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Silesia has become a special chapter in Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s remarkable career, and on August 23, the Norwegian middle-distance superstar will return to the Diamond League with a question hanging over his comeback: can he return to the top of the 1500m?

Ingebrigtsen is set to race his first 1500m since the 2025 World Athletics Championships, making his appearance at the Silesia Diamond League one of the most anticipated moments of the meeting.

The Norwegian’s return comes after a fascinating two-year stretch filled with major victories, record-breaking performances and unexpected setbacks.

Since the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ingebrigtsen has experienced almost every side of elite middle-distance running. At the Paris Games, he finished fourth in the 1500m, narrowly missing the podium before quickly responding with a victory in the Diamond League Final later that year.

He then began 2025 in spectacular fashion, breaking the indoor mile world record before going on to claim the world indoor title in the 3000m.

However, his outdoor campaign brought a different challenge. At the 2025 World Championships, Ingebrigtsen failed to advance from the 1500m heats, bringing an unexpected early end to his campaign in the event.

Now, nearly a year later, the 25-year-old is ready to return to the distance that has defined so much of his career.

And Silesia could hardly be a more fitting place for his comeback.

The last time Ingebrigtsen raced at the Polish venue, he produced a performance for the history books. He stormed to 7:17.55 in the 3000m, destroying the 28-year-old world record and once again demonstrating his extraordinary ability to combine speed with endurance.

This time, however, the focus shifts back to the 1500m.

The race will offer Ingebrigtsen an opportunity to measure himself against the world’s best after an extended absence from the event. His tactical instincts, finishing speed and ability to handle a fast pace will all come under the spotlight.

For a runner who has spent years setting the standard in the 1500m, this is more than simply another Diamond League appearance. It is a chance to begin writing the next chapter.

Can Jakob Ingebrigtsen return to the top?

Silesia will provide the stage. August 23 will provide the answer. 

The Wanda Diamond League returns to action on Friday, August 21, and the men’s 5000m in Lausanne promises to be one of the evening’s most compelling distance races, with a strong American quartet ready to take on a deep international field.

Graham Blanks, Grant Fisher, Parker Wolfe and Nico Young will carry the American challenge at Athletissima, where they will line up against a formidable group featuring athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Eritrea, Burundi, Switzerland, Uruguay, Slovenia and Mexico.

The Lausanne meeting marks an important point in the 2026 Diamond League campaign, with the Road to the Final entering its decisive stages ahead of the series finale in Brussels on September 4-5. Lausanne is followed just two days later by the Silesia meeting, before the series heads to Zurich for the final regular-season stop.

Fisher arrives as one of the most established names in the field. The American Olympic bronze medallist has already produced a 12:49.61 season best over 5000m in Oslo and also won the 3000m in Paris earlier this season. His experience at the highest level makes him a major contender when the pace accelerates over the closing laps.

Blanks is another American to watch closely. Ranked among the leading 5000m athletes in the world, he has continued to establish himself as one of the United States’ most exciting young distance runners. World Athletics’ rankings placed him eighth globally in the event as of July 26, with Fisher sixth.

Wolfe and Young add further depth to an American lineup that could make the race particularly tactical. With four athletes capable of competing at a high level, the United States will have several cards to play as the race develops.

But the Americans will have no easy path to victory.

Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew headlines the international opposition and entered the season among the world’s highest-ranked 5000m runners. Kenya will be represented by Jacob Krop, Edwin Kurgat, Cornelius Kemboi, Charles Kiboina, Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang and Laban Kiptoo Kosgei, giving the race a powerful Kenyan presence.

Ethiopia also brings considerable strength, with Khairi Bejiga, Kuma Girma, Shimelis Niguse, Mezgebu Sime and Getnet Wale all listed in the field. Eritrea’s Abderezak Suleman, Burundi’s Egide Ntakirutimana, Switzerland’s Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, Uruguay’s Santiago Catrofe, Slovenia’s Žan Rudolf and Mexico’s Eduardo Herrera complete a truly international lineup.

The Lausanne 5000m is therefore shaping up as much more than an American showcase. It is a meeting of contrasting strengths: American depth, Kenyan distance tradition, Ethiopian endurance and a collection of international contenders eager to make their mark on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

With the Diamond League season moving rapidly toward its final stretch, every position and every point carries added importance. The question now is whether the American quartet can convert its collective strength into a victory—or whether the international field will once again prove too deep to control.

One thing is certain: when the Lausanne 5000m gets underway, the pace is expected to be hot, the competition fierce and the final laps unforgettable.

A mouthwatering 1500m showdown is brewing at the Silesia Diamond League on August 23, with two of the biggest names in middle-distance running set to go head-to-head.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen is set to make his return to the Wanda Diamond League in Silesia, where he will face Cole Hocker, the reigning Olympic 1500m champion. The meeting will bring together two athletes who have already shared one of the most memorable 1500m battles of recent years.

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Hocker produced a sensational finish to take the gold medal in an Olympic-record 3:27.65, while Ingebrigtsen finished fourth in 3:28.24.

More than two years later, the two stars are preparing to meet again, adding another intriguing chapter to their rivalry.

For Ingebrigtsen, the Silesia race will come shortly after his long-awaited return to competition following an injury layoff. The Norwegian made his comeback in impressive fashion at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, successfully defending his European 5000m title.

Ingebrigtsen clocked 13:15.29 to win the 5000m, immediately reminding the athletics world of his extraordinary championship pedigree and competitive instincts after his extended absence.

Hocker, meanwhile, arrives in Silesia as one of the most formidable 1500m runners in the world. His Olympic triumph in Paris established him as the reigning Olympic champion, while his 3:27.65 personal best ranks him among the fastest athletes ever over the distance.

Ingebrigtsen and Hocker bring remarkable credentials to the Silesia showdown. Hocker enters the race as the reigning Olympic 1500m champion with a personal best of 3:27.65, while Ingebrigtsen owns an even faster lifetime best of 3:26.73 and a long list of Olympic and European championship honours. With both athletes capable of producing extraordinary speed over the final stages, the Silesia meeting could deliver another memorable chapter in their growing rivalry.

The Norwegian will also be looking to sharpen his 1500m form after beginning his comeback over 5000m, while Hocker will have the confidence that comes with being the reigning Olympic champion.

That combination makes the Silesia clash particularly compelling. Will Ingebrigtsen's strength and proven championship experience prevail, or can Hocker once again produce the decisive finishing speed that delivered Olympic gold?

One thing is certain: Silesia is set for a 1500m battle that distance-running fans will not want to miss.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen vs Cole Hocker. August 23. The stage is set. 

Kenya’s middle-distance sensation Lilian Odira is set to light up the track once again after confirming her participation at the prestigious Rabat Diamond League on May 31 in Rabat.

The reigning world 800m champion heads into the Moroccan showdown carrying growing momentum and the confidence of an athlete rapidly establishing herself among the elite names in global middle-distance running. Rabat will mark Odira’s second-ever appearance on the Diamond League stage, another major step in what has become one of the most exciting breakthroughs in world athletics.

Her first taste of Diamond League competition came at the Silesia Diamond League, where she delivered a remarkable performance against a world-class field. Odira stormed to a brilliant second-place finish in 1:56.52, announcing herself on the international stage with authority, composure, and fearless racing instincts.

Only British star Keely Hodgkinson finished ahead of her that day, with Hodgkinson producing a commanding 1:54.74 victory. Yet Odira’s performance earned widespread attention across the athletics world, proving she possesses both the tactical intelligence and finishing power required to challenge the sport’s very best.

Now, anticipation continues to build ahead of Rabat, where another high-caliber field is expected to assemble under the lights in Morocco. With the women’s 800m entering a thrilling new era filled with emerging stars and fierce rivalries, Odira’s presence adds even greater excitement to one of the season’s most anticipated meetings.

Athletics fans around the world will be watching closely to see whether the Kenyan champion can produce another statement performance on the Diamond League circuit. At a time when the global women’s 800m is reaching extraordinary levels of depth and speed, Lilian Odira is no longer simply a rising talent — she is becoming one of the defining names of the event.

The wait to see Jakob Ingebrigtsen back on the track will continue a little longer. The Olympic champion is not expected to race before July as he continues recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, with his management team choosing caution over haste ahead of a demanding second half of the season.

According to his manager, Daniel Wessfeldt, the Norwegian star will miss all competitions in May and June, ruling him out of the early-season circuit, including the prestigious Bislett Games. The decision reflects a clear priority: returning only when he is fully prepared to compete at the elite level that has defined his career.

At just 25, Ingebrigtsen has already built one of the most decorated résumés in modern distance running. He captured Olympic gold in the 1500m at Tokyo 2020 before adding the 5000m crown at Paris 2024. Beyond the Olympic stage, he has collected world titles, dominated European championships, and rewritten record books with global marks in the 2000m and 3000m, alongside the European record in the 1500m.

The Achilles issue had lingered in recent seasons, making surgery the necessary long-term solution. Rather than rushing back for early headlines, his camp is investing in a complete rehabilitation process designed to preserve both performance and longevity.

If recovery continues as planned, several high-profile opportunities await later in the year. Possible return stages include the Diamond League Eugene in early July, followed by major targets such as the European Championships, Diamond League stops in Silesia and Brussels, and the Ultimate Championship.

For now, the stopwatch can wait. Ingebrigtsen’s greatest race at this moment is not against rivals, but against time, patience, and recovery. If history is any guide, when he does return, he will come back ready to remind the world why he remains one of the defining athletes of his era.

Triple world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has set the stage for what promises to be one of the most captivating sprint seasons of 2026, officially confirming a high-profile run across the prestigious Diamond League circuit.

With a schedule that stretches across Europe and the United States, Jefferson-Wooden is preparing to test her dominance against the world’s fastest women, embracing both the 100m and 200m in a campaign that signals ambition, versatility, and intent.

Her journey begins on June 4 at the iconic Golden Gala in Rome, where she is set to line up in the 200m — a distance that continues to showcase her growing strength beyond the short sprint. Just three days later, she transitions to the 100m at Stockholm’s BAUHAUS-galan, a meeting renowned for fast times and elite fields.

The American star will then take her talents stateside on July 4 for the legendary Prefontaine Classic, one of the crown jewels of the circuit, where the atmosphere and competition consistently produce world-class performances. Her confirmed schedule concludes on August 23 at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, a meet that has rapidly grown into one of the fastest stops on the calendar.

From Rome’s historic arena to Silesia’s electric track, Jefferson-Wooden’s campaign is more than a series of appearances — it is a calculated pursuit of supremacy. By alternating between the 100m and 200m, she is not only broadening her competitive range but also positioning herself as a central figure in both sprint disciplines.

What makes this schedule particularly compelling is the inevitability of elite showdowns. Each stop on the Diamond League circuit brings together the finest sprinters on the planet, ensuring that every race will be a high-stakes clash of speed, precision, and nerve.

With additional meetings still expected to be announced, the 2026 season is already shaping up to be a defining chapter in Jefferson-Wooden’s career. If her trajectory continues on its current path, this could evolve into a full-scale domination tour — one that cements her status not just as a champion, but as the sprinter to beat on the global stage.

The 2026 Diamond League calendar promises a breathtaking journey across the globe, stitching together cultures, climates, and elite athletic performances into one electrifying season. From the desert lights of Doha to the historic streets of Brussels, the world’s finest track and field stars will once again chase glory, records, and supremacy in a series that defines the pinnacle of one-day athletics competition.

