As the defending champions stood poised on the start line for the 1985 London Marathon, Ingrid Kristiansen just along from Charlie Spedding, the veteran television commentator David Coleman highlighted some of the sights that lay ahead of them on the 26.2mile journey from Blackheath to Westminster Bridge.
&ldquo;The collection of historic ships at St Katherine&rsquo;s Dock includes Discovery, in which Scott made his historic voyage to Antarctica,&rdquo; said the BBC&rsquo;s venerable voice of athletics.
By the time the television cameras caught their first glimpse of Kristiansen in action, passing the Cutty Sark, just after the 10km mark, it was clear that the 29-year-old Norwegian was embarking on her own voyage of discovery &ndash; a potentially historic one.
&ldquo;Believe it or not, she suggests that she&rsquo;s going for 2 hours 20 minutes, which would smash the world record for a female marathon runner,&rdquo; said Coleman.
Having scorched through 5km in 15:25, Kristiansen passed 10km in 32:52 &ndash; 2:18:30 pace for a marathon. Joan Benoit&rsquo;s world record (or &lsquo;world best&rsquo;, as it was officially termed at the time) stood at 2:22:43, set on home ground in Boston in 1983.
&ldquo;The first man to break 2 hours 20 minutes was Jim Peters,&rdquo; said Coleman.
&ldquo;And how great was he!&rdquo; interjected Brendan Foster, an expert summariser with the pedigree of an Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist and world record breaker at two miles and 3000m.
&ldquo;He was an institution, one of the greatest marathon runners of all time. He ran under 2:20 in 1953, and here in London today Ingrid Kristiansen is quite seriously attempting to run close to that time.&rdquo;
<h2>Motherhood, the turning point</h2>
When Peters died in 1999, he was lauded in The Independent on Sunday as: &ldquo;one of the giants of 20th century sport, the man who transformed marathon running from a plodding battle of endurance into a high-speed race against the clock. He pushed the world record through the 2:20 barrier, wearing a pair of Woolworth plimsolls.&rdquo;
The plimsolled pioneer produced the marathon&rsquo;s first sub-2:20 performance with a 2:18:40 clocking at the 1953 edition of the celebrated Polytechnic Harriers race in the western suburbs of London. A full-time optician, Peters improved to 2:17:39 in the 1953 &lsquo;Poly&rsquo; Marathon.
By the time of the 1985 London Marathon, 40 years ago today, he had long retired from running and from work.
Peters sat gripped in front of his television at home in Thorpe Bay, 45 miles east of London, as a relatively recent entrant into motherhood clipped along at 2:18:30 marathon pace on the streets of the UK&rsquo;s capital city.
It was almost exactly two years since Kristiansen had sought medical advice after feeling sluggish when finishing a disappointing 35th at the 1983 World Cross Country Championships. Her doctor told her she was four months pregnant.
After the birth of her son, Gaute, Kristiansen forged a major breakthrough in the marathon.
She won the 1984 London race in 2:24:26, an improvement of 62.7 seconds on the European record held by Grete Waitz, the Norwegian trailblazer who led women&rsquo;s marathon running into the modern era, smashing through the 2:30 barrier.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/667e8f3c2c3daac64e9aa710.jpg" alt="Ingrid Kristiansen (F1) in action at the 1984 London Marathon" />
Ingrid Kristiansen (F1) in action at the 1984 London Marathon (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
It put Kristiansen second on the global all-time list, behind Benoit&rsquo;s 2:22:43, and she proceeded to become a barrier-breaker herself, cracking 15 minutes for 5000m with a 14:58.99 clocking on the hallowed Bislett Stadium track in her adopted home town of Oslo.
In her youth as a Norwegian cross country skiing prodigy, the Trondheim native won the European U20 title in 1974 and had been selected as a reserve for the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck.
<h2>Spurred by Olympic disappointment</h2>
She headed to the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles with high hopes but missed out on a medal in the inaugural Olympic women&rsquo;s marathon, placing fourth behind world record-holder Benoit, world champion Waitz, and European champion Rosa Mota from Portugal.
The disappointment cut deep, driving Kristiansen to new heights in training through a bitterly harsh Norwegian winter. She hammered away on a treadmill in her basement, facing a mirror and a poster of Benoit crossing the line in world record time in Boston in 1983, also venturing out on her cross-country skis for 10 to 25 miles most mornings.
The benefits of her punishing regime were evident on the streets of London. Another significant advantage was the company of male runners.
The previous year Kristiansen and the rest of the elite women&rsquo;s field had a 10-minute start on the main field. She was out in front on her own until Spedding caught her at 30km.
This time the women set off with the men. Kristiansen was helped along the way by two of her male training partners from back home and by a host of British club runners with international experience.
After passing halfway in 1:10:09, half a minute down on her target schedule, she clawed her way back inside 2:20 pace, with splits of 1:20.7 at 15 miles and 1:46:40 at 20 miles. Thereafter, however, dehydration caused her to slow. Suffering from a stomach upset, she had taken little liquid on board.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68062545ab533e01f0948f88.jpg" alt="Ingrid Kristiansen after winning the 1985 London Marathon" />
Ingrid Kristiansen after winning the 1985 London Marathon (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Still, Kristiansen made it to the finish line in 2:21:06 &ndash; 1 minute and 37 seconds inside Benoit&rsquo;s world best. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve witnessed the most aggressive piece of running in women&rsquo;s athletics history, one of the greatest runs of all time,&rdquo; Foster proclaimed.
Kristiansen herself reflected: &ldquo;I wanted to run fast today because I wasn&rsquo;t satisfied with the Olympics. I could have played it safe and gone for 2:25 but I took the chance of going for 2:20 and maybe not finishing.
&ldquo;In the last 7km I slowed down and lost one minute. But you have to dare to try.&rdquo;
<h2>Intrepid Kristiansen</h2>
The daring Norwegian went on to become the first runner &ndash; male or female &ndash; to simultaneously hold world records at 5000m and 10,000m and at the marathon. She also won world 10,000m gold in Rome in 1987 and the world cross-country title in Auckland in 1989.
Her marathon world record stood for 13 years, until the Kenyan Tegla Loroupe clocked 2:20:47 in Rotterdam in 1998.
Not until the third millennium was the 2:20 barrier breached by a female marathon runner.
Japan&rsquo;s Naoko Takahashi was the history maker, running 2:19:46 in Berlin in 2001. It was the intrepid Kristiansen, however, who brought the landmark into view.
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage

Remembering Ingrid Kristiansen's world record run at the 1985 London Marathon

‘You have to dare to try’ – 40 years since Kristiansen smashed Benoit’s record

Saint Lucia&rsquo;s Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred made a big statement with her opening 200m of the season, running 21.88 (0.2m/s) at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, on Friday (18).
That performance is the second-fastest wind legal outdoor women&rsquo;s 200m ever recorded this early in the year and is just 0.02 off Alfred&rsquo;s own national record set in London last July.
She won the race by almost half a second. Favour Ofili was runner-up in 22.34, Tamari Davis was third in 22.37 and Rhasidat Adeleke was fourth in 22.57.
After a couple of indoor races, including a 36.16 300m, Alfred opened her outdoor season with a 4x400m in Austin before running 36.05 for 300m in Miramar two weeks ago.
Last year the 23-year-old clocked 22.58 in her first outdoor 200m of the season. She went on to claim Olympic 200m silver as well as Olympic 100m gold in Paris and the race in Gainesville was her first 200m since that Olympic final in August.
In 2023, Alfred clocked 21.91 on her 200m season opener and she now owns two of the three fastest times ever recorded in April.
Zimbabwe&rsquo;s Makanakaishe Charamba went quickest in the men&rsquo;s 200m races, clocking 19.99 (-0.8m/s). Liberia&rsquo;s Olympic finalist Joseph Fahnbulleh won another race in 20.07 (1.3m/s).
The action continued on Saturday (19), when USA&rsquo;s Trey Cunningham and Grace Stark pipped the Olympic champions to clinch sprint hurdles wins.&nbsp;
Cunningham, the 2022 world silver medallist, was just 0.9 off his PB on his season opener. He clocked 13.09 (1.5m/s) to win the 110m hurdles by 0.9 ahead of Grant Holloway, also making his season debut and racing for the first time since securing his third consecutive world indoor 60m hurdles title in Nanjing. Dylan Beard was third in 13.33.
Olympic and world indoor finalist Stark had a successful season opener too as she won the 100m hurdles in 12.59 (-0.7m/s), finishing ahead of Masai Russell, who clocked 12.65. Christina Clemons was third in 12.82. Stark had earlier clocked 12.51 (0.2m/s) in the heats.
The early world lead was improved twice in the men&rsquo;s 400m. First Jacory Patterson ran 44.27 to win a race in which Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, contesting his first 400m race as a professional, clocked 45.87. Two races later, 400m hurdles specialist Chris Robinson ran a big PB of 44.15 to win ahead of Matthew Boling (44.92).
Lyles had earlier anchored a relay quartet also featuring Christian Coleman, Pjai Austin and Erriyon Knighton to a 4x100m win in 37.90.
Aaliyah Butler ran the quickest women&rsquo;s 400m of the day, improving her PB to 49.44, while Anavia Battle became the first woman to dip under 11 seconds in the 100m this year, running a PB of 10.98 (1.6m/s).

