Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i AW - Athletics Weekly Magazine

It might seem like barely a handful of weeks since Mondo Duplantis was bringing the competition curtain down in Oregon with yet another pole vault world record, but the World Championships are upon us once again. After the doldrums of Doha in 2019, and some re-energising in Eugene last summer, the showpiece returns to Europe for the first time since London played hosts in 2017. This time it’s Budapest’s turn and all of the pre-event signs are highly encouraging. For starters, the National Athletics Centre, with a 30,000 capacity stadium at its heart, is a purpose-built facility which has emerged from what was wasteland by the Danube and looks like being an ideal venue. Advance ticket sales have been encouraging, too, and there will certainly be more bums on seats…

STEVE CRAM It’s in the small, quiet moments when the enormity sinks in. The gaps of time when the crowds and the clamour subside and leave space to fully appreciate what has just happened. The to-do list in the immediate aftermath of becoming a world champion is a long one, given that there’s a lap of honour to complete, a medal and congratulations from your nearest and dearest to receive, a press conference to be held, doping controls to go through. It does, therefore, take a little while to absorb that you are, in fact, on top of the world. That’s certainly what Steve Cram experienced when he became the first ever winner of the men’s 1500m world title in Helsinki 40 years ago. The then 22-year-old produced what he…

VERITY OCKENDEN Buda… Pest. A city of two halves, divided and yet one, much like the river of world-class athletes soon to flood its new stadium. All are divided by their desire to win for themselves and for their country, and yet all are united by their common goal. They share an understanding of the sweat and sacrifice required to arrive here, and an understanding of the glory of success and the heartbreak of failure that will follow. What these athletes do in this location, on this day, as opposed to doing the very same thing anywhere else at any other given time, counts. It’s what makes a world championships a world championships. Likewise, an athlete’s ability to perform precisely when and where it counts is what makes a champion.…

ZHARNEL HUGHES The loneliness of the false-starting sprinter. There might not have been a crowd at the Olympic stadium in Tokyo two years ago, but the world was most definitely watching as the 100m finalists were introduced. Zharnel Hughes was among their number. There was no doubt the Briton, the first man from his nation to appear in the blue riband event since Sydney 2000, deserved to be there. During the second semi-final, he sped to victory in a time of 9.98 and had looked in extremely convincing form. With no obvious favourite, opportunity knocked. Hughes looked calm and relaxed as his name was called. Could he emulate the feat of Linford Christie and win Britain’s first 100m Olympic gold since 1992? In a way, the then 26-year-old did replicate…

BROADCAST As the finest specimens of the sport gather in Budapest for this month’s World Championships, so too will a global media presence dedicated to the storytelling of the event. When it comes to television and broadcasting, while each country may decide to send their own reporters, presenters, commentators or news crews, all the filming of the event, including commentary, will be supplied by a Host Broadcaster – World Athletics Productions. The Host Broadcaster will provide footage of absolutely every single run, jump and throw. They will provide around 300 hours of broadcast material for what is expected to be a massive global audience. It is then up to individual outlets how they use that footage. James Lord is Director, Broadcast at World Athletics and explains the reach of the…

AGE: 29 COACH: STEPHEN HAAS Katie Snowden was a “little bit gutted” when she saw the clock stop at 4:00.04. “I think with how training had gone the time wasn’t too much of a surprise, so when I saw I got so close [to running sub-4] it was initially a bit disappointing,” she says of her season-opener in Los Angeles in May. Expectations have shifted for the 29-year-old British 1500m champion in recent years and her reaction to such a substantial personal best – her previous best was 4:02.77 from the Tokyo Olympic Games – is reflective of the athlete she’s become. Going into the UK Athletics Championships final, Snowden was confident she could finish inside the top two, although she hadn’t necessarily expected to beat Olympic silver medallist Laura…