The campaign ignites on May 8 in Doha, where speed meets spectacle under the floodlights. Just a week later, the circuit shifts east to Shanghai/Keqiao on May 16, before returning to familiar territory in Xiamen on May 23. These early stops in Asia and the Middle East often set the tone—fast times, bold statements, and emerging rivalries begin to take shape as athletes test their early-season form.

By the end of May, the tour arrives in Rabat (May 31), marking Africa’s sole stop on the circuit—a meeting that consistently delivers both passionate crowds and world-class performances. From there, Europe takes center stage, beginning with the timeless backdrop of Rome on June 4. The momentum builds quickly with a Scandinavian double in Stockholm (June 7) and Oslo (June 10), two meets renowned for their rich history and electric atmosphere.

Late June brings the glamour of Paris (June 28), where speed and style converge in one of the season’s most anticipated showdowns. Then, the spotlight crosses the Atlantic to Eugene on July 4, a venue often regarded as the heartbeat of track and field in the United States. The European leg resumes swiftly with the iconic Monaco meet on July 10—a race often synonymous with record-breaking performances—before heading to London on July 18, where roaring crowds elevate every stride and jump.

After a brief pause, the Diamond League returns in August with a decisive run toward the final. Lausanne (August 21) sets the stage, followed closely by Silesia (August 23) and Zurich (August 27), meetings that frequently determine qualification battles and title contenders. Each performance becomes increasingly critical, with athletes fighting not just for victory, but for a place in the grand finale.

The season culminates on September 4–5 in Brussels, where champions will be crowned and the year’s defining moments etched into history. It is here that consistency meets brilliance—only the best across the series earn the right to compete for the coveted Diamond Trophy.

Beyond the dates and destinations, the 2026 calendar tells a deeper story: one of global unity through sport, of athletes pushing human limits, and of fans witnessing greatness unfold in real time. Every stop carries its own rhythm, yet together they form a symphony of speed, endurance, and excellence.

As the world watches, one question remains—who will rise, who will endure, and who will etch their name into the legacy of the Diamond League?

Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen is already looking ahead to 2026 with one of the boldest ambitions in track and field — to break world records in the 1500 meters, the mile, and the 5000 meters.

In an interview shared by Chris Chavez on X (formerly Twitter), Ingebrigtsen revealed his mindset and meticulous approach to choosing the perfect time and place to chase history.

“I hope to break the world records in the 1500 meters, the mile, and the 5000 meters. If I can do that, I’ll be happy. I’ll have to pick out some meets and dates where I have the best chance to make a good attempt,” he told Norway’s VG.

Ingebrigtsen and his wife are already mapping out potential race venues, with Monaco, Paris, Silesia, and Oslo among the leading candidates. Each of these meets has seen lightning-fast performances and could provide the ideal setting for record-breaking runs.

How he stacks up right now:

The world record for 1500 meters is 3:26.00, set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1998. Ingebrigtsen’s personal best is 3:26.73.

The world record for the mile is 3:43.13, also held by El Guerrouj from 1999. Ingebrigtsen’s personal best is 3:43.73.

The world record for the 5000 meters is 12:35.36, set by Joshua Cheptegei in 2020. Ingebrigtsen’s personal best is 12:48.45.

While Ingebrigtsen’s personal bests are already within striking distance of both El Guerrouj’s legendary middle-distance marks and Cheptegei’s long-distance record, breaking all three in one season would be unprecedented.

A Legacy in Motion

At just 25, Ingebrigtsen has already cemented himself as one of the most dominant and versatile athletes in modern track history. From his Olympic gold to multiple World and European Championship titles, his consistency and competitiveness have made him the face of a new generation of runners.

However, much of the 2025 season was disrupted by injury. An Achilles tendon issue forced him to withdraw from major meets and limited his racing calendar. Despite the setback, his ambition remains undimmed.

A sweep of these three world records would not only elevate his legacy but also redefine the limits of what’s possible across middle and long-distance running.

As he carefully plans his record attempts, the world will be watching — because when Jakob Ingebrigtsen sets his mind on something, history often follows.

Australian middle-distance sensation Claudia Hollingsworth has rewritten the record books, setting a new Oceania 800m record with a time of 1:57.67 at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial.

The 19-year-old rising star continues her meteoric rise on the international stage, taking down the long-standing regional mark and further establishing herself among the world’s best half-milers. Her performance not only sets a new benchmark for Oceania but also signals her growing potential ahead of future global championships.

The Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, part of the Wanda Diamond League circuit, has become known for fast times and world-class competition. Hollingsworth thrived under the spotlight, racing with confidence and tactical precision before powering down the final stretch to secure the record.

With this breakthrough, Hollingsworth joins the conversation as one of the most promising young talents in world athletics. Her progression from junior standout to senior record-holder reflects both her natural talent and relentless dedication to training.

Fans and coaches alike will be watching closely as Hollingsworth builds momentum toward the 2025 World Championships and beyond. If her current trajectory is any indication, the new Oceania record of 1:57.67 may only be the beginning.

Silesia, Poland – August 16, 2025 — Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon once again delivered a masterclass in middle-distance running, storming to victory in the women’s 3000m at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia. Her time of 8:07.04 not only set a new Diamond League record but also established an African record, a meeting record, and the second-fastest performance in history.

A Perfect Setup from the Pacemaker

Kipyegon started the race tucked in behind Australia’s Jessica Hull, who paced the first 2000m with precision. Hull, the world record holder at 2000m (5:19.70 from July 2024), provided the ideal tempo before stepping aside, leaving Kipyegon to attack the final kilometer alone.

The Chase for History

With the green pacing light signaling world-record pace, Kipyegon powered through the last 1000m in a determined bid to eclipse the mark of 8:06.11. Down the final straight, it looked as though she might catch it, but she crossed just over a second shy.

Despite missing the world record by a whisker, Kipyegon’s 8:07.04 was good enough to rewrite multiple record books:

• Diamond League Record (DLR)

• African Record (AR)

• Meeting Record (MR)

• National Record (NR)

• World-Leading Time (WL)

Cementing Her Legacy

This performance reinforces Kipyegon’s dominance across distances from 1500m to 5000m. It also marks yet another historic milestone in a career already decorated with Olympic and World Championship titles.

Her run in Silesia was not only one of the fastest in history but also a reminder that she remains within touching distance of the 3000m world record — and that record may soon fall if she lines up for another attempt.

Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen is heading back to the mountains of St. Moritz to resume altitude training after a difficult first half of the 2025 season marked by injury and family challenges. The 23-year-old Norwegian has been recovering from a strained Achilles tendon that derailed his early outdoor campaign and forced him to miss several key meets.

Recovery First

Ingebrigtsen initially planned to train at altitude in Sierra Nevada in the spring, but his Achilles issue required a change of course. He instead remained home to focus on recovery, missing high-profile events in Oslo, Ostrava, the Pre Classic, and the London Diamond League.

In a recent update shared on social media, Jakob acknowledged the long road back but said he was grateful for the time spent with his young daughter and dogs. “At least I had the best company,” he wrote, sharing photos from a forest outing. His message suggests a turning point in his recovery, both physically and emotionally.

Altitude Training in St. Moritz

Coach Filip Ingebrigtsen has confirmed that Jakob will now join Norway’s altitude group in St. Moritz for a three- to four-week training block. The plan is to carefully build back fitness without rushing into competition. If all goes well, Jakob could return to racing in mid-August, with the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland emerging as a likely target.

While his return has been delayed, confidence remains high. Ingebrigtsen’s indoor season earlier this year was exceptional—he broke the world indoor records for both the 1500m and mile. In June, shortly before his Achilles flare-up, he set a new European 1500m record of 3:27.95 and clocked 7:54.10 in the two-mile, a world best.

Personal Challenges and Legal Closure

In the midst of his recovery, Ingebrigtsen also had to navigate a difficult legal chapter. On June 23, his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, was convicted of minor assault against Jakob’s younger sister, Ingrid, for an incident involving a wet towel. Gjert received a 15-day suspended sentence and was ordered to pay damages. He was acquitted of similar charges involving Jakob due to lack of evidence.

The verdict marks a formal conclusion to a painful and public family dispute that first came to light in late 2023. With this chapter behind him, Jakob appears ready to shift focus fully back to his training and racing.

Looking Ahead

Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s approach to 2025 has been cautious but strategic. Rather than forcing an early comeback, he’s prioritized recovery, stability, and preparation. If his return to St. Moritz goes as planned, fans can expect to see him back on the track in top form later this summer—potentially just in time to contend for another global title.

World 1500m record-holder Faith Kipyegon will race the 3000 meters at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial on August 16, setting up what could be one of the most anticipated moments of the 2025 track season.

The Kenyan star has been rewriting the history books. Over the past year, she set new world records in the 1500m (3:48.68) and 5000m (14:05.20), and ran the fastest women’s mile ever in an unofficial exhibition event in Paris. Now she’s turning her attention to the 3000m—an event she hasn’t run seriously in over a decade.

A Decade Later, a Return to 3000m

Kipyegon’s personal best of 8:23.55 was set in 2014 when she was just 20. Since then, she’s become a global icon—earning three Olympic gold medals, multiple world records, and establishing herself as the most dominant female middle-distance runner of her generation.

Now, with a combination of endurance from her 5000m training and unmatched speed honed in the 1500m, Kipyegon is poised to take a serious shot at history.

The Record She Might Be Chasing

The current women’s 3000m world record:

• 8:06.11 – Wang Junxia (China), set on September 13, 1993 in Beijing.

That mark has stood for more than 30 years—but it remains controversial. In 2015, a letter reportedly written by Wang Junxia in 1995 surfaced, in which she and nine teammates alleged they were forced to take “large doses of illegal drugs over the years” as part of a state-sponsored doping program under the direction of their coach, Ma Junren.

Wang wrote that the women “tried to refuse the drugs,” but that Ma would allegedly inject them himself if necessary. The letter was sent to Chinese journalist Zhao Yu but remained unpublished until decades later. Ma has consistently denied any doping allegations, and Wang’s world record still stands officially—despite renewed scrutiny.

In response, the IAAF (now World Athletics) opened an investigation at the time, but as of today, the record has not been invalidated.

Why Silesia Matters

If Faith Kipyegon runs in the 8:10–8:15 range, it would mark one of the cleanest and most credible performances in the history of the event. Should she go even faster, it could position her to break or at least redefine the context of the 3000m record.

Few athletes in history have had the range, poise, and championship pedigree that Kipyegon carries. With the eyes of the world on Silesia this August, she may once again elevate the sport.

Is a new world record possible? We’ll find out soon.

If she does it, Faith Kipyegon won’t just rewrite another line in the record books—she’ll help reclaim one of the most contested chapters in women’s distance running.

The 2025 Wanda Diamond League kicks off this Saturday, April 26, in Xiamen, China, launching the most prestigious one-day series in global track and field. With 15 elite meets on the calendar, this year’s circuit serves as both a proving ground and a preview for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.

While Olympic champion Grant Holloway will headline the sprint hurdles, it’s the middle- and long-distance events in Xiamen that promise some of the most compelling matchups of the weekend.

Chebet vs. Tsegay in the Women’s 5000m

Saturday’s most anticipated race may be the women’s 5000m, featuring a classic Kenya vs. Ethiopia showdown.