Saint Lucia’s Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred made a big statement with her opening 200m of the season, running 21.88 at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville

Alfred storms to 21.88 200m season opener in Gainesville

Defending Boston Marathon champions Hellen Obiri and Sisay Lemma are among the many star names set for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Monday (21).
Obiri &ndash; the only woman in history to have won world titles indoors, outdoors and at cross country &ndash; is aiming to become the first woman to achieve three consecutive Boston Marathon wins since Fatuma Roba achieved the feat in 1999.
&ldquo;Defending a win is never easy, and to win the Boston Marathon twice in a row was hard, but I am happy to have done it,&rdquo; said Obiri, the 2023 and 2024 winner. &ldquo;On race day I will again push for the win and hope to make it three in a row.&rdquo;
But the three-time Olympic medallist won&rsquo;t have it all her own way as she&rsquo;ll be up against six women with sub-2:20 PBs, including world champion Amane Beriso. The 2023 runner-up, who has a PB of 2:14:58, is the fastest in the field and will be joined on the start line by her compatriot Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 2022 London Marathon champion.
Obiri is one of several strong Kenyans in the field, alongside two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat, 2022 New York Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi, Hamburg Marathon champion Irene Cheptai, and 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop.
Former North American record-holder Keira D&rsquo;Amato is the fastest of the US entrants. She&rsquo;ll be joined by Emma Bates, Sara Vaughn, Sara Hall and 2018 Boston Marathon winner Desiree Linden.
Not only is Sisay Lemma the defending champion, he is also the fastest entrant in the men&rsquo;s field. His PB of 2:01:48, set when winning in Valencia in 2023, makes him the fourth-fastest marathon runner in history.
&ldquo;I was very happy after winning the Boston Marathon last year, and in 2025 I know it will be an even bigger challenge to win again,&rdquo; said Lemma. &ldquo;I was unlucky, because of an injury, not to be able to participate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and I was not completely ready at the Valencia Marathon last December, but I will be 100% ready in April because the Boston Marathon is a special event.&rdquo;
Four of the top seven men&rsquo;s finishers from last year&rsquo;s Boston Marathon return, including two-time winner Evans Chebet, who was third last year. Chicago Marathon champion John Korir, who finished fourth last year and is second fastest in the field with the PB of 2:02:44 he ran to win in Chicago, will also return.
Cybrian Kotut and Haymanot Alew were second and third at last year&rsquo;s Berlin Marathon and both have lifetime bests inside 2:04. World champion Victor Kiplangat seeks to become the first Ugandan man to win in Boston, while two-time world 5000m champion Muktar Edris will be making his marathon debut.
Other leading names include two-time Boston winner Lelisa Desisa, Kenya&rsquo;s Daniel Mateiko, Tanzania&rsquo;s Alphonce Felix Simbu, Lesotho&rsquo;s Tebello Ramakongoana, Kenya&rsquo;s Abel Kipchumba and Eritrea&rsquo;s Yemane Haileselassie.
Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who were eighth and ninth respectively in the Olympic marathon last year before finishing in the top 10 at the New York Marathon, lead the US charge.
<h3>Elite field</h3>
Women Amane Beriso (ETH) 2:14:58 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:16:52 Irine Cheptai (KEN) 2:17:51 Keira D'Amato (USA) 2:19:12 Rahma Tusa (ETH) 2:19:33 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50 Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:20:22 Mary Ngugi (KEN) 2:20:22 Sara Hall (USA) 2:20:32 Calli Hauger-Thackery (GBR) 2:21:34 Tsige Haileslase (ETH) 2:22:10 Sharon Cherop (KEN) 2:22:28 Viola Cheptoo (KEN) 2:22:44 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:23:10 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:14 Emma Bates (USA) 2:23:18 Sara Vaughn (USA) 2:23:24 Lindsay Flanagan (USA) 2:23:31 Stacy Ndiwa (KEN) 2:23:42 Gabi Rooker (USA) 2:24:29 Dakotah Popehn (USA) 2:24:40 Jackie Gaughan (USA) 2:24:40 Cynthia Limo (KEN) 2:25:10 Lily Partridge (GBR) 2:25:12 Jess McClain (USA) 2:25:46 Desiree Linden (USA) 2:25:55 Tristin Colley (USA) 2:25:58
Men Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48 John Korir (KEN) 2:02:44 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00 Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:03:22 Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:03:31 Daniel Mateiko (KEN) 2:04:24 Alphonce Felix Simbu (TAN) 2:04:38 Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2:04:45 Victor Kiplangat (UGA) 2:05:09 Asefa Boki (ETH) 2:05:40 Tebello Ramakongoana (LES) 2:06:18 Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49 Tsegay Weldlibanos (ERI) 2:07:25 Patrick Tiernan (AUS) 2:07:45 Conner Mantz (USA) 2:07:47 Clayton Young (USA) 2:08:00 Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:08:17 Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 2:08:17 Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) 2:08:25 Erenjia Jia (CHN) 2:08:32 Zach Panning (USA) 2:09:16 Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38 Brian Shrader (USA) 2:09:46

Hellen Obiri and Sisay Lemma are among the many star names in the elite fields for the Boston Marathon

