Running News Daily

Mu, Moraa and Hodgkinson confirmed for 800m clash in Eugene

Athing Mu, Mary Moraa and Keely Hodgkinson – the three women who’ve claimed the 800m medals at the past two World Championships – will clash at the Prefontaine Classic when the Wanda Diamond League reaches Eugene on 25 May.

Mu won in Eugene last year when Hayward Field hosted the Wanda Diamond League Final. Having finished third at the World Championships three months prior, the Olympic champion gained revenge on home soil and kicked to victory in a US record of 1:54.97.

Hodgkinson – as she had done at the Olympics in 2021, as well as at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships – finished second on that occasion in a British record of 1:55.19.

Moraa wound up fourth in that race, but the Kenyan had won the biggest prize of the year in Budapest, taking the world title in a PB of 1:56.03.

The trio have clashed just three times in the past, with Mu coming out on top in two of those encounters.

It’s the second big middle-distance clash announced by the Prefontaine Classic, following the news last month that Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will take on world champion Josh Kerr and North American record-holder Yared Nuguse in the Bowerman mile.

Confirmed! When serial track rivals Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen will face off

The date when a showdown between 1500m Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and 2023 1500m world champion Josh Kerr has been confirmed.

Serial track rivals Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen have both been confirmed as headliners for the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic, the fourth leg of the Diamond League Meeting series happening in Eugene, USA on May 25.

The duo has been known to attack each other with the two-time World 5000m champion from Norway also attacking the Scot most of the time.

The Norwegian, from time to time has been on record, trash-talking his rivals including Kerr and he once referred to him as the guy next door.

In his recent interview Speaking to the UK Times, Ingebrigtsen noted that he believes his competitors are irrelevant and very inconsistent when it comes to the sport.

“I’m going to say my competitors are irrelevant in the way I see them all the same. One of the main issues is they are very inconsistent and that means my rivals are always changing.

“From 2017 I have had ten to 12 different rivals. It’s easier for them to have a rival in me but not as easy for me to have a rival in them,” Ingebrigtsen said.

After the Scot broke the two-mile indoor world record, the World 1500m silver medallist also made fun of him and noted that he would have beaten him blindfolded.

“I would have beaten him in that race, blindfolded… But it’s good that people run better than they have done before,” Ingebrigtsen said.

The duo now clashes at the Prefontaine Classic and Kerr will be debuting at the event. U.S. indoor and outdoor mile record holder Yared Nuguse will also be in the mix.

In last year’s race, Ingebrigtsen battled to the finish line with Nuguse with the Norwegian star winning in 3:43.73. Nuguse took nearly three full seconds off Alan Webb’s American record with a 3:43.97.

New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish shocks field for gold in men’s 1,500m final

Geordie Beamish of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, pulled off an incredible upset to take gold in the men’s 1,500m on the final day of competition at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Beamish was not expected to win, with the 1,500m not being his main event. However, he bided his time and entered the final lap in eighth place before surging down the final straight to become New Zealand’s first world indoor champion in the 1,500m event, clocking a personal best of 3:36.54.

“I trusted my closing speed against anyone,” said. Beamish to Canadian Running post-race.

Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler of Team USA claimed silver and bronze, respectively, with times of 3:36.69 and 3:36.72.

The door was open for a new champion in the men’s 1,500m with the absence of Jakob Ingebrigtsen due to injury and reigning world (outdoor) champion Josh Kerr, who ran and won the 3,000m distance instead.  

When asked if Beamish would run the 1,500m in Paris instead of the steeplechase, he declined. “I don’t think I can run a 1,500m in 3:29,” he said. “I enjoy the steeple a lot, and I think I have my best chance to medal in that event.”

Vancouver’s Kieran Lumb finished 13th in the 1,500m final. “I’m disappointed,” says Lumb. “I felt I was going to really do something special today, and that wasn’t the case.”

Beamish’s medal capped off a day to remember for New Zealand after Hamish Kerr earlier won gold in the high jump. The small Oceanic island nation finished with four medals (two gold, two silver), their most ever at an indoor world championship.

In the women’s 1,500m final, it was Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu who came out on top in a time of 4:01.46. This is Hailu’s first global title. Her best finish before Glasgow was a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics in the same event. Americans Nikki Hiltz and Emily MacKay ran personal bests to win silver and bronze. Canada’s Lucia Stafford finished 11th in 4:08.90.

Kerr delights Glasgow crowd with world indoor 3000m win

Just before the bell sounded in the men’s 3000m final, Josh Kerr made his move, sweeping through to join Selemon Barega at the front of the field with one lap of the track remaining.

Could the Scot who brought down Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Norwegian prince of the middle distances, in the last 200m of the stunning men’s 1500m final at the outdoor World Championships in Budapest last August do the same to the defending 3000m champion back on home ground at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24?

Indeed, he could. And then some.

The noise threatened to raise the roof in the Glasgow Arena as the pride of Glasgow kicked again halfway down the back straight. Barega, the Olympic champion at 10,000m, was unable to respond.

As Kerr rounded into the home straight, the gold medal was in the bag. He still dipped for the line but with 0.61 to spare.

The time, 7:42.98, was a statistical irrelevance as the double world champion savoured his victory ahead of his US rival Yared Nuguse, who came through to snatch silver in 7:43.59, Barega fading to third in 7:43.64.

Kerr had become the first British man to win the world indoor 3000m title and only the third Scottish athlete to strike world indoor gold in any event.

He wasn’t even born when the Bellshill Bullet Tom McKean hit the bullseye in the men’s 800m and his training partner Yvonne Murray did likewise in the women’s 3000m in Toronto back in the mists of 1993.

Fittingly, McKean and Murray were both in the house to join in the celebrations as Kerr soaked up the applause wrapped in a Scottish Saltire flag.

“For Scotland and for the UK, this is a huge championships,” said the Tokyo Olympic 1500m bronze medallist, who has been based in the United States in Albuquerque since the age of 17.

“I needed to be at my best. It was a hard-fought race.”

It was indeed and Kerr fought the smartest, judging his effort to absolute perfection, as he had in that wonderful world outdoor 1500m final seven months ago.

He was happy to sit back in the pack as Barega and his Ethiopian teammate Getnet Wale toyed with the pace at the front, injecting fleeting surges.

The field remained bunched with 800m remaining, at which point Kerr coolly drifted up into second, behind Wale. It was the perfect position to react to any major move.

That came with 500m remaining, Barega making his way past into the lead. Nuguse’s US teammate Olin Hocker entered the equation too before Kerr closed down Barega at the bell – and proceeded to break not just the Ethiopian runner but the Ethiopian stranglehold on the event.

After wins by Yomif Kejelcha in Portland in 2016 and in Birmingham in 2018, and Barega’s success in Belgrade two years ago, Kerr became the first European winner since Italy’s Gennaro Di Napoli retained the title in Toronto in 1993.

“I just didn't want to short change anyone because I knew I had the support of all Scotland and the UK tonight,” added Kerr, who has raced sparingly on the boards but set a brilliant world indoor two mile best of 8:00.67 in New York on 6 February.

Behind the three medal winners, Wale finished fourth in 7:44.77 and Hacker fifth in 7:45.40.

World champion Josh Kerr confident under pressure at World Indoors

On Thursday morning, Josh Kerr was calm and confident as he took questions from the media at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. The reigning 1,500m world champion is poised to tackle a new challenge at World Indoors: the men’s 3,000m event, all under the watchful eyes of a supportive home crowd. When asked about the pressure for Saturday’s race, Kerr brushed it off, saying that internally, nothing has changed.

Acknowledging the weight of expectation that comes with being a world champion, Kerr says he’s unfazed by external distractions. “I remain focused on myself and on preparing to compete at the highest level,” says Kerr. “My primary goal remains unchanged: to win gold at both the World Indoors and the Paris Olympics.”

The Scottish middle-distance runner made the strategic decision to opt out of the 1,500m event in Glasgow, entering the 3,000m instead—a distance he’s tackled only twice in his professional career. “Over the years, I’ve recognized the need to build strength, and I’ve seen considerable success in the 3K and two-mile races,” explained Kerr. “I believe I have untapped potential in the 3K.”

While venturing into longer-distance events, Kerr reiterated that his main focus for Paris is firmly on the men’s 1,500m. “I have no plans to venture into the 5,000m anytime soon… I might be the worst at it,” he laughed. “But it’s an area I’m working on improving.”

Constantly challenging himself to get better was something Kerr had to learn early on in his career. When he won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, he said he got carried away with thinking the hard work was done and that he could ride the wave. “I believe track and field is the most humbling sport in the world,” says Kerr. “I had to put my head down and set events to look forward to in order to help with my motivation during winter training.”

The possibility of winning world championship gold on home soil holds a lot of significance for Kerr. “World Indoors in Scotland is deeply meaningful to me,” he said. “Following the legacy of events like London 2012, I hope this championship inspires the next generation of Scottish athletes.”

As the main medal favourite for host country Team GB, Kerr is embracing the challenge. “Despite our smaller team size, I think every athlete in a GB singlet is a genuine medal contender,” Kerr says.

While Kerr’s rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be absent from World Indoors, Kerr declined to engage in any banter after Ingebrigtsen said he could beat Kerr’s two-mile world best “blindfolded.” When questioned about Ingebrigtsen’s recent remarks, he laughed and said “No comment.” With the men’s 3,000m at World Indoors stacked with talent—including American mile record holder Yared Nuguse and Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia—reaching the top of the podium for Kerr won’t come easy.

You can stream the 2024 World Indoor Championships from March 1 to 3 from Canada live on CBCSports and CBC, and the CBC Gem app. Canadian Running will be reporting live from Glasgow, reporting on the action and featuring interviews with athletes as everything unfolds. You can follow our coverage on Instagram or Twitter.

Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thompson opt out of World Indoor Championships to focus on Olympics

Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson are among a group of Team GB athletes who have opted out of competing in the World Indoor Championships to focus on their preparations for the Olympics.

Other athletes who have chosen not to compete include Zharnel Hughes and Keely Hodgkinson as they focus on the summer.

That leaves Josh Kerr and Laura Muir to top the bill in Great Britain's squad for the World Indoor Championships.

World 1500m champion Kerr will race in the 3000m in Glasgow next month as he kicks off his own preparations for the Olympics in Paris this summer.

Fellow Scot Muir, who won 1500m silver at the Tokyo Games, will also run in the 3000m at the championships which run from March 1-3.

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Molly Caudery (pole vault), Morgan Lake (high jump) and Jemma Reekie (800m) are also included in the squad.

Paula Dunn, Olympic head coach, said: "We are pleased to be announcing such a strong team and I am looking forward to seeing how the team perform on the world stage.

"We had a thrilling National Championships where athletes secured their places for the team in Scotland and it was fantastic to see a number of athletes stepping up when it counted.

"This is a really exciting squad that includes global medallists as well as athletes who will be hoping to make an impact on the world stage for the first time.

"Once World Athletics have finalised the final road to Glasgow rankings later this week, those athletes who have the required ranking and have met the UKA requirements outlined in the selection policy will be announced and we look forward to confirming our home championship team for next month."

Kerr and Muir head host nation team for Glasgow

World champion Josh Kerr and Olympic silver medalist Laura Muir are among the athletes selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24.

World leader Molly Caudery is also on the host nation team for the event taking place at the Glasgow Arena from 1-3 March.

Kerr, who won world 1500m gold at the World Championships in Budapest last year, will contest the 3000m. Olympic 1500m silver medallist Muir, who claimed 1500m silver and 3000m bronze at the 2018 World Indoor Championships, will also race the 3000m in Glasgow.

Caudery heads to the event as the current world leader in the pole vault following her 4.85m PB clearance at the UK Indoor Championships on Saturday.

They will be joined in Glasgow by athletes including Jemma Reekie, who sits second on this season’s top list with the 1:58.24 she ran to win the national 800m title on Sunday, plus 60m hurdlers Cindy Sember and David King, high jumper Morgan Lake and sprinter Jeremiah Azu.

The full team will be confirmed once world rankings places have been finalised.

British team for Glasgow

Women

400m:Laviai Nielsen

800m: Isabelle Boffey, Jemma Reekie

1500m: Georgia Bell, Revee Walcott-Nolan

3000m: Laura Muir

60m hurdles: Cindy Sember

High jump: Morgan Lake

Pole vault: Molly Caudery

4x400m: Hannah Brier, Hannah Kelly, Jessie Knight, Laviai Nielsen, Lina Nielsen, Ama Pipi

Men

60m: Jeremiah Azu

1500m: Callum Elson, Adam Fogg

3000m: Josh Kerr

60m hurdles: David King, Tade Ojora.

American sprint legend claims top athletes are avoiding each other at major meetings due to low pay

Sprint legend Michael Johnson feels top athletes have been skipping meetings pitting them against their bitter rivals because there is not enough incentive to entice them.

American sprint legend Michael Johnson believes top athletes would not be skipping meetings against their bitter rivals over some flimsy reasons if the pay was good.

Johnson has been an advocate of better pay for athletes, calling on World Athletics to improve on their welfare, while also urging runners to speak out so that they can be taken seriously by the powers that be.

While commenting on sentiments made by multiple world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who claimed he could beat his bitter rival Josh Kerr while blindfolded, a fan said it was highly unlikely that the two runners will clash any time soon because athletics authorities ‘do not like the idea.’

“One of them is definitely pulling out with an “injury” bc [because] there is no way we are going to get this good of a moment from the track and field gods,” said the fans.

Replying to the comment, Johnson said: “If the money goes up, the “injuries” will go down.”

It is another dig aimed at those in charge of the sport, ramping up the pressure on the need for athletes to get better pay so that fans have an opportunity to witness the best competing against each other.

Johnson, who won four Olympic Gold medals and eight World Championship titles, fired one of his many salvos last month when fans appeared to casually dismiss track and field athletes as amateurs.

“The number of people in the replies who think a track & field Olympic and World Champion is an amateur athlete is a major indictment of those in charge of the sport,” Johnson posted on social media after Pole vault Olympic and world champion Katie Moon had questioned why the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission had never nominated a female athlete for the Athlete of the Year award.

Ingebrigtsen stocked the fires on Friday when responding to Kerr’s impressive outing at the 2024 Millrose Games.

Kerr of Great Britain set a new indoor two-mile world record, running 8:00.67 to take down Mo Farah’s time of 8:03.40.

However, Ingebrigtsen seemed to dismiss his performance, claiming he could have beaten him in the two-mile “blindfolded” despite the fact that Kerr defeated him to claim 1,500m gold at the 2023 World Championships.

World 60m hurdles records for Holloway and Jones in Albuquerque

By running the fastest time in hurdling history on Friday (16), Grant Holloway also extended one of the sport’s longest stretches of dominance.

On the first day of the US Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holloway ran 7.27* in the heats to break his own 60m hurdles world record before skipping the final hours later because he was already assured of a berth on the US team bound for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow next month. 

The victory was Holloway’s 60th consecutive at the senior 60m hurdles, part of an astounding, decade-long streak that has left him still the only hurdler all time to dip under 7.30, a feat he has now achieved three times. That longevity and speed ensures he will arrive at Glasgow the prohibitive favourite to win a second straight world indoor gold medal – what he called the “main goal” of this season.

“I knew it was going to be a good one after I got out of the blocks,” Holloway said. “My main thing was just to continue going through with my steps and my rhythm. I wasn’t too upset about it but, you know, 7.27 at a nice track is always a good thing.”

With Holloway a spectator for Friday’s final, Trey Cunningham’s comeback season continued with a personal best 7.39 to claim his first national indoor title. The silver medallist at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Cunningham was hobbled by an injured back and hamstring in 2023, but has returned to form. 

Holloway’s world record run came only 20 minutes after another. Tia Jones equalled the women’s world record in the 60m hurdles by clocking 7.67* in the heats to match the mark set by Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas just five days earlier at the Millrose Games.

After crossing the finish line and bouncing off the facility’s protective padding, Jones glanced at the clock and initially turned away – before doing a double-take when recognising she had just equalled Charlton’s mark. 

In the final more than two hours later, Jones nearly matched her record yet again. Her winning time of 7.68 was 0.10 ahead of Jasmine Jones.

They were not the only favourites to win convincingly on the championships’ first day.

World-leading marks were set by Daniel Haugh, whose weight throw of 26.35m also broke the US record; Chase Jackson, who led the shot put from her first attempt and won it on her third with a mark of 20.02m; and long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, who described herself as “shocked” after leaping a personal best of 7.18m. Despite acknowledging that she was struggling with her approach on her final four jumps, Davis-Woodhall’s mark moves her to No.6 on the all-time list indoors.

“I think we have more in the tank,” said Davis-Woodall. 

In the pole vault, Chris Nilsen set a US Championships record with his winning vault of 6.00m, ahead of Sam Kendricks, who cleared 5.95m. Nilsen missed once and Kendricks twice at a US record height of 6.05m, before Nilsen raised the bar to 6.10m and missed two more attempts at the record. In one of the night’s few instances where a top contender stumbled, KC Lightfoot finished eighth on 5.65m.

Elle St. Pierre, the only racer in the 3000m with the World Indoor Championships standard, ran alone for much of the final to win in 8:54.40, nearly nine seconds ahead of second-placed Josette Andrews. Countries are allowed two entrants per event for the World Indoor Championships – unless they also have a wild card entry in certain disciplines due to athletes winning the World Indoor Tour in 2023 or 2024, as is the case for Holloway – and competitors must either own their event’s qualifying standard or, if not, advance via world ranking.

Expecting a tactical race, St. Pierre, who was accustomed to racing at Albuquerque’s altitude after months of training at elevation in Arizona, took control of the pace early. If she qualifies for the World Indoor Championships in the 1500m as well, St. Pierre indicated she “would just focus on the 3km” in Glasgow.

Like St. Pierre, Yared Nuguse entered his own 3000m final as the only racer already owning the standard for the World Indoor Championships. Unlike St. Pierre, he waited out a slower, more strategic race with his kick to win in 7:55.76.

Running in fifth through 1400m, Nuguse moved up to stay patient in second until taking the lead entering the bell lap. He never let it go by closing the final 400m in 54.39 to edge Olin Hacker, who was second in 7:56.22. Nuguse set the US mile record last year, but said he and his coach had aimed for the 3000m in Glasgow out of a desire to maintain the strength he’d accumulated during winter training.

Will Nuguse race Josh Kerr in Glasgow, in what would be a showdown of top 1500m medal contenders stepping up to a longer distance? Kerr, fresh off running 8:00.67 for two miles at the Millrose Games, has not tipped his hand. 

“Honestly, I like the suspense factor,” Nuguse said. “Maybe he’ll be there, maybe he won’t. It’s great.”

Vashti Cunningham’s reign in the high jump continued, needing only three jumps and never missing en route to winning her eighth consecutive indoor national title at 1.92m. Cunningham will enter Glasgow in position to add to her gold and silver medals earned at previous World Indoor Championships, as her season’s best of 1.97m is tied for third-best in the world this season. 

The men’s high jump saw another repeat champion, as Shelby McEwen leapt 2.28m to retain his title. McEwen has not yet met the World Indoor Championships standard of 2.34m, but could advance based on world ranking.