Beatrice Chebet, the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder in the 10,000m, opens her Diamond League campaign against Gudaf Tsegay, the reigning 5000m world champion and world record holder. With personal bests of 14:05.92 (Chebet) and 14:00.21 (Tsegay), the two are expected to push each other deep into record territory.

They’ll be challenged by rising Ethiopian talents Freweyni Hailu and Birke Haylom, both capable of delivering world-class performances.

Kipyegon Returns in the 1000m

Also making her season debut is Kenyan superstar Faith Kipyegon, who will race the rarely-run 1000m. The two-time Olympic and world champion is the current world record holder in both the 1500m and the mile.

In Xiamen, she’ll face Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin and Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi, both of whom are known for their championship pedigree over 800m. The 1000m offers an ideal distance for Kipyegon to sharpen her speed and stamina heading into the summer.

Men’s 3000m Steeplechase: A Deep Field Emerges

The men’s 3000m steeplechase will feature a stacked lineup, with top athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Morocco vying for early-season dominance. With the event’s tradition of upsets and tactical drama, this race will be one to watch for fans of distance racing.

2025 Wanda Diamond League Schedule

Following Xiamen, the Diamond League tour travels to 14 more cities before the two-day final in Zurich. Here’s the full schedule:

• April 26 – Xiamen, China

• May 3 – Shanghai/Suzhou, China

• May 16 – Doha, Qatar

• May 25 – Rabat, Morocco

• June 6 – Rome, Italy

• June 12 – Oslo, Norway

• June 15 – Stockholm, Sweden

• June 20 – Paris, France

• July 5 – Eugene, USA

• July 11 – Monaco

• July 19 – London, UK

• August 16 – Silesia, Poland

• August 20 – Lausanne, Switzerland

• August 22 – Brussels, Belgium

• August 27–28 – Zurich, Switzerland (Diamond League Final)

The series leads directly into the 2025 World Athletics Championships, set for September 13–21 at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.

World Athletics has officially ratified four remarkable world records set by Beatrice Chebet, Mondo Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and Toshikazu Yamanishi, underscoring a period of exceptional performances in track and field.

Beatrice Chebet: First Woman Under 14 Minutes for 5km

On December 31, 2024, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet made history at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona by completing the 5km road race in 13:54. This performance shattered the previous world record by 19 seconds, making her the first woman to break the 14-minute barrier for the distance on any surface.

Mondo Duplantis: Elevating the Pole Vault Record

Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis continued his dominance in pole vaulting by clearing 6.26 meters at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Chorzów, Poland. This achievement added another centimeter to his own world record, marking his 11th career world record and solidifying his status as the greatest pole vaulter in history.  

Jakob Ingebrigtsen: Breaking a Long-Standing 3000m Record

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a new world record in the 3000m with a time of 7:17.55 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Silesia. This performance broke the previous record of 7:20.67 set by Kenya’s Daniel Komen in 1996, ending a 28-year reign.  

Toshikazu Yamanishi: Setting a New Standard in Race Walking

Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi established a new world record in the 20km race walk by finishing in 1:16:10 at the Japanese 20km Race Walking Championships in Kobe. This time surpassed the previous record of 1:16:36 set by fellow Japanese athlete Yusuke Suzuki in 2015.  

Mary Moraa has resumed training as she plans to defend her world title amid the rise of strong 800m runners including Keely Hodgkinson and Athing Mu.

Mary Moraa has resumed training ahead of a tough 2025 season where she has a huge task of defending her world title at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The reigning world champion will battle for the title alongside very formidable 800m runners who have emerged this season. The Commonwealth Games champion lines up against Keely Hodgkinson, Tsige Duguma and Athing Mu alongside other 800m athletes.

Mary Moraa had a mixed season this year and she will be looking to work on the finer things so as to be ready next season. She was off to a great start to her season, winning the 400m at the African Games then anchored the 4x400m mixed relay team to a bronze medal.

The Kenyan 800m star then proceeded to claim the win at the Kip Keino Classic before reigning supreme at the Diamond League Meeting in Doha and finished second at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix and Prefontaine Classic.

Moraa then finished second at the Kenyan Olympic trials and then won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. She bounced back to take the win at the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne and finished third in Silesia. She won the 600m in a world best time at the ISTAF 2024 and then claimed wins in Zurich and the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.

Mary Moraa rounded up her season with a second-place finish at the Athlos NYC. Going back into training, she hopes to polish a lot of things and bounce back stronger to maintain a winning streak in 2025.

“It's about time...back to the grind ?,” Mary Moraa shared in a post on her Facebook page, adding, “Nice morning cruise with Brandon and the gang after a deserved break.”

Her competitors are also not resting on their laurels with Keely Hodgkinson, the reigning Olympic champion, making it clear that she will be going for the world title since it’s one of the titles she has yet to win.

Her coaches, Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter have also revealed that she will be attacking both the indoor and outdoor world records in the near future.

“There’s no silvers and bronzes, now we have to do gold all the way forward, we don’t want to take any backward step and I just hopefully think that Keely can dominate and we’ve got the indoor world record to go at and in the next couple of years we’ll go after the tough world record. I think she can do it,” Jenny Meadows said.

“If she’s got the leg speed to get closer to her rivals, then they can’t out strength her so it was magic. The indoor one is easier to get than the outdoor but we’ll have a crack of both and see what happens,” Trevor Painter added.

On her part, after a heartbreaking 2024 season marred with injuries and missing out on the Paris Olympic Games, Athing Mu has already started preparation for the 2025 season.

The former world champion noted that the World Championships are her major target for the season and she is working towards making it through the trials and then heading to Tokyo.

“Well, trackwise we have the World Championships in September next year and it’s in Tokyo…first of all I pray we make it through trials and then we make it to that race,” Athing Mu said.

“I feel like it’s going to be a circle moment for me because that’s basically where I started and then I had some highs and lows.”

The Olympics bronze medalist is keen to win in style against the likes of Ferdinand Omanyala and Letsile Tebogo at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night.

Olympics bronze medalist Fred Kerley wants to make history at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night.

Kerley is among the headline acts at the Diamond League meeting in the Italian capital as he looks to make it back-to-back wins in 100m after his victory in Silesia last weekend.

The American, known to talk big, is praying that things go even better in Rome after claiming that his win in Silesia was a “trash race.”

“Father God protect and guide on this track today let make history,” Kerley posted on X just hours to the race.

Kerley is up against a star-studded line-up that includes Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, Olympics 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, Itlian and home favourite Marcell Jacobs as well as fellow American Christian Coleman.

He will hope that lighting strikes twice after clocking 9.87 to win in Silesia ahead of Omanyala, who finished second in 9.88, and Ackeem Blake of Jamaica, whose personal best of 9.89 yielded third place, as Jacobs, clocked 9.93 for fourth place.

Kerley was not impressed by his performance in the Polish city and gave negative reactions post-race.

“Trash race but on to Rome,” Kerley started by posting on X before revealing much more in a post-race interview.

"I know the race was shi**y as hell. I just ran and not being technically sound, but I know I'm about to get an earful once I get to my phone,” he said.

The Olympics champion, who set a new world record at the weekend, had to endure a long grilling exercise by Norwegian authorities in a case where his father is accused of abuse.

Newly-crowned world 3,000m record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen was interrogated by police in Norway over a case where his father Gjert Ingebrigtsen has been accused of mistreating his children.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen was grilled for four hours in Stavanger on Wednesday, his lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen, saying it was in relation to the case of violence against a family member involving his father that took place between 2018 and 2022.

"There has been follow-up of his previous interrogations and timing of events. It has gone very smoothly,” Larsen told Norwegian media.

"Are there plans for new interrogations? Since he has now been in three long interrogations, and that there will be a subsequent reading of these, I do not think it will be relevant to re-examine him.”

When Gjert Ingebrigtsen was charged with mistreatment of one of his children, the police dropped the cases against several of the other children but the decision was overturned following an appeal by Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The hearings would be postponed until August after the athlete sought ample time to rest and prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics in July.

He went on to win gold in the 5,000m, after a disappointing fourth place finish in the 1,500m, and announced his intentions of finishing the season strongly by lowering the 3,000m world record at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland last weekend.

The 23-year-old smashed the 3,000m world record of 7:20.67 set by Kenya’s Daniel Komen in 1996, setting a new mark of 7:17.55, in the Polish city.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father and former coach of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, was charged with one count of physical abuse against a family member by Norwegian authorities.

In October 2023, brothers Henrik, Filip and Jakob Ingebrigtsen came forward with claims of physical violence and abusive behavior by their father and former coach, who has denied all the allegations.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen obliterates the 3000m world record at the Memoriał Kamili Skolimowskiej with 7:17.55.  

He goes more than 3 seconds faster than the previous world record!

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen shattered the world 3000m record in the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday (25) afternoon with 7:17.55 to become the first athlete in history to break the 7:20-barrier for the seven-and-a-half lap distance. 

The Olympic 5000m champion slashed more than three seconds off the previous mark of 7:20.67 which had stood to Kenya’s Daniel Komen since 1996, the longest standing world record in an individual men’s track event.

But the 23-year-old Norwegian took the record into uncharted territory, churning out the last two laps in 57.46 and 55.47 respectively - 1:52.93 for the last 800 metres - to break away from Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi and take a significant chunk of 3.12 seconds off Komen’s enduring record.

“It feels special, amazing. I was hoping to challenge the world record here but based on my training, I can never predict exactly what kind of time I am capable of. I would not have imagined I could run 7:17, though,” said Ingebrigtsen.

. “I would not have imagined I could run 7:17, though. At the beginning the pace felt really fast, but then I started to feel my way into the race and found a good rhythm.

“[The] 3,000 is a tough distance,” continued Ingebrigtsen. “After four-five laps you feel the lactic acid, but you need to get going. The conditions were difficult with the heat today, but it is the same for everyone. Now I want to challenge world records at all distances, but it is one step at a time.”

He finished ahead of a trio of Ethiopians, with the Paris Olympics 10,000m silver medallist, Berihu Aregawi. second in a personal best and the third-fastest time in history (7:21.28). Yomif Kejelcha was third.

Three days ago, the Norwegian had exacted a small measure of revenge over the American Cole Hocker by winning the men’s 1500m in Lausanne in 3:27.83, two weeks after Hocker shocked the Olympic field to win gold in Paris.

He won $50,000 for setting the record.  

Wanyonyi got to within an eighth-hundredth of a second away from equalling David Rudisha's 12-year 800m world record at the Lausanne Diamond League classic on Thursday.

When David Rudisha tipped Emmanuel Wanyonyi as the athlete most likely to break his 12-year-old 800m world record during the Kenyan trials for the Olympic Games at Nyayo National Stadium last June, it wasn’t just a casual remark. 

Rudisha’s prediction is now gathering weight, especially after Wanyonyi clocked a blistering 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League meet in Switzerland on Thursday. 

This time not only equaled Wilson Kipketer’s record but also placed Wanyonyi second on the all-time list, just eight hundredths of a second away from Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91 set at the 2012 London Olympics.

“Wanyonyi is a young talented athlete. He has so much potential, and all he needs to do is fine-tune his craft, and this will see him push his time even lower,” Rudisha had told the media last June.

Rudisha, who knows a thing or two about world records, added, “He always shows his bravery and confidence whenever he steps on the track, and that has been the secret behind his success. 

“World records are special. We are looking forward to seeing how the young generation is going to take up the challenge. Of course, there is a lot of innovation, and it improves performances. We believe that world records are there to be broken.”