Defending champions Obiri and Lemma take on strong fields in Boston

Global senior champions Femke Bol and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, plus rising stars Lurdes Gloria Manuel and Gout Gout, have been announced for the Ostrava Golden Spike, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, on 24 June.
World 400m hurdles gold medallist Bol will contest the 400m at the Golden Spike, where she will be joined by her new training partner Manuel, the world U20 champion who was born in Ostrava.
Dutch star Bol set a world 400m short track record of 49.17 indoors last year and has an outdoor best of 49.44, while Manuel set a Czech U20 record of 50.59 at last year&rsquo;s Golden Spike and improved to 50.52 at the European Championships.
The meeting record of 49.67 has stood since 1983.
Norway&rsquo;s Ingebrigtsen will return to race in Ostrava for the first time since 2020, when he won the 1500m in 3:33.92. Since then, he has become a multiple world record-holder, two-time Olympic champion and two-time World Championships gold medallist.
The distance he will race this time at the Golden Spike is to be confirmed.
Australia&rsquo;s Gout is set to make his European professional debut when he races the 200m in Ostrava. The 17-year-old clocked 20.04 in December to break the long-standing Oceanian record and also improve Usain Bolt&rsquo;s world age-16 best.
He more recently ran a wind-assisted 19.84 (2.2m/s) to win the Australian title in Perth. Bolt's Golden Spike record of 19.83 was set in 2008.
They will be joined in Ostrava by Czech athletes including sprinters Karolina Manasova, Lada Vondrova, Tereza Petrzilkova and Milan Scibrani, hurdler Nikoleta Jichova, high jumper Jan Stefela and shot putter Tomas Stanek.

Global senior champions Femke Bol and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, plus rising stars Lurdes Gloria Manuel and Gout Gout, have been announced for the Ostrava Golden Spike

Bol, Ingebrigtsen, Manuel and Gout announced for Ostrava

Men&rsquo;s 1500m short track 3:29.63 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) Lievin, 13 February 2025
Men&rsquo;s mile short track 3:45.14 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) Lievin, 13 February 2025
Women&rsquo;s 5km (mixed race) 13:54 (mx) Beatrice Chebet (KEN) Barcelona, 31 December 2024
Men&rsquo;s pole vault 6.27m Mondo Duplantis (SWE) Clermont-Ferrand, 28 February 2025
Men&rsquo;s 20km race walk 1:16:10 Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) Kobe, 16 February 2025
 World records achieved by Beatrice Chebet, Mondo Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Toshikazu Yamanishi have been ratified by World Athletics.
The first of these world records was set by Kenya&rsquo;s Chebet in Barcelona on 31 December. Running 13:54 at the Cursa dels Nassos, the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion shattered the previous world 5km record by 19 seconds to become the first woman to beat 14 minutes for the distance on any surface, track or road. The previous world record of 14:13 had been set by her compatriot Agnes Ngetich in Valencia on 14 January 2024.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m super happy as everything went according to plan,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I felt capable of running under 14 and I managed to do so. My focus for next year is to win gold medals over 5000m and 10,000m at the World Championships in Tokyo.&rdquo;
Two world records were set by Norway&rsquo;s Ingebrigtsen at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Lievin on 13 February. Just five days after Yared Nuguse&rsquo;s world mile short track record in New York, Ingebrigtsen went one better as he not only smashed the mile mark but also improved the world 1500m short track record along the way.
First the two-time Olympic gold medallist passed through 1500m in 3:29.63, taking almost a second off the world short track record of 3:30.60 he set on the same track on 17 February 2022. He continued to cross the finish line in 3:45.14, improving on the 3:46.63 mile recorded by Nuguse in New York on 8 February.
&ldquo;It feels amazing,&rdquo; said Ingebrigtsen. &ldquo;You have to be focused for the whole race. It&rsquo;s tough, but it&rsquo;s worth it.&rdquo;
Japan&rsquo;s Yamanishi achieved his world record in Kobe on 16 February. By clocking 1:16:10 at the Japanese 20km Race Walking Championships, the two-time world champion improved the previous world 20km race walk record of 1:16:36 set by his compatriot Yusuke Suzuki in Nomi on 15 March 2015 by 26 seconds.
&ldquo;When I was planning my race, whatever happened in the race I was aiming for the world record,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;With my performance today, I was able to express my appreciation towards my supporters who stuck along even during the last season when I was struggling.&rdquo;
Sweden&rsquo;s Duplantis set the 11th world pole vault record of his career in Clermont-Ferrand on 28 February.
In a competition of record depth, the Olympic and world champion cleared 6.27m to add a centimetre to the world record of 6.26m he set in Silesia on 25 August.
He achieved the 6.27m clearance on his first attempt.
World Athletics

World records achieved by Beatrice Chebet, Mondo Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Toshikazu Yamanishi have been ratified by World Athletics

Ratified: world records for Chebet, Duplantis, Ingebrigtsen and Yamanishi

Four more gold medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have been announced for the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome on 6 June.
Valarie Allman, Quincy Hall, Hamish Kerr and Thea LaFond will compete at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, the fifth Diamond League meeting of 2025.
Two-time Olympic discus champion Allman returns to the&nbsp;Golden Gala&nbsp;in a season in which she will bid for a fifth Diamond Trophy.
The US thrower recently threw a North American record of 73.52m in Ramona for the best mark in the world since 1989.
She will head to Rome after competing in Shanghai on 3 May, where she will go up against three other athletes with PBs beyond 70 metres: Sandra Elkasevic, Yaime Perez and Jorinde van Klinken.
New Zealand&rsquo;s Olympic high jump gold medallist Kerr will also continue his Diamond League campaign in Rome, after starting his series in Doha where he will compete against his predecessor as Olympic champion, home favourite Mutaz Barshim.
Both USA&rsquo;s Hall and Dominica&rsquo;s LaFond will make their Golden Gala debuts after becoming Olympic champions in the 400m and triple jump respectively in Paris.
Hall won his first Diamond League race in Monaco last year, the month before he became the Olympic champion, while LaFond secured runner-up spots in both Monaco and Eugene in 2024.