The latest annual octogenarian parkrun get-together at Bushy Park last month saw 84 runners aged 80-plus taking part. This included three runners over the age of 90 as they took to the trail to complete the 5km as they went about proving that age is just a number. One runner even travelled from Australia to run. Organised by Richard PitcairnKnowles and George Frogley, the gathering first took place in 2017 with just 15 runners over the age of 80, but has grown steadily since. If you have a potential Dip Finish story, email: jason.henderson@athleticsweekly.com…

The UKA Athletes’ Commission was set up in 2017 “with the aim of ensuring athletes’ voices are heard” but its representatives feel that hasn’t happened on this occasion. In a statement to AW, the commission wrote: We know the frustrations. Like many, UKA Athletes’ Commission (AC) members have their own non-selection stories. So often, those experiences drive athletes to put themselves forward to join the AC, a desire to play an active role in improving the integrity of our sport and protecting the welfare of athletes. We have raised the issues around the selection policy philosophy for several years, even more so in the past 12 months. We highlighted to UKA back in March that the philosophy of the current World Championships policy would likely cause significant issues and have…

THE BEGINNING Ahandful of years ago, while wading through old artefacts in preparation for the launch of World Athletics’ heritage department, an employee at the sport’s governing body stumbled across some dusty scrapbooks. The contents related to 1983, when the inaugural World Championships were held in Helsinki. The rudimentary nature of the official documentation spoke volumes of the state of the sport at that time. “Our headquarters back then were in London and someone from head office had clearly just walked into WHSmith and bought a number of scrapbooks to stick in newspaper articles from the World Championships,” says Chris Turner, World Athletics heritage director. “The report is very, very basic – nothing was typed. It’s a lovely document to see but it shows just how much everything was in…

FAITH KIPYEGON Faith Kipyegon is full of surprises, but perhaps not in the way you might think. You could point to the fact, for instance, that the scale of her recent world record-breaking spree wasn't entirely expected by fans or observers. At the Rome Diamond League on June 2, the two-time world and Olympic champion posted a 1500m world record in 3:49.11, becoming the first woman ever to break 3:50 for the distance. Then, on June 9 at the Paris Diamond League, the world mark for 5000m was demolished with 14:05.20. The mile followed in Monaco last month, almost five seconds savagely sliced off the previous mark with a run of 4:07.64. For those close to Kipyegon, however – including her training partners and her coach – those standout performances…

EVENT PREVIEWS Men's 100m Championship record: Usain Bolt JAM 9.58, 2009 History maker: Usain Bolt JAM: Three golds, one bronze Defending champion: Fred Kerley USA 9.86 Olympic champion: Marcell Jacobs ITA 9.80 ONES TO WATCH (2023 OUTDOOR BEST IN BRACKETS): Ferdinand Omanyala KEN (9.84) The Commonwealth champion has yet to make a global final but came close in both Tokyo and Eugene and has been more consistent in 2023. Fred Kerley USA (9.88) The defending champion and Olympic silver medallist has been the most consistent sprinter of recent years and has had wins in Yokohama, Rabat and Florence this year. Akani Simbine RSA (9.92) Has finished fourth or fifth in the last five global championships and in 2023 has won in Ostrava, Stockholm and Chorzow, defeating Kerley in the latter.…

BIANCA WILLIAMS I definitely want to be the best person for my son to look up to and to be a good role model for young girls "Mummy, are you going to run fast?” Three-year-old Zuri Dos Santos looks up at Bianca Williams inquisitively. The track is his playground and he is in awe of the talent around him. “I absolutely love bringing Zuri to the track with me,” says Williams, who describes his joy at learning to use blocks and how he cheers for her in training. “Children are great imitators, so give them something to imitate.” A European and Commonwealth 4×100m relay gold medallist, the 29-year-old made her Great Britain and Northern Ireland debut at the European Under-20 Championships in 2011. She won 200m bronze at the 2014…