Wanyonyi’s stunning performance in Lausanne has made him a force to be reckoned with in the world of athletics. 

His time of 1:41.11 ties him with Kipketer and positions him as the most serious threat to Rudisha’s reign in the 800m. At just 20 years old, Wanyonyi’s rise to the top has been meteoric, and his determination to succeed mirrors that of Rudisha.

Rudisha himself had an illustrious career, beginning as a decathlete before switching to sprints and later focusing on the 800m in 2005. Just a year later, he won the 800m title at the World U20 Championships in Beijing, clocking 1:47.40.

In 2008, he claimed the African senior title in Addis Ababa with a time of 1:44.20. Then, on August 22, 2010, Rudisha set his first world record in Berlin, running 1:41.09 and breaking Kipketer’s 1997 mark. 

Seven days later, he improved his record to 1:41.01 in Rieti. Rudisha continued his dominance by winning the world 800m title in Daegu in 2011, reclaiming it in Beijing in 2015, and becoming the first man since Peter Snell to retain the Olympic 800m title in Rio in 2016.

Now, Wanyonyi is carving out his own legacy. At 20, he became the youngest-ever Olympic 800m champion, leading a race of unprecedented depth in Paris.

He held off Canada’s Marco Arop, the reigning world champion, who briefly took the lead off the final turn before Wanyonyi surged back in the final steps. Arop finished with a North American record of 1:41.20 for silver, while Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati claimed bronze in 1:41.50.

Reflecting on his victory, Wanyonyi said, “It was going to be hard to defend as the only Kenyan in the final. I had a lot of pressure. I spoke to Rudisha yesterday, who told me I would win if I employed my tactics. I decided to run the way he did in London. If I had run a slow race, they would have beaten me.”

Although Wanyonyi didn’t quite match Rudisha’s record, he is keen on having another go at it when the Diamond League moves to Silesia, Poland, this Sunday. 

While he has remained modest about his world-record ambitions, saying, “Maybe, but not now,” the Diamond League offers the perfect stage for him to make history. The Wavelight technology, which has been instrumental in helping athletes maintain pace, will also be in use, providing Wanyonyi with every opportunity to push the boundaries.

Wanyonyi is no stranger to breaking records. At 19, he shattered the previous one-mile (1,600m) record of 3:56.13 set by American Hobbs Kessler at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, last year. 

With Rudisha as his role model and mentor, Wanyonyi is poised to continue his upward trajectory and possibly eclipse the mark set by the man he so deeply admires.

As the athletics world watches, the question on everyone’s mind is not if, but when, Emmanuel Wanyonyi will break the 800m world record. And when that day comes, it will be the culmination of a journey inspired by greatness and driven by the relentless pursuit of excellence.

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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Two-time defending 20km race walk champion Toshikazu Yamanishi and world javelin bronze medalist Haruka Kitaguchi feature on Japan’s team for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.

Yamanishi won his first world gold in Doha in 2019 and retained his title in Oregon. He will be joined by Koki Ikeda, Eiki Takahashi and Yuta Koga in the men’s 20km race walk, which is the opening event of the championships on the morning of 19 August.

Kitaguchi finished third behind Kelsey-Lee Barber and Kara Winger in Oregon last year and goes into this year’s event as the women's world javelin leader thanks to the 67.04m national record she achieved in Silesia last month.

Other athletes on the team include national record-holders Shunsuke Izumiya in the 110m hurdles and Nozomi Tanaka in the 1500m and 5000m, plus Sumire Hata and Hiromichi Yoshida in the long jump.

After Budapest, Japan will host the next edition of the World Championships, in Tokyo in 2025.

Japanese team for Budapest

WOMEN

100m: Arisu Kimishima

200m: Remi Tsuruta

1500m: Yume Goto, Nozomi Tanaka

5000m: Ririka Hironaka, Nozomi Tanaka, Yuma Yamamoto

10,000m: Rino Goshima, Ririka Hironaka

Marathon: Rika Kaseda, Mizuki Matsuda, Sayaka Sato

100m hurdles: Masumi Aoki, Yumi Tanaka, Asuka Terada

400m hurdles: Eri Utsunomiya, Ami Yamamoto

Long jump: Sumire Hata

Triple jump: Mariko Morimoto, Naoko Takashima

Discus: Maki Saito

Javelin: Haruka Kitaguchi, Marina Saito, Momone Ueda

20km race walk: Nanako Fujii, Ayane Yanai, Yukiko Umeno

35km race walk: Masumi Fuchise, Kumiko Okada, Serena Sonoda 

MEN

100m: Ryuichiro Sakai, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, Hiroki Yanagita

200m: Shota Iizuka, Koki Ueyama, Towa Uzawa

400m: Yuki Joseph Nakajima, Fuga Sato, Kentaro Sato

5000m: Hyuga Endo, Kazuya Shiojiri

10,000m: Ren Tazawa

Marathon: Kazuya Nishiyama, Kenya Sonota, Ichitaka Yamashita

3000m steeplechase: Ryoma Aoki, Ryuji Miura, Seiya Sunada

Decathlon: Yuma Maruyama

110m hurdles: Shunsuke Izumiya, Shunya Takayama, Taiga Yokochi

400m hurdles: Takayuki Kishimoto, Yusaku Kodama, Kazuki Kurokawa

High jump: Ryoichi Akamatsu, Naoto Hasegawa, Tomohiro Shinno

Pole vault: Tomoya Karasawa

Long jump: Yuki Hashioka, Shotaro Shiroyama, Hiromichi Yoshida

Triple jump: Hikaru Ikehata

Javelin: Roderick Genki Dean, Kenji Ogura, Yuta Sakiyama

20km race walk: Koki Ikeda, Yuta Koga, Eiki Takahashi, Toshikazu Yamanishi

35km race walk: Masatora Kawano, Satoshi Maruo, Tomohiro Noda

4x100m: Shota Iizuka, Yuki Koike, Soshi Mizukubo, Ryuichiro Sakai, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, Hiroki Yanagita

4x400m: Kenki Imaizumi, Ryuki Iwasaki, Naohiro Jinushi, Yuki Joseph Nakajima, Fuga Sato, Kentaro Sato

Sha'Carri Richardson took to social media to announce that she was all set to compete in her next race at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, to be held in Budapest next month.

"My first real season and I'm loving the process of learning myself, pushing myself as well as knowing when to be still", she wrote.

"Budapest UP NEXT", she added. 

The 23-year-old won at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on July 16, where she ran a thrilling dash of 100m in 10.76 seconds. This came after her splendid win at the USATF Outdoor Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on July 7, where Richardson completed the race in 10.71 seconds.

The 2023 World Athletics Championships to be held in Budapest will have a star-studded line-up. Along with Sherika Jackson, Sha'Carri Richardson will also be competing with the top Jamaican sprinter, Elaine Thompson, who has won the Olympic gold medal five times, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has three Olympic gold medals to her name so far.

The face-off between the American and the Jamaican athletes would hence be a show to watch for in Budapest, Hungary.

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the 100m hurdles, is facing a potential one-year suspension for three missed drug tests within 12 months. 

According to a post on Amusan’s Instagram on Tuesday evening, she was charged with missing three drug tests within 12 months. If an athlete misses three doping tests, it can result in a suspension of up to two years, even if the athlete has never failed a drug test. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the body responsible for handling doping cases in track and field, charged Amusan even though she claims to have been tested within days of her third missed test.

Amusan said her intention is to challenge the charge and have her case decided by a tribunal of three arbitrators before the upcoming World Championships next month. Amusan did not disclose any reasoning for why she missed three tests but advocated that she is a clean athlete and undergoes regular testing by the AIU. She remains hopeful that the situation will be resolved in her favour, which would allow her to defend her world title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month.

The 26-year-old became Nigeria’s first world record holder and world champion in the 100m hurdles at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, where she clocked a resounding world record of 12.12 seconds in the semifinals and a wind-aided 12.06 seconds to win the final.

This season, Amusan currently holds the second-best time in the world with a recorded time of 12.34, achieved on July 16 at Silesia Diamond League in Poland. The current world lead is held by the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the event, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, who recorded a time of 12.31 seconds in May.

The 2015 African Games 400m silver medalist Boniface Mweresa anchored Kenya’s 4x400m to victory in their heat to storm the final in athletics at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium.

Team Kenya head coach Julius Kirwa was forced to make changes at the last minute when Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir, who was to compete, went missing.

Mweresa rallied from three places behind, taking down India Trinidad and Tobago to win heat two in season’s best three minutes and 06.76 seconds.

India settled second in 3:06.97 as Trinidad and Tobago came third in 3:07.22.

Defending champions Botswana won heat one in 3:05.11, beating Jamaica and Zambia to second and third places in 3:05.20 and 3:06.02 respectively.

It’s Wiseman Were who was the first man on the blocks to hand over the baton to William Rayan in third place before he stepped up, handing over the baton to William Mbevi in second place.

Mbevi fell back one place in the last changeover to Mweresa, who injected in some pace to swing to the lead at the last bend before winning.

The quartet of David Kitur, Samson Kitur, Simeon Kipkemboi and Stephen Mwanzia is the last to win the 4x400m title for Kenya during the 1990 Auckland Games in New Zealand.

Kenya had won three 4x400m titles back-to-back starting with the inaugural Edinburgh Games in Scotland before the 1974 Christchurch, New Zealand and 1978 Edmonton, Canada Games.

After the 1990 exploits, Kenya has only claimed one medal from the Games since then, the silver medal from the 2010 Delhi Games, India.

“We took it easy just to put our foot in the final before planning how we shall pitch for a medal. We hope that medal will be gold,” said Rayan. “We are really prepared and ready for the final.”

Rayan said staying focused and having a settled mind will deliver victory for Kenya.

Mbevi, who fell at the exchange was wheeled out of the arena for medical attention.

"I am not in a position to tell you where Korir went. We have been looking for him but couldn't locate him," said Kirwa.

However, Korir, who won his 400m heat but got disqualified for lane infringement, is drawn in the men's 800m final at the Silesia leg of the Diamond League on Saturday in Poland. 

Athletics Kenya (AK) has warned that no athlete will leave the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games training camp at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani without permission.

AK Chief Administrative Officer Susan Kamau said that AK, the team management and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) will decide whether to allow some athletes to compete in the Diamond League.

The Stockholm Diamond League is on Thursday in Sweden with events like the 800m, men’s 3,000m and women’s 3,000m steeplechase on the program.

The World Athletics Championships will run from July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States followed by the Commonwealth Games on July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England.

After Stockholm, the next Diamond League is on August 6 in Silesia, Poland.

However, there are close to 15 events in the World Athletics Continental Tour before the start of the world event.

Kamau noted that it will be wise for the athletes in camp to concentrate on their preparations.

“Nevertheless, we shall make a decision on whom to release if possible,” said Kamau, adding that members of the athletics team selected on Saturday are already in camp at Kasarani.

“We have been working on their documentation and all is well. We are ready for the world event and Commonwealth Games. We shall be giving updates on the progress of the team,” said Kamau.

Kenya finished second with 11 medals; five gold, two silver and four bronze during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.

Team Kenya collected 16 medals in athletes at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games; four gold, seven silver and five bronze, a performance that saw them finish fifth overall in athletics.

The country finished 14th overall with the only other medal coming from boxing through Christine Ongare who won bronze.