In other finals, Chris Carter won the men’s triple jump on his last attempt, though his mark of 16.49m remains short of the world indoor standard. Nick Christie claimed the men’s 3000m race walk in 11:56.06, and Miranda Melville claimed the women’s title in 13:55.24.

Josh Kerr breaks Mo Farah's indoor two-mile record at Millrose Games Feb 11

Great Britain's Josh Kerr broke Mo Farah's world two-mile indoor record as he won at the Millrose Games in New York.

World 1500m gold medallist Kerr ran eight minutes 0.67 seconds to beat Farah's mark of 8:03.40 from 2015.

"It was always going to be really tough, small margins," Kerr, 26, said.

Kerr's fellow Scot Laura Muir set a new British indoor record as she won the women's two-mile race after Ethiopia's Medina Eisa was disqualified.

Eisa was first home in New York but cut in too early on the opening lap.

Muir, 30, was promoted from second to first after finishing in nine minutes and 4.84 seconds.

The Olympic 1500m silver medallist, who won the Wanamaker Mile at last year's Millrose Games, will look to win the world indoor title in Glasgow next month.

In the men's two-mile race, Kerr charged at the finish to defeat Grant Fisher, who set an American national record of 8:03.62.

Farah set the previous world indoor best at Birmingham nine years ago.

"I had to roll with the punches at the start of my career - pretty good but not world class," said Kerr. 

"And then to be world class and now world champion... I'm having fun with it, creating big goals to get myself out the door and prove I'm not all talk."

Josh Kerr puts Jakob Ingebrigtsen's beef aside as he focuses on next assignment

Scottish middle-distance runner Josh Kerr is not focusing on Jakob Ingebrigtsen's comments about him as he is eyeing another major assignment where he will attempt to attack the two-mile world record.

Reigning World 1500m champion Josh Kerr is not focusing on track rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s sentiments as he gears up for the Millrose Games on Sunday, February 11.

Kerr and Ingebrigtsen started their beef last year after the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where the Scottish man bet the Norwegian to second place in the 1500m.

Kerr then rekindled the beef saying that Ingebrigtsen has a lot to work on when it comes to his manners on and off the track.

The Scot emphasised that the Norwegian has a “high ego” and is used to being surrounded by “yes men”, making it difficult for him to understand that there is a difference between respect and antipathy.

The reigning World 5000m champion, Ingebrigtsen has been out of competition due to an injury and he just made a comeback to the limelight announcing that he is expecting a child with his wife.

As per Letsrun.com, Ingebrigtsen also addressed Kerr, noting that he thinks the latter is just looking for attention ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

He said: “I realized that there was “something,” but I can’t quite say what it was. Let’s call it a desperate attempt. And I don’t think that was so smart. It might look silly at some point.”

However, Kerr seems unshaken by his sentiments and he is firmly eyeing his next assignment where he intends to make history.

He will tackle the two miles with Mo Farah’s world record of 8:03.40 in his sights. Kerr will be up against US 5000m and 10,000m record-holder Grant Fisher and Olympic 1500m sixth-placer Cole Hocker, New Zealander Geordie Beamish, and former US 1500m champion Cooper Teare.

“In February, I’m still coming off really high base training and I still want to be toward 5000m at that time of year. A two-mile just fits in perfectly where it is a bit speedier, but it’s not the mile,” he said as per Athletics Weekly.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen hopes to open his season at Pre Classic

After a record-setting 2023 season, it has been a quiet year (so far) for Norwegian distance star Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The 24-year-old has been sidelined with an Achilles injury, which will keep him out of next month’s World Indoor Championships in Scotland and World XC in Serbia.

In an exclusive interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Ingebrigtsen remained confident that he would be good to go for the summer track season. “Plan A is to start the season in Eugene [Diamond League, on May 25], run Bislett Games [Oslo Diamond League] on May 30, and the European Championships in Rome after that [June 7],” said Ingebrigtsen. “I think that will work well this year. And then full focus on the Olympics after that, so most likely a good season in the late summer.”

Last year was one of the most dominant seasons of Ingebrigtsen’s young career; he set world bests over two miles and 2,000m and clocked the second-fastest mile time in history (3:43.73) at the 2023 Diamond League Final in Eugene. He also went through a lot off the track, marrying his longtime partner Elisabeth Asserson and having a public falling out with his former coach and estranged father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen.

Ingebrigtsen told NRK that he took some time off from running during his wedding and honeymoon in the Maldives, and when he tried to start training again, the challenges began. “I got sick during the break,” said Ingebrigtsen. “When I started training again, it hurt like hell, then the Achilles tendon snapped.” He believes the problem occurred from inflammation around the Achilles tendon on his right foot.

He also admitted in the interview that he was struggling with pelvic pain before the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where he defended his world title in the 5,000m and took silver to Great Britain’s Josh Kerr in the men’s 1,500m, losing to a British middle-distance runner for the second year in a row (Jake Wightman, 2022 worlds).

Ingebrigtsen said he is still motivated by his loss to Kerr and is trying to use it as a lesson: “It is again very important to try to analyze what you have done, or what you have been through, to see that it is not necessarily to blame, but what you can perhaps do differently. And I’m a big fan of that.”

Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have been public about their dislike of one another. After Kerr won the world title in Budapest, Ingebrigtsen called the Scottish runner “just the next guy.” In a podcast, Kerr responded by saying that Jakob has “major weaknesses” and “surrounds himself with yes men.” On the prospect of another duel in Paris, Kerr said: “I just hope he’s ready to go. I hope that when we cross that finish line in Paris, everyone can shake each other’s hand and be like, “Whoever wins is good, they’re the best.”

With Ingebrigtsen currently training on the elliptical and water running, fans will be denied a potential early clash between the world and Olympic 1,500m champion at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March. Kerr hopes for glory on home soil, competing in a major championship in his home country for the first time.

Stellar Field Assembled to Challenge Yared Nuguse in the NYRR Men's Wanamaker Mile

The 116th Millrose Games is now just 19 days away, as the eyes of the global athletics community will once again return to the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory. As always, the meet will conclude with the NYRR Men’s Wanamaker Mile, a legendary race with over a century of tradition.

The Millrose Games is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 11th.

Previously announced as the headliner for this race is defending champion Yared Nuguese, the American record holder in the mile indoors and outdoors. Nuguse has his eyes on the world record of 3:47.01, but he will have to contend with a number of the best athletes in the world if he is to win his second straight Wanamaker title, including two additional 1500m finalists from last summer’s World Championships.

“[The world record] feels like a goal that’s within my grasp of achieving.” said Nuguse. “Not only am I stronger and smarter than I was last year, but I feel like I will be able to attack this race with a lot more confidence to chase the world record. When I went to Millrose for the first time, I was just chasing the American record. So changing that mindset, just seeing how far I’ve come, it feels like a very real possibility at this point.”

The elite athletes lining up to challenge Nuguse are as follows:

-Mario Garcia Romo was last year’s runner-up, and he is the 2022 1500m champion for Spain and a two-time World Championship finalist.

-Neil Gourley is a three-time British 1500m champion, and he holds the European indoor mile record.

-George Mills placed third in the mile at the Diamond League final, moving up to third on the all-time British list, before also placing second at the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile.

-Hobbs Kessler is the reigning World Road Mile champion, and he also holds the national high school indoor mile record.

-Andrew Coscoran is an Olympian and the Irish record holder over 1500m.

-Adam Spencer of the University of Wisconsin and Australia holds the NCAA 1500m record.

-Sam Prakel is the US Road Mile champion, and he placed fourth nationally in the 1500m.

-Charles Philibert-Thiboutot is a Canadian Olympian and the 2023 NACAC 1500m champion.

The winner of the mile at the Dr. Sander Invitational this Saturday, January 27th will be added to the NYRR Wanamaker Mile field as well.

Stay tuned over the coming weeks before the 116th Millrose Games, as the world-class start lists are finalized. Top athletes already confirmed to compete include Laura Muir, Elle Purrier-St. Pierre, Dina Asher-Smith, Julien Alfred, Alicia Monson, Grant Fisher, Danielle Williams, Josh Kerr, Cooper Teare, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Christian Coleman, Andre De Grasse, Nia Ali, Chris Nilsen, and KC Lightfoot, with even more Olympians and World Championship medalists still to come.

As always, the Millrose Games will feature the absolute best athletes in the sport, including dozens of Olympians and world champions. The Millrose Games is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet. With highest-level competition at the youth, high school, collegiate, club, and professional levels, there is truly something for everyone at the Millrose Games. 

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.millrosegames.org/ 

Cooper Teare And Weini Kelati Win 2024 USATF Cross Country Titles

Weini Kelati and Cooper Teare earned convincing victories at the 2024 USATF Cross Country Championships, held on Saturday at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va. Running just six days after setting an American record in the half marathon in Houston, Kelati took off just after 4k and destroyed the field, running 32:58.6 for the 10k course to win by 37.3 seconds — the largest margin of victory since Aliphine Tuliamuk‘s 48.2 in 2017.

Teare took a different approach, staying patient as former University of Colorado runner turned Olympic triathlete Morgan Pearson pushed the pace during the second half of the race. Teare was the only one to go with Pearson’s move at 8k and made a strong move of his own at 9k that allowed him to cruise to victory in 29:06.5. 2020 champion Anthony Rotich of the US Army was 2nd in 29:11.6 as Pearson hung on for 4th. Teare’s training partner Cole Hocker was 12th in 29:52.3.

The top six finishers in each raced earned the right to represent Team USA at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 30. Kelati’s coach/agent Stephen Haas told LetsRun last week that Kelati plans to run there while Teare’s agent Isaya Okwiya said Teare’s plans are still TBD.

High school junior Zariel Macchia of Shirley, N.Y., won the women’s U20 race in 20:31.0 for the 6k course; Macchia previously won the title as a freshman in 2022. Notre Dame freshman Kevin Sanchez won the men’s U20 title in 24:07.1 for the 8k course.

Cooper Teare shows his range with impressive victory

Teare was the 2021 NCAA 5,000m champion at the University of Oregon and has shown that his range extends both up and down the distance spectrum. Teare is the NCAA mile record holder at 3:50.39 and was the 2022 US champion at 1500 and now he is the US cross country champion. That sort of range has become increasingly common on the international level but in the US, it’s rare for a 1500 guy to run USA XC, let alone win it. Teare is the first man to win US titles at both 1500 meters and cross country since John Mason in 1968, and even that comes with a caveat as the US championships were separate from the Olympic Trials back then. Before Mason, the last guy to win both was Abel Kiviat (cross country in 1913, US mile title in 1914). You all remember him.

On the women’s side, Shelby Houlihan, since banned for a doping violation, won USA XC and the US 1500 title back in 2019.

Teare’s coach Ben Thomas told Carrie Tollefson, who was calling the race for USATF.TV, that the aim of this race was just to see where his fitness was at against a top field. Clearly, it’s very good. In his first race since leaving the Bowerman Track Club after the 2023 season, Teare, wearing a bright pink undershirt beneath his Nike singlet, ran with the lead pack until Morgan Pearson began to string things out just before entering the final 2k loop. As opposed to Pearson, who was giving it all he could to drop the field, Teare looked relaxed and in control, and at 9k he eased past Pearson into the lead before dropping the hammer to win comfortably. It was a smart run and an impressive display of fitness.

Teare may also have slayed some demons from his last cross country race in 2021, when he crawled across the finish line in the final meters. Now he’s gone from 247th at NCAA XC to a national champion.

Teare’s plans for the rest of the winter are up in the air. He will run in a stacked 2-mile at Millrose on February 11 against the likes of Grant Fisher and Josh Kerr before competing at USA Indoors a week later. World Indoors could be an option if he makes the team — as could World XC, if he wants it. No matter what he chooses, Saturday’s run was a great way for Teare to kick off the Olympic year.

Weini Kelati demolishes the competition

On paper, Kelati, who runs for Under Armour’s Dark Sky Distance team in Flagstaff, was the class of this field. The only question was whether she would be recovered from racing hard at last weekend’s Houston Half Marathon, where she set the American record of 66:25. The answer was a definitive “yes” as Kelati, after running with the leaders for the first 4k, dropped a 3:05 5th kilometer to break open the field. From there, her lead would only grow to the finish line as she won by a massive 37.3 seconds over runner-up Emma Hurley.

Kelati was not at her best heading into last year’s World XC in Australia as she had missed some time in the buildup due to injury. She still managed to finish a respectable 21st overall. Her aims will be much higher for this year’s edition in Belgrade.

Kelati also made some history with her win today. She’s the first woman to win Foot Locker, NCAA, and USA cross country titles.

The Pill That Over Half the Distance Medallists Used at the 2023 Worlds

What's the deal with sodium bicarbonate?What if there was a pill, new to the market this year, that was used by more than half of the distance medalists at the 2023 World Athletics Championships? A supplement so in-demand that there was a reported black market for it in Budapest, runners buying from other runners who did not advance past the preliminary round — even though the main ingredient can be found in any kitchen?

How did this pill become so popular? Well, there are rumors that Jakob Ingebrigtsen has been taking it for years — rumors that Ingebrigtsen’s camp and the manufacturers of the pill will neither confirm nor deny.

So about this pill…does it work? Does it actually boost athletic performance? Ask a sports scientist, someone who’s studied it for more than a decade, and they’ll tell you yes.

“There’s probably four or five legal, natural supplements, if you will, that seem to have withstood the test of time in terms of the research literature and [this pill] is one of those,” says Jason Siegler, Director of Human Performance in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University.

But there’s a drawback to this pill. It could…well, let’s allow Luis Grijalva, who used it before finishing 4th in the World Championship 5,000m final in Budapest, to explain.

“I heard stories if you do it wrong, you chew it, you kind of shit your brains out,” Grijalva says. “And I was a little bit scared.”

The research supports that, too.

“[Gastrointestinal distress] has by far and away been the biggest hurdle for this supplement,” Siegler says.Okay, enough with the faux intrigue. If you’ve read the subtitle of this article, you know the pill we are talking about is sodium bicarbonate. Specifically, the Maurten Bicarb System, which has been available to the public since February and which has been used by some of the top teams in endurance sports: cycling juggernaut Team Jumbo-Visma and, in running, the On Athletics Club and NN Running Team. (Maurten has sponsorship or partnership agreements with all three).Some of the planet’s fastest runners have used the Maurten Bicarb System in 2023, including 10,000m world champion Joshua Cheptegei, 800m silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson, and 800m silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi. Faith Kipyegon used it before winning the gold medal in the 1500m final in Budapest — but did not use it before her win in the 5,000m final or before any of her world records in the 1500m, mile, and 5,000m.

Herman Reuterswärd, Maurten’s head of communications, declined to share a full client list with LetsRun but claims two-thirds of all medalists from the 800 through 10,000 meters (excluding the steeplechase) used the product at the 2023 Worlds.

After years of trial and error, Maurten believes it has solved the GI issue, but those who have used their product have reported other side effects. Neil Gourley used sodium bicarbonate before almost every race in 2023, and while he had a great season — British champion, personal bests in the 1500 and mile — his head ached after races in a way it never had before. When Joe Klecker tried it at The TEN in March, he felt nauseous and light-headed — but still ran a personal best of 27:07.57. In an episode of the Coffee Club podcast, Klecker’s OAC teammate George Beamish, who finished 5th at Worlds in the steeplechase and used the product in a few races this year, said he felt delusional, dehydrated, and spent after using it before a workout this summer.

“It was the worst I’d felt in a workout [all] year, easily,” Beamish said.

Not every athlete who has used the Maurten Bicarb System has felt side effects. But the sport as a whole is still figuring out what to do about sodium bicarbonate.

Many athletes — even those who don’t have sponsorship arrangements with Maurten — have added it to their routines. But Jumbo-Visma’s top cyclist, Jonas Vingegaard — winner of the last two Tours de France — does not use it. Neither does OAC’s top runner, Yared Nuguse, who tried it a few times in practice but did not use it before any of his four American record races in 2023.“I’m very low-maintenance and I think my body’s the same,” Nuguse says. “So when I tried to do that, it was kind of like, Whoa, what is this? My whole body felt weird and I was just like, I either did this wrong or this is not for me.”

How sodium bicarbonate works

The idea that sodium bicarbonate — aka baking soda, the same stuff that goes in muffins and keeps your refrigerator fresh — can boost athletic performance has been around for decades.

“When you’re exercising, when you’re contracting muscle at a really high intensity or a high rate, you end up using your anaerobic energy sources and those non-oxygen pathways,” says Siegler, who has been part of more than 15 studies on sodium bicarbonate use in sport. “And those pathways, some of the byproducts that they produce, one of them is a proton – a little hydrogen ion. And that proton can cause all sorts of problems in the muscle. You can equate that to that sort of burn that you feel going at high rates. That burn, most of that — not directly, but indirectly — is coming from the accumulation of these little hydrogen ions.”

As this is happening, the kidneys produce bicarbonate as a defense mechanism. For a while, bicarbonate acts as a buffer, countering the negative effects of the hydrogen ions. But eventually, the hydrogen ions win.The typical concentration of bicarbonate in most people hovers around 25 millimoles per liter. By taking sodium bicarbonate in the proper dosage before exercise, Siegler says, you can raise that level to around 30-32 millimoles per liter.

“You basically have a more solid first line of defense,” Siegler says. “The theory is you can go a little bit longer and tolerate the hydrogen ions coming out of the cell a little bit longer before they cause any sort of disruption.”

Like creatine and caffeine, Siegler says the scientific literature is clear when it comes to sodium bicarbonate: it boosts performance, specifically during events that involve short bursts of anaerobic activity. But there’s a catch.

***

Bicarb without the cramping

Sodium bicarbonate has never been hard to find. Anyone can swallow a spoonful or two of baking soda with some water, though it’s not the most appetizing pre-workout snack. The problem comes when the stomach tries to absorb a large amount of sodium bicarbonate at once.

“You have a huge charged load in your stomach that the acidity in your stomach has to deal with and you have a big shift in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide across the gut,” Siegler says. “And that’s what gives you the cramping.”

A few years ago, Maurten was trying to solve a similar problem for marathoners trying to ingest large amounts of carbohydrates during races. The result was their carbohydrate drink, which relies on something called a hydrogel to form in the stomach. The hydrogel resists the acidity of the stomach and allows the carbohydrates to be absorbed in the intestine instead, where there is less cramping.

“We thought, okay, we are able to solve that one,” Reuterswärd says. “Could we apply the hydrogel technology to something else that is really risky to consume that could be beneficial?”

For almost four years, Maurten researched the effects of encapsulating sodium bicarbonate in hydrogels in its Swedish lab, conducting tests on middle-distance runners in Gothenburg. Hydrogels seemed to minimize the risk, but the best results came when hydrogels were paired with microtablets of sodium bicarbonate.

