promised.

New athletics series to be launched in US to boost sport's popularity before Los Angeles 2028

A new circuit of athletics meetings designed to help popularise the sport in the build-up to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles is set to be launched next year in the United States.

The series has been revealed by Max Siegel, the chief executive of USA Track & Field (USATF), with the aim of making athletics the country’s fifth-most-followed sport by the time of Los Angeles 2028.

The plan has been backed by World Athletics, who under its President Sebastian Coe, have long had the aim of making the sport more popular in the US and have joined forces with USATF on a series of initiatives called "Project America".

"Whether you think we're crazy or not, it gives us something to shoot for in terms of how they measure where track and field is in the ecosystem," Siegel told the Los Angeles Times.

The US has long been the sport’s most successful country when it comes to winning medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships, but its athletes' excellence has always outstripped the interest of the American public.

A World Athletics-contracted Nielsen study from 2019 found that track and field was the eighth-most-followed US sport, with 37 per cent of slightly more than 1,000 respondents indicating they were interested in it.

To move into the top five behind football on 66 per cent, baseball 56 per cent, basketball 55 per cent and soccer 47 per cent, track and field would need to surpass swimming, tennis and motor racing.

Coe believes that what gives athletics a great platform in the US is the fact that, according to their figures, there are already 50 million Americans who identify as recreational runners.

"The challenge is to form that really clear connect with what they are doing - particularly those recreational runners - and believing they are part of that track and field landscape," Coe said.

Besides California, Florida and Texas are among states identified as possible host venues for the new series.

Siegel plans to "take pre-existing events with built-in fanbases and create a 'festival-type atmosphere' around them, perhaps including a road race, to tap into its largest possible audience of casual runners."

He hopes that the current World Athletics Championships being staged in Eugene in Oregon, the first time the event has been held in the US, will help provide a launchpad for the new USATF series.

American broadcaster NBC is showing 12.5 hours from the World Championships on its main feed, including a first-ever prime-time window - four more hours than it has devoted to a previous world championship since the 2007 event in Osaka.

Among those publicly backing the new circuit is Allyson Felix, America’s seven-time Olympic and 13-time World Championship gold medallist. 

"I guess it’s been a long time coming," she said.

"I know that we’re really proud to host the World [Championships].

"We’re really excited you all get to see what we’ve seen and come to Hayward and experience the Hayward magic.

"I know in my career, I’ve always been a little envious of that athlete in the home country, that applause.

"I’m just really excited for all the US athletes to be able to get that experience.

"I hope that hosting events in the U.S. will bring in new fans, that people will understand the sport and be drawn to it.

"I hope that having the Olympics in Los Angeles coming up will bring a new wave of fans.

"So just really, we got to get out there and really keep kids engaged and enjoying the sport.

"I hope that having events in the US is one way."

Sebastian Coe hopes current athletes break 1980s records

Sebastian Coe wants the current generation of athletes to finally take down world records from the 1980s which he concedes “may not be the safest on the book”.

The issue has become a major talking point in Eugene after Shericka Jackson ran a stunning 21.45sec to win world 200m gold, a time that put her second on the all-time list behind Florence Griffith Joyner. The controversial American, who also broke the 100m record in an era when drugs testing was sporadic, died in 1998.

A number of other records in women’s sport have remained untouched since the 80s including the 400m, 800m, high jump, long jump, discus and shot put. They were all set by athletes from countries in the then eastern bloc.

“Legally, they are the existing records,” said the World Athletics president. “Legally, there’s nothing you can do or say beyond the evidence of a positive test. But this was my era so I have to accept it was a time when testing was a bit sporadic. We know it was a different era. There are records there that you look at and go, there’s nothing legally we can do about them but they may not be the safest records on the book.”

Lord Coe said it was impossible to strike the old records, but suggested the advent of super spikes and faster tracks could see more of them broken in the coming years. “I would prefer that there is an organic change through the Shericka Jacksons, who are now being tested regularly,” he added. “We have the Athletics Integrity Unit, we have their own national anti-doping agency that is now working far better than it was when I came into office, you’ve got agencies around the world.”

Asked to compare the modern era with the 80s, Coe added: “It’s a different world. I was part of that world so I’m not saying I was significantly different to anyone else there – well, I wasn’t a cheat. But the reality is there is very little legally you can do and I think we have to be realistic about it.

“There’s nothing that I’m in a position to do to rewrite the record books but I’m open about it – some of these records are not safe records.”

However, Coe, who himself set an 800m world record in 1981 that remained unbroken until 1997, admitted he felt some sympathy for those stuck behind the iron curtain who were forced to dope by their governments. “When you look at athletes that had to come through that system, you have more sympathy than you do for the athletes who chose, of their own volition in liberal democracies, to do it,” the double Olympic champion added.

Track and field officials confirmed Friday that Russians will not be allowed to compete at this month’s World Athletics Championships Oregon22 due to the war in Ukraine

The federation banned Russians from major international events shortly after the country invaded Ukraine in February. At the time, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the unprecedented move appeared “to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and disable Russia’s current intentions and restore peace.”

The world championships begin next Friday and run through July 24.

World Athletics confirmed the ban in a news release announcing it had cleared an additional 18 Russian athletes to compete as neutrals in international competition, but that the approvals would not apply to worlds.

Those athletes were cleared as part of a protocol in the wake of a doping scandal that has left Russia’s athletics federation under suspension since 2015. At last year’s Olympics, 10 Russians were allowed in the track meet; at the world championships in 2019, 29 Russians competed.

There are now 73 Russian athletes who can compete as neutrals, though their status at major international events is in limbo due to the war.

Among those athletes is reigning Olympic and world champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene, who has never lost in an international competition. Last month, she blasted the decision in an open letter to Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC, which has recommended the Russian ban.

Lasitskene’s top rivals are from Ukraine and she said “I still don’t know what to say to them or how to look into their eyes.”

“They and their friends and relatives are experiencing what no one human being should ever have to feel,” she said.