Athletics Kenya selected a team of 47 athletes for the World Athletics Championships and a similar number for the “Club” Games. There are several athletes who will double up in the two competitions.

The trials witnessed the return to form of some athletes, for instance World 3,000m steeplechase champion Conselsus Kipruto and Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal.

Others are the 2015 World Military Games 1,500m champion Selah Jepleting and World Half Marathon silver Kibiwott Kandie.

It also witnessed the continuous rise of some like Amos Serem, World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkoech and Abel Kipsang in 1,500m.

While Kipruto and Kinyamal will be heading to Oregon, Serem, Jepleting and Kandie could only settle for places in the Commonwealth Games team due to varying reasons.

Kipruto, who has been struggling with form, something that saw him fail to defend his Olympic title in Tokyo last year, eased off at the home-straight allowing World Under-20 champion Amos Serem to win.

Jepleting was the surprise winner of the women’s 5,000m, having scaled the distance event from 1,500m.

It was her second 5,000m race this year, having finished fifth at the Kip Keino Classic, but the anti-doping rules locked her out of the world event team.

Jepleting has not repented Kenya since the 2016 Durban Africa Senior Athletics Championships.

Kenyans athletes must go through three out-of-competition tests to qualify for the world event. Jepleting and Serem didn't meet this requirement.

Some 1900 athletes have qualified to compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 from July 15-24.

The qualification period for individual track and field disciplines closed on June 26, following a busy weekend of national championships action, while the invitation process for relays ended on June 28.

About 63 percent of athletes have qualified by entry standard, 33 percent by world ranking position and four percent by designated finishes in qualifying competitions (such as area championships). 75 countries are expected to enter athletes through universality places.

The Road to Oregon tool on the World Athletics website shows which athletes – subject to being officially selected by their member federation – have qualified to compete at the World Championships, either by entry standard or world ranking position within a discipline’s quota.

The tool identifies the first three qualifiers per nation (in bold) but any athlete who has qualified can be selected within the limit of three per nation. As this is a qualification monitoring tool, not an entry monitoring tool, it won't highlight which athletes have been officially selected by their member federation, but team announcements of many of the leading nations will be published on the World Athletics website in the weeks leading up to the championships.

Member federations have until the entry deadline of July 4 to submit their final selections.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said: “The end of the qualifying period is an important milestone on the way to our World Championships and the final qualified list is a good indicator of the unparalleled strength of our sport around the world. I’m delighted to see that almost 200 countries have qualified athletes for the pinnacle event in our sport. As we begin the final countdown to the start of the World Championships in just 16 days, I wish every qualified athlete the best of fortune and I hope to see you all at your best in Oregon.”  

Wild card entries are offered to all individual winners from the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, along with the winners of the 2021 Wanda Diamond League and Combined Events Challenge. The acceptance of those wild card entries, however, rests with member federations. Only one wildcard can be used by a member federation in each discipline.

Several places in relay disciplines, meanwhile, were claimed at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21.

Sports fans and runners will enjoy Moravia. The biggest out-of-Prague race will take them to Smetanovy sady in Olomouc – a beautiful park that is always full of spectators.

The race will start on Saturday, June 18.

One of the most popular race starts at 7 p.m. from Horní náměstí. The event is a celebration of a healthy lifestyle and a great atmosphere.

“We are always happy to come back to Olomouc, which is part of the historical region of Czech Silesia. Olomouc has a reputation as a race where nothing is impossible and every year brings surprises, especially when it comes to situations where an almost unknown athlete beats far more famous running colleagues,” said Project manager Run Czech Igor Murko.

Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon has a five-star European Athletics Certificate which guarantees high European standards and qualities. This is also the reason why the race was several times voted the favorite by the runners.

Up to 6,000 runners from the Czech Republic and abroad are expected at the start of the race.

The event offers more categories. In addition to the half marathon, a 2Run is prepared for runners who do not yet feel completely prepared for the whole race.

The relay race is an ideal alternative for team runners. Of course, the traditional dm family run which will start at 5 p.m, is prepared for all family members.

The undemanding 3,5 km long course in the center of Olomouc is really suitable for everybody.

Organizers of the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais have confirmed that Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs will compete at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Lievin on February 17.

The Italian sprinter achieved his first victory of 2021 in the French town last year, winning the 60m in 6.54, a PB at the time. He went on to improve his 60m best to a world-leading 6.47 one month later when winning the European indoor title in Torun.

That was just a taste of what was to come, though. His breakthrough continued outdoors with an Italian 100m record of 9.95 in Savona, then a victory in Silesia before a couple of top-three placings in Diamond League meetings. He timed his peak to perfection in Tokyo, winning 100m gold in a European record of 9.80.

Five days later, he formed part of Italy’s victorious 4x100m squad, winning another Olympic gold in a world-leading national record of 37.50.

The Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais is one of seven Gold-level World Indoor Tour meetings this year. Last year’s edition was highlighted by a world indoor 1500m record from Gudaf Tsegay as well as world-leading performances from Jakob Ingebrigtsen over 1500m and Getnet Wale over 3000m.

On Sunday 5, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, while there will also be a wealth of champions in action in the field events, including a fond farewell to a legend of Polish athletics in Piotr Malachowski.

Fraser-Pryce will race her specialist event, the 100m, where she will face stiff opposition from compatriot Shericka Jackson. However, the two-time Olympic 100m champion should prove tough to beat, having clocked a PB of 10.60 in Lausanne last week.

De Grasse will line up in the 200m, the event in which he’s the Olympic champion, having clocked a Canadian record of 19.62 to take gold in Tokyo, which he backed up in fine style with a wind-assisted 9.74 (2.9m/s) to win over 100m at the Eugene Diamond League. Also in the field are Italy’s Filippo Tortu, Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev and Britons Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Reece Prescod.

Another Olympic champion will be in action in the men’s 110m hurdles, with Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment looking to back up that Tokyo win against a formidable US duo in Devon Allen and Daniel Roberts.

Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, who took bronze in Tokyo in a South American record of 46.72, should prove tough to beat in the 400m hurdles. Fellow Olympic finalists Yasmani Copello of Turkey and Rasmus Magi of Estonia should be his closest pursuers.

US pair Michael Cherry and Vernon Norwood will be big contenders in the men’s 400m along with Botswana’s Isaac Makwala, while Poland’s Karol Zalewski, Kajetan Duszynski and Jakub Krzewina should mount a strong challenge on home turf.

The favourite for the women’s 400m is Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who backed up her Olympic silver medal with recent wins in Lausanne (50.40) and Paris (50.12). Britain’s Jodie Williams will also be in the reckoning following her PB of 49.97 to finish sixth in the Olympic final, while the home charge is led by Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and Anna Kielbasinska, the latter in sparkling form following a PB of 50.38 in La Chaux-de-Fonds last month.

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, who clocked 12.60 to finish fourth in the Olympic final, should be tough to beat in the 100m hurdles, though US pair Sharika Nelvis and Christina Clemons will put it up to her along with Britain’s Cindy Sember.

The women’s 400m hurdles features a clash between the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers in the Olympic final: Janieve Russell of Jamaica along with Anna Ryzhykova and Viktoriya Tkachuk of Ukraine.

There will be a string of local heroes in action across the field events, with Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki headlining the men’s hammer field, which also includes four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek and the man who split the Poles on the podium in Tokyo: Eivind Henriksen of Norway.

All eyes will be on Piotr Malachowski in the men’s discus as the 38-year-old performs in front of his home crowd for the last time before bringing the curtain down on a career that has included one world title, two world silver medals, two European golds and two Olympic silvers.

“Over 20 years of training, effort and sacrifice are now behind me,” said Malachowski. “It was a great time, full of joy. It is now times to say goodbye. I am retiring, bidding farewell to the fans, thanking them for the invaluable support they have given me over the years.”

Also in the field are Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres, Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh and Lithuania’s Andrius Gudzius.

Poland has a typically strong hand in the men’s pole vault where Piotr Lisek and Pawel Wojciechowski take on Olympic silver medallist Chris Nilsen and world champion Sam Kendricks.

The men’s shot put will be a must-see event, reuniting the top four finishers from the Tokyo Olympics: USA’s Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs along with New Zealand’s Tom Walsh and Brazil’s Darlan Romani.

Johannes Vetter is the star attraction in the men’s javelin, the German looking to put his Tokyo disappointment firmly behind him as he takes on Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic.

Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi will take star billing in the men’s high jump where the Olympic champion takes on Olympic bronze medallist Maksim Nedasekau, while the women’s high jump features Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Yuliya Levchenko and Iryna Herashchenko along with Poland’s Kamila Licwinko.

Poland’s Maria Andrejczyk will be a popular presence among fans, not only due to her Olympic silver in Tokyo but due to her decision to auction off that medal to raise money for a Polish toddler’s heart surgery. Polish convenience store Zabka won the auction and returned the medal to Andrejczyk, who said that she believes “the good we do comes back to us.” In Silesia she will take on world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia.

Poland’s Malwina Kopron will take on France’s Alexandra Tavernier in the women’s hammer, the woman she beat to the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, while fellow finalist Joanna Fiodorow is also in the field. Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo is the leading entrant in the women’s shot put.

Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia and 3000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco are the star attractions in the distance races, the two squaring off over 3000m in a field that includes rising star Tadese Worku of Ethiopia, the world U20 champion, and Abel Kipsang, who finished fourth in the Olympic 1500m final.

While some reigning Olympic and world champions might be missing from the Games in Tokyo, the extra year as a result of the postponement in 2020 has allowed a number of new talents to emerge.

For some it means a debut Olympic experience which may not originally have been expected until at least 2024, while for others it is a realistic opportunity to win medals and titles.

Of the 43 individual events contested at the Rio 2016 Olympics, the winners from just 18 of those will defend their titles in Tokyo.

The likes of world 800m champion Donavan Brazier and Olympic 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod missed out on being selected for their national team, while other stars, such as world and Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor, are currently sidelined with injury.

But while those global champions won't be able to contend for top honours in Tokyo, here are some of the new generation of stars who are set to emerge.

Selemon Barega, 10,000m

After winning world U18 and U20 titles in 2017 and 2016 respectively, Ethiopia’s Barega stepped up to secure senior 5000m silver at the World Athletics Championships in 2019. Still aged just 21, he is now preparing for his debut Olympics, where he will race the 10,000m.

Barega started the season with intent, running an Ethiopian all-comers’ record of 27:58.5 at altitude in Addis Ababa in January. He then went even faster at the Ethiopian Trials in Hengelo in June, clocking 26:49.51 on the same track on which he ran his 26:49.46 PB in 2019. That, together with the speed he demonstrated by running PBs of 3:32.97 for 1500m and 7:26.10 for 3000m during the indoor season, means he is set to be a strong force in Tokyo

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, 100m hurdles

Medal success in Tokyo would see Camacho-Quinn become the first Puerto Rican woman to secure an Olympic podium place in athletics and this season she has certainly demonstrated her ability to achieve that feat.

The 24-year-old improved her own national 100m hurdles record to 12.32 to move to equal seventh on the world 100m hurdles all-time list in Eugene in April and hasn’t been beaten since. She clocked 12.38 to win at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Florence and 12.34 for success in Szekesfehervar, meaning she has the three fastest times in the world so far this year. “I'm looking forward to the Olympics this year - it will be like redemption from my fall in 2016,” she said after her Florence run as she reflected on missing out on the final in Rio. “I'm really excited. Training really hard, working really hard, but really looking forward to it.”