The result was the Maurten Bicarb System — “system,” because the process for ingesting it involves a few steps. Each box contains three components: a packet of hydrogel powder, a packet of tiny sodium bicarbonate tablets, and a mixing bowl. Mix the powder with water, let it stand for a few minutes, and sprinkle in the bicarb.The resulting mixture is a bit odd. It’s gooey. It’s gray. It doesn’t really taste like anything. It’s not quite liquid, not quite solid — a yogurt-like substance flooded with tiny tablets that you eat with a spoon but swallow like a drink.

The “swallow” part is important. Chew the tablets and the sodium bicarbonate will be absorbed before the hydrogels can do their job. Which means a trip to the toilet may not be far behind.

When Maurten launched its Bicarb System to the public in February 2023, it did not have high expectations for sales in year one.

“It’s a niche product,” Reuterswärd says. “From what we know right now, it maybe doesn’t make too much sense if you’re an amateur, if you’re just doing 5k parkruns.” 

But in March, Maurten’s product began making headlines in cycling when it emerged that it was being used by Team Jumbo-Visma, including by stars Wout van Aert and Primož Roglič. Sales exploded. Because bicarb dosage varies with bodyweight, Maurten’s system come in four “sizes.” And one size was selling particularly well.

“If you’re an endurance athlete, you’re around 60-70 kg (132-154 lbs),” Reuterswärd says. “We had a shortage with the size that corresponded with that weight…The first couple weeks, it was basically only professional cyclists buying all the time, massive amounts. And now we’re seeing a similar development in track & field.”

If there was a “Jumbo-Visma” effect in cycling, then this summer there was a “Jakob Ingebrigtsen” effect in running.To be clear: there is no official confirmation that Ingebrigtsen uses sodium bicarbonate. His agent, Daniel Wessfeldt, did not respond to multiple emails for this story. When I ask Reuterswärd if Ingebrigtsen has used Maurten’s product, he grows uncomfortable.

“I would love to be very clear here but I will have to get back to you,” Reuterswärd says (ultimately, he was not able to provide further clarification).

But when Maurten pitches coaches and athletes on its product, they have used data from the past two years on a “really good” 1500 guy to tout its effectiveness, displaying the lactate levels the athlete was able to achieve in practice with and without the use of the Maurten Bicarb System. That athlete is widely believed to be Ingebrigtsen. Just as Ingebrigtsen’s success with double threshold has spawned imitators across the globe, so too has his rumored use of sodium bicarbonate.

Grijalva says he started experimenting with sodium bicarbonate “because everybody’s doing it.” And everybody’s doing it because of Ingebrigtsen.

“[Ingebrigtsen] was probably ahead of everybody at the time,” Grijalva said. “Same with his training and same with the bicarb.”

OAC coach Dathan Ritzenhein took sodium bicarbonate once before a workout early in his own professional career, and still has bad memories of swallowing enormous capsules that made him feel sick. Still, he was willing to give it a try with his athletes this year after Maurten explained the steps they had taken to reduce GI distress.

“Certainly listening to the potential for less side effects was the reason we considered trying it,” says Ritzenhein. “I don’t know who is a diehard user and thinks that it’s really helpful, but around the circuit I know a lot of people that have said they’ve [tried] it.”

Coach/agent Stephen Haas says a number of his athletes, including Gourley, 3:56 1500 woman Katie Snowden, and Worlds steeple qualifier Isaac Updike, tried bicarb this year. In the men’s 1500, Haas adds, “most of the top guys are already using it.”

Yet 1500-meter world champion Josh Kerr was not among them. Kerr’s nutritionist mentioned the idea of sodium bicarbonate to him this summer but Kerr chose to table any discussions until after the season. He says he did not like the idea of trying it as a “quick fix” in the middle of the year.

“I review everything at the end of the season and see where I could get better,” Kerr writes in a text to LetsRun. “As long as the supplement is above board, got all the stamps of approvals needed from WADA and the research is there, I have nothing against it but I don’t like changing things midseason.”

***

So does it actually work?

Siegler is convinced sodium bicarbonate can benefit athletic performance if the GI issues can be solved. Originally, those benefits seemed confined to shorter events in the 2-to 5-minute range where an athlete is pushing anaerobic capacity. Buffering protons does no good to short sprinters, who use a different energy system during races.

“A 100-meter runner is going to use a system that’s referred to the phosphagen or creatine phosphate system, this immediate energy source,” Siegler says. “…It’s not the same sort of biochemical reaction that eventuates into this big proton or big acidic load. It’s too quick.”

But, Siegler says, sodium bicarbonate could potentially help athletes in longer events — perhaps a hilly marathon.

“When there’s short bursts of high-intensity activity, like a breakaway or a hill climb, what we do know now is when you take sodium bicarbonate…it will sit in your system for a number of hours,” Siegler says. “So it’s there [if] you need it, that’s kind of the premise behind it basically. If you don’t use it, it’s fine, it’s not detrimental. Eventually your kidneys clear it out.”Even Reuterswärd admits that it’s still unclear how much sodium bicarbonate helps in a marathon — “honestly, no one knows” — but it is starting to be used there as well. Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum used it when he set the world record of 2:00:35at last month’s Chicago Marathon; American Molly Seidel also used it in Chicago, where she ran a personal best of 2:23:07.

Siegler says it is encouraging that Maurten has tried to solve the GI problem and that any success they experience could spur other companies to research an even more effective delivery system (currently the main alternative is Amp Human’s PR Lotion, a sodium bicarbonate cream that is rubbed into the skin). But he is waiting for more data before rendering a final verdict on the Maurten Bicarb System.

“I haven’t seen any peer-reviewed papers yet come out so a bit I’m hesitant to be definitive about it,” Siegler said.

Trent Stellingwerff, an exercise physiologist and running coach at the Canadian Sport Institute – Pacific, worked with Siegler on a 2020 paper studying the effect of sodium bicarbonate on elite rowers. A number of athletes have asked him about the the Maurten Bicarb System, and some of his marathoners have used the product. Like Siegler, he wants to see more data before reaching a conclusion.

“I always follow the evidence and science, and to my knowledge, as of yet, I’m unaware of any publications using the Maurten bicarb in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial,” Stellingwerff writes in a text to LetsRun. “So without any published data on the bicarb version, I can’t really say it does much.”

The closest thing out there right now is a British study conducted by Lewis Goughof Birmingham City University and Andy Sparks of Edge Hill University. In a test of 10 well-trained cyclists, Gough and Sparks found the Maurten Bicarb System limited GI distress and had the potential to improve exercise performance. Reuterswärd says the study, which was funded by Maurten, is currently in the review process while Gough and Sparks suggested further research to investigate their findings.

What about the runners who used sodium bicarbonate in 2023?

Klecker decided to give bicarb a shot after Maurten made a presentation to the OAC team in Boulder earlier this year. He has run well using bicarb (his 10,000 pb at The TEN) and without it (his 5,000 pb in January) and as Klecker heads into an Olympic year, he is still deciding whether the supposed benefits are worth the drawbacks, which for him include nausea and thirst. He also says that when he has taken the bicarb, his muscles feel a bit more numb than usual, which has made it more challenging for him to gauge his effort in races.

“There’s been no, Oh man I felt just so amazing today because of this bicarb,” Klecker says. “If anything, it’s been like, Oh I didn’t take it and I felt a bit more like myself.”

Klecker also notes that his wife and OAC teammate, Sage Hurta-Klecker, ran her 800m season’s best of 1:58.09 at the Silesia Diamond League on July 16 — the first race of the season in which she did not use bicarb beforehand.

A number of athletes in Mike Smith‘s Flagstaff-based training group also used bicarb this year, including Grijalva and US 5,000 champion Abdihamid Nur. Grijalva did not use bicarb in his outdoor season opener in Florence on June 2, when he ran his personal best of 12:52.97 to finish 3rd. He did use it before the Zurich Diamond League on August 31, when he ran 12:55.88 to finish 4th.“I want to say it helps, but at the same time, I don’t want to rely on it,” Grijalva says.

Almost every OAC athlete tried sodium bicarbonate at some point in 2023. Ritzenhein says the results were mixed. Some of his runners have run well while using it, but the team’s top performer, Nuguse, never used it in a race. Ritzenhein wants to continue testing sodium bicarbonate with his athletes to determine how each of them responds individually and whether it’s worth using moving forward.

That group includes Alicia Monson, who experimented with bicarb in 2023 but did not use it before her American records at 5,000 and 10,000 meters or her 5th-place finish in the 10,000 at Worlds.

“It’s not the thing that’s going to make or break an athlete,” Ritzenhein says. “…It’s a legal supplement that has the potential, at least, to help but it doesn’t seem to be universal. So I think there’s a lot more research that needs to be done into it and who benefits from it.”

The kind of research scientists like Stellingwerff want to see — double-blind, controlled clinical trials — could take a while to trickle in. But now that anyone can order Maurten’s product (it’s not cheap — $65 for four servings), athletes will get to decide for themselves whether sodium bicarbonate is worth pursuing.

“The athlete community, obviously if they feel there’s any sort of risk, they’re weighing up the risk-to-benefit ratio,” Siegler said. “The return has got to be good.”

Grijalva expects sodium bicarbonate will become part of his pre-race routine next year, along with a shower and a cup of coffee. Coffee, and the caffeine contained wherein, may offer a glimpse at the future of bicarb. Caffeine has been widely used by athletes for longer than sodium bicarbonate, and the verdict is in on that one: it works. Yet plenty of the greats choose not to use it.

Nuguse is among them. He does not drink coffee — a fact he is constantly reminded of by Ritzenhein.

“I make jokes almost every day about it,” Ritzenhein says. “His family is Ethiopian – coffee tradition and ceremony is really important to them.”

Ritzenhein says he would love it if Nuguse drank a cup of coffee sometime, but he’s not going to force it on him. Some athletes, Ritzenhein says, have a tendency to become neurotic about these sorts of things. That’s how Ritzenhein was as an athlete. It’s certainly how Ritzenhein’s former coach at the Nike Oregon Project, Alberto Salazar, was — an approach that ultimately earned Salazar a four-year ban from USADA.

Ritzenhein says he has no worries when it comes to any of his athletes using sodium bicarbonate — Maurten’s product is batch-tested and unlike L-carnitine, there is no specific protocol that must be adhered to in order for athletes to use it legally under the WADA Code. Still, there is something to be said for keeping things simple.

“Yared knows how his body feels,” Ritzenhein says. “…He literally rolls out of practice and comes to practice like a high schooler with a Eggo waffle in hand. Probably more athletes could use that kind of [approach].”

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Four Olympic Medalists Set to Toe the Line in the Women's 60m at the 116th Millrose Games

With just over three weeks to go until the running of the 116th Millrose Games, the excitement for this spectacular event has never been greater. One of the deepest races of the afternoon will be the Women’s 60 Meter Dash, which features no fewer than four Olympic medalists, in addition to an NCAA champion, last year’s runner-up, and more.

The 116th Millrose Games will take place at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory on Sunday, February 11th. 

The stellar field is as follows: 

-Dina Asher-Smith is the 2019 World Champion in the 200m. She is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, and her 2019 gold is one of five World Championship medals that she owns. Asher-Smith holds the British records in the 60m, 100m, and 200m. 

“The Millrose Games is one of the most prestigious and historic indoor competitions in the USA, and I am looking forward to racing there for the first time,” said Asher-Smith. “I am really enjoying my new training set up in Austin, and I’m looking forward to a big year in 2024.” 

-Julien Alfred was a seven-time NCAA champion at the University of Texas. Her 60m best is not only the NCAA record, it also equals the North American record. In her first season as a professional, Alfred finished fifth in the 100m at the 2023 World Championships, representing St. Lucia. 

-English Gardner is an Olympic gold medalist on the 4x100m relay in 2016. A local favorite from New Jersey, she is the tenth-fastest woman in history in the 100m, and she won this race at the Millrose Games in 2019. 

-Briana Williams won Olympic gold on the 4x100m relay for Jamaica in 2021, and she is a two-time World Junior Champion. 

-Shashalee Forbes is an Olympic silver medalist on the 4x100m relay, and she won the 200m Jamaican championship in 2017. 

-Tamari Davis placed second in this race at last year’s Millrose Games, before winning a gold medal on the 4x100m relay at the World Championships. 

-Marybeth Sant-Price is the 60m bronze medalist at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. 

-Celera Barnes is an NACAC champion on the 4x100m relay. 

Stay tuned over the coming weeks before the 116th Millrose Games, as the world-class start lists are finalized. Top athletes already confirmed to compete include Laura Muir, Elle Purrier-St. Pierre, Yared Nuguse, Alicia Monson, Grant Fisher, Danielle Williams, Josh Kerr, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Christian Coleman, Keni Harrison, Andre De Grasse, Nia Ali, Chris Nilsen, and KC Lightfoot, with even more Olympians and World Championship medalists still to come. 

As always, the Millrose Games will feature the absolute best athletes in the sport, including dozens of Olympians and world champions. The Millrose Games is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet. With highest-level competition at the youth, high school, collegiate, club, and professional levels, there is truly something for everyone at the Millrose Games. 

Elle St Pierre will toe the line again at the Millrose Games

World indoor silver medalist Elle St Pierre set a meeting and North American record of 4:16.85 to win the Wanamaker Mile in 2020. The 2024 indoor season marks St Pierre’s return to the track following the birth of her first child.

Two-time world indoor silver medalist Axumawit Embaye is also in the line-up, alongside 2022 US 1500m champion Sinclaire Johnson, British 1500m champion Katie Snowden, 2023 Wanamaker Mile runner-up Josette Andrews, Australian record-holder Jessica Hull, Olympic finalist Marta Perez, and two-time NCAA champion Sage Hurta-Klecker.

Olympic 1500m silver medalist Laura Muir made her Wanamaker Mile debut last year, winning in 4:20.15. The 2022 world bronze medalist holds the British record for the distance outdoors with the 4:15.24 she clocked last year.

Other top athletes already confirmed to compete include Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Danielle Williams, Nia Ali, Andre De Grasse, Josh Kerr, Keni Harrison, Chris Nilsen, KC Lightfoot, Yared Nuguse, Alicia Monson, Grant Fisher and Christian Coleman.

Beatrice Chepkoech to open her indoor track season against two Ethiopian youngsters

Beatrice Chepkoech will be pitted against two Ethiopian youngsters in the women's 1500m at the ORLEN Copernicus Cup, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting.

Ethiopian youngsters Diribe Welteji, and Freweyni Hailu will be up against Beatrice Chepkoech in the women’s 1500m field at the ORLEN Copernicus Cup, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, in Torun, Poland, on February 6.

21-year-old Welteji set a world record when winning the mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga in October, as she clocked 4:20.98 as her compatriot Hailu finished second with Faith Kipyegon completing the podium.

Welteji and Hailu will team up again in Torun where they will be up against the world 3000m steeplechase record-holder Chepkoech. Other strong opponents in the field include Ethiopia’s world indoor 1500m bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha and Uganda’s 2019 world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi.

Welteji has proven to be a master in the 1500m and she also doubles up as the World 1500m silver medallist, having finished runner-up to Kipyegon in Budapest in August. She will surely be the one to watch when the race begins.

Meshesha has the quickest short track PB of the quintet, having clocked 4:02.01 in Lievin last year, finishing second and one place ahead of Hailu who set a PB of 4:02.47. Chepkoech ran her national record of 4:02.09 in 2020.

Meanwhile, multiple US record-holder Grant Fisher will take on the already announced world champion Josh Kerr in the two-mile race at the Millrose Games, also a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event.

The race on February 11 is set to be paced with the world indoor two-mile best of 8:03.40 as the target. Joining them on the start line will be USA’s Joe Klecker, Cooper Teare, and Dylan Jacobs. New Zealand’s George Beamish, Australia’s Morgan McDonald, and Ky Robinson will also be in the mix and will be joined by Britain’s Matthew Stonier, Japan’s Keita Satoh, Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu and Addisu Yihune, and Sam Parsons of Germany.

Britain’s world 1500m champion Josh Kerr returns to New York targeting fast two miles

Britain’s world 1500m champion Josh Kerr will headline the men’s two mile field when he returns to the Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event, for the fifth time on February 11.

Kerr, the Olympic bronze medallist, ran 3:48.87 for the mile in Boston in 2022 and sits fourth on the world indoor all-time list for the discipline. He will look to make a similar statement in the two-mile event when he races at The Armory in New York in February.

He won the 3000m at this year’s Millrose Games, his season opener, in 7:33.47 and went on to take the world 1500m title in Budapest. Kerr was second in the Millrose Games mile in 2022, while he was also second and fourth in that discipline in New York in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The world indoor two-mile best is 8:03.40, set by Britain’s Mo Farah in Birmingham in 2015.

“There's going to be a fantastic field and it will be paced at the two-mile world record,” Kerr told CitiusMag. “Currently, I'm in fantastic shape. I'm having an amazing fall and dealing with everything new and everything that's exciting, amazing and also terrible about being a world champion. I'm very excited for it.”

More than 50 meetings feature on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour calendar, including seven Gold level events, in a season that culminates with the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24.

Other athletes already confirmed for next year’s Tour include world gold medallists Noah Lyles, Jake Wightman and Gabby Thomas, who will all compete at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on February 4.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen is injured and will miss the rest of 2023 season

For the first time in seven years, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen will not defend his continental cross-country title at the European XC Championships in December. 

Norway’s TV 2 reports that Ingebrigtsen will miss this year’s European Cross Country Championships and the remainder of the 2023 season, due to injury. According to Norwegian news NRK, Ingebrigtsen has suffered an injury around his sacrum, but the severity of the injury is undisclosed.

Espen Skoland, the spokesperson for the Ingebrigtsen brothers, reports that Jakob wants to focus on recovery and training after a long and hard season, and that he has an important year ahead of him.

Ingebrigtsen has dominated the European XC Championships since 2016, winning the 2021 and 2022 senior championships and also claiming the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 U-20 European cross-country titles.

It has been an eventful year for Ingebrigtsen, who defended his world 5,000m title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, and finished runner-up to Great Britain’s Josh Kerr in the men’s 1,500m. He also clocked two world records, in the two-mile and the 2,000m, along with the second fastest time in history over the mile at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Ore., which he won.

Ingebrigtsen has also had a monumental year off the track, marrying his longtime partner Elisabeth Asserson, in their native Norway. The 23-year-old also went through a rocky public battle with his estranged father and coach, Gjert. In October, the brothers released a statement accusing their father of aggression, control and physical violence, and saying he took the joy out of the sport they once loved.

Ingebrigtsen hopes to compete for Norway at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in March, the European Track and Field Championships in June and ultimately, the 2024 Olympic Games in August.

Ingebrigtsen’s older brother and coach, Henrik, has been named to the Norwegian team for the Dec. 10 championships in Brussels.

Ingebrigtsen brothers speak out against their father and former coach

The Ingebrigtsen brothers have been involved in a long-standing conflict with their father and former coach, Gjert Ingebrigtsen. Earlier this week, the tension reached a high point when the Norwegian Athletics Association denied Gjert accreditation for major championships in the upcoming year, including the World Indoor Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics.

Last year, the brothers revealed that Gjert would no longer coach his sons, Jakob, Filip and Henrik, for health reasons. Later it came out that Gjert was not granted accreditation at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and did not attend Jakob’s wedding in September, and Norwegian media dove into the feud.

