And on the last day it rained. Almost from the moment the program for the final day of the world championships got under way the rain started to tumble down. Like all rain, it felleth on the just and the unjust alike. It might be a question, however, as to...
A column by Len Johnson Mackenzie Little took Australia’s third bronze medal of the championships in the women’s javelin, Beatrice Chebet out-ran Faith Kipyegon, Gudaf Tsegay and others in a 5000 metres that Sebastian Coe would hope will become a template for the Ultimate Championships but it was Emmanuel Wanyonyi...
Ah, the glorious uncertainties of sport. One night Jess Hull is down and out, victim of a fall in her heat of the 800 metres. Twenty-four hours later, reinstated on appeal, she broke the Oceania record and will now run the final. She’s something special (sorry Bruce, but I’m borrowing...
Sometimes it seemed there was a better field watching the men’s world championships 1500 metres final than there was running it. Jakob Ingebrigtsen couldn’t run himself into fitness – not 1500 fitness, anyway; he may still win his third straight 5000 gold – in time. Out he went in the...
When I went to school, oblique lines went off at angles. Sunday night at the Japan National Stadium, Oblique Seville proved the fastest man up the straight on his way to a shock victory in the men’s 100 metres. It was supposed to be a rematch of the epic Paris...
Day one of the Tokyo 2025 world championships was amazing in its own right; from Evan Dunfee and Maria Perez in the 35km road walk early on a hot and steamy morning, to Beatrice Chebet and Ryan Crouser on a still hot and still oppressive opening night it dripped...
Looking back at the Tokyo 1991 world championships a couple of years ago, I wrote that If I had to pick one abiding memory it would be the humidity which descended on your shoulders like a heavy cloak the moment you stepped outside. As we return to Tokyo 34 years...
If you’re an Australian distance runner who is still living in the ‘70s, you are probably aware of Brian Lenton. Indeed, there’s even a chance you are in them. Back then, Lenton hit on an original idea for ‘his’ first book. He wouldn’t write it himself; he would send out...
Cross-country is a grass roots discipline. True – given that almost every kid around the world has been introduced to the sport via their primary school’s sports day. And if that’s not grass roots, I don’t know what is. It’s also true in the physical sense, because cross-country is conducted...
We are drawing ever closer to Tokyo25. The qualifying window closes on Sunday 24 August. The Diamond League final in Zurich some days later will determine which athletes get a wild card invite into the championships (spoiler: if you’re in the final you probably have no need of a...
