World Athletics has made a bold step by announcing its innovative plan to award prize money during the Olympic Games, signaling a major change in how the world recognizes athletes' achievements. Athletes will be rewarded with US$50,000 if they win the gold medal in any of the 48 athletics events starting with the next Olympic Games in Paris.
Pierce LePage, the current global decathlon champion, said on Wednesday that he will not be participating in the Olympics in Paris because of an injury. The Canadian athlete has not recovered in time for the forthcoming games after suffering a herniated disc in his back during training in late April.
In 2021, Freddie Crittenden kissed the track in Eugene, thinking it would be his last competition. "I was saying goodbye," he remembered. "I thought I was done."Three years earlier, Crittenden barely qualified for Eugene, competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the 110-meter hurdles. Unfortunately, he didn't make it past the semifinals. "I almost gave up," he said. "I was broke, didn’t earn anything that year, and didn’t get out of the semis."
In an unexpected twist, Athing Mu, the middle-distance runner who claimed the 800m gold at the Tokyo Olympics, has not been included in the US track and field roster for the Paris Olympics. Despite being considered for the relay pool, Mu will not be participating in Paris 2024, which begins later this month.
Oliver Hoare, Stewart McSweyn, and Adam Spencer have secured spots on the men's 1500m team for the upcoming Paris Olympics. This trio's selection dashes the hopes of 18-year-old Cameron Myers, a rising star and one of the fastest juniors in the history of 1500m running, who will need to wait 4 years to have another crack at becoming an Olympian.
Five-time Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has announced her withdrawal from the Jamaican trials because of an Achilles injury, preventing her from defending her 100m and 200m titles at the Paris Games in August.
In a historic shift, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will commence with track and field athletics in the first week, a significant departure from past schedules. World Athletics has hailed this decision as an “historic shift in the competition schedule,” noting it will be the first time in recent memory that these events will start at the beginning of the Games.
Elite marathon runner Liam Adams has reignited his dreams of competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon. Officially selected for the Australian Olympic Team, the 37-year-old's inclusion comes just 50 days before the Opening Ceremony, marking his third Olympic appearance. Adams, Australia's top male marathon finisher at both the Rio and Tokyo Games, faced weeks of uncertainty over his qualification before receiving confirmation.
One of the greatest distance runners of all time, Kenenisa Bekele, is set to make a remarkable return to the Olympic stage. Bekele, who turns 42 next month, will compete in the 2024 Olympics, his first appearance since 2012. This announcement came as the Ethiopian Athletics Federation revealed its marathon teams for Paris on Thursday.
With the Olympic Games in Paris drawing closer, Kenyan athlete Benson Kipruto is preparing to pay tribute to his late friend and world record holder, Kevin Kiptum. Kiptum, once a hopeful contender for the Games, tragically lost his life earlier this year in a devastating accident near Kaptagat.