The Ingebrigtsen brothers have been involved in a long-standing conflict with their father and former coach, Gjert Ingebrigtsen. Earlier this week, the tension reached a high point when the Norwegian Athletics Association denied Gjert accreditation for major championships in the upcoming year, including the World Indoor Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics.

Last year, the brothers revealed that Gjert would no longer coach his sons, Jakob, Filip and Henrik, for health reasons. Later it came out that Gjert was not granted accreditation at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and did not attend Jakob’s wedding in September, and Norwegian media dove into the feud.

“We should have helped stop the situation earlier,” the brothers wrote on VG. “The fact that we didn’t weighs on us. Two years ago, we had enough. The situation we have been through in the family has taken an enormous toll. In the midst of this, we have tried to perform, but the joy of playing sports is gone.”

The brothers asked the Norwegian Athletics Association for safety from Gjert and not to be put in situations where they may see or have to face their father. “We do not have the capacity or desire to deal with him. Not now,” said Henrik. 

“On the basis of Jakob, Philip and Henrik’s statements today, we promise to provide a safe environment and a healthy performance environment for our athletes,” the Norwegian Athletics Federation wrote in a response to their statement.

Gjert is still very much associated with Norwegian athletics as the coach of high-profile middle-distance runner Narve Gilje Nordås, who won bronze in the men’s 1,500m at the world championships in Budapest, finishing on the heels of his compatriot, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and the new world champion, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr.

Gjert responded to these claims through his lawyer on Thursday, denying the allegations of violence:

“The statements they make are baseless. I have never used violence against my children. That I have had weaknesses as a father, and to a great extent been a coach, is a realization I have also come to – albeit far too late.

“I’m far from perfect as a father and husband, but I’m not violent. First and foremost, this is a tragic situation for my family–we have reached the point where we are spreading false accusations against each other in the media. It makes me deeply unhappy. How we’re going to get past this, I don’t know, but we’ve got to try.”

The brothers concluded their statement by saying that they want to get back to the joy of playing sports and representing Norway “with the flag on their chest” without the shadow of their family conflict. “There are many people who want to talk to us about this matter. We don’t want that. This case has cost too much already, and now we want to move on,” they wrote.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen runs five-minute beer mile at bachelor party

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen has had a season to remember on the track. The 23-year-old has set world records over 2,000m and two miles, but one record he recently attempted and missed was the beer mile world record.

In his hometown of Sandes, Norway, Ingebrigtsen chose to partake in a beer mile as part of his bachelor party. The world record holder over two miles posted a respectable beer mile time of five minutes and 22 seconds, but it was well short of the 4:28 world record held by Canada’s Corey Bellemore.

Although Ingebrigtsen ran the beer mile coming off potential jet lag and two Diamond League titles on the weekend in Eugene, Ore., which included the third-fastest mile time in history—3:43.73, he was short in breaking the five-minute barrier.

Bellemore called out Ingebrigtsen on his Instagram story, challenging him to a head-to-head matchup in the discipline. “I am always game,” posted Bellemore.

According to his brother, Kristoffer’s Strava page, Jakob chose to run the beer mile with his friends and brothers as part of his bachelor party. Ingebrigtsen is planning to marry his longtime partner Elisabeth Asserson later this year in Norway.

The rules of the beer mile are that runners have to complete four laps around a 400m track while consuming a beer before each lap. The beers must have a minimum volume of 340 mL and an alcohol by volume (ABV) content of five per cent or higher. We cannot confirm if Ingebrigtsen abided by the recognized rules of beermile.com and may need to see the footage to ratify his result.

Ingebrigtsen had a nearly perfect 2023 season, setting multiple world and European records in middle distances. He also defended his 5,000m world title at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest but lost his coveted jewel, the men’s 1,500m, for the second consecutive year, placing second to Great Britain’s Josh Kerr.

Josh Kerr and Jemma Reekie Secure Scottish Sweep at New Balance 5th Avenue Mile

New York, September 10, 2023 – World champion and Olympic medalist Josh Kerr and Olympian Jemma Reekie won the men’s and women’s professional athlete races at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday, making it the third consecutive year it was a Scottish sweep. It was the first title on Manhattan’s famous thoroughfare for Kerr, and the second for Reekie, who also won in 2021.

Kerr, fresh off winning a world title in the 1,500 meters last month, won in 3:47.9, the third fastest time in event history and fastest since 1995. Great Britain’s George Mills was second in 3:49.9, followed by New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish in third in 3:50.0. Vincent Ciattei was the top American, finishing fourth overall in 3:50.3.

“It's a very different effort to run a mile down the street in flats versus running around the oval with spikes,” Kerr said. “I didn't have the performance I wanted to have last year, so I wanted to make that right. It's nice to end the season on a high, and it's difficult to do at any point in anyone's career at the end of the year. I've been training and racing for a long time this year and I was glad to put on a performance like that today.”

Reekie took the tape in 4:19.4, more than two seconds faster than her winning time in 2021, and was followed by Ireland’s Sarah Healy in 4:20.0 and Great Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant in 4:20.6. 

Nikki Hiltz was the top American, finishing fourth in 4:20.7.“Running this mile is always so special to me,” Reekie said. “I won it back in 2021. Last year, I placed well again, and then this year I'm happy to be back winning. It's such a great event and it's always a fun event to come to.” 

The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile – the world’s most iconic road mile race since 1981 – stretches 20 blocks down Manhattan’s most famous thoroughfare.

More than 9,000 runners raced the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday. In addition to professional athlete and age-group heats, this year’s New Balance 5th Avenue Mile featured Back to School Mile heats for youth, a New Balance Run Your Way Mile for first-time marathoners using NYRR Coaching Lab, a George Sheehan Memorial Mile for seniors. Due to inclement weather, the NYPD and FDNY Mile, NYRR Road Mile Championships, and the Rising New York Road Runners Stage 1 races were cancelled.

Josh Kerr, Elle St. Pierre, and Nikki Hiltz to Headline Professional Athlete Field at New Balance 5th Avenue Mile

World champion Josh Kerr, U.S. Olympian Elle St. Pierre, and American mile record-holder Nikki Hiltz will headline a world-class professional athlete field that spans 14 different countries at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday, September 10. The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile – the world’s most iconic road mile race since 1981 – stretches 20 blocks down Manhattan’s most famous thoroughfare.

Great Britain’s Kerr will arrive in New York fresh off winning a world title in the 1,500 meters in Budapest; he is in search of his first victory on 5th Avenue in his second appearance in the event. Kerr also owns an Olympic bronze medal in the 1,500 meters from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

“Winning the World Championships was the culmination of every step of running I’ve ever taken,” Kerr said. “Now, my confidence is higher than it’s ever been, and I have some unfinished business to take care of on 5th Avenue.”

Lining up against Kerr will be New Zealand’s 5,000-meter record-holder George Beamish, and an American contingent led by 2023 Falmouth Mile champion Johnny Gregorek, last year’s 1,500-meter national champion Cooper Teare, two-time 5th Avenue Mile podium finisher Sam Prakel, and U.S. Olympian Woody Kincaid.

In the women’s race, U.S. Olympian St. Pierre will make her return to New York for the first time since finishing as runner-up at the event in 2019. It will also be her first race back since giving birth in March.

“My preparation for the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile this time has been different, as I fit training around feedings, nap time, and playing with Ivan,” St. Pierre said. “But my body feels good, and the workouts have been solid. I’m excited to be back on 5th Avenue this weekend.”

She will be joined at the start line by Hiltz, Great Britain’s 2021 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile champion Jemma Reekie, Great Britain’s reigning 1,500-meter champion Katie Snowden, Mexican record-holder Laura Galvan, Australian record-holder Jessica Hull, Japanese record-holder Nozomi Tanaka, and Jamaican record-holder Adelle Tracey. Olympian Courtney Frerichs and four-time NCAA champion Dani Jones will also toe the line for the U.S.

In addition to professional athlete and age-group heats, this year’s New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will feature Back to School Mile heats for youth, a New Balance Run Your Way Mile for first-time marathoners using NYRR Coaching Lab, a George Sheehan Memorial Mile for seniors, an NYPD and FDNY heat for service members, and NYRR Road Mile Championship races.

In partnership with NYRR and USA Track & Field, NBC will broadcast the event nationally from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET. The broadcast will feature live coverage of the professional athlete races as well as a recap of the day’s earlier heats. Live coverage of the event will be available internationally on USATF.TV.

Ingebrigtsen gains gold – and redemption – with 5000m title in Budapest

A gold medal in hand is worth a lot to Jakob Ingebrigtsen who secured a fitting end to his World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 campaign with a successive defense of his 5000m title on the final day of competition.

The 22-year-old was left heartbroken after the 1500m, in which he was beaten by Great Britian’s Josh Kerr. But the Norwegian picked himself up to advance through his 5000m heat – his first race of the year at that distance – and book his place in the final.

With four of the eight fastest men in history as part of the line-up – six of whom had broken 12:45 this year – it was an open and highly competitive field.

But Ingebrigtsen’s race plan was simple: conserve his energy until the final lap and then make a dash for the finish line.

When the gun went off, Canada’s Olympic silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed took the lead, setting the pace on the first two laps while the defending champion started out in the middle of the pack.

World U20 cross-country champion Ishmael Kipkurui soon grew impatient with the pace and sped past his rivals, quickly opening up 40-meter lead, which he maintained for the next few laps.

Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo, the bronze medalist last year, made his way to the front of the chase pack, trying to bridge the gap to the young Kenyan. Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, was near the back, showing no interest in making a move.

World leader Berihu Aregawi and his fellow Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, a two-time world medalist, took over at the lead, while the third Ethiopian in the line-up, two-time world indoor champion Yomif Kejelch, also moved towards the front. Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva also tried to tuck himself into the race, but the Ethiopians were reluctant to let him play much of a part.

With about one lap to go, European record-holder Mohamed Katir overtook the Ethiopians, who were unable to respond to the Spaniard’s speed. Ingebrigtsen also launched out, moving on to Katir’s shoulder as the bell sounded.

The pair tore away from the rest of the field with the Spaniard leading, but the determined Norwegian out-kicked him just before the line to claim back-to-back golds in the event, crossing the line in a season’s best of 13:11.30.

It was also an evening of redemption to for Katir, who failed to qualify for the 1500m final earlier in the championships, having earned bronze at the distance in Oregon. He was glad to make amends in the 5000m, crossing the line in 13:11.44 for silver.

Kenya’s Jacob Krop, the silver medalist in Oregon, came through for bronze in 13:12.28 ahead of Grijalva who settled for fourth (13:12.50) for the second successive championships. Ethiopia’s Kejelcha (13:12.51) and Gebrhiwet (13:12.65) placed fifth and sixth respectively, and Aregawi eighth, his third World Championships final without a medal.

“To win another world title is great of course, but I was very tired,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I tried to save my energy to win at the end because that was the only way tonight. I knew that if my tactics were better than my competitors, I would have a chance to win. And that's what happened. It worked out absolutely perfectly. It was a very hard run, especially in the last 40-50 meters. It was great racing.

“This title means a lot to me after losing again in the 1500m. I haven't been at my best but I had the motivation and I had great support.

“My body is just getting over a virus so it's not been a very good situation to be in. At the same time, I wanted to do my best, I had to try. I had to be very patient but I really did not know what to expect from this race. This week was a bit bittersweet overall, but this is a good way to end.”

Katir was frustrated to miss out on gold but still content with silver, earning Spain’s only in-stadium medal of the championships.

“I gave it all that I had today,” he said. “But Jakob is Jakob – he is the best in the world nowadays. In the 1500m I could not get him, but in the 5000m I was really close to beating him. Every year, I am getting closer and closer.

Krop was delighted to make it on to another global podium.

“I am still only 22 so to get two medals from the World Championships is a big honor,” he said. “I don’t think this bronze after the silver in Eugene is a step down; I am still among the top runners over 5000m.”

4 Stunning Moments at the World Track and Field Championships

Here are the top moments at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, and what to watch for this weekendThere’s just three action-packed days of track and field remaining in Budapest, Hungary for the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Whether you’ve spent the past six days glued to your streaming service or you’re just catching up, here’s a refresher on the top highlights so far, and what we’re looking forward to most this weekend.Sha’Carri Richardson proved that she is here to stay by winning the 100-meter final with a new championship record of 10.65. To do it, she had to take down her Jamaican rivals Shericka Jackson, the fastest woman in the world this year, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the reigning LLP world champion and 15-time world medalist.

After a poor showing in her semifinal, Richardson failed to achieve one of the auto-qualifiers and was placed in lane nine for the final. None of that mattered on race day, though, as the 23-year-old showcased the best acceleration over the final 30 meters of any runner in the field to claim gold from the outside lane. Jackson took silver in 10.72, while Fraser-Pryce ran a season’s best of 10.77 for bronze.

The victory marks Richardson’s first appearance at a global championship. She won the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, but was unable to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo after testing positive for marijuana, a banned substance. In 2023, Richardson said, she’s “not back, [she’s] better.”

Can magic strike twice, and can she earn another medal in the 200 meters? She’ll again face Jackson, the second-fastest woman in world history, as well as American Gabby Thomas, the bronze medalist in Tokyo and the fastest woman in the world this year.

The women’s 200-meter final is on August 25. On Saturday, August 26, Richardson and Thomas will team up to compete against Jackson and Fraser-Pryce in the 4×100-meter relay.The flamboyant American Noah Lyles has made clear his ultimate goal of breaking Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19 in the 200 meters for nearly a year now, ever since breaking the American record, en route to his second world title last summer in Eugene. But to get there, coach Lance Brauman reveals in NBC docuseries “Untitled: The Noah Lyles Project,” the 200-meter specialist would need to improve his speed by focusing on the 100m.

Despite never making a U.S. team in the 100 meters before, Lyles muscled his way onto the podium at the USATF Track and Field Championships a week after getting COVID, and executed his race plan perfectly in Budapest to claim gold with a world-leading time of 9.83. Letsile Tebogo of Botswana set a national record of 9.88 to earn silver and become the first African to podium at a world championship, while Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain took home his first bronze medal.

“They said I wasn’t the one,” he said immediately after the race, in what is sure to be one of this world championship’s most memorable moments. “But I thank God that I am.”

Now his attention turns to a third world title in the 200 meter—and a potential world record. Only Bolt has won three straight world titles over 200 meters, and the Jamaican world record holder is also the last man to win the 100-meter/200-meter double back in 2015.

In a bizarre turn of events on Thursday, a golf cart transporting athletes including Lyles to the track for the 200-meter semi-finals collided with another cart. Several athletes had to be seen by a doctor before the race, and Jamaica’s Andrew Hudson was automatically advanced to the final after competing with shards of glass in his eye. Lyles was reportedly fine.

Tebogo and Hughes will be back for the 200-meter final, as well as Kenneth Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton, who completed the USA sweep with Lyles last year, and Tokyo Olympic champion Andre de Grasse of Canada.

The 200-meter finals are on Friday, and the 4 x 100-meter final is on Saturday.For the second year in a row, the best middle-distance runner in the world was outkicked in the world championship 1,500-meter final by a British athlete. This time, it was Josh Kerr who delivered the kick that broke Jakob Ingebrigtsen, winning his first world title in 3:29.38.

For the fiercely competitive Ingebrigtsen, the second-fastest man in world history in the event, silver is hardly any consolation for losing. Yet he nearly lost that as well — his Norwegian countryman Narve Gilje Nordås (who is coached by Jakob’s father Gjert) nearly beat him to the line, with Ingebrigtsen finishing slightly ahead, 3:29.65 to 3:29.68.Kerr, the Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, seemed to employ a similar tactic as last year’s upset winner Jake Weightman, who similarly sat and kicked with about 180 meters to go. Kerr and Weightman actually trained together as youth rivals at Scotland’s Edinburgh Athletic Club. Kerr now trains in the United States with the Brooks Beasts.

Ingebrigtsen revealed after the race that he had a slight fever and some throat dryness. He competed in the preliminary round of the 5,000 meters on Thursday, advancing to the final with the third-fastest time of the day. He is the reigning world champion and will race the final on Sunday.

While the path to victory looks difficult, at least one heavy hitter has removed himself from conversation — world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who already won the 10K this week, pulled out of the 5K with a foot injury.On the very first day of competition in Budapest, the Netherlands track and field federation suffered not one but two devastating falls while running within reach of gold.

Femke Bol was leading the anchor leg of the mixed 4×400-meter relay when she fell just meters from the finish line, leaving the Dutch team disqualified while Team USA captured the gold medal.

On the same night, countrywoman Sifan Hassan stumbled to the ground in the final meters of the 10,000 meters, going from first to 11th, while the Ethiopian trio of Gudaf Tsegay, Letesenbet Gidey and Ejgayehu Taye swept the podium positions.

Hassan was the first to get redemption, earning a bronze medal in the 1,500 meters in 3:56.00 behind only world record holder Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (3:54.87) and Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia (3:55.69). She reportedly did a workout immediately following the race, calling it “not a big deal,” and the next morning won her 5,000-meter prelim in a blistering 14:32.29 over Kipyegon, who also owns the world record over 5K (14:05.20). The two will face off in the final on Saturday.

On Thursday, 23-year-old Bol got her redemption run. With the absence of world record holder Sydney McLaughlin in her signature event of the 400-meter hurdles, the gold was Bol’s for the taking and she left no mercy on the field. She stormed to her first World Championships gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles with a dominant effort of 51.70, with the United States’ Shamier Little nearly a full second behind in 52.80. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton took bronze in 52.81.

Bol will return to the track for the women’s 4 x 400-meter relay final on Sunday. The Dutch was also disqualified in this event last year at Worlds and will seek to record a result at all expense.

Great Britain’s Josh Kerr wins gold in men’s 1500m at World Athletics Championships

Great Britain’s Josh Kerr won 1500m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest 

Great Britain’s Joshua Kerr stunned hot favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen to take 1500m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The Scot clocked 3:29.38 to win a massive battle with silver medallist Ingebrigtsen over the final 300m as Ingebrigtsen’s fellow Norwegian Narve Gilje Nordas took bronze in 3:29.68.

Kerr’s victory, achieved via his season’s best, saw Britain scoop men’s 1500m gold for the second World Championships running, after Jake Wightman triumphed in Eugene, Oregon last year by finishing ahead of Ingebrigtsen in similar style.

The medal is Kerr’s second on the global stage after he won bronze in the 1500m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – a race won by Ingebrigtsen.

Kerr’s medal is Britain’s fourth of the Budapest event, with Katarina Johnson-Thompson securing heptathlon gold; Lewis Davey, Laviai Nelson, Rio Mitcham and Yemi Mary John claiming silver in the mixed 4x400m relay; and Zharnel Hughes sprinting to bronze in the men’s 100m.

Kerr: I broke Ingebrigtsen with 50m to go

The 25-year-old told the BBC: « It’s been a long time coming. It’s an overwhelming experience, but I’m so proud of myself, of my team and my family.

« I threw my whole 16 years at that last 200m. I stayed calm, I just wanted to execute a race I would be proud of. I’m very glad to add to that medal count.