Tara Davis, long jump

Davis leapt into the seven-metre club in March, breaking the US collegiate long jump record with 7.14m at the Texas Relays. The longest jump in the world since the 2019 World Athletics Championships final, that mark moved the 22-year-old to fifth on the US all-time list.

The world U20 bronze medallist had also broken the collegiate indoor record with 6.93m at the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier in the year and finished second at the US Olympic Trials, going beyond seven metres again with a best of 7.04m. “I’m shocked still because seven metres as a jumper is the biggest thing ever. Hitting it in the Olympic Trials is unreal,” she said after her performance in Eugene, where she finished second to four-time world gold medallist and 2012 Olympic champion Brittney Reese. “I’m freaking jumping with my idol, Brittney Reese. Being with her and competing with her in 2016 I was so starstruck. I was like, ‘I see her on TV and now I’m jumping with her’.”

Alison Dos Santos, 400m hurdles

After running in the lane next to Karsten Warholm during his world record in Oslo, improving his South American record to 47.38 to finish second, Brazil’s Dos Santos went even quicker to win three days later in Stockholm, taking another 0.04 off that mark.

This season has seen the 21-year-old build on his 2019 breakthrough, having that year improved his PB and the South American U20 record seven times, eventually clocking 48.28 to finish seventh at the World Athletics Championships in Doha. Also a key member of Brazil’s relay team, he ran the fastest split of the mixed 4x400m final at the World Athletics Relays in Silesia, recording a 44.62 anchor leg. “I'm looking forward to the Olympics, and yes, I think I can get a medal,” he said with a smile after his run in Stockholm.

Mondo Duplantis, pole vault

While some may argue that a world record (or two) rules an athlete out from being considered part of a ‘new generation’, pole vault star Duplantis is still aged only 21 and has much more he hopes to accomplish during his career, including winning Olympic gold.

This season he has cleared six metres or higher in four competitions, capped by his 6.10m in Hengelo - a height only he, Renaud Lavillenie and Sergey Bubka have ever achieved. After winning 2019 world silver behind Sam Kendricks - who ended Duplantis’ 23-competition win streak in challenging conditions in Gateshead in May - Duplantis will be looking to go one better in Tokyo. He also believes he can go higher than his 6.18m world record this season and after attempting 6.19m in Oslo, he said: “I really think I can get that record soon. But for now I feel good, a month away from the most important meet of my life. I am in good shape, I am running well on the runway and keeping up the rhythm well.”

JuVaughn Harrison, long jump and high jump

Harrison secured his two Olympic spots in style at the US Trials, soaring over 2.33m and then leaping a PB of 8.47m to improve his own best-ever single-day high jump and long jump double. As a result, he will become the first male athlete to represent the USA in both events at the Olympics since Jim Thorpe in 1912. No other athlete has ever achieved both a 2.30m high jump and 8.40m-plus long jump.

The 22-year-old is no stranger to juggling both events on the same day and in March he cleared 2.30m and jumped 8.45m at the NCAA Indoor Championships. In Tokyo, the high jump final is on the evening of day three and the long jump final is on the morning of day four. He is expecting to rise to the challenge. “It will be harder competition which will make me push harder and jump farther,” he said.

Erriyon Knighton, 200m

Running 19.88 at the age of just 17, Knighton broke not one but two world 200m age-group bests which had previously been held by a certain Usain Bolt. At the US Olympic Trials, the former American football player ran 20.04 in the heats to improve Bolt’s world U18 best before taking 0.16 off that mark in the semifinals to break the world U20 record of 19.93 set by Bolt in 2004. In the final he went quicker still, clocking 19.84 to finish third and become the youngest man to represent the USA in athletics at the Olympics since Jim Ryun in 1964, also in Tokyo.

Racing outside of the USA for the first time, Knighton then placed third at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Szekesfehervar, running 20.03. “It hasn't sunk in, it’ll probably sink in when I get home,” he said after claiming his Olympic place. “I'm happy. I feel it's a really big achievement.”

Nicola McDermott, high jump

As an eight-year-old, McDermott dreamt of becoming a consistent two-metre-plus international high jumper and having already achieved the latter, this year her two-metre aim was accomplished, too. Clearing 2.00m at the Australian Championships in April, the 24-year-old broke Eleanor Patterson’s Oceanian record and then added another centimetre to the mark in Stockholm earlier this month, despite not feeling 100 percent.

McDermott didn’t manage to register a height when she made her World Athletics Championships debut in London and two years later the Commonwealth bronze medallist finished 15th in qualifying. This time, as she makes her Olympic debut, her mind is on medals. “I’m not going to say it’s impossible to get a medal,” she said. “I’ll be aiming and I think 2.01m will maybe get me in the medals so I am aiming and training for that and believing that I can do it.”

Sydney McLaughlin, 400m hurdles

Like Duplantis, McLaughlin is already a world record-breaker having taken the 400m hurdles to another level with her time of 51.90 at the US Olympic Trials. She also was no stranger to making history before that, with world U18 best and world U20 record times among her age-group accomplishments.

Now aged 21, she made her first Olympic team at just 16, finishing fifth in her semifinal nine days after her 17th birthday, and then secured silver at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, a race won by her compatriot Dalilah Muhammad in a world record of 52.16. It was that mark McLaughlin improved in Eugene. “So many amazing women have come before me and will come after me,” she said after her world record. “I'm excited for what the future holds. I just want to leave my mark and be part of such an amazing sport, because the glory isn't forever.”

Athing Mu, 800m

Mu is another athlete to have risen impressively through the ranks, having stormed into the spotlight in 2019 when as a 16-year-old she ran the second-fastest ever indoor 600m time of 1:23.57. This year she has broken the world U20 indoor 800m record with 1:58.40 and then dominated the two-lap final at the US Olympic Trials, running a world-leading 1:56.07 to improve her own North American U20 record.

The 19-year-old also ran an area U20 record in the 400m with 49.57 to win the NCAA title earlier in the month. “This is my first year coming out here running to my potential,” she said after her trials win. “I wouldn't want to say I'm dominant at it yet. My confidence takes a lot from it. In 2019, I wasn't confident, but I was good enough. Gaining confidence has contributed to my dominance thus far in the 800m. Being good at it, knowing it's my event.”

Great experience

While some reigning global champions may be missing out on Tokyo, there are a number of vastly experienced stars who will be adding another Olympics to their impressive tally of major events. The USA’s Allyson Felix has already won six Olympic gold medals and 13 world titles, while shot put star Valerie Adams has claimed two Olympic and four world titles for New Zealand, with Tokyo being a fifth Olympic Games for both athletes.

Spain’s 51-year-old Jesus Angel Garcia, meanwhile, will compete at his eighth Olympics – the most ever for a track and field athlete. Who knows whether some of this new generation of stars will still be in action come the Olympic Games in 2048!

Five world champions, four Olympic gold medallists and two world record-holders are set to compete at the FBK Games – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – in Hengelo on Sunday (6).

Pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis will be raring to go after his 23-meet winning streak came to an end at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Gateshead at the end of last month. Battling tough conditions, the 21-year-old from Sweden gave the bar a slight nudge on his final attempt at 5.80m – what would have been a winning height – and it came down, meaning victory went to two-time world champion Sam Kendricks.

Kendricks won’t be in Hengelo, but Duplantis will have one eye on the US vaulter’s meeting record and Dutch all-comers’ record of 5.91m.

Olympic champion Thiago Braz and Dutch vaulter Menno Vloon, who set a national indoor record of 5.96m earlier this year, are also in the line-up.

Double world champion Sifan Hassan will return to the track on which she set a European 10,000m record of 29:36.67 last year and will again contest the 25-lap discpline. The Dutch distance runner has tested her form over a range of distances this year, clocking 8:33.62 for 3000m indoors, followed by 14:35.34 for 5000m and 2:01.54 for 800m outdoors.

Kenya’s Daisy Cherotich, New Zealand’s world finalist Camille Buscomb and Canada’s Andrea Seccafien will all be hoping to emerge from the race with lifetime bests.

World 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi will open her 2021 campaign over her specialist distance. The Ugandan middle-distance runner takes on a quartet of Britons – Laura Muir, Kelly Hodgkinson, Jemma Reekie and Adelle Tracey – as well as Norway’s Hedda Hynne and France’s Renelle Lamote.

In the men’s event, indoor sensation Elliot Giles lines up for his first outdoor 800m of the year, taking on fellow Brits Max Burgin – who set a European U20 record of 1:44.14 in Ostrava last month – and Daniel Rowden. Tony van Diepen, one of the Netherlands’ top performers at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21, is also in the field.

Recent Montreuil winner Abel Kipsang goes in the men’s 1500m where he’ll take on Uganda’s Ronald Musagala and Britain’s sub-3:30 performer Jake Wightman.

Asher-Smith, Kerley and McLeod set to produce sprint highlights

Although she has raced there only once before, world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith has fond memories of racing in Hengelo.

It is where, as a teenager back in 2015, she set her first senior national record over 100m, clocking 11.02. Six years on from that performance, and having bagged many more records and medals, the world 200m champion will be hoping for a sub-11-second clocking to improve on the 11.35 season’s best she recorded when winning in Gateshead, running in heavy rain and into a -3.1m/s headwind.

Nigeria’s world and Olympic medallist Blessing Okagbare, who has a season’s best of 10.90, and two-time world 200m champion Dafne Schippers are also in the line-up.

World 4x400m champion Fred Kerley has so far this year produced his most impressive performances at 100m, clocking 9.91 and 9.96 in recent weeks. In Hengelo, however, he’ll step back up to his specialist 400m discipline and will aim to improve on the 44.60 season’s best he recorded in Doha last week.

Here’s the thing about Olympic year, something Akani Simbine knows will always be true.

“Everybody comes out fast,” he says. “Everybody runs fast, and we always talk about how everybody is just on form. Everyone is ready.”

The outdoor season may only be in its drive phase, but early evidence suggests that whoever is crowned men’s 100m champion in Tokyo on 1 August will need to ascend to a level he has never reached.

Thirteen different men have broken 10 seconds for 100m over the past seven weeks, and Simbine is one of them, running 9.99 into a stiff headwind (-3.0m/s) at altitude in Pretoria in late March before clocking a wind-aided 9.82 (+2.8m/s) at the South African Championships in April.

The race to the top of the world over 100m is as open as it’s ever been, and Simbine knows the fun is only just beginning. The 27-year-old South African has come oh-so-close to global 100m medals before, finishing fifth at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 World Championships and fourth at the 2019 World Championships – 0.03, 0.06 and 0.03 away from the medals.

The margins are fine, the competition cutthroat, but what does Simbine feel it will take to get on the podium in Tokyo?

“People are going to have to run their PBs, that’s for sure,” he says. “I’ll just speak for myself and say I’ll be ready, I’ll be at my best and making sure I run the best I can when it counts.”

Few events in world sport captivate the public quite like the Olympic 100m final, and in the first edition in 17 years not featuring Usain Bolt, a new name will be catapulted to global fame at the start of August. Simbine knows that back home in South Africa, millions will be tuning in, hoping it can be him.

“I don’t take it as pressure, something that weighs me down,” he says. “I take it more as motivation and belief. A lot of people believe in me and what I can do for the country, what I can do on the track.”