Four more gold medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have been announced for the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome on 6 June

Olympic champions Allman, Hall, Kerr and LaFond set for Rome

Olympic gold medallists Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney are among the 26 athletes selected for Canada's team for the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on 10-11 May.
Canada will compete in five events in Guangzhou: the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, men&rsquo;s 4x100m and mixed 4x100m as well as the women&rsquo;s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m.
The men&rsquo;s&nbsp;4x100m quartet of Brown, Blake, Rodney and De Grasse finished second at the last edition of the World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas and went on to get gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The women&rsquo;s 4x400m team of Zoe Sherar, Aiyanna Stiverne, Alyssa Marsh and Kyra Constantine also made the podium in The Bahamas to secure a place in Paris. Sherar, Marsh and Constantine all form part of the squad for Guangzhou.
Audrey Leduc helped the women&rsquo;s 4x100m squad to qualify for Paris during the last World Relays and will be hoping to secure similar success ahead of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in September.
&ldquo;What is different going into my second World Relays is the experience I have gained in the past year,&rdquo; said Leduc. &ldquo;The Olympic Games gave me more experience on the international scene and helped me learn how to better face the best in the world. I will arrive at the World Relays with so much more confidence.
&ldquo;In order to qualify the team for the World Championships, we have to trust each other and execute when we're on the track,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;The beauty of the relay is that anything can happen, so the important thing is that each member of the team gives 100% and performs as best they can.
&ldquo;I would say that the secret ingredient is the chemistry within the team. You can see it with the men's team, they have been working together for a long time and they have such a good relationship. The proof is that they won gold at the Paris Games. I think that's what can make a difference at the World Relays &ndash; having confidence in your teammates at the most important moments.&rdquo;
<h3>Canadian team for Guangzhou</h3>
Women 4x100m: Gabrielle Cole, Marie-&Eacute;lo&iuml;se Leclair, Audrey Leduc, Catherine Leger, Jacqueline Madogo, Sade McCreath, Donna Ntambue 4x400m: Kyra Constantine, Lauren Gale, Alyssa Marsh, Jasneet Nijjar, Micha Powell, Madeline Price, Dianna Proctor, Zoe Sherar
Men 4x100m: Eliezer Adjibi, Duan Asemota, Jerome Blake, Aaron Brown, Andre De Grasse, Malachi Murray, Brendon Rodney, Norris Spike
Mixed 4x100m: Eliezer Adjibi, Duan Asemota, Jerome Blake, Aaron Brown, Gabrielle Cole, Andre De Grasse, Marie-&Eacute;lo&iuml;se Leclair, Audrey Leduc, Catherine Leger, Jacqueline Madogo, Sade McCreath, Malachi Murray, Donna Ntambue, Brendon Rodney, Norris Spike 4x400m: Austin Cole, Kyra Constantine, Lauren Gale, Nathan George, Alyssa Marsh, Christopher Morales Williams, Jasneet Nijjar, Micha Powell, Madeline Price, Dianna Proctor, Zoe Sherar

World Athletics Relays

Olympic gold medallists Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney are among the 26 athletes selected for Canada's team for the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Olympic champions named on Canada's team for Guangzhou

Ryan Crouser and Tom Walsh &ndash; the only two athletes to have ever won at the Ivan Ivancic Memorial &ndash; will renew their rivalry when they return to Zagreb in May.
The Boris Hanzekovic Memorial, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series, will again take place over three days in 2025 and will incorporate the Ivan Ivancic Memorial shot put contest at Zagreb's fountains on 22 May. The same venue will host a women's high jump competition on 23 May, before the main Boris Hanzekovic Memorial is held at Sports park Mladost on 24 May.
The shot put will star USA&rsquo;s world record-holder Crouser and his fellow multiple global gold medallist Walsh of New Zealand.
Two-time Olympic and world champion Crouser has won six times at the Ivan Ivancic Memorial, while three-time world indoor champion and two-time Olympic medallist Walsh has won five times.
They will go head-to-head again next month in Zagreb, where Crouser will return as the meeting record-holder after his 22.93m throw during last year&rsquo;s event.
&ldquo;I am excited to be coming back to Zagreb for 2025,&rdquo; said Crouser, whose meeting record was one of 12 throws beyond 22 metres achieved during last year&rsquo;s contest. &ldquo;The shot put competition in front of the fountains is one of my favourites anywhere in the world. Come out, cheer loud and watch some far throws.&rdquo;
Other athletes announced for the meeting include multiple global discus gold medallist Sandra Elkasevic, 2016 Olympic javelin champion Sara Kolak, world U20 high jump champion Angelina Topic and world U20 heptathlon champion Jana Koscak.
&ldquo;I do not know how far I will throw the javelin, but I do know that I will give everything I have got to throw it far,&rdquo; said Kolak. &ldquo;I love throwing in Zagreb. After all, it is my home meet and my home crowd. That always gives me an extra boost. My main goal is to stay healthy and injury-free, and of course, to compete well at the World Championships in Tokyo.&rdquo;