« I was battling with Jakob very hard, you can see by my face I’m throwing everything at this guy, I was hurting. I’ve wanted this my whole life. I’m so happy.

Kerr beat hot favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway as Britain won the men’s 1500m for the second World Championships running 

« At about 50m to go I kind of broke him, and it was holding on from that point. I’ve had the [Olympic] bronze [at Tokyo 2020] and the gold is much sweeter. »

Wightman: Kerr is like the Terminator

Wightman added: « Our little club in Edinburgh has had two back-to-back world champions. That’s hard to believe. Jakob Ingebrigtsen is going to start hating us Brits ain’t he?

« He showed so much promise for so long, that medal in Tokyo was just the start of this. When Josh Kerr gets it right and when he’s running well, he absolutely flies. I think Ingebrigtsen underestimated how well he was running at the moment.

« I’m so happy for him. Josh is like the Terminator. His internal confidence is crazy. »

Five Secrets to Recover faster and better

Balancing training intensity, rest, and nutrition can help your body bounce back faster, reduce soreness, and improve overall performance

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or fitness enthusiast, recovery after exercise is just as important as your training. Optimizing recovery helps you minimize injuries and train at your highest level—and enjoy being active even more. Yes, rest and sleep contribute to recovery, but what you consume post-workout also has a huge impact. Set yourself up for your best training season yet with these tips for fast and effective recovery. 

Protein gets a lot of attention when it comes to recovery—and for good reason. When we exercise, our muscles experience minor tears and damage, which triggers a process of repair and growth known as muscle protein synthesis. Consuming protein after exercise provides the necessary building blocks (amino acids) to repair and rebuild damaged muscle tissue.

Aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes to an hour after exercise to maximize muscle protein synthesis and prime your muscles for the next training session. For a quick way to guarantee you hit your protein quota, add protein powders like NOW® Sports Whey or Pea Protein to a smoothie or shake. Josh Kerr, Olympic bronze medalist in the 1,500-meter event at the 2020 Tokyo Games, explains, “The protein powder I like most from NOW® Sports is the Organic Unflavored Whey Protein. It’s so clean, it’s Informed Sport certified, and I use it every day. It’s fantastic for post-workout. It gets me that boost of protein I need.”

Amino acids like leucine are what’s known as “anabolic triggers” that stimulate muscle growth. When the body breaks down leucine, it creates a naturally occurring compound called β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (HMB). Health and exercise scientists have studied HMB extensively for its potential benefits in optimizing muscle repair and growth after training.* 

Leucine is one of the essential amino acids, meaning our bodies can’t produce it naturally. Instead, we rely on food to obtain this crucial nutrient. Meat, fish, soy, and dairy products are particularly high in leucine. But depending on your diet, eating enough leucine-rich foods to support HMB production can be difficult. Supplement your diet with NOW® Sports HMB Powder, Veg Capsules, or Tablets after every workout to reap the recovery benefits of HMB.*

Eating carbohydrates—before and after exercise—is critical for replenishing glycogen stores in the muscles and liver. During exercise, the body uses glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrates) as a source of energy. When glycogen levels are depleted, the body will then use protein for fuel, leading to muscle breakdown. Consuming carbohydrates after exercise restores glycogen levels, which in turn increases your body’s ability to use and store glycogen. Over time, more glycogen storage means more endurance for runs, bike rides, lifting sessions, and more. Kerr explains, “Carbs are very important, as is the timing of when you consume the carbs. For me, I do big/long workouts Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday, so Monday, Thursday, and Saturday are my big carbing-up days.”

Additionally, carbohydrates help muscles take up more amino acids to repair the damage from exercise. Choose post-workout snacks with a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins to enhance muscle repair and improve overall performance.

Great training days aren’t great unless you’re getting high-quality sleep. During sleep, the body releases growth hormone, which helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue damaged during exercise. Additionally, sleep is necessary for the body to produce new muscle cells and maintain a healthy immune system. Inadequate sleep can lead to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can impair healing and hinder athletic performance. Kerr explains the impact of sleep on his training regimen: “I enjoy getting up early, which means I like to get to bed early. I’m the most motivated in the morning, so I like getting my training in early. Sleep is just so crucial for recovery.”

NOW® Sports R&R Rest and Repair promotes restful sleep and may help prevent burnout from high-intensity training.* The supplement is made with clinically tested CherryPURE® Tart Cherry powder, which can reduce muscle soreness associated with intense exercise, 5-HTP, and melatonin.* 

As athletes push the boundaries of what the body is capable of, health and exercise science professionals continue to refine best practices for training and recovery. The NOW Sports Hub offers a community of top nutrition experts, trainers, and pro athletes, curating all the intel you need—from the proven benefits of science-backed ingredients and the latest supplement regulations to professional workouts and nutrition tips. Kerr explains how nutrition fits into his overall training: “For me, it’s about being able to show up day in and day out and having the right fuel. I am pounding 70 to 75 miles per week, and I must replenish as much as I can. Getting the right clean foods and the right clean supplements makes such a difference in what I’m doing. Without it, I don’t think I could be putting in the days I am right now.”

NOW® Sports Recovery Shake

Incorporate these five tips into the perfect post-workout recovery shake with a recipe by registered sports dietitian Lauren MacLeod.

Add all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Makes a single serving.

At NOW® Sports, we’re all about natural, unadulterated sports nutrition supplements that legitimately enhance performance. NOW® Sports products are certified by Informed Sport, the world’s leading anti-doping organization, so you can trust that our products are pure, safe, and effective for every level of athletics.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Ingebrigtsen and Girma go head-to-head in hunt for fast 1500m in Lausanne

Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Lamecha Girma both made history earlier this month in Paris, where they set a world two-mile best and a world 3000m steeplechase record, respectively. Now they have the chance to push each other to fast 1500m performances when they return to Wanda Diamond League action in Lausanne on Friday (30).

Norway’s Ingebrigtsen, who broke the world indoor 1500m record by running 3:30.60 in Lievin in February, clocked 7:54.10 in Paris to improve Daniel Komen’s world best for two miles. Despite still having that race in his legs, the 22-year-old improved his own European 1500m record to 3:27.95 in Oslo six days later – a time that places him sixth on the world all-time list.

Although the world record had not been his aim in Oslo, Lausanne’s Athletissima gives Ingebrigtsen another opportunity to take further strides toward Hicham El Guerrouj’s almost 25-year-old world record of 3:26.00.

“I 100% have more left in me,” Ingebrigtsen said after his performance in Oslo. “I just have to keep focused on each race ahead in the build-up to Budapest (World Championships), where it really matters.”

Girma will hope to be up there with him. The Ethiopian 22-year-old stormed to a time of 7:52.11 for his specialism in Paris, taking 1.52 seconds off the world 3000m steeplechase record set by Said Saeed Shaheen in 2004, and then turned his attention to attacking the Ethiopian 1500m record of 3:29.91 at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava on Tuesday (27). He still looked like he had plenty left in the closing stages but having to run wide down the home straight, he focused on the win, running a PB of 3:33.15 that he will aim to improve again in Lausanne.

It will be the first time that Ingebrigtsen and Girma have clashed in any discipline.

In Oslo, Ingebrigtsen led the first eight men under 3:30 for the first time in history, and this time the line-up includes two other men who have dipped under that barrier so far in their careers: Britain’s Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr and Australia’s Stewart McSweyn. They are joined on the entry list by Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi, New Zealand’s Sam Tanner and Britain’s Neil Gourley.

In the 5000m – the discipline in which Ingebrigtsen won world gold last year after his 1500m silver – Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei will take on Olympic 10,000m gold medallist Selemon Barega, world 5km record-holder Berihu Aregawi, Telahun Haile Bekele, Birhanu Balew and their fellow sub-13:00 runner Muktar Edris.

In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, world U20 silver medallist Sembo Almayew is back on the track after her world-leading PB performance of 9:00.71 to win in Florence. The 2021 world U20 gold medallist, Jackline Chepkoech, was second on that occasion and is also racing, along with world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech and world bronze medallist Mekides Abebe.

The world leader also heads the entries in the women’s 800m, where world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson – who improved her British record to 1:55.77 to win in Paris – will look to make another statement as she renews her rivalry with Kenya’s Mary Moraa.

World bronze medallist Moraa, who won Commonwealth Games and Diamond League titles ahead of Hodgkinson last year, has run a best of 1:58.72 so far this season and the strong field also features Habitam Alemu, Noelie Yarigo, Jemma Reekie, Catriona Bisset, Natoya Goule and Switzerland's Audrey Werro, who recently ran a world U20 1000m record of 2:34.89 in Nice.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen to chase his national record at Oslo Diamond League

At the Paris Diamond League last week, the incredible Norwegian athlete and Olympic 1,500m champion  Jakob Ingebrigtsen achieved a remarkable two-mile world best. On Thursday evening (afternoon for viewers in North America), the 22-year-old superstar will be competing in his home country, aiming to challenge his national record of 3:28.32 at the Oslo Diamond League.

Jakob’s WR bid

Ingebrigtsen headlines a deep men’s 1,500m field, featuring the silver and bronze medallists from Tokyo 2020, Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot and Josh Kerr of Great Britain. Other notable athletes are American Yared Nuguse and Mohamed Katir, who came off a Spanish national record performance over 5,000m in Florence two weeks ago, taking the win in 12:50.79. 

During the pre-race press conference, Ingebrigtsen put his confidence on display and said he’s eager to chase a personal best and even take a shot at Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1,500m world record of 3:26.00 “If I break the world record Thursday, I deserve a statue,” said Ingebrigtsen. The Bislett Games meet director responded: “If you do it, I’ll personally set up a statue outside Bislett [Stadium].”

Although there has been a lot of world record talk from Ingebrigtsen and the media, the Wavelight pace in the 1,500m will be set to the meeting record of 3:29.12, going through 800m in 1:52 and the first kilometre in 2:19. Ingebrigtsen will have to close the final 500m in 66 seconds and a sub-53-second final lap if he hopes to take down the world record. 

Canadians in Oslo

Two prominent Canadian athletes are competing at Oslo Diamond League Thursday. Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse looks to get his season back on track in the men’s 200m. The last year hasn’t been easy for De Grasse, changing coaches, battling injury and a slow start to the 2023 season. In his first three 200m race of the season, he has struggled to dip under the world championship standard mark of 20.24 seconds, a time he has frequently sailed under over the last two seasons. In his first Diamond League race in Doha on May 5, his turnover in the final 70 metres wasn’t there, and he faded to sixth in 20.35. It’s been three weeks since his last race, and he will come into Oslo as one of the favourites on paper, having the second-fastest personal best in the field after the young American, Erriyon Knighton.

Canadian mile and 1,500m record holder Gabriela DeBues-Stafford had a successful outing in her Diamond League return in Florence two weeks ago. After a full year off due to injury, the 27-year-old Olympic finalist ran to a season’s best 4:03.64 over 1,500m. She will come into the Oslo Diamond League as the top-ranked woman in the mile event. This race in Oslo should be more tactical and better suited for DeBues-Stafford’s racing style than the 1,500m in Florence, which resulted in a new world record for Faith Kipyegon. 

Two other athletes who will be a tough test for DeBues-Stafford are Jessica Hull, who recently set an Australian record of 3:57.29 in Florence, and Ethiopian rising star Birke Haylom, who ran a giant personal best of 3:57.66 for third place at the Rabat Diamond League. DeBues-Stafford’s mile best is 4:17.87 from Monaco Diamond League in 2019, but any result under 4:23 for her would be a step in the right direction as she continues to prepare for the 2023 World Athletics Championships later this summer. 

Abel Kipsang eyes gold at World Championships in Budapest

The 2022 World Indoor Championships 1500m bronze medalist, Abel Kipsang will be targeting gold in his specialty at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

"I'm aiming for gold, but if things go wrong, I should be able to finish on the podium in Budapest," said Kipsang in an exclusive interview on Monday.

Kipsang has been honing his skills at the Traffic Police headquarters training ground under the watchful eye of legendary athletics coach Alfred Sang.

The National Police officer will attempt to beat his personal best time of 3:31.65, which he set at the Tokyo Games last year. 

"I also want to beat my previous best time. I've already clocked a 3:29.56 and my new goal is a 3:28.00."

Kipsang expressed his satisfaction with his performance at the weekend's Kip Keino Classic at Moi Stadium in Kasarani. He clocked 3:32.70 minutes to finish second to Reynold Kipkorir, who won in 3:32.01.

"I prepared well for the race, and my body was in top shape. I'm pleased with the time I set at Kasarani. I'm hoping to accomplish a lot more in the coming events," Kipsang remarked.

With his sights set on boarding the Team Kenya jet to Budapest, Kipsang is overjoyed to have already met the qualification standards for the much-anticipated annual global extravaganza, which will be held in August.

"The qualification time set by World Athletics is 3:34.20, and I managed a 3:32.70 at the Kip Keino Classic on Saturday," Kipsang stated.

Despite the stiff competition he is going to face in Budapest from a talented field of rivals, Kipsang says he is not nervous.

"I'm not training with any particular opponent in mind. It's all about getting the greatest time possible to give me an advantage in competition."

He will rely primarily on his extensive knowledge and superior skill to lead him to stardom in Budapest.

Kipsang won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade after finishing fourth in the 1500m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

At the 2019 African Games in Rabat, he competed in his first international competition, finishing fourth in the 800m with a time of 1:45.43 mins.

On June 9, 2021, in Marseille, he ran a personal best of 3:32.6 in the 1500m. He had placed third at the Kenyan Olympic trials 10 days earlier, securing his spot in the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

His score from Marseille put him in the top ten in the world. Kipsang achieved a new Olympic record in the semifinals of the 1500m on August 5, 2021, in Tokyo, clocking 3:31.65, to improve his personal best.

This record was eventually surpassed by Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who ran 3:28.32 in the final, while Kipsang finished fourth in 3:29.56. Timothy Cheruiyot won silver in 3:29.01, while Josh Kerr finished third in 3:29.05.

In 2022, he won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, clocking a personal best of 3:33.36 and finishing behind Samuel Tefera (3:32.77) and Ingebrigtsen (3:33.02).

Giants of track and field prepare for battle at Millrose Games

print showdowns, the world’s greatest shot putters and magnificent mile fields highlight the Millrose Games, this season’s fourth World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, in New York on Saturday (11).

Fresh off a PB and 60m win in Boston, world 200m champion Noah Lyles takes on 60m world record holder and defending Millrose champion Christian Coleman at The Armory, which boasts the nickname ‘The Fastest Track in the World’.

Shot putters Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs open their 2023 campaigns by resuming their fierce rivalry, essentially picking up where they left off last September in Switzerland. As the women’s shot returns to Millrose for the first time since 2003, the event couldn’t ask for a better field led by Chase Ealey, the world champion and world indoor silver medallist.

According to tradition, the Rudin Wanamaker Miles cap the storied meeting, which was founded in 1908. A national record might be needed to win the men’s race, but which country will take the honours? Defending champion Ollie Hoare of Australia, USA’s Yared Nuguse, Sam Tanner of New Zealand and Mario Garcia Romo of Spain are top contenders. Great Britain’s Olympic and world medallist Laura Muir is the favourite in the women’s mile, having already claimed a New York record on the road.

Straight down the middle

Although The Armory is far from the neon lights of Times Square, it’s still a hop, step and a jump from Broadway – and perhaps no athlete enjoys putting on a show more than Lyles.

At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Boston, he posted a PB of 6.51, edging Trayvon Bromell by .002. Coleman clocked 6.71 in Fayetteville two weeks ago to open his season, well off his world record of 6.34 set in 2018 when he was also world indoor champion. Lyles, the Olympic 200m bronze medallist, has been working on his start in a bid to double in the 100m and 200m at the World Athletics Championships later this year in Budapest.

Lyles will also attempt to avenge an early season loss to his younger brother Josephus in Florida. Ronnie Baker, the third-fastest 60m runner in history and 2018 world indoor bronze medallist, won this event in 2018 and 2020. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica, Miles Lewis, the Puerto Rican record-holder, and Kendal Williams, who defeated Lyles in Florida but lost to him in Boston, are also in the field.

Aleia Hobbs is seeking her second straight win in the women’s 60m after exploding to a meeting record 7.02 in Boston. She also owns the world-leading time of 6.98, run in Fayetteville in late January. In Boston, Hobbs held off world indoor silver medallist Mikiah Brisco and Celera Barnes, who get another chance to defeat her at Millrose.

Melissa Jefferson, who edged Hobbs in the 100m at last year’s USA Championships; world indoor bronze medallist Marybeth Sant-Price, and English Gardner are also in the field. Shawnti Jackson was third at Millrose last year, setting a national high school record of 7.18, and will look to improve both her placement and her time.

Olympic silver medallist Keni Harrison, the Millrose 60m hurdles winner in 2020, will take on 2019 world champion Nia Ali, heptathlete Anna Hall, and Olympians Anna Cockrell, Devynne Charlton and Cindy Sember.

Ring rivalry renewed

The road to Budapest begins for the top shot putters on the planet. World and Olympic champion Crouser will face Kovacs, a double outdoor world champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist.

While Crouser has won at Millrose three years in a row and holds both the indoor and outdoor world records, he knows his compatriot is always in the hunt to topple him. Kovacs set the world-leading mark in 2022 while moving to second on the all-time list and winning the Diamond league final in Zurich. At the season-ending meeting for both, Kovacs won at Bellinzona with a toss of 22.19m, with Crouser next at 22.00m. Tripp Piperi and Nick Ponzio of Italy round out the field.

Ealey had a dream season in 2022, building on her world indoor silver to take the world title in Oregon and then capture the Diamond League title. Compatriots Maggie Ewen, the 2021 Diamond League champion, and Jessica Woodard will challenge Ealey for the first Millrose crown in 20 years, along with Canada’s Commonwealth champion Sarah Mitton.

The women’s pole vault features Katie Moon (formerly Nageotte) and Katerina Stefanidi, the last two Olympic gold medallists. However, in their previous meeting, the Greek vaulter was third and the Tokyo champion placed fourth in Boston, with Bridget Williams and Gabriela Leon going 1-2. All four athletes will be on the runway at Millrose.

Steiner seeks another record

The rarely run 300m has become something of a specialty for USA’s Abby Steiner. She already holds the NCAA record and is targeting the national record of 35.71 in her first indoor season as a professional. Two weekends ago, Steiner raced to a 400m victory in Fayetteville in 50.59. The world record of 35.45 is shared by Irina Privalova and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, with the Bahamian clocking her winning time in 2018 at Millrose. Jenna Prandini, Steiner’s teammate on the victorious 4x100m relay in Oregon, and 2019 world 200m silver medallist Brittany Brown offer strong competition.

The men’s 400m could be another duel between USA’s Noah Williams and Trinidad & Tobago’s world indoor champion Jereem Richards. In Boston, both clocked 45.88, but Williams surged on the inside to win by .004. Michael Cherry, fourth in the 400m in Tokyo and an Olympic and world gold medallist at 4x400m, opens his season at Millrose, along with the fourth man in the field, Bryce Deadmon, another Olympic and world gold medallist on relays.