It’s taken time to re-wire his thoughts like that. Back in 2016 Simbine went to his first Olympics in Rio but the dizzying lights of the five-ringed circus threatened to blind his focus. What did he learn from that experience?

“To keep my head,” he says. “Keep my head on my shoulders and not to stress too much or put myself in a corner, thinking I’m not free. When I’m running, I should be running free and relaxed and that’s the one thing I didn’t do in Rio.”

The intervening years have taught him the value of composure: how a loose muscle is a fast muscle, how a calm mind functions with superior clarity.

In his first race in Europe this year, Simbine was coolness personified, anchoring the South African men’s 4x100m team to victory at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21, clocking 38.71 on a wintry, windy night in Chorzow, Poland.

How was the race for him?

“Cold, very cold,” he laughs. “But it was a great race, and I’m really happy for the team, for the boys, for the country. We came with the goal of winning and I’m just happy we got that.”

It had taken Simbine 30 hours, door to door, to make it to his hotel in Poland, and though South Africa was already qualified for the Olympics in the 4x100m he felt it was a trek worth making.

“It was very important to come out here, put together a good relay, get the baton across and make sure that we get the confidence knowing we are running at international competitions with high-quality countries,” he says. “We’re so used to running for ourselves and not a team but here, we work together, we plan together and we make sure everything goes well and we can all win together.”

Simbine returned to Johannesburg following his Polish expedition and then relocated back to Italy where he will be based until the Olympics. He plans to try some 200m races early in the season to keep the door open for a sprint double in Tokyo. With 11 weeks until the Olympic 100m final, is there anything that still needs improving?

“There’s a lot,” he says. “The start, the middle of my running, the top end, the finish – the whole race. There’s a lot of things we need to fix and work on and that’s what’s exciting me even more, because I’m running well now and we’re not even at the point where we’re supposed to be.”

His wind-legal PB is the South African record of 9.89 he ran in Szekesfehervar a month before the 2016 Olympics, but Simbine knows that’s not his true limit, and he knows he has what it takes to become an Olympic medalist.

“I’m a 100m sprinter and if I don’t see myself being on a podium, then I shouldn’t be doing it,” he says. “I just need to make sure I’m able to get to Tokyo in the best shape I’ve ever been in and we’ll see what happens there.

“I’m really excited (with) the way I’ve started, but I’m keeping my head down and working. I have the confidence, I know what I can do and it’s just making sure I do it in Tokyo.”

There was success for the host nation Poland on an action-packed first evening of competition at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21, with Joanna Jozwik and Patryk Dobek teaming up to win the 2x2x400m.

It was the first of two finals at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow on Saturday (1), with Germany winning the shuttle hurdles relay ­and a whole host of competitive 4x100m and 4x400m heats taking place.

Tactical victory on home soil

With two athletes taking it in turns to run their two 400m legs, the 2x2x400m is an event which favours the middle-distance athletes rather than sprinters but in Dobek the host nation had a bit of both. Previously better known as a 400m hurdler, the 27-year-old has stepped up to the 800m this year in superb style, winning the European indoor title in just his fourth competition at the distance.

In Silesia he was joined by his European Indoors teammate Jozwik, who claimed 800m silver in Torun, and together they powered to victory on home soil, clocking 3:40.92.

After a conservative start, Kenya were narrowly ahead after the first lap, with Naomi Korir handing the baton to Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich and Jozwik passing on to Dobek, who had helped Poland to a fourth-place finish in this event at the last edition of the World Athletics Relays in Yokohama in 2019.

Slovenia is only fielding one team in Silesia and they made their presence felt in this event, with Anita Horvat and Zan Rudolf challenging Kenya on the third and final legs. Kenya had the stronger finish, however, and it saw them secure second place in 3:41.79 as Slovenia were third in 3:41.95.

Germany holds off strong Polish challenge in shuttle hurdles

All-round stronger starts and composure under pressure helped Germany to victory in the mixed shuttle hurdles relay, the final event of the night.

Monika Zapalska began well to give Germany a slight lead on the first leg. Poland’s Zuzanna Hulisz made up a bit of ground on Zapalska towards the end of her leg, but Germany’s Erik Balnuweit got off to a swift start on the second leg, opening up another metre on Poland.

Krzysztof Kiljan maintained Poland’s second-place position on the second leg as the top two teams continued to pull away from Kenya in third. The positions stayed the same on the third leg with Anne Weigold holding on to the lead for Germany as Poland’s Klaudia Wojtunik tried to give chase.

Poland saved their strongest runner, Damian Czykier, for the final leg. At first it seemed as though Gregor Traber’s lead was unassailable, but Czykier closed well in the final stages. He clattered the final barrier, though, and so was unable to catch the German before the finish.

Germany won in 56.53 with Poland taking second in 56.68. Kenya took third in 59.89.

All to race for in qualifying events

Competition was fierce in the heats for the championship events, with qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships Oregon22 up for grabs.

The women’s 4x400m heats were up first and hosts Poland secured a strong start as they won the event’s opening race, clocking 3:28.11.

Cuba’s quartet of Zurian Hechavarria, Rose Mary Almanza, Lisneidy Veitia and Roxana Gomez went quickest overall, leading from gun to tape to win the second heat in 3:27.90 ahead of the Netherlands with 3:28.40. It was a busy night for European indoor 400m champion Femke Bol as before lining up for the mixed 4x400m, she opened her campaign with a 49.81 anchor split for the Dutch women’s team – the fastest overall in the first round.

Like the Netherlands and Poland, who won this event in Yokohama in 2019, Belgium and Great Britain had already qualified for Tokyo as 2019 World Athletics Championships finalists. They all also made the final in Silesia where they will be joined by Germany, Italy and France on Sunday.

Belgium qualified third quickest for the final with 3:28.27, ahead of Great Britain’s 3:28.83.

There was joy for the Dutch men’s 4x400m team too as Jochem Dobber, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Ramsey Angela and Tony van Diepen combined to clock 3:03.03 and win the second heat, leading the list of qualifiers. But Poland didn’t share in the success of their female teammates as they missed out on the final by just one place. Their run did, however, gain them a spot at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

In that third heat, which was won by Botswana in 3:04.03, Italy’s Vladimir Aceti surged past Karol Zalewski – who was part of Poland's world indoor record-breaking team at the 2018 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham – with a split of 45.36 to finish second in 3:04.81 and pip the hosts for that place in the final.

The Japanese team ensured that they will also be heading for a home Olympics as Rikuya Ito, Kentaro Sato, Kazuma Higuchi and Kaito Kawabata clocked 3:03.31 to win the first heat.

Colombia’s Anthony Zambrano, the world 400m silver medallist, eased over the finish line in 3:04.64 to comfortably anchor his team to second place and a spot in the final along with South Africa, Belgium and France.

As expected, the mixed 4x400m heats provided some thrilling action, with Italy’s Edoardo Scotti, Giancarla Trevisan, Alice Mangione and Davide Re storming to a second heat win of 3:16.52 to lead the first round ahead of heat three winners Brazil with 3:16.53 and the Dominican Republic with 3:16.67.

Ireland, Belgium, Great Britain, Netherlands and Spain will be joining them in the final but Colombia and Poland will miss out after placing third and fourth in that high-quality second heat.

Colombia’s 3:17.61 was faster than the Netherlands’ winning time of 3:18.04 in the first heat, but they were run out of an all-important top two qualifying spot.

In that Netherlands team, Bol ran 50.72 after her earlier 49.81 in the women’s event.

Narrow margins in 4x100m

Things were tight at the top and bottom of the list of teams to qualify for the men’s 4x100m final, with just 0.001 separating Italy from Brazil to lead the first round and the exact same small margin between Denmark and Ukraine at the bottom, to see Ukraine just miss out.

European indoor 60m champion Marcell Jacobs and Italian record-holder Filippo Tortu both ran storming legs along with Eseosa Fostine Desalu and Davide Manenti to clock 38.45 in winning heat three ahead of South Africa, anchored by African champion Akani Simbine, while 2019 winners Brazil, anchored again by Paulo André Camilo de Oliveira, won heat two in a time just a thousandth slower.

Denmark ran a national record of 39.06 in that race to finish fourth behind Germany and Japan to secure their spot in the final, while the first heat was won by the Netherlands in 38.79 ahead of Ghana.

A strong team of Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Nadine Visser and Marije Van Hunenstijn led the qualifiers in the women's event to book their place in the final, as well as the major championships in Tokyo and Oregon. Together they clocked 43.28 to win the second heat ahead of Poland.

Just as the Danish team had the race of their lives in the men's event, so too did Ecuador in the women's and the quartet ran a national record of 43.86 in third to advance on time. Brazil was disqualified for a lane violation after originally winning the first heat ahead of Italy with 44.02, while heat three was won by France in 43.51.

They will be joined in the final by Switzerland and Japan.

Competition resumes on Sunday at 19:20 local time with the mixed 4x400m final.

Star sprinters Hima Das and Dutee Chand might miss the Olympic qualifying World Athletics Relays in Poland on May 1 and 2 as the Indian team's connecting flight to Amsterdam has been suspended following the record-shattering spike in the country's Covid-19 case load.

The women's 4x100m and the men's 4x400m relay teams were to board a KLM flight to Amsterdam in the wee hours on Thursday but the Dutch government has suspended flights from India effective Monday evening.

The Athletics Federation of India is trying to book an alternate flight available to any European city en route to Silesia in Poland where the event will be held.

There is no direct flight to Poland from India."There is a serious doubt that our team may not be able to take part in the World Relays. Many European countries have suspended flights from India. So we may be stuck and there is a high possibility that the team may not go for the event," a top AFI official told PTI.

"But still we are trying, talking to the government and to our embassies if they can help our athletes to fly in any European city like Frankfurt from where they can proceed to Poland. We are also trying for any connecting flight to Dubai or any other West Asian city."

India will also field teams in the men's 4x400m in the event to be held in Chorzow, Silesia, in Poland.The top eight teams from the World Athletics Relays will automatically qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

The women's 4x400m relay team has pulled out of the event as more than two members are unfit.

The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after reaching the final during the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

The AFI was hopeful of the women's 4x100m relay team qualifying for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo.The World Relays will be the first major international event for Indian sprinters since the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha in April 2019.

The strong international interest in hosting this new event, which will combine elite and mass races in a unique format, is a ringing endorsement of a festival concept designed to unite the international road running community. 

The creation of the World Athletics Road Running Championships, incorporating the World Half Marathon Championships, was approved by the Council in December, and cities around the world were asked to indicate their interest in hosting the event.

The 2023 event will include elite races over both 5km and the half marathon, accompanying mass races, and a week-long festival of supporting events, including parkrun events across the host city, a global running conference, health and fitness expos and clinics.

Potential hosts will have to submit formal bids by 1 June and the World Athletics Council will select the host city in July.

World Athletics Continental Tour

The World Athletics Council has approved a greatly expanded Continental Tour calendar for 2021, including 85 Gold, Silver and Bronze meetings, after the new international series was launched successfully last year.

Despite the challenges created by the pandemic, 29 Continental Tour meetings were held last year, including seven Gold meetings (of the 10 that were originally scheduled).

This year’s calendar includes 15 Gold meetings, with two in Africa following the addition of a second meeting to join Nairobi, and three Gold meetings to be held in the United States. The venues for the new meetings will be confirmed shortly.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe welcomed the commitment of meeting directors and Member Federations across the six continental Areas to create new competition opportunities for the athletes.  

