World Athletics has launched the <a href="https://betheultimatefan.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Ultimate Fan Challenge</a>, a global competition designed to find the sport&rsquo;s most passionate supporter ahead of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on 11-13 September 2026.&nbsp;
The Fan Challenge platform is now live, marking the start of a months-long search that will culminate inside the stadium in Budapest, where one supporter will be crowned &lsquo;The Ultimate Fan&rsquo;.&nbsp;
The Challenge features two phases &ndash; one rewarding knowledge and consistency, the other celebrating creativity and passion &ndash; with three finalists earning a trip to the Ultimate Championship, including travel, accommodation, tickets and a VIP experience featuring a meeting with Ultimate Legend Usain Bolt.&nbsp;
<h3>Phase one: Quiz Challenge&nbsp;</h3>
The opening phase centres on a global trivia competition testing fans&rsquo; knowledge of athletics.&nbsp;
After registration opens, the first quiz launches on 9 March, with new quizzes released every two weeks until 4 June. Participants answer 10 questions per quiz and earn points towards a live global leaderboard. Fans can also gain points by referring friends and family to join the challenge.&nbsp;
The Quiz Challenge closes on 4 June, with the highest-ranked male and female participants announced as winners shortly after.&nbsp;
<h3>Phase two: &lsquo;How I Live Athletics&rsquo;&nbsp;</h3>
The second phase shifts the focus from knowledge to creativity.&nbsp;
From 20 June to 23 July, fans will be invited to submit one original piece of content &ndash; video, photo, illustration or graphic &ndash; showing how they live athletics in their daily lives. Submissions must fall into one of five themes, ranging from training and cheering to community, culture and heritage.&nbsp;
World Athletics will select one finalist from each category, with the public then invited to vote for the overall winner in August.&nbsp;
<h3>Grand finale in Budapest&nbsp;</h3>
The two Quiz Challenge winners and the &lsquo;How I Live Athletics&rsquo; Challenge winner will travel to Budapest for the Ultimate Championship, where they will take part in a live in-stadium grand finale to determine who will be crowned &lsquo;The Ultimate Fan&rsquo;.&nbsp;
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will bring together Olympic champions, world champions and Diamond League Final winners in a condensed contest to determine the ultimate champions in each discipline. Through the Ultimate Fan Challenge, World Athletics is extending that same competitive spirit to fans around the world.&nbsp;
Registration is now open at <a href="https://betheultimatefan.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BeTheUltimateFan.com</a>&nbsp;

World Athletics Ultimate Championship

World Athletics has launched the World Athletics Ultimate Fan Challenge, a global competition designed to find the sport’s most passionate supporter