Going the distance

The great Paavo Nurmi raced at the Millrose Games nearly 100 years ago and the distance races never disappoint. Of course, the signature event is the Rudin Wanamaker Mile.

After recently setting a North American indoor record over 3000m, Yared Nuguse is in a New York state of mind to break another continental record: Bernard Lagat’s 3:49.89 in the indoor mile. Nuguse and training partners Hoare and Romo are hoping for a fast pace to propel them into the record books. Hoare set an Oceanian record of 3:50.83 in winning the 2022 Wanamaker Mile and is the Commonwealth 1500m champion. Other contenders include Tanner, a three-time New Zealand champion; Great Britain’s Neil Gourley, whose home straight sprint led to a world-leading 3:52.84 in Boston; 2022 US indoor 1500m champion Cole Hocker, Johnny Gregorek, Sam Prakel and Kenya’s Eliud Kipsang.

Muir had a US indoor race debut in Boston, clocking 8:40.34 in the 3000m, and now is dropping back down to more familiar territory. The world and Olympic medallist in the 1500m set a course record of 4:14.8 on the road in the Fifth Avenue Mile in 2022. At Millrose, the record is 4:16.85, set by Elle Purrier St Pierre in 2020, which is the third-fastest indoor mile in history after Gudaf Tsegay’s 4:16.16 in Torun. In a deep field, Muir will be challenged by training partner and Olympic 800m finalist Jemma Reekie, and US champion Sinclaire Johnson.

In the men’s 3000m, Geordie Beamish and Cooper Teare, who went 1-2 last year, return to the Armory track where they will try to fend off Josh Kerr, the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist; Joe Klecker, Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva and Nico Young.

Alicia Monson, defending Millrose champion in the women’s 3000m, faces national indoor 5000m record-holder Elise Cranny with Karissa Schweizer’s national indoor 3000m record of 8:25.70 in their sights. Monson set a Millrose Games and Armory record last year of 8:31.62 en route to a stellar outdoor season. Katelyn Tuohy recently set an NCAA mile record of 4:24.26 in a race won by Monson; she’s primed for another test against the pros. European champion and 2019 world bronze medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen won the Wanamaker mile in 2019 and has the fastest 3000m time in the field, clocking 8:20.07 outdoors.

Streaks at stake for Wilson

In the 600m, world indoor 800m champion Ajee’ Wilson will attempt to extend some impressive winning streaks.

Since losing to Alysia Montano in the 600m at the 2013 Millrose Games, she has won 17 straight races at The Armory, including seven at Millrose. She also has won 15 straight races indoors, most recently the 800m in Boston with a time of 2:00.45. Wilson is the second-fastest woman in history in the 600m outdoors and could threaten Keely Hodgkinson’s newly minted world indoor best of 1:23.41. The fastest performer in the field this season Shamier Little, the 2015 world silver medallist in the 400m hurdles, who clocked 1:24.65. 

The men’s 800m will be a rematch between world indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet, still just 18 years of age, and world indoor bronze medallist Bryce Hoppel, the defending Millrose champion. The loaded field includes his compatriots Clayton Murphy, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, world indoor finalist Isaiah Harris, Great Britain’s Kyle Langford, Mexico’s Tonatiu Lopez and Irish record-holder Mark English. Cade Flatt, the second-fastest US high school runner at this distance, is also in the field.

2024 Olympic Track & Field Schedule Is Out

On Monday, World Athletics announced the schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games, to be held in Paris on August 1-11, 2024 (only 570 days to go!). There were a few key changes from three years earlier in Tokyo.

First, all track & field finals will be held during the evening sessions (some finals had been held in the morning during the 2016 and 2020 Olympics). The marathons will remain in the morning, though the men’s marathon will no longer be held on the final day of the Games, as had been tradition. That honor for the first time will go to the women’s marathon, which will be held on August 11. Giving women the honor makes sense given that, per Reuters, the “marathon route was modelled on the path of the October 1789 Women’s March on Versailles – when thousands, mainly female market traders furious over the price of bread, marched to the lavish palace of King Louis XVI.” In 2024, the men’s marathon will come on the penultimate day, August 10.

The other major change is the introduction of a repechage round, which will replace time qualifiers in five events: the 200, 400, 800, 1500, and 400 hurdles. Under the new format, any athlete who does not advance automatically from the first round will compete in an extra race –the repechage round — to earn their spot in the semifinals. Qualification from semifinals to the final will remain the same.

While every evening session has at least one final, you may want to circle August 8, 2024, on your calendar right now. That night is set to feature the finals of the women’s 400 hurdles (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone), men’s 200 (Noah Lyles vs. Erriyon Knighton), and men’s 110 hurdles (Grant Holloway), plus the semis of the women’s 1500 meters.

A number of doubles — 100/200, 800/1500, 1500/5,000, 5,000/10,000 — are very feasible under the current schedule. But what about the 400/400 hurdles, 400/800, and 1500/5,000/10,000 — the doubles (and triple) that would appeal to superstars Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Athing Mu, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen? None of them are impossible.

Possible doubles/triples

Men’s 1500/5,000/10,000 (Jakob Ingebrigtsen)

We’ve got great news for Jakob Ingebrgitsen fans. You’ll likely see him running in two — maybe three — events at Paris.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Ingebrigtsen would have liked to have done the 1500/5000 double like he did at the 2019 and 2022 Worlds but he only ran the 1500 as the two events overlapped a ton. In Tokyo, the 1500 was held on August 3 (a.m.), August 5 (p.m.), and August 7 (p.m.) and the 5000 was held on August 3 (p.m.) and August 6 (p.m). In Paris, 1500/5000 double is eminently more doable as the 1500 finishes before the 5000 even starts.

And there is even more good news. Last year, Ingebrigtsen made headlines by saying he wanted to do what Sifan Hassan did in 2021 and triple at the 2023 Worlds and 2024 Olympics: 1500, 5,000, and 10,000. The triple is basically impossible at the 2023 Worlds. At the 2024 Olympics, it’s tough but doable: it would require two races on August 2 (1500 first round in the morning, 10,000 final 10 hours later), and it would require running the 1500 final at 9:00 p.m. on August 6 and the 5,000 first round 14 hours later on the morning of August 7.

In Tokyo, Hassan had to run two races on the same day (1500 prelims in morning, 5,000 final in evening) and also had to run finals on consecutive days (1500 followed by 10,000). In Paris, Ingebrigtsen would get four days between the 10,000 and 1500 finals and another four days between the 1500 and 5,000 finals.

August 2, 11:05 a.m.: 1500 first round

August 2, 9:20 p.m.: 10,000 final

August 4, 9:10 p.m.: 1500 semis

August 6, 9:00 p.m.: 1500 final

August 7, 11:00 a.m.: 5,000 first round

August 10, 8:00 p.m.: 5,000 final

Women’s 1500/5,000/10,000 (Sifan Hassan)

Given Sifan Hassan already did the 1500/5,000/10,000 triple in Tokyo about as well as anyone could (bronze-gold-gold) and given it took her close to a year to return to racing in 2022, it would be a surprise to see her attempt the triple again in Paris. But if someone else — perhaps World Indoor 1500/World Outdoor 5,000 champ Gudaf Tsegay — is so inclined, it’s possible to triple. The toughest part would be running the 1500 first round the morning after the 5,000 final and running the 10,000 and 1500 final on back-to-back nights (the latter was also the case for Hassan in 2021, though the order of the 10,000 and 1500 finals were flipped). But unlike in 2021, all the races are on different days.

August 2, 6:10 p.m.: 5,000 first round

August 5, 9:20 p.m.: 5,000 final

August 6, 10:05 a.m.: 1500 first round

August 8, 8:05 p.m.: 1500 semis

August 9, 8:55 p.m.: 10,000 final

August 10, 8:25 p.m.: 1500 final

Women’s 400/400 hurdles (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Femke Bol)

No woman has ever won the 400/400 hurdles double at the Olympics, but superstars Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol could attempt it in Paris. It would require racing six days in a row (seven including the 4×400 relay final) but never more than once in a day. That’s about as good as you can ask for.

August 4, 12:35 p.m.: 400 hurdles first round

August 5, 11:55 a.m.: 400 first round

August 6, 7:45 p.m.: 400 hurdles semis

August 7, 8:45 p.m.: 400 semis

August 8, 9:05 p.m.: 400 hurdles final

August 9, 8:00 p.m.: 400 final

August 10, 9:20 p.m.: 4×400 relay final

Women’s 400/800 (Athing Mu)

Athing Mu won the women’s 800 at the 2020 Olympics and 2022 Worlds and is the NCAA record holder in the 400 meters at 49.57. After winning gold in Tokyo, she said one of her next goals is to double up in the 400/800. The double is possible in Paris but not perfect as it would require her to race three sessions in a row — the night of August 4 in the 800 semis, the morning of August 5 in the 400 first round, and the night of August 5 in the 800 final. The good news is Mu has will have some time to recover as there is a rest day between the 800 final and 400 semis and another rest day between the 400 semis and 400 final.

In a perfect world the 800 semis and 400 first round would both be shifted forward by a day but that’s not going to happen because it would require running the repechage and semifinal round of the 800 on the same day.

August 2, 7:45 p.m.: 800 first round

August 4, 8:35 p.m.: 800 semis

August 5, 11:55 a.m.: 400 first round

August 5, 9:50 p.m.: 800 final

August 7, 8:45 p.m.: 400 semis

August 9, 8:00 p.m.: 400 final

August 10, 9:20 p.m.: 4×400 relay final

Women’s 200/400 (Shaunae Miller-Uibo)

Two-time Olympic 400 champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas attempted the 200/400 double in Tokyo and made the finals of each event. But she wound up going through the motions of the 200 final, finishing last in 24.00 (after running the first round of the 400 that morning), before running a personal best of 48.36 to win the 400 three days later. The 200/400 double is once again possible in 2024, but Miller-Uibo’s weaker event, the 200, would once again come first. It would also require running twice in one day, though neither of the races would be finals (400 first round on the morning of August 5, followed by the 200 semis that evening).

August 4, 10:55 a.m.: 200 first round

August 5, 11:55 a.m.: 400 first round

August 5, 8:55 p.m.: 200 semis

August 6, 9:50 p.m.: 200 final

August 7, 8:45 p.m.: 400 semis

August 9, 8:00 p.m.: 400 final

Men’s 200/400

In Tokyo, it was possible to attempt the men’s 200/400 double as all of the races were on different days (save for the 200 first round and semis — a necessary same-day double for all athletes). In Tokyo, it’s virtually impossible as the 200 semis will be held just 73 minutes before the 400 final on the night of August 7.

August 4, 7:05 p.m.: 400 first round

August 5, 8:05 p.m.: 200 first round

August 6, 8:30 p.m.: 400 semis

August 7, 8:07 p.m.: 200 semis

August 7, 9:20 p.m.: 400 final

August 8, 9:25 p.m.: 200 final

How will the repechage round work?

In almost every case, the repechage round will take place the day after the first round of each event. The only exception is the men’s 110 hurdles, where the first round is on August 4 and the repechage on August 6. And in almost every case, the repechage athletes won’t have to race twice in the same day. The only exception is the women’s 200, where the first round will be held on the morning of August 4, the repechage on the afternoon of August 5, and the semis on the evening of August 5.

Should any repechage athlete in the 800 advance to the final, they will have raced on four consecutive days. For any 1500 athlete to advance to the final, they will have had to have raced three straight days followed by a one-day break before the final. The repechage round is mostly a chance for lesser athletes to get a longer Olympic experience instead of running one race and going home, but it’s not impossible to suggest that a repechage athlete could be a factor in the final. At the 2020 Olympics, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr needed a time qualifier to advance from the first round of the men’s 1500 and wound up earning the bronze medal. Such a feat will be harder in 2024 since an athlete such as Kerr would now have to run an extra race.

Here’s how the schedule works for the men’s and women’s 800 and 1500:

Men’s 800

Prelims: August 7, 11:45 a.m.

Repechage: August 8, 12:00 p.m.

Semis: August 9, 11:30 a.m.

Final: August 10, 7:30 p.m.

Women’s 800

Prelims: August 2, 7:45 p.m.

Repechage: August 3, 11:10 a.m.

Semis: August 4, 8:35 p.m.

Final: August 5, 9:50 p.m.

Women’s 1500

Prelims: August 6, 10:05 a.m.

Repechage: August 7, 12:35 p.m.

Semis: August 8, 8:05 p.m.

Final: August 10, 8:25 p.m.

Men’s 1500

Prelims: August 2, 11:05 a.m.

Repechage: August 3, 8:25 p.m.

Semis: August 4, 9:10 p.m.

Final: August 6, 9:00 p.m.

Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles and Ronnie Baker to Clash in Epic 60m at 2023 Millrose Games

The 115th Millrose Games, the world’s most historic indoor track & field event is only six weeks away. The Men’s 60m will surely be one of the most anticipated races of the entire meet, as Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, and Ronnie Baker, three of the best sprinters in the world, will be taking their talents to the infield straightaway at the iconic New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory.

The 115th Millrose Games is scheduled for Saturday, February 11th.

Coleman is the defending Millrose Games champion, World Record holder, and 2018 World Indoor Champion in the 60m. His lightning-quick starting ability makes him nearly unstoppable over this short distance, and he set the current world record of 6.34 seconds in 2018. Outdoors, he has two World Championship gold medals and three silver medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay.

Lyles is the reigning back-to-back World Champion, American Record holder, and the third-fastest man ever in the 200m. He also claimed the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo. Lyles, the 2022 USATF Male Athlete of the Year, has been open about his pursuit of the world records held by Usain Bolt, and by dropping down in distance to challenge the short-sprint specialists, he hopes to continue improving his start and putting the pieces together for another year of dominance.

Baker is the third-fastest 60m runner in history, and one of the most consistent sprinters competing on the circuit. He is an Olympic finalist, World Indoor bronze medalist, and two-time NCAA champion. Baker is no stranger to the Millrose Games stage, winning the 60m in both 2018 and 2020.

Other athletes in the field include:

–Josephus Lyles, Noah’s younger brother. Lyles is a former World Junior Champion, and he placed fifth in the 200m final at this year’s USATF Outdoor Championships.

–Ackeem Blake of Jamaica, NACAC 100m Champion, and semifinalist at the World Championships.

–Miles Lewis, the 60m national record holder for Puerto Rico.

As always, the Millrose Games will feature the absolute best athletes in the sport, including dozens of Olympians and world champions. Some of the big names already announced include Alicia Monson, Konstanze Klosterhalfen, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini, Geordie Beamish, Cooper Teare, Josh Kerr, Katie Nageotte, Sandi Morris, Katerina Stefanidi, Ryan Crouser, and Joe Kovacs, with many more still to come.

The Millrose Games is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet. With the highest-level competition at the youth, high school, collegiate, club, and professional levels, there is truly something for everyone at the Millrose Games.

Alicia Monson and Konstanze Klosterhalfen headline Millrose Games 3000m

Alicia Monson will defend her 3000m title against a field including Konstanze Klosterhalfen when she returns to the Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, in New York on February 11.

Monson ran away from the field in 2022, setting a meeting record of 8:31.62. That performance would prove to be a springboard to more success for the 24-year-old, who went on to have the best season of her career outdoors, running personal bests at 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m, competing at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 and placing in the top five at three Diamond League meetings. 

"I’m looking forward to coming back to defend the 3000m this year," said Monson. "The atmosphere in The Armory makes for an awesome start to the track season."

Her main challenger may be Klosterhalfen, this year's European 5000m champion and the 2019 world bronze medalist. Klosterhalfen holds eight national records for Germany and won the 2019 Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games. 

Other athletes to watch include Katelyn Tuohy, Elly Henes, Courtney Wayment, Whittni Orton Morgan and Fantaye Belayneh, Ethiopian champion and African Championships silver medalist in the 5000m.

These are the latest stars announced for the Millrose Games, joining the showdowns in the pole vault between Katie Nageotte, Sandi Morris, and Katerina Stefanidi, and in the shot put, featuring Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs. The men’s 3000m, meanwhile, will star Geordie Beamish, Cooper Teare and Josh Kerr, while the women's 300m will feature Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Brittany Brown.

Steiner, Prandini and Brown to race Millrose Games 300m

Global medalists Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Brittany Brown are set to clash in the 300m when the 115th Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, takes place in New York on February 11.

Steiner, the NCAA indoor 300m record-holder, had a breakthrough campaign in 2022. The 23-year-old completed her collegiate career at the University of Kentucky with four NCAA titles, setting a US indoor record and outdoor NCAA record in the 200m. She then lowered her PB to win the US 200m title, qualifying for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, where she finished fifth and also formed part of USA’s victorious 4x100m and 4x400m teams.

“I am beyond excited to be running at this historic meet for the first time in my professional career,” said Steiner. “I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, fans, and great competition that Millrose always provides!”

Steiner ran her NCAA indoor 300m record of 35.80 in December 2021. The US best of 35.71 is held by Quanera Hayes, while the world best of 35.45 was equalled at the Millrose Games in 2018 by Shaunae Miller-Uibo. Both of these marks could come under threat in New York in February.

Among those challenging Steiner in this Millrose Games signature event will be her fellow world 4x100m gold medallist Prandini and 2019 world 200m silver medallist Brown.

Prandini is a three-time NCAA gold medallist for the University of Oregon, as well as a two-time US 200m champion. As well as winning world 4x100m gold in Oregon, she also claimed Olympic 4x100m silver in Tokyo.

Brown claimed her world 200m medal in Doha in 2019 and more recently won the 200m title at the NACAC Championships in The Bahamas.

Also in the women’s 300m field at the Millrose Games will be Cynthia Bolingo, Belgium’s 2019 European indoor 400m silver medallist.

These are the latest stars announced for the Millrose Games, joining the showdowns in the pole vault between Katie Nageotte, Sandi Morris, and Katerina Stefanidi, and in the shot put, featuring Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs. The men’s 3000m, meanwhile, will star Geordie Beamish, Cooper Teare and Josh Kerr.

Beamish, Teare, and Kerr will highlight Millrose Games 3000m

The Millrose Games will welcome a stacked 3000m field to the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in New York on February 11.

New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish, who holds the national indoor records for 3000m and 5000m, won last year’s race in thrilling fashion, going from fifth to first on the final lap with a furious kick to win in 7:39.50.

US 1500m champion Cooper Teare finished second in that race, and he will also return to the Millrose stage with revenge on his mind. “I’m beyond excited to be returning to the Millrose Games to experience the electric crowds and fast times,” said Teare.

While the rematch of last year’s tight finish is enticing enough, there are numerous other athletes who are more than capable of winning this race.

Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Josh Kerr finished second in the mile at the Millrose Games last year, then went on to set a European indoor record of 3:48.87 at that distance.

Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva was fourth over 3000m at last year’s Millrose Games, and he repeated that position over 5000m at the World Championships in Oregon.

Joe Klecker, Morgan McDonald, Olin Hacker and Dylan Jacobs – all past winners of NCAA titles – are also in the field, as is Nico Young, who recently finished second at this year’s NCAA Cross Country Championships.