Ryan Crouser and Tom Walsh – the only two athletes to have ever won at the Ivan Ivancic Memorial – will renew their rivalry when they return to Zagreb in May

Crouser and Walsh to renew rivalry in Zagreb

World Athletics is seeking a Financial Controller and a Technical Services Coordinator.
The&nbsp;Financial Controller will report to the Head of Internal Control and Financial Planning and will primarily be responsible for finance controlling, accountancy and internal control.&nbsp;
The&nbsp;Technical Services Coordinator will report&nbsp;to the Technical Services Manager &ndash; Rules &amp; Certification and will primarily be responsible for the coordination and management of the shoe approval process, development of the Athletic Shoe Regulations, and liaising with shoe manufacturers and other stakeholders.
Both positions are based at World Athletics&rsquo; Headquarters in Monaco.
Job description downloads Financial Controller: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=6cfb69df-301f-4887-8a84-d4d536c018ec.pdf&amp;urlSlug=financial-controller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=e0a8f83e-8eab-45d3-8f2a-35668ca6cc73.pdf&amp;urlSlug=controleur-financier" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a> Technical Services Coordinator: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=26521f1a-0706-43f2-a92f-3c04e1308d14.pdf&amp;urlSlug=technical-services-coordinator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=9e34b608-7baa-4768-88ed-3652456e722b.pdf&amp;urlSlug=coordinateur-des-services-techniques" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
Deadline: 14 May 2025

World Athletics is seeking a Financial Controller and a Technical Services Coordinator