World Athletics launches Ultimate Fan Challenge

Born and raised more than 2700km apart in the United States, Layla Almasri and Noora Kuran are connected through athletics and share a common goal. Beyond their individual ambitions, they want to inspire a younger generation of Middle Eastern youth to never stop dreaming.
They met at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, where 2024 Olympian Almasri represented Palestine and Noora competed for Jordan, their parents&rsquo; native land.
&ldquo;The person I really wanted to meet was Layla,&rdquo; said Kuran after meeting her in Tallahassee. &ldquo;My mom told me I&rsquo;m half Palestinian, half Jordanian. She asked me to look for the Palestinian athletes. I&rsquo;m so glad we were able to meet on the first day. She&rsquo;s really a role model that I look up to because she&rsquo;s done so much for the sport and for the image of the Palestinian people.&rdquo;
<h2>Almasri&rsquo;s path</h2>
Almasri, the middle daughter in her family, got into running through her older sister Amy in Colorado Springs. Her younger sister Nadine ran from the 400m hurdles to the 3000m steeplechase in high school and university.
As her career progressed through her college years, she interacted with many international athletes, which planted the seed of possibly running for Palestine. A Health Care Sciences graduate and holder of a master&rsquo;s degree in health care from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, she credits her coach Corey Kubatzky, who first contacted the Palestinian Athletics Federation to start the process.
During a visit to Palestine in the summer of 2022, she finished second overall and first woman in a 3km race. Her performance paved the way for her to become eligible to represent the Middle Eastern nation in the spring of 2023.
Success soon followed, with her first international medal &ndash; bronze in the 1500m at the Arab Championships in Morocco &ndash; followed by two top-eight finishes in the 1500m and 5000m at the Asian Championships a month later in Bangkok.
&ldquo;It was the second time in my life travelling alone. It was really out of my comfort zone, leaving the collegiate system,&rdquo; she recalled.
At a global level, she first donned the Palestinian singlet at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade. Her consistency throughout the season led her to the Olympic Games in Paris later that year.
&ldquo;Paris was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Almasri. "I felt the love in Paris. Many people waved the Palestinian flag as we sailed on the boat during the opening ceremony. There were eight of us in the delegation."
The opportunity to compete twice in a full stadium and feel that energy marked a turning point.
&ldquo;I loved the sportsmanship from other athletes, and it showed me that you belong here. They respect your hard work. Paris shifted what&rsquo;s possible for me &ndash; what I expect from myself. I saw how elite athletes carry themselves in training and competition, their self-belief.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69ae2c88eb75768ba8c35d4a.jpg" alt="Layla Almasri at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games" />
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Layla Almasri at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (&copy; Getty Images)
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Having improved her times in both the 1500m and 5000m, Almasri believes she still has room for growth in the longer event, as she considers herself more of a strength runner. She juggles three roles: assistant coach at her alma mater, work at a radiology clinic and being a competitive athlete.
&ldquo;I want to qualify in my own events for Los Angeles 2028.&rdquo;
For 2026, Almasri is looking forward to the Asian Games in Japan in the autumn. She may also try the 10,000m on the track.
<h2>Kuran&rsquo;s path</h2>
More than 1700 miles to the east, Kuran was born as the middle child and the only girl in a three-child family. She tried many sports, from lacrosse to horseback riding, before taking up athletics around the age of 12 in her native New Jersey. She was primarily inspired by her maternal grandfather Musa Qutub, an accomplished distance runner for Jordan in the 1950s.
&ldquo;He taught me that running is a metaphor for life,&rdquo; she said.
She followed in the footsteps of her older brother Ryan, who also competed in track for a short period.
&ldquo;I wanted to pick a sport where I would have the least number of injuries, so track certainly wouldn&rsquo;t be the best choice for that,&rdquo; she laughed.
During one of her summer trips to Jordan, her mother encouraged her to explore competing for the Arab nation. In the summer of 2024, she received a call to compete in the 3000m at the Arab U18 Championships in Saudi Arabia.
A year and a half later, she was selected to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, an honour she shared with her younger brother Ryan. After racing longer distances in her first two international outings, she is now targeting her speciality events &ndash; the 800m and 1500m &ndash; at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong in May.
&ldquo;Athletics has given me so much," she said. "Even though it is an individual sport, I love the running community. I met my best friends through the sport and it brought me closer to my younger brother.&rdquo;
She also instilled that love in Danny and acted as his first coach, following advice from the book Daniel's Running Formula. He joined her as two of Jordan's three representatives in Tallahassee.
The 18-year-old also credits her high school coach Germaine Shepherd, who &ldquo;treated us like his own children&rdquo;, and the community at Garden State Track Club, where she trains.
Kuran, a first-year student of engineering systems at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, was inspired by meeting Almasri in Tallahassee.
&ldquo;Having more experience at major championships, she reassured me about how to control my nerves. She is like a big sister to me. I always wanted to have an older sister. She is an ambassador for Palestine, and I would like to be the same for Jordan.&rdquo;
Off the track, Almasri and Kuran have bigger goals that connect them to their respective nations.
&ldquo;Coach Duha (Idrees) told me young athletes returned to practice after they saw me compete at the Olympic Games,&rdquo; said 26-year-old Almasri. "They watch my races. Racing has become more fun, and I want to inspire the next generation of Palestinian athletes."
For Kuran, &ldquo;running goes beyond medals and fast times. I would love to inspire Muslim and Arab women and shed a positive light on Jordan and the Middle East in general. If 10 more people talk positively about us after we meet, that would be a success. On my next trip to Jordan, I hope to host a running club for girls in Amman and encourage more girls to take up running.&rdquo;
Javier Clavelo Robinson for World Athletics