STATTO STEVE Rome 1987 - Stefka Kostadinova The Bulgarian world high jump record-holder looked in trouble when defending champion Tamara Bykova cleared 2.04m with her first jump and Kostadinova only went over on her third attempt. However, she took the lead with a second-time clearance at 2.06m, a height which proved to be beyond her opponent. The bar was then moved the bar up to 2.09m, one centimetre up on Kostadinova’s previous record height and again she sailed over at the second time of asking. It remains the world record 36 years on. Tokyo 1991 - Mike Powell Carl Lewis is undoubtedly the greatest ever performer in the men’s long jump, winning four Olympic golds and two world titles. In Tokyo, he produced the best competition of his career –…

Snowden is based in Flagstaff for around 18 weeks of the year, across three blocks. Her training schedule incorporates cross-training to minimise injury risk. Her gym sessions are overseen remotely by Loughborough-based Rob Miller (British Athletics). “When I look at the week we’re not doing anything special or different, but it’s consistently doing it week upon week and backing it up, that’s what eventually accumulates to good results,” she says. ♦ Monday: (am) 6 miles easy; (pm) 4 miles easy followed by drills and strides on the track, plus occasionally short hills of 10-15sec. “Even though we’re doing a bit more strength and mileage, we want to keep the shorter hills and strides going just to make sure we don’t go too far away from the speed stuff,” she says.…

The upbeat energy from Loi’s single Gold kept Hollie Arnold in a happy place as she prepared for the 2023 Para Athletics World Championships. I can feel the sunshine in my life I’m just a little happier by your side Hold my hand when I need you the most It’s your love that is weighted in gold The song could have been written for the 29-year-old and her enduring love affair with elite sport. As a 14-year-old, Arnold made her international debut on the greatest stage at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing where she finished 11th. In July 2023, a decade on from her first world gold in Lyon 2013, she won a remarkable fifth consecutive global title with victory in the F46 javelin in Paris. A lot has…

KATHARINE MERRY I can’t believe Budapest is almost upon us already. With Oregon having barely finished, the next World Championships is sprinting into view. I do feel sorry for the gold medallists who have only had a short time to enjoy that feeling of being world champion, but at the same time I can’t wait for the rollercoaster to set off again. I have very high hopes for Hungary. There are some events where there are very obvious favourites for the title but there are also plenty of others where the contests are wide open…and therein lies opportunity. Jake Wightman showed everyone last year how to go about seizing your chance – it’s just such a pity that injury means he won’t be able to defend his title. That in…

EVENT TIMETABLE SATURDAY AUGUST 19 Morning Session Afternoon Session SUNDAY AUGUST 20 Morning session Afternoon session MONDAY AUGUST 21 Afternoon session TUESDAY AUGUST 22 Afternoon session WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23 Morning session Afternoon session THURSDAY AUGUST 24 Morning session Afternoon session FRIDAY AUGUST 25 Morning session Afternoon session SATURDAY AUGUST 26 Morning session Afternoon session SUNDAY AUGUST 27 Morning session Afternoon session…

WAYDE VAN NIEKERK Before Wayde van Niekerk took to his blocks at the London Diamond League meeting, he stood, eyes closed and arms outstretched, welcoming in the battle ahead. It had been six years since he had set foot on the Olympic Stadium track. Then, his race had finished with the successful defence of his world 400m title. He was the reigning Olympic champion, too. The one to beat. The man who still holds the world record in his event has never been quite the same since but, in 2023, he is edging closer. The thrill, now, comes from being back in the mix and making himself a genuine contender on the global stage. The reason for his arduous journey back has been well documented. Track and field is not…

DIP FINISH Transgender athlete Valentina Petrillo caused outrage at the World Para Athletics Champs in Paris last month after winning 400m bronze despite being 18 years older than anyone else in the race. The 49-year-old is a biological male and is married with two children but began transitioning in 2019 and has become the first transgender athlete to win a global medal in athletics. The Italian ran 58.24 in the T12 category for female athletes with a visual impairment following the diagnosis of Stargardt Disease as a teenager. Peter Eriksson, the former head coach of the UK Athletics Paralympics and Olympic programmes, described the result as “shocking”. Omara Durand of Cuba and Alejandra Perez Lopez of Venezuela took gold and silver, with Fatima Ezzahra El-Idrissi of Morocco missing out on…