Job vacancies: Financial Controller and Technical Services Coordinator

Jamaica&rsquo;s Ackera Nugent is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. The 22-year-old&rsquo;s drive and determination was demonstrated again at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25, where she claimed 60m hurdles bronze in a race of record depth.
Fuelled with desire, Nugent had arrived in China as one of the title favourites. A few days later she stood alongside winner Devynne Charlton and silver medallist Ditaji Kambundji on the podium &ndash; a remarkable achievement considering the dramatic circumstances that led to Nugent&rsquo;s qualification for the final.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Jamaican record-holder had averted disaster in the semifinals as she managed to stay on her feet despite hitting the final hurdle hard &ndash; so much so that the top of the barrier came completely away from the frame.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hit the second and fifth hurdles and still stayed up straight,&rdquo; she reflected. &ldquo;Most people would have gone down or given up, but I held my composure. To know I was able to put it together in the final was a great feeling. I have a lot of faith in God; all I needed to do was trust the process. It was my destiny.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fe839b222171aa5f64a896.jpg" alt="Ackera Nugent races in the 60m hurdles semifinals at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25" />
Ackera Nugent races in the 60m hurdles semifinals at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 (&copy; Getty Images)
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While attending Excelsior High School, her primary focus was food management as she wanted to become a chef. Track took over but Nugent did not enjoy an easy passage to the top. Before leaving high school, she committed to getting a solid education while excelling in athletics.
&ldquo;Growing up in Jamaica was never easy,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I grew up in a single-parent home, and my inspiration was to go to college. When I saw my mom crying because she did not have the money to afford my airfare, I decided that I would never put her in that position again. After passing my SATs, I arrived at college after my mom got assistance from others. I honestly didn&rsquo;t enjoy college life because I was more focused on not wasting the money invested in me and, more importantly, making my mom proud.&rdquo;
But the young Jamaican proved that academics and athletics can be a successful marriage. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in communication and media studies. The three-time NCAA champion had previously spent her first two years in college at Baylor University.&nbsp;&nbsp;
From an early age, Nugent aspired to do great things and demonstrate to the next generation that they could aim for the sky and not think about limitations. She set a world U20 60m hurdles record of 7.92 in March 2021 and became the world U20 100m hurdles champion in Nairobi a few months later. She joined the professional ranks in 2023, signing with Adidas.
A year later, Nugent was at a crossroads, with her track and field future hanging in the balance.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Last year, I was losing the love for the sport,&rdquo; she revealed. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t feeling the sport and didn&rsquo;t want to do it anymore. I didn&rsquo;t belong.&rdquo;&nbsp;
She added that after stepping back for a moment and upon careful reflection, she saw the lens of life, which came down to two important days &ndash; the day you were born and the day you discovered why.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Nowadays, I am starting to put myself first and am figuring out who I am outside of the sport,&rdquo; she continued. &ldquo;I am growing in faith and living by my motto that my God will accelerate my dreams, and that&rsquo;s what keeps me grounded and going.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61210250e8797f76236e9dc1.jpg" alt="Ackera Nugent on her way to the 100m hurdles title in Nairobi" />
Ackera Nugent on her way to the world U20 100m hurdles title in Nairobi (&copy; Dan Vernon)
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Unbeknown to many, Nugent arrived at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games having tweaked a nerve in her back, which prevented her from training for four days as there was no movement.&nbsp;
&ldquo;My first hurdles practice was the heats,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;After crashing out, I wasn&rsquo;t mad, sad or depressed about the Olympics. Although I was in good shape, it just didn&rsquo;t happen, and I realised it was not my time. I have 15 more years to go.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Following Paris, Nugent salvaged her season on the Diamond League circuit. There, she started chopping her times until she became the world leader and her country&rsquo;s national record-holder with an astonishing 12.24 clocking in Rome that made her the fourth-fastest woman of all time.
Her achievements have not gone unnoticed.
Nugent recalled how, at the Grand Slam Track launch in Los Angeles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had walked over to her and said: &lsquo;Hi Ackera, I&rsquo;m so proud of you.&rsquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I cried,&rdquo; said Nugent, who explained that she was unaware that McLaughlin-Levrone, the world 400m hurdles record-holder, had taken notice of her performances over the years and likewise admired her passion and abilities. &ldquo;I was so surprised, and I said: &lsquo;You know me?&rsquo; She hugged me, and I cried more.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66d247043349602ff23c3f1e.jpg" alt="Ackera Nugent wins the 100m hurdles in Rome" />
Ackera Nugent wins the 100m hurdles in Rome (&copy; Matthew Quine)
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Just like McLaughlin-Levrone, Nugent is a multi-talented athlete who can seamlessly switch to other events outside of her signature discipline. One such event is the 100m, for which she has a PB of 11.09. As a result, she relishes the opportunity provided by the Grand Slam Track series to compete over the 100m as well as in the 100m hurdles.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I loved the 100m since high school, but I guess I was better at the hurdles,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I do look forward to doing both events.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
She opened her outdoor season in front of a home crowd at the Kingston leg of the Grand Slam Track series and was pleased with her effort. &ldquo;It was my first race over 10 hurdles this season, so running 12.7 is a really good start for me,&rdquo; she explained.
Already a world U20 champion and senior world indoor medallist, Nugent has her sights set on becoming an outdoor global champion at senior level. She knows it is not an easy road, but her unrelenting determination to succeed has led to her dreaming of overcoming all obstacles along the way.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I believe to become a world or Olympic champion, I must do two things,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The first is to learn how to control my speed between the hurdles. Once I tweak some things to get the required control, it&rsquo;s over because I have great top-end speed. The second is finding my happy place in the sport again.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Nugent, who turns 23 later this month, is not someone to walk in fear and trepidation. Her competitive nature does not allow that mindset. She takes on each challenge with gusto, verve and enthusiasm.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I have been doing this since I was 15 and have held world records at a very young age,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This is a platform that I&rsquo;ve been at; there&rsquo;s nobody that has done what I&rsquo;ve done at my age, and I can only get better. I have to believe that for myself.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Noel Francis for World Athletics

World Athletics Indoor Championships

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent is no stranger to overcoming obstacles