Born and raised more than 2700km apart in the United States, Layla Almasri and Noora Kuran are connected through athletics and share a common goal

Layla Almasri and Noora Kuran: two lives united by athletics and a desire to inspire Middle Eastern youth

On International Women&rsquo;s Day, we celebrate women who have not only excelled on the track, field and roads, but who have also helped shape athletics itself. Their impact goes beyond medals. They have challenged conventions, opened doors, fought for equality and supported the generations that followed.
From pioneers pushing against limits, to mothers redefining what elite sport can look like, to leaders helping shape the sport&rsquo;s future &ndash; their stories show how athletics has evolved over time. 
<h2>Pioneers: When participation was protest</h2>
<h3> Fanny Blankers-Koen</h3>
When Fanny Blankers-Koen arrived at the London 1948 Olympic Games as a 30-year-old mother of two, some critics questioned why she was even competing. She left with four gold medals &ndash; in the 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles and 4x100m &ndash; becoming one of the standout athletes of the Games.
At a time when women were often told that motherhood marked the end of sporting ambition, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/fanny-blankers-koen-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blankers-Koen&rsquo;s performances challenged that idea</a>. She didn&rsquo;t campaign with speeches; she simply kept winning.
<h3> Kathrine Switzer</h3>
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer ran the Boston Marathon despite women being officially barred from the race, enduring attempts to remove her during the event. &ldquo;If I quit, nobody would believe women could run 26 miles,&rdquo; she later recalled.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/world-championships-gender-equality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Her run became a defining moment in the push for change</a>, eventually contributing to the inclusion of the women&rsquo;s marathon at the Olympic Games in 1984.
<h3> Cathy Freeman</h3>
Few races carried as much expectation as Cathy Freeman&rsquo;s 400m final at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. After lighting the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony, she returned to the track days later and delivered a memorable gold medal performance.
Earlier in her career she had celebrated her Aboriginal heritage at the Commonwealth Games, running with both the Australian and Aboriginal flags. <a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/cathy-freeman-olympic-champion-comic-feature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;I run to prove to my people that we are strong and beautiful,&rdquo; she said</a>.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/645bf30c4050bb555355cfd8.jpg" alt="Cathy Freeman celebrates her 400m win at the 1997 World Championships in Athens " />
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Cathy Freeman celebrates her 400m win at the 1997 World Championships in Athens (&copy; Allsport / Getty Images)
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<h2> Motherhood: From silence to structural change</h2>
<h3> Alysia Monta&ntilde;o</h3>
When <a href="https://worldathletics.org/spikes/news/alysia-montano-reveals-why-she-trained-and-co" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alysia Monta&ntilde;o competed at the US Championships while eight months pregnant</a>, the images quickly travelled around the world. Already a six-time US 800m champion, she used the moment to spark conversation about how pregnancy and motherhood were viewed in elite sport.
&ldquo;I wanted people to see what pregnancy actually looks like,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;Strong. Powerful. Capable.&rdquo;
In the years that followed, Monta&ntilde;o became an outspoken advocate for mothers in sport, highlighting sponsorship practices and helping push for changes that would benefit future athletes.
<h3> Allyson Felix</h3>
A five-time Olympian, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/allyson-felix-leaving-a-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Allyson Felix had already built one of the most decorated careers in athletics</a> when she spoke publicly about her own experiences around pregnancy and sponsorship.
&ldquo;I knew that if I didn&rsquo;t say something, nothing would change,&rdquo; she said.
Her decision to raise the issue helped accelerate reforms designed to protect athletes during pregnancy. She later returned to competition after becoming a mother and added further medals to her collection.
<h3> Faith Kipyegon</h3>
Faith Kipyegon&rsquo;s story stretches from running barefoot as a child in Kenya to breaking world records after becoming a mother. Since returning to competition following the birth of her daughter, she has added Olympic and world titles to her career.
&ldquo;Becoming a mother changed my mindset,&rdquo; said <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/faith-kipyegon-keringet-maternity-facility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kipyegon, who has since helped establish a mother-and-child hospital in her rural hometown of Keringet</a>. &ldquo;I run with more purpose.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/697f7ce71903bb78e0dff9c2.JPG" alt="Faith Kipyegon at the launch of the Dare to Dream maternity facility " />