These are the latest stars announced for the Millrose Games, joining the showdowns in the pole vault between Katie Nageotte, Sandi Morris, and Katerina Stefanidi, and in the shot put, featuring Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs.

World lead for Jakob Ingebrigtsen in Lausanne

Olympic 1500m champion enjoys emphatic win at Diamond League on Friday as Noah Lyles, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Joe Kovacs also take victories in the Swiss city.

There were plenty of surprises at the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne on Friday (Aug 26) with world champions Ryan Crouser, Grant Holloway, Tobi Amusan and Mutaz Essa Barshim among those suffering end-of-season defeats. But there was no doubt about the winner in the men’s 1500m as Jakob Ingebrigtsen stormed to victory in a world-leading mark of 3:29.05.

Using his predictable yet effective tactics of taking the lead shortly after the pacemaker went through 800m in 1:51, the Norwegian built a small lead at the bell and held his advantage over the final lap as Abel Kipsang of Kenya battled his way into second in 3:29.93 and Stewart McSweyn of Australia showed a welcome return to form with 3:30.18 in third.

Josh Kerr bounced back from his dismal Commonwealth Games experience by finishing fourth in 3:32.28 with fellow Brits Jake Heyward (3:34.99) and Matt Stonier (3:35.57) ninth and tenth. Commonwealth champion Olli Hoare, meanwhile, faded badly on the last lap to finish 12th.

“It was a good race,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I would have liked to have gone a little faster but considering I’ve had a lot of races, it was good. I’m now looking forward to the races at the end of the season and running even faster next year.

“All in all it’s been a good season but I’m ready to put in a lot of work this winter to win more races next summer. I don’t think we’re going to get any record times in Zurich (Diamond League final next month) but I think we will have a good competition there.”

Chilly conditions in Lausanne were not conducive to fast sprint times but Noah Lyles ran a quick 19.56 (1.3) despite a poor start. Mike Norman, who had led into the home straight, was runner-up in 19.76 as Britain’s Charlie Dobson, on his Diamond League debut, ran 20.34 in eighth from the inside lane.

The much-anticipated women’s 100m showdown turned into an anticlimax when firstly world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew with a minor injury and then Elaine Thompson-Herah, the Olympic champion, false started. In their absence Aleia Hobbs won in 10.87 (0.0) from Shericka Jackson’s 10.88 and Marie-Josee Ta Lou’s 10.89.

Ingebrigtsen to launch another 1500/5000m double attempt in Munich 2022

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be heavily involved in the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships, part of the wider multisport European Championships, as he defends the 1500m and 5000m titles he won as a 17-year-old at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships. 

The Olympic 1500m champion and world 5000m champion will not, however, face the either of his brothers Filip and Henrik who are both injured nor the Brit who unexpectedly beat him to the world 1500m title in Eugene last month, Jake Wightman. 

The latter is concentrating on the 800m in Munich – the event he originally planned to do at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games until he was nudged back to the longer distance because of the number of friends and family who had bought tickets for the final last Saturday when he won bronze in a high quality final in 3:30.53. 

With a personal best of 1:44.18 from 2020, Wightman has a realistic chance of adding another European medal to the bronze he won over 1500m in Berlin four years ago – and his victory over 1000m at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Wednesday night in 2:13.88, ninth fastest of all-time, will have done his confidence no harm at all. 

France’s Benjamin Robert has the fastest 2022 time of all entrants – the 1:43.75 he clocked in winning at the Paris Diamond League on 18 June in boisterous fashion, squeezing in between the two leaders with enough physicality to be disqualified before being reinstated on appeal. If things get physical in Munich, Robert is unlikely to come off second best. 

Tony van Diepen is also well acquainted with the hurly-burly of the track having been a part of the Dutch teams that won 4x400m silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games and mixed 4x400m silver at the World Championships in Oregon. 

Individually, van Diepen has won European indoor silver in 2021 and bronze in 2019 over 400m and has a best 800m time of 1:44.14 set this year in Paris after M. Robert had burst past him at the Stade Charlety. 

Robert’s compatriot Gabriel Tual, seventh in last year’s Olympic final, is third fastest on this year’s European list with 1:44.23, set in – you’ve guessed it – Paris. But the French team will be without the popular Pierre-Ambroise Bosse, the 2017 world champion, due to injury.

Poland’s Patryk Dobek has run 1:44.59 this year and even though he exited in the heats at the World Athletics Championships, he can also draw upon the experience of winning bronze at last year’s Olympics in Tokyo. 

Other medal prospects include Sweden’s Andreas Kramer (1:44.59), Ireland’s Mark English (1:44.76), fellow Brits Ben Pattison (1:44.60) and Kyle Langford (1:44.61), Spain's reigning world indoor champion Mariano Garcia (1:45.12) and the very experienced former two-time world medallist Amel Tuka from Bosnia and Herzegovina (1:46.15) whose lifetime best of 1:42.57 dates back to 2015.

Aside from Bosse, another notable absentee will be the three-time reigning champion Adam Kszczot from Poland who retired at the start of the year.

Ingebrigtsen's path to double gold is clearer although not without challenges

With Wightman elsewhere, Ingebrigtsen will surely feel happier about the prospect of his 1500m defence, but he will still face a field full of Spanish and British medal threats. 

Second on this year’s European list with 3:30.20, Spain’s Mario Garcia will be looking to give the Norwegian wonderboy another run for his money after finishing fourth - two places behind Ingebrigtsen - in Oregon. 

The Brits dominate the 2022 European list with six athletes in the top nine and despite the absence of Wightman and Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr, Jake Heyward (3:31.08), Neil Gourley (3:32.93) and Matt Stonier (3:32.50) form a trio with clear medal-winning ability.

But Ingebrigtsen, who ran 3:29.47 to take world silver, and ran an Olympic and European record of 3:28.32 at the Tokyo 2020 Games, should have enough to cover any challenge in both events. 

In the 5000m, it might be the athlete who appears second from last on the entry-list in terms of season's bests who could provide the biggest challenge to Ingebrigtsen. That athlete is Spain’s Mohammed Katir who won a bronze medal behind Ingebrigtsen in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon and will be focusing solely on the longer event in Munich.

Katir, 24, has a modest season's best of 13:43.61 from the Spanish Championships but he showed what he can do over the longer distance by running a national record of 12:50.79 in Rome last summer in the same race where Ingebrigtsen broke the European record with 12:48.65.

Another strong potential challenger is the experienced Spaniard Adel Mechaal, who was fifth in the Olympic 1500m final last year and set a 5000m personal best of 13:06.02 in Oslo in June. Mechaal didn't make it through to the final of the World Athletics Championships but that wasn't too surprising as he had only just recovered from an untimely bout of coronavirus which forced him to miss the 1500m.

In both the 5000m and 10,000m, watch out for Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa, 25, who has been a star performer in numerous European competitions, winning bronze at the 2019 European Cross Country Championships and the European 10,000m Cup in the same year. 

Crippa has the fastest time among the entrants based on season’s best performances in the 10,000m with 27:16.18 ahead of another showboating, talented figure in Jimmy Gressier of France – he of the famous faceplant as he won the 2018 European U23 cross country title. This didn’t stop him from walking through the line to win the same title the following year, demonstrating just how much time he had to spare. 

There weren’t quite the same histrionics at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Dublin last December but Gressier let his running do the talking and he came away with his first senior medal in a race where Ingebrigtsen ruled triumphant once again.

Gressier will be focusing solely on the 10,000m in Munich and the Frenchman is the second fastest performer this year with 27:24.51 which he set at the European 10,000m Cup on home soil in Pacé in May when he ran away from the field for the individual title.

Britain’s Jake Wightman stunned the Olympic champion, the defending world champion and himself at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 running the race of his life to take the 1500m title

Britain’s Jake Wightman stunned the world on Tuesday night. Winding up to a world-leading PB of 3:29.23, the 28-year-old European and Commonwealth bronze medallist left Jakob Ingebrigtsen with no response as he surged down the home straight, eyes fixed firmly ahead. As the finish line neared, the Briton first raised his arms wide and then threw his hands to his head in disbelief, Norway’s Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen following him home in 3:29.47 and Spain’s Mohamed Katir coming through for bronze in 3:29.90.

“That’s my son,” came the voice over the loudspeaker, the race having been called by in-stadium announcer Geoff Wightman – father and coach of the winner, “and he’s the world champion.”

Left disappointed after a 10th-place finish at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Jake Wightman went back to work. He focused on building his strength over the winter, returning to some cross country racing and doing over-distance work as he refocused on Oregon.

Achieving his aim of staying under the radar through the rounds, he took his place on the Hayward Field start line with Ingebrigtsen to his left and Katir to his right. Kenya’s Abel Kipsang, who had the season’s quickest time going into the race, went straight to the front and led from Ingebrigtsen and Kenya’s defending champion Timothy Cheruiyot, with Wightman sitting in behind them. Ingebrigtsen, who broke the world indoor 1500m record with 3:30.60 in February, moved to the front with two laps to go, with Kipsang and Cheruiyot on his shoulder and Wightman tracking their every move.

At the bell it was Ingebrigtsen, Cheruiyot and Wightman, with Kipsang running wide on his shoulder. Judging the race to perfection, the Briton first surged past Cheruiyot, moving into the lead ahead of Ingebrigtsen with just over 200m to go.

As he left the bend, the anticipated kick from Ingebrigtsen never came. Glancing over his shoulder, the Norwegian looked like he knew he was beaten and settled for silver, followed by Katir and his Spanish teammate Mario Garcia, running a PB of 3:30.20 for fourth.

Wightman’s British compatriot Josh Kerr – the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist – finished fifth in 3:30.60, just ahead of Cheruiyot (3:30.69) and Kipsang (3:31.21).

“It probably won’t sink in until I have retired,” said Wightman, who has run 1:44.18 for 800m and clocked a 3000m PB of 7:37.81 indoors in February. “It’s mad. I had such a disappointing year in Tokyo last year. I don’t think people realise how crushing it was to go in with such high expectations and come away hoping for a medal but ending up 10th.”

His parents – both former elite marathon runners – were at Hayward Field to see him win, his father on the commentary mic and his mother, Susan, in the stands.

“Dad can be a bit of a robot on the mic sometimes,” smiled Wightman junior, whose time in Oregon is the third-quickest in World Championships history. “Some say robot, some say professional. I hope he broke that down today. My mum was in tears, so someone was crying.”

Reflecting on the race, he added: “The strength for me is that if I can get there with 200m to go, I will always make a move because it’s how I feel best running. As soon as the opportunity was there to go past, I just wanted to be leading the bend. The only perk of having a good 800m PB in races like that is if you are still there with 200m to go, which I haven’t managed to be in previous years.

“Even when I was coming down the home straight I felt strong, but Jakob is a beast and I never knew if he was going to come past.”

But he didn’t. Wightman's last lap was timed at 54.84, Ingebrigtsen’s was 55.24. In Tokyo, the Norwegian clocked 54.42 for the final 400m.

“I was feeling good, but I couldn't keep up with Jake in the last 200m,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I'm owning it. I am very disappointed by not winning, but I'm very happy for him. He is a great runner.”

He will now refocus on the 5000m, the heats for which take place on Thursday.

It was the 5000m that Katir contested at last year’s Olympics, the 24-year-old finishing eighth, but after setting national records at 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and 10km last year his decision to race the shorter event in Oregon paid off as he bagged the bronze with his second-fastest ever time.

Just behind him was European U23 silver medallist and NCAA runner-up Garcia, who runs for the University of Mississippi and achieved the fastest ever time by a collegiate athlete.

Cheruiyot has been some way off his best form this season and although making his presence felt in the early stages, he didn’t have the strength in the finish and faded out of medal contention.

Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera won the world indoor title ahead of Ingebrigtsen and Kipsang in Belgrade in March but finished ninth in his semifinal in Oregon, missing out on the final.

GB boost team for World Champs

A number of athletes have been added to the British squad for the World Championships in Eugene following the publication of the “Road to Oregon 2022” qualification positions.

The athletes added are: high jumpers Emily Borthwick, Laura Zialor, Morgan Lake and Joel Clarke-Khan, long jumper Jazmin Sawyers, triple jumper Naomi Metzger, discus throwers Jade Lally and Nick Percy, shot putters Scott Lincoln and Amelia Strickler, sprint hurdler David King, 400m hurdler Chris McAlister, 400m runner Alex Haydock-Wilson, triple jumper Ben Williams and pole vaulter Molly Caudery.

Ellie Baker is also expected to be added to the team in the women’s 800m due to withdrawals from athletes ahead of her in the rankings.

However Callum Wilkinson has dropped out of the team in the 20km walk to focus instead on the Commonwealth Games.

The team is as follows:

Women:

100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Daryll Neita; Imani-Lara Lansiquot; 

200m: Dina Asher-Smith; Beth Dobbin; 

400m: Victoria Ohuruogu; Ama Pipi; Nicole Yeargin; 

800m: Alex Bell; Keely Hodgkinson; Jemma Reekie; Ellie Baker (subject to top 32 ranking); 

1500m: Melissa Courtney-Bryant; Laura Muir; Katie Snowden; 

5000m: Jessica Judd; Amy-Eloise Markovc; Eilish McColgan; 

10,000m: Jessica Judd; Eilish McColgan; 

3000m steeplechase: Lizzie Bird; Aimee Pratt; 

100m hurdles: Cindy Sember; 

400m Hurdles: Jessie Knight; Lina Nielsen; 

High jump: Emily Borthwick, Morgan Lake, Laura Zialor; 

Pole vault: Holly Bradshaw; Molly Caudery; 

Long jump: Lorraine Ugen; Jazmin Sawyers; 

Triple jump: Naomi Metzger; 

Shot put: Sophie McKinna; Amelia Strickler; 

Discus: Jade Lally; 

Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson; 

4x100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Beth Dobbin; Imani-Lara Lansiquot; Daryll Neita; Ashleigh Nelson; Asha Philip; Bianca Williams; 

4x400m: Zoey Clark; Jessie Knight; Laviai Nielsen; Lina Nielsen; Victoria Ohuruogu; Ama Pipi; Nicole Yeargin; 

Marathon: Rose Harvey; Jess Piasecki; Charlotte Purdue.

Men:

100m: Zharnel Hughes; Reece Prescod; 

200m: Joe Ferguson; Adam Gemili; Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake; 

400m: Matthew Hudson-Smith; Alex Haydock-Wilson; 

800m: Max Burgin; Kyle Langford; Daniel Rowden; 

1500m: Neil Gourley; Josh Kerr; Jake Wightman; 

5000m: Sam Atkin; Andrew Butchart; Marc Scott; 

10,000m: Patrick Dever; 

110m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi; Josh Zeller; David King; 

400m hurdles: Alastair Chalmers; Chris McAlister; 

High jump: Joel Clarke-Khan; 

Pole vault: Harry Coppell; 

Triple jump: Ben Williams; 

Shot put: Scott Lincoln; 

Discus: Lawrence Okoye; Nick Percy; 

Hammer: Nick Miller; 

4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey; Jeremiah Azu; Jona Efoloko; Adam Gemili; Zharnel Hughes; Reece Prescod; Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake; 

Marathon: Josh Griffiths; Chris Thompson; 

Mixed 4x400m: Athletes already selected for the women’s 4x400m relay team will be available for selection for this event, plus: Joe Brier; Lewis Davey; Alex Haydock-Wilson.

Josh Kerr hopes to make history at Hayward Field

Josh Kerr knows the history, that long line of British middle-distance greats who all but monopolised the men’s 1500m back in the 1980s. Those names – Seb Coe, Cram, Ovett, Elliott – conjure up memories of grainy footage, the kind Kerr has watched countless times on YouTube. 

Now that he’s run faster than them all – his PB of 3:29.05 is behind only Mo Farah on the British all-time list – Kerr feels part of that lineage, especially after winning an Olympic bronze medal last year. 

But as much as he appreciates the achievements of past generations, the 24-year-old Scot is keen to kickstart a new golden era.

“Myself and (Jake) Wightman, we’ve run faster than all those guys but they’re not known for how fast they ran, they’re known for what medals they won and what colours they are,” says Kerr. “We hadn’t won an Olympic medal in 33 years and hopefully we’re moving back into an era people will remember as the Kerr-Wightman era. I want to leave a stamp on the 1500 and grab that British record as an extra.

“But,” he adds, “it’s mostly about medals.”

The game is changing these days. In the decade preceding the 2019 World Championships, the quickest winning time in a global 1500m final was 3:33.61, and in just two out of seven championships did the winner come home in under 3:35. 

Then there was Doha, where Timothy Cheruiyot blitzed a solo 3:29.26 to take gold. Two years later in Tokyo, Jakob Ingebrigtsen outkicked and outlasted Cheruiyot to set an Olympic record of 3:28.32.

Cheruiyot is 26, Ingebrigtsen is 21. Neither is going anywhere any time soon, and both are at their best when the pace is hard from the gun, which means that when it comes to global finals, the future is almost certainly fast. 

Kerr knows this, and he prepares accordingly. 

“The 1500 has evolved over the last two or three years,” he says. “We have to be strong and we train like a 5km athlete. That helps, knowing I’m going to get better round by round. It’s exciting for people to watch and it’s really hard for us racing, but that’s what we’re there for: to find the best. 

“I do believe the world and Olympic champions over the next three or four years will be true champions – who are the best at the distance. Jakob last year was the best and he showed that in the final and Cheruiyot was second and I was third: those are honest, clear-cut, black-and-white results, and you can’t ask for anything more.”

Kerr prepared for Tokyo in his typical manner, racking up 65-70 miles (104-112km) a week in training, along with two gym sessions. It’s been his approach since 2018, when he joined the Brooks Beasts in Seattle and began training with coach Danny Mackey. 

Being a three-time NCAA champion for the University of New Mexico, the Scottish athlete had a wealth of options in the professional ranks. Why did he choose the Brooks Beasts? It came down to his trust in Mackey. 

“I’ve had the most amazing, honest conversations with him,” says Kerr. “He knows me very well, I know him very well. He said, ‘this is the coach I am, we’re not the flashiest group but you come here, you’ll get better.’ He stayed true to that promise. I’ve got six seconds quicker since I’ve gone there.

“The training isn’t massively intense but what I do really well: my injury rate is really low and I’m able to stack a bunch of days together and it ends up being a phenomenal fitness level.”

That was exactly what Kerr carried to Tokyo, and while his 1500m PB of 3:31.55 had many underrating him at the time, his workouts convinced him he was ready to run 3:28. 

“I thought, ‘you know what, the best way to run that is evenly,’” says Kerr. “I wasn’t planning on being so far at the back after the first lap but it was just so fast.”

Kerr narrowly avoided disaster in the heats, scraping through as a non-automatic qualifier, but he was far more convincing in the semifinal, finishing a close third.

After the first lap of the final, with Ingebrigtsen pouring it on from the outset, Kerr was 10th, splitting 57.3 seconds. By 800m he’d moved up to seventh. By 1200m, he was fourth, and ready to take aim at the big two out front – Ingebrigtsen and Cheruiyot – along with Abel Kipsang of Kenya. Kerr waited until the home straight before going for broke, overtaking Kipsang and finishing just 0.04 behind Cheruiyot. 