"It was my destiny" – Nugent's path to the world indoor podium

World Athletics, in collaboration with World Athletics partner ASICS, recently hosted five refugee athletes at Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu, France, as they prepare for selection to the Athlete Refugee Team (ART) at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fce1e0f815b13f1f0ce0ca.jpg" alt="Athletes train during the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu" />
Athletes train during the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu (&copy; World Athletics)
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Farida Aborage, Seyd Taha Ghafari, Omar Hassan, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir all have similar journeys. All five of them left their countries dreaming of a better future. They have overcome many challenges and are still struggling to find their mark in a new country.&nbsp;
They also share the same goal: to secure a spot on the World Athletics ART at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Spots are limited and only the best performing athletes will be able to experience the biggest world event in athletics.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fcde36a746e392bac56c15.jpg" alt="Omar Hassan, Farida Aborage, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga, Seyd Taha Ghafari and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir in Font-Romeu" />
Omar Hassan, Farida Aborage, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga, Seyd Taha Ghafari and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir in Font-Romeu (&copy; World Athletics)
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The ASICS Chojo Camp in Font-Romeu is in the Pyrenees, which provides the athletes with top conditions for training. As well as being at high altitude, they received access to the French national team training facilities. Eric and Marit Toogood supervised the athletes as the coach and physiotherapist, respectively, making sure the group had the support they needed for their training.
This initiative helped to bring the team together for the first time outside of competition. Sharing the same living space created further affinity among a group of people who have endured a lot of hardships in their lives, reminding them that they are not alone.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fcde70a746e392bac56c18.jpg" alt="Athlete Refugee Team members at the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu" />
Athlete Refugee Team members at the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu (&copy; World Athletics)
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&ldquo;At the World Athletics Championships, they need good results,&rdquo; said Ntagunga, who is originally from Congo but found refuge in Norway. &ldquo;For us this is good, as we do the same discipline here, we train together, we help each other, everyone gains something from it. I appreciate the organisation of this camp and I hope it won&rsquo;t be the last one. It&rsquo;s not easy for us to get this chance.&rdquo;
Tahir and Ghafari fled Ethiopia and Iran respectively and both found refuge in the UK. In May last year, Ghafari received the news that he had not been selected for the ART for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
&ldquo;On that day, I said to myself: &lsquo;This is not the finish for me, this is the start&rsquo;. And I decided to run better, think better, sleep better, behave better, concentrate better,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I have decided to rebuild my life mentally and physically and work hard, to put more time in, from work to training or recovery. My goal is Tokyo, I will do my best for it.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fcdf56a746e392bac56c1b.jpg" alt="Seyfu Jamaal Tahir, Farida Aborage, Omar Hassan, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyd Taha Ghafari" />
Seyfu Jamaal Tahir, Farida Aborage, Omar Hassan, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyd Taha Ghafari (&copy; World Athletics)
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The determination the athletes have shown, to go through mentally and physically challenging journeys as they chase better opportunities in life, also applies to their athletics goals.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Every time I finish a marathon, I cry,&rdquo; said Hassan, who fled Ethiopia to find refuge in Denmark. &ldquo;If you ask me: &lsquo;Why are you crying, Omar? You are at the finish line, you did very well&rsquo;, I remember all the pain I&rsquo;ve been through, all the work it took me to get to where I am, and the journey was tough. People didn&rsquo;t believe in me and I had a lot of doubts. When you reach the finish line, it all comes out.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67fcdf85a746e392bac56c1e.jpg" alt="The track for the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu" />
The track for the ASICS Chojo Camp Europe in Font-Romeu (&copy; World Athletics)
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The camp provided more than just great facilities for the five athletes. For Abaroge, who fled Ethiopia and found refuge in France, it was an opportunity for her to gain the confidence she hoped for at this time of the year.
After one of the training sessions, she said with a huge smile: &ldquo;Now I believe I can be a champion.&rdquo;
Christel Saneh for World Athletics

Farida Aborage, Seyd Taha Ghafari, Omar Hassan, Emmanuel Kiruhura Ntagunga and Seyfu Jamaal Tahir share the same goal: to secure a spot on the World Athletics ART at the World Championships in Tokyo

ASICS Chojo Camp hosts refugee athletes ahead of Tokyo World Championships

Lithuania&rsquo;s Mykolas Alekna improved his own discus world record by more than a metre with a sensational 75.56m* throw at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, in Ramona on Sunday (13).
Back at the meeting where he set his first world record of 74.35m last year, the Olympic silver medallist twice improved that mark &ndash; first setting a world record of 74.89m with his opening throw and then improving to 75.56m in the fourth round.
Australia&rsquo;s Matt Denny, who <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/report/matt-denny-discus-74-25-ramona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threw 74.25m in Ramona on Thursday (10)</a>, also surpassed Alekna&rsquo;s previous world record by launching the discus 74.78m. The Olympic bronze medallist backed up that throw with four other attempts beyond 70 metres, including 73.36m in the final round.
In a competition of record depth, five athletes surpassed 70 metres and seven threw beyond 69 metres. USA&rsquo;s Sam Mattis, who threw 70.08m to finish runner-up to Denny three days earlier, improved to 71.27m to finish third in Sunday's contest and Germany&rsquo;s Clemens Prufer threw 71.01m to finish fourth. Great Britain&rsquo;s Lawrence Okoye finished fifth with 70.76m.
Alekna&rsquo;s 74.35m in Ramona on 14 April last year had broken the longest standing men's world record &ndash; that 74.08m having been achieved by Jurgen Schult in 1986, some 16 years before Alekna was born.
Now the 22-year-old has become the first athlete to surpass 75 metres.
The Alekna family has two of the top four men&rsquo;s discus throwers in history, with two-time Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna &ndash; the father of Mykolas &ndash; now placed fourth on the world all-time list with his 73.88m from 2000.
Mykolas Alekna&rsquo;s latest world record came the day after <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/news/valarie-allman-north-american-discus-record-ramona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valarie Allman threw a North American record of 73.52m in Ramona</a> for the farthest women's discus throw in the world since 1989.
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/calendar-results/7219758/result?day=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a>

Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna improved his own discus world record by more than a metre with a sensational 75.56m* throw at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational

Hassan donates Paris Olympic marathon singlet and bib to MOWA

Ten Diamond League meetings earn recognition for sustainable delivery in 2024

World Athletics sets ambitious targets with three-year gender leadership strategy

Duplantis wins Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

Lokedi smashes Boston course record with 2:17:22 to lead Kenyan double