“We wouldn’t have chosen to launch a new global athletics tour on the eve of a pandemic, but the Continental Tour proved to be such a strong concept that it thrived even in these adverse circumstances,’’ he said.

“The tour has expanded substantially in 2021, and we’re delighted that it has been embraced so enthusiastically across the world. I’m particularly pleased to see that the US has stepped up to stage three Gold meetings as well as at least nine other Silver and Bronze meetings. These will provide new and vital competition opportunities and prize money for athletes and strengthen our sport both in the USA and internationally. We see the expanded US calendar as an early legacy of the decision to take our flagship event, the World Athletics Championships, to Oregon in 2022.

“We will continue to drive innovation and boost the competition opportunities available to our athletes around the world, with our immediate focus on the World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021, to be held in Poland in just six weeks’ time.”  

Competition dates

The Council confirmed the dates for the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships, which will be held in Cali, Colombia from 2-7 August, 2022, and the 2023 World Athletics Indoor Championships, which will be held in Nanjing, China from 17-19 March, 2023. 

Kiplimo’s track break-out:

In the men’s 5000m, the 19-year-old Kiplimo fought off Selemon Barega in a fierce homestraight brawl to take the win in 12:48.63, one of seven meeting records to fall on a clear night in this eastern Czech city where 3000 spectators were allowed entry to Mestsky Stadium to help celebrate the meeting’s 59th edition.

Just 3:30 into the race it was Barega, running behind pacer Lamecha Girma, who looked to be in control. With four laps to go he was already all alone and well ahead of the sprawled out pack.

“I wanted the fast time so I kept on pushing,” said Kiplimo, the silver medallist in the senior race at last year’s World Cross Country Championships. “It was a fight in the home straight. And it was wonderulf.”

It was also the first big-meet victory for the teenager. More are likely on their way.

Strong, solo Kipyegon:

Faith Kipyegon produced a powerful performance to take the 1500m in convincing fashion.

Controlling the tempo from the 800m point, the Olympic champion pulled away for good with some 250 metres remaining, with Laura Weightman briefly giving chase. Kipyegon clocked 3:59.05, a season's best and another meeting record.

Weightman, who was briefly passed by Jemma Reekie as they approached the final bend, overtook the Scot in the homestretch to finish second in 4:01.96 with Reekie further back in 4:03.25.

Taylor triples 17.42m world lead:

In typical fashion, Christian Taylor produced the goods in the final round to win the triple jump, reaching a world-leading 17.46 in the final round to steal the win from Hugues Fabrice Zango, who controlled the competition since the second round when he jumped 17.42m. 

Taylor needed time to find his rhythm, shaking off a pair of back-to-back modest efforts with a 17.12m jump in round three. He didn’t produce another measured jump until his last. 

Warholm dominates:

Two-time world 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm extended his unbeaten streak to ten with a convincing 47.62 victory, another meeting record.

It wasn’t quite the follow-up he was expecting after his stunning 46.87 European record in Stockholm where a clip of the final hurdle dashed his world record ambitions there. This time, he chopped his stride badly as he approached the ninth barrier, but if he was disappointed, he hid it well.

“It’s always nice to get a win, but I was a little surprised by the time to be honest,” said Warholm, who was flown to Ostrava on Sunday on a private jet.

“I had a little stutter step, I had to switch (lead legs). There was nothing dramatic about it, I just had to do a switch. But that probably affected my time. Everything that breaks your rhythm is going to impact your finish time.”

Ludvy Vaillant of France was second in 49.14, a season’s best.

Hassan out-sprints Chelangat:

Sifan Hassan, Sheila Chelangat and Yasemin Can waged a strong battle in the women’s 5000m, but through it all, Hassan, the world 1500m and 10,000m champion, was just biding her time. That came, she decided, with about 300 metres to go, when she pulled past Chelangat and ran off down the backstretch and eventually to a convincing 14:37.85 victory. 

Chelangat, who took care of much of the pacesetting chores, was second, passing Can in the waning stages to clock in 14:40.51, a career best for the 22-year-old Kenyan. Can, running in her first race on the track this year, was next in 14:40.70.

800m wins for Muir and Wightman:

Laura Muir was again the class of the field in her event, this time the 800m, turning in a solid 1:58.84 victory. Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui, who was second to the Scot in the Silesia 1500m on Sunday, was second again in 2:00.82.

Jake Wightman took down a solid field in the men’s race in 1:44.18, a career best for the 26-year-old who's better known for his 1500m exploits. The performance lopped a hefty sum from his previous best of 1:44.61 set two years ago.

French pole vault legend Renaud Lavillenie, British middle distance star Laura Muir and high jump sensation Yaroslava Mahuchikh are the latest confirmations for the LOTTO Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, set for Chorzow on September 6.

An exciting duel is expected in the men's pole vault, where Lavillenie will take on Polish star Piotr Lisek. The two have a long-standing rivalry, with Lavillenie leading 42-19 in head-to-head encounters. But the Pole turned the tables last year and will hope to continue the trend.

“Among the vaulters the atmosphere is great, we like to joke around, as well as support each other,” Lisek said. “But when it comes to competition, each of us focuses on the battle and on his own goals.”

Muir, the reigning European 1500m champion with a 3:55.22 lifetime best, will headline that event. She’ll face Polish star Sofia Ennaoui, who finished second to Muir over the distance at the most recent editions of the European indoor and outdoor championships. Ennaoui, known for her spectacular finishes, will be hoping to challenge the British star in front of a home audience.

Another reigning European champion, Elvira Herman from Belarus, will be in action in the 100m hurdles. This race will also feature a strong Polish challenger in the form of Karolina Koleczek, with a best of 12.75 from last year.

The women's high jump competition is also shaping up to be exciting, with three World Championships medalists in attendance. The world U20 record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine, still only 18, is the 2019 silver medalist with a best of 2.04m. Joining her in Chorzow will be her countrywoman Yuliya Levchenko, World Championships runner-up in 2017 and the Pole Kamila Licwinko, the bronze medalist that year. 

They'll join two-time world 200m champion Dafne Schippers, 2017 world javelin throw champion Johannes Vetter and reigning world discus throw champion Daniel Stahl, who have been previously announced.

Many of Poland's other top athletes will also be competing. Some of the confirmed stars include 1500m world medallist Marcin Lewandowski, shot putters Michal Haratyk and Konrad Bukowiecki, standout hammer throwers Pawel Fajdek and Wojciech Nowicki, European 400m champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and European indoor 60m champion Ewa Swoboda.

In accordance with current Polish sanitary laws and social distancing regulations, attendance in the Silesian Stadium will be limited to 50% of the stadium's capacity, which will allow 27,000 spectators to watch the meet live.

The qualifying period for track and field events for the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games will end on June 29, next year just 23 days before the start of the world’s biggest sporting bonanza.

However, World Athletics - that unveiled its four-year strategic plan and Olympic qualifying process- disclosed marathon and 50km race walk entry period will elapse on May 31, 2021.

Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed from July 24 to August this year to July 23 to August 8, 2021 owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

With the reopening of its headquarters this week, World Athletics indicated in a statement that it had the opportunity to discuss with its 214 member federations its new strategic plan to drive growth.

The statement explained that the virtual discussion also centred on latest medical advice on the coronavirus pandemic, particularly as it impacts on athletes returning to training and competition, and the updated qualifying process for Tokyo Olympics Summer Games.

Give Direction.- The members also talked about the direction athletics will take over the next four years and the short-term challenges and opportunities the sport has as the world begins to emerge from lockdown.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, who chaired the meetings, said it was important to communicate regularly with the member federations in this unprecedented situation and to give direction for the future.

"Our head office may have been closed for 11 weeks but we have not been idle," Coe said. “We have used that time to continue to develop our strategy to grow athletics.”

In marathon and 50km race walk, the qualifying period that covers 21 months started on January 1, 2019 and ended April 5, 2020. The period resumes December 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021.

Track And Field.- The period for track events featuring 10,000m, 20km race walk, combined events and relay started January 1, 2019 ending on April 5, 2020. The period resumes on December 1, 2020 to June 29, 2021.

All other track and field events period started on May 1, 2019 ending April 5, 2020 before resuming December 1 this year to elapse on June 29, 2021.

However, World Athletics noted that all the top 10 finishers in the men’s marathon and in the women’s marathon at the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships have qualified automatically for the Tokyo Summer Games.

Also to gain automatic qualification in marathon are top five finishers at the World Athletics gold label marathons and the top 10 finishers at the Marathon Major Series (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York) held during the qualification period from January 1, 2019 to April 5, 2020.

The top 10 finishers at the platinum label marathons and the winners of the gold label marathons held during the period from December 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021 will also gain direct entry to the Games.

The top eight nations at the 2019 Doha World Championships gain direct entry to the Tokyo Games alongside those that that will finish in top eight at Silesia 2021 World Athletics Relays.World Athletics will also consider world ranking in all the events across the qualifying periods.

The IAAF World Relays will head to Europe for the first time in 2021, with the Polish region of Silesia confirmed today as host of the fifth edition of the biennial event.

The newest addition to the IAAF’s World Athletics Series, the World Relays were held in the Bahamian capital of Nassau for the first three editions, while this year’s event was held in the Japanese city of Yokohama.

Poland has a proven track record of hosting major athletics events with Bydgoszcz having hosted the inaugural IAAF World U18 Championships in 1999 as well as two editions of the IAAF World U20 Championships and IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Sopot staged the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships, while Gdynia is currently preparing to host the 2020 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

Poland also has a strong recent record in relay events. Their women’s 4x400m team was triumphant in Yokohama earlier this year and at the 2018 European Championships, while their men’s 4x400m squad set a world indoor record en route to taking gold at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018.

Chorzow's Silesian Stadium, which will hold the World Relays on 1-2 May, 2021, has in recent years hosted several well-attended international competitions that form part of the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge, including the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, which last year attracted a crowd of more than 40,000 people. The Silesian Stadium was also where, in 1969, Nadezhda Chizhova became the first woman ever to surpass 20 metres in the shot put.

The region of Silesia is a major industrial hub and home to almost five million people.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe welcomed Silesia as the first European host of the IAAF World Relays.

“The World Relays is our youngest global event but in just six years it has developed a vibrancy that gives it a unique character,’’ Coe said. “Its focus on team races allows our athletes to show a different side to their sport, and their joy in competing with teammates shines through.”

“We have been blessed with wonderfully enthusiastic crowds at every edition of the World Relays and we are confident that the people of Silesia will provide another lively atmosphere. Poland is one of our most active member federations and has a deserved reputation for delivering excellent athletics events and attracting big crowds, so I’m delighted that we will be bringing another of our World Athletics Series events there in less than two years from now.”

The Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, Jakub CheÅ‚stowski, said: “The Silesian Stadium has been proving that it is the best athletics stadium in Poland. We have the best infrastructure, and thousands of spectators cheering stars of world athletics create an exceptional atmosphere. The IAAF World Relays will be a great opportunity to see the best runners, but also to inculcate passion for sports among children. In such activities the sports ambassadors of the Silesian Stadium such as Anita WÅ‚odarczyk, Justyna ÅšwiÄ™ty-Ersetic and Ewa Swoboda are supporting us. It will also be a wonderful opportunity to promote the Silesian Voivodeship as a region that is worth visiting.”

The 2021 IAAF World Relays will be used as a qualifying competition for relay teams aiming to compete at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Oregon 2021.