“I was hoping for a better medal than the one I got,” he says now.  

After the Games, he went to Albuquerque, USA, to spend time with his fiancee and a few weeks later he returned to Scotland. The last six months have been a “whirlwind”, but after a few weeks off Kerr was back into base training to prepare for better things again in 2022. 

“It’s about building the motivation back up, climbing back up the hill with fitness and trying to show some better performances,” he says. “And hopefully better colour of medals.”

He had just one race set in stone for the indoor season: the Wanamaker Mile at last month's Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event. After biding his time for seven laps, Kerr powered to the lead at the bell, but couldn’t hold off the vicious surge of longtime rival Ollie Hoare, who won in 3:50.83 with Kerr second in 3:52.27, just shy of Peter Elliott’s British record of 3:52.02. 

“First one of the season is always going to be a bit rocky but I told myself I’d be aggressive, I’d push,” says Kerr. “I may have pushed a little bit too early, but I gave it my all. I like to press a little bit and see who falls apart, and it might be me. I’m not scared of anyone or any distance or any race.”

That may be Kerr’s only race of the indoor season. With an outdoor season overflowing with medal opportunities, he’s giving that his prime focus. 

His main targets are the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 in July and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Only after that will he make a decision on the European Championships in Munich. 

“Because that’s enough for my brain to explode,” he says. “We’ll take it step by step.”

When he speaks of such championships, Kerr does so with a calm but resolute confidence that he can beat whoever he faces. It’s not surprising, given he has a habit of toppling favourites. 

When he lined up in the mile at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships, he was a 19-year-old with a 1500m personal best of 3:41.08 – an athlete no one expected to challenge the all-conquering Ed Cheserek. 

When Kerr surged past Cheserek with two laps to run, the ESPN commentator all but dismissed his chances: “That’s Josh Kerr, the New Mexico freshman, and that may just be a freshman move.” 

But it wasn’t. Kerr ran Cheserek into the ground during the final lap, coming home a distant winner. He added the NCAA title outdoors that year – winning the 1500m at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon – and repeated his indoor win in 2018. Those successes taught him he could contend at global level. 

“You have that mindset of wanting to be the champ, to go after the fastest guys,” he says. “You don’t care who anyone is, and if you have that fearless mentality you’re going to be fine in the pros. But if you always look at stats and look up to these guys, you’re going to find it hard to toe the line against them.”

Does he believe he can match Ingebrigtsen and Cheruiyot this summer?

“Yeah, definitely,” he says. “It’s quite funny, but people were saying, ‘any other Olympics you’d have won with the times,’ but they’re different races. The 1500m is exploding because of the way we’re running these races. Those guys are doing great things for the sport.”

Kerr knows those two will likely be the men to beat again in Eugene this summer. He’s not yet raced in the new-and-improved Hayward Field, but is relishing the chance to do so.

“It’s over the top,” he laughs. “It’s a phenomenal facility and I’m excited to go there and run fast. It’s built for fast times and for history to be made, and that’s what’s going to happen this year.” 

He knows his sport’s history, but he also knows his own, and Kerr can extrapolate plenty from it about what might lie ahead.

“I was 37th (at the World Championships) in 2017, sixth in 2019, and third (at the Olympics) in 2021,” he says. “So in 2022 the trajectory is looking like second or first. That’s always what I’m going for. I’m always looking for progress.”

Global 1500m champions Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Samuel Tefera ready to clash in Belgrade

Two global champions are on a collision course in the men’s 1500m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22, with Olympic gold medallist Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway looking to depose Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera as the world indoor champion.

Based on their recent clash in Lievin, where Ingebrigtsen broke Tefera’s world indoor 1500m record, clocking 3:30.60, the pressure and expectation will rest with the 21-year-old Norwegian. That Lievin race was Ingebrigtsen’s sole outing of the indoor season, and he looked majestic as he bounded away from Tefera over the final 300 metres after the pacemaker stepped aside.

A championship final, of course, will present a very different challenge, but Ingebrigtsen showed in Tokyo and at last year’s European Indoor Championships that he has the tactical nous to go with his physical gifts. With his long-time rival Timothy Cheruiyot bypassing the indoor season, he will likely have to do his own pace-making if he wants a fast final, the kind of race in which he has become nigh-on unbeatable.

Tefera, however, will not go down without a considerable fight, and the 22-year-old Ethiopian gave Ingebrigtsen a much better race in Lievin than the three-second margin of victory suggested.

Perhaps Ingebrigtsen’s biggest challenger, though, will be Kenya’s Abel Kipsang. He finished fourth in the Olympic final last year and showed impressive indoor credentials when taking victory in Birmingham last month in 3:34.57. A recent 1:45.84 clocking for 800m outdoors in Nairobi signals he’s got the speed to be a threat here.

The British challenge will be led by Neil Gourley, who clocked 3:35.32 in Boston last month and who was runner-up in a slow 1500m final at the British Indoor Championships. He will be joined by George Mills, who impressed in Birmingham last month when clocking a PB of 3:36.03 against a world-class field.

Another athlete keen to see a fast final will be Oliver Hoare, the Australian who clocked a 3:50.83 mile to win at the Millrose Games in New York in January. In that race he powered away from Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr, showing the kind of closing speed and strength that will make him dangerous, particularly in a fast race.

Spain’s Ignacio Fontes, like Hoare, was an Olympic finalist last year and he booked his place here with a runner-up finish behind Adel Mechaal at the Spanish Indoor Championships, with Mechaal later electing to focus on the 3000m in Belgrade.

Germany’s Robert Farken is another who’ll have high expectations after the 24-year-old lowered his PB to 3:35.44 in Birmingham last month, while Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi clocked an indoor PB of 3:35.84 last month and has 1:44 800m speed – which should prove useful in this realm.

Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran will be hoping to reproduce the form that saw him take victory in Staten Island last month with a 3:53.64 mile, where he was followed in third place by compatriot Luke McCann, who will join him in Belgrade.

The US charge will be led by Josh Thompson and Sam Prakel, who finished second and fourth respectively at their national championships.

Josh Kerr smashes Peter Elliott’s UK indoor mile record

Olympic 1500m bronze medallist clocks 3:48.87 in Boston to go No.3 on the world all-time rankings

After finishing third in the Olympic 1500m final last year behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Timothy Cheruiyot, Josh Kerr boldly stated this month that he is going for gold at the World Championships in Eugene in July.

On Sunday (Feb 27) in Boston he showed why he carries such confidence when he ran 3:48.87 for the mile at the Boston University Last Chance Meet.

The time puts him No.3 on the world all-time rankings behind Yomif Kejelcha’s world record of 3:47.01 and Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:48.45.

It also smashes the long-standing British record of 3:52.02 held by Peter Elliott – a mark which was set at East Rutherford in 1990.

Elliott incidentally also holds the British 1500m indoor record with 3:34.20 but it is thought Kerr may have run quicker en route during his mile.

In addition, Kerr’s time is a European record, as it breaks Eamonn Coghlan’s 3:49.78, which was also set in East Rutherford back in 1983. At the time Coghlan was the first man to run a sub-3:50 mile indoors and even now, 39 years later, Kerr has become only the seventh athlete to achieve the feat.

Kerr’s splits saw him pass the first lap in 58.15 and halfway in 1:56.75 before he ran a trademark strong second half of the race to go through three laps in 2:52.04 (55.3) before finishing with a 56.8 final lap.

Donovan Brazier and Kenya’s Michael Saruni will headline 400m and 800m fields at Millrose Games

Organizers of the Millrose Games have announced strong fields for the men’s 800m and 400m for the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting.

The 800m is headlined by Kenya’s Michael Saruni, the 2019 Millrose Games 800m champion. His African indoor record of 1:43.98 in that race is the fastest indoor 800m clocking ever achieved in the US and made Saruni the second-fastest indoor performer at that time.

“It will be really great to come back to The Armory and the Millrose Games where I had such a great winning race,” said Saruni, who formerly held the world best for the indoor 600m.

Bryce Hoppel returns to the Millrose Games after placing second in the 800m in 2020. Hoppel finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships and ranks seventh on the world indoor all-time list for 800m with a best of 1:44.37. NCAA champion Isaiah Jewett, who joined Hoppel on the US Olympic team last year, is also set to compete.

Four other Olympians will take part in this race, including Charlie Hunter of Australia, Mexican record-holder Jesus Lopez of Mexico, Spanish record-holder Saul Ordonez and Irish record-holder Mark English. Isaiah Harris, who represented the USA at the 2017 World Championships, is also in the field.

Donavan Brazier, the world champion over 800m, has opted against contesting his specialist distance at the Millrose Games and will instead test his speed in the 400m. The 24-year-old, who holds the North American 800m records indoors (1:44.21) and outdoors (1:42.34), has an indoor 400m PB of 46.91.

“I’m really excited about running the 400m at Millrose,” said Brazier, whose 2021 season was hampered by injury. “I look forward to the challenge, and it is also part of our plan for continued improvement in the 800m.”

Brazier will face a stiff challenge in the form of Jamaica’s Olympic finalist Christopher Taylor, 2015 world 4x400m champion Vernon Norwood and triple Paralympic medalist Hunter Woodhall.

Other top athletes so far announced for the Millrose Games include Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, world shot put champion Joe Kovacs, Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu, Olympic pole vault champion Katie Nageotte, world indoor pole vault champion Sandi Morris, world 100m hurdles record-holder Kendra Harrison, 2016 world indoor 60m champion Trayvon Bromell, Olympic 200m bronze medalist Gabby Thomas, and Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Josh Kerr.

Josh Kerr and Ollie Hoare to clash in men's Millrose mile

Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Josh Kerr and Olympic finalist Ollie Hoare will lead the charge for the WHOOP Men’s Wanamaker Mile at the 114th Millrose Games.

Kerr became Great Britain's second fastest ever 1500m runner with his 3:29.05 medal-winning run in Tokyo. While competing at the University of New Mexico, Kerr was the 2018 NCAA champion in the mile.

“The Wanamaker Mile has always been a staple in my indoor season, there is no race like it,” said Kerr. “I’m rested and ready to get ‘stuck in’ after a successful Olympics.”

Australia's Hoare, meanwhile, placed second in the 2020 Wanamaker Mile and reached the Olympic final in Tokyo this past summer. He was the 2018 NCAA 1500m champion while at the University of Wisconsin, taking down Kerr in the process.

“The Wanamaker Mile is one of the most prestigious indoor mile races in the world,” said Hoare. “To be able to go and compete again for the third time in this event is a privilege.

"Coach (Dathan Ritzenhein) and I are happy with where I am right now and I'm confident that I can take on whatever comes at me. Don't be surprised if you see some very fast mile times come out of New York.”

Five-time Olympian Nick Willis of New Zealand will also join the mix. The 38-year-old, who has finished as runner-up at the Wanamaker Mile three times, will be trying for a record 20th consecutive year of running a sub-four-minute mile. 

There are talented US runners in the field, led by 2016 Olympic 800m bronze medallist Clayton Murphy, and he will be joined by 18-year-old Hobbs Kessler and world finalist Craig Engels, as well as Ireland's Andrew Coscoran and Canada's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot.

Rounding out the field will be Mario Garcia Romo, Henry Wynne and Colby Alexander.

Other top athletes so far announced for the Millrose Games include 2016 world indoor 60m champion Trayvon Bromell, world 100m hurdles record-holder Kendra Harrison, Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, world shot put champion Joe Kovacs, Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu, Olympic pole vault champion Katie Nageotte and world indoor pole vault champion Sandi Morris.

NIKE TOP BRAND MEDAL TABLE, BUT PUMA ON THE RISE

The swoosh has been everywhere on the track and in the field in Tokyo. Nike was the spike of choice for 11 out of the 12 middle distance medallists, on the chest of the top-three in the men’s 200m final, while also sponsoring the stand-out sprint star in Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, who took down Flo-Jo’s 100m Olympic record with their latest shoe technology.

It will come as no surprise that Nike was again the most dominant brand in Olympic athletics. The global sports giant was on the vest of 53 medallists and was on the feet of 73—and remains in the top spot that it had in Rio in our brands medal table.

Nike’s totals, however, have declined. Its shoe share is down 16 medals (89 to 73)—while Puma has made a surge (4 to 16, or a 300% increase). Nike it seems decided not to extend or renew contracts for the delayed Olympics with Puma sweeping up some of that talent. Puma’s longer-term deals also came to fruition, most notably with Canada’s Andre De Grasse, who inked a multiyear deal back in 2015 reportedly worth as much as $30 million.

This may be a shift in strategy from Nike that has had an impact beyond track and field, a sport in which it has deep roots. In football, stars like Sergio Ramos and Thiago Alcantara took to blacking out their boots earlier this year. The suggestion then was that Nike was focusing on a smaller number of elite athletes that could be at the core of their campaigns.

Just because an athlete is wearing a brand in track and field doesn’t mean that they are actually sponsored at all, or in any meaningful way. Some could be “kit drops”, others might have bought a product themselves. New Zealand’s Tom Walsh wore blacked out Nikes for his shot put final, but has had “SPACE FOR RENT” emblazoned on his vest in the Diamond League this season. Others may be ensuring that they don’t miss out on carbon-plated “super spikes”. Britain’s Josh Kerr—Brooks sponsored—wore “whited-out” Nikes for his bronze-medal-winning performance.

There was also room for two new brands; Allyson Felix’s Saysh and fellow American Joe Kovacs wore Velaasa, a shoe brand founded by Lynden Reder that ran a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2018. New Balance stepped up a notch with their sponsorship of Sydney McLaughlin, Gabby Thomas and Femke Bol.

Nike topped the vests chart through its sponsorship deals with federations, but this was down (71 to 53) and again Puma had the most dramatic boost (15 to 22). This included a shoe and vest double with Norwegian Karsten Warholm’s 400m hurdles world record. Asics, a Japanese company and an official Olympic gold partner, also saw a boost (8 to 13).

Puma may have had one more medal, but decided to cancel its $2.7m sponsorship of the Nigerian team. (Apparently, this delighted Nigerian officials). For its only medal in the women’s long jump, Ese Brume wore the lesser-known sporting brand AFA on her chest. Of these smaller brands, AF’s position is entirely down to Poland’s performance, while Belgian sponsor Vermarc can once more thank Nafissatou Thiam for making the medal table.

Charts show individual track and field events, no relays or road races. One athlete wore different brands across the heptathlon, so her final shoe brand in the 800m was counted here. For the vest count, it is the competing vest and not the podium tracksuit where the brands may differ. Javelin Olympic champion, India’s Neeraj Chopra had no discernible logo on his vest. It is categorised here as “other”.

Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen takes 1,500m gold in Olympic record

In the last individual final on the track at Olympic stadium, the young Norwegian, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, has taken the gold medal, outkicking his Kenyan rival, world champion Timothy Cheruiyot in a furious race over the final 200m. Ingebrigtsen crossed the line in 3:28.33, an Olympic record surpassing the one set just a few days ago by Abel Kipsang, who finished fourth.

Cheruiyot took silver in 3:29.01. Great Britain’s Josh Kerr unleashed a monster kick to take the bronze medal, only 0.04 seconds behind Cheruiyot.

The field looked on race favorite and world champion to take the race out swiftly, and he did. The Australian, Stewart McSweyn, looked strong in third place in the first few laps, with Ollie Hoare and Team GB’s Jake Wightman following closely behind but they fell off as they reached the bell. With one lap to go, Cheruiyot took off, with Ingebrigtsen right on his heel, but ultimately he didn’t have enough left in the tank to secure the race.

This is Ingebrigtsen’s first Olympic medal in his Games debut. The Norwegian, who is only 20, has a prolific resume over the European circuit, finishing fourth in this event at the world championships in Doha in 2019.

This is the final day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The final events are the men’s 4x400m final and the men’s marathon.

Jake Wightman aiming to break 38-year-old Scottish record in final Tokyo tune up

The Olympic-bound Scot, who turned 27 on Sunday, will sign off his build-up in the historic Emsley Carr Mile at the Diamond League leg against a largely domestic field that also includes his 1500m rival at the Games, Jake Heyward. But despite two wins in four starts this summer, Wightman admits he’s hunting a fast time for the ideal pre-Games booster ahead of his medal tilt.

“It's weird running this because it could not go well,” he said. “And it would not be a nice way to go into Olympics. But I want to be able to try and run quick because I feel like the rounds in Tokyo, and especially a final, could potentially be quick. And I've not gone fast this year, really. So I want to try and make sure I get a race which prepares me for that.”

The European medalist will target Graham Williamson’s Scottish mile record of 3:50.64 that has stood for exactly 38 years to the very day.

Andy Butchart is slated to run the 3000m at the Grand Prix despite his Olympic place remaining in limbo just days before he is due to travel to Japan. Nicole Yeargin will get her Diamond League debut in the women’s 400m while Beth Dobbin takes on Rio 2016 gold medallist Elaine Thompson over 200m.

For Wightman and his Edinburgh club-mate Josh Kerr, there remains uncertainty too, with no confirmation still on the fate of world 1500m champion Timothy Cheriuyot, whose omission from the Kenyan team for Tokyo could yet be overturned. But whether or not the fastest man in the world this year is at the Games, opportunity knocks, Wightman insists.

“I don't think that the rest of us are that far behind or going to be discounted,” he said. “We could still be in there. Matt Centrowitz from 2016 is the one person that keeps me going. Thinking that anything can happen in an Olympic final. Because nobody would have said that Centro was going to win that race. If you have a perfect day, you can do anything.”

“Hopefully I get that,” he said. “Steve Cram let me know he has got the stadium record. So that's another incentive, to try and get that.

“I need to try and improve my mile time. I don't really getting the chance to run them too often. And obviously there's a lot of history in the event. So have a time that you can say is sub-3.50 to me is a lot bigger deal than obviously running four minutes, which I did a while ago.”

Scottish middle-distance runner Josh Kerr runs fastest-ever 1,500m on U.S. soil at Stumptown Twilight

The Stumptown Twilight meet in Portland, Oregon on Thursday night saw several stellar performances, but it was Scottish middle-distance runner Josh Kerr who stole the show. The 23-year-old won the men’s 1,500m, blowing away the field by more than four seconds and crossing the line in 3:31.55. His time breaks the previous American soil record of 3:32.34, set by Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain in 2006.

His result is also the fastest time in Europe this season, and is the second-fastest 1,500m time this year in the world behind Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, who ran 3:30.48 in Doha on May 28. This is a new personal best for Kerr, who set his previous PB of 3:32.52 at World’s in Doha in 2019, where he placed 6th overall.

While Kerr originally hails from Edinburgh, Scotland, he competed for the University of New Mexico Lobos, where he set the men’s 1,500m NCAA record of 3:35.01 in 2017 (his record has since been broken by Notre Dame runner Yared Nuguse). The Olympic standard in the men’s 1,500m is 3:35.00, and considering he is currently the fastest athlete in Europe at the distance, Kerr has likely solidified his spot on Great Britain’s team headed to Tokyo this summer.