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Faith Kipyegon at the launch of the Dare to Dream maternity facility (&copy; Global Sports Communication)
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&nbsp;
<h2>Longevity: Excellence without expiry dates</h2>
<h3> Edna Kiplagat</h3>
Two-time world marathon champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/edna-ngeringwony-kiplagat-14289137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edna Kiplagat has enjoyed success across multiple decades</a>, winning major marathons including London, Boston and New York.
&ldquo;Patience is everything,&rdquo; she has said, often crediting long-term planning and family support for helping sustain her career. Even into her 40s, she has remained competitive at the highest level.
<h3> Melina Robert-Michon</h3>
French discus thrower <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/melina-robert-michon-seven-olympic-games-discus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melina Robert-Michon has competed across numerous Olympic cycles</a>, building a career defined by persistence and consistency. Olympic silver medallist in Rio, she has remained a presence on the global stage for many years.
&ldquo;Never closing the door too early,&rdquo; she once said when discussing her approach to longevity in sport.
<h3> Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce</h3>
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce first claimed Olympic 100m gold in 2008 and soon became one of the most recognisable figures in Jamaican sprinting.
After becoming a mother in 2017, she returned to win further world titles and run some of the fastest times of her career in her mid-30s.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not done,&rdquo; she said &ndash; <a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/shelly-ann-fraser-pryce-jamaica-tokyo-2025-100m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a simple line that summed up her mindset</a>.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/37457ab9-8b35-46e4-9022-8d4e8d8bd281.jpg" alt="Allyson Felix, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Liu Hong" />
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Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce after winning the 2019 world 100m title
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<h2> From podium to policy: Leadership shaping the future</h2>
<h3> Nawal El Moutawakel</h3>
The 1984 Olympic 400m hurdles champion became <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/nawal-el-moutawakel-olympic-champion-comic-feature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first Moroccan and Muslim woman to win Olympic gold</a>. After her competitive career, Nawal El Moutawakel moved into leadership roles within sport and public life, including work with the International Olympic Committee and serving as a government minister in Morocco.
&ldquo;Sport gave me a voice. I use it for others,&rdquo; she once said.
<h3> Ximena Restrepo</h3>
Colombia&rsquo;s 1992 Olympic 400m bronze medallist <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/feature/ximena-restrepo-vice-president-gender-equity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ximena Restrepo later became the first woman vice president of World Athletics</a> and now serves as senior vice president.
&ldquo;We cannot talk about equality if women are not at the decision-making table,&rdquo; she said, reflecting her long-standing focus on representation and governance.
<h3> Valerie Adams</h3>
Two-time Olympic shot put champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/news/valerie-adams-shot-put-retirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valerie Adams now chairs the World Athletics Athletes&rsquo; Commission</a>.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about making sure athletes feel heard,&rdquo; she said. Her work off the field continues to shape discussions around athlete representation and welfare.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/636e5fc4f41fc0eb11e1c351.png" alt="Valerie Adams, Renaud Lavillenie and Seb Coe at the Athletes' Commission Meeting in 2019" />
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Valerie Adams, Renaud Lavillenie and Sebastian Coe at the Athletes' Commission Meeting in 2019 (&copy; Philippe Fitte for World Athletics)
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<h2> Mentorship: The multiplier effect</h2>
<h3> Jackie Joyner-Kersee</h3>
Widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/series/one-moment-time-jackie-joyner-kersee-1987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackie Joyner-Kersee dominated the heptathlon and long jump during her career</a>.
Today, many young athletes still seek her advice. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t just train the body,&rdquo; she often says. &ldquo;You train the mind and the heart.&rdquo;
Through her foundation and community programmes, she has continued to support youth development and education.
<h3> Mira Rai</h3>
Mira Rai&rsquo;s path to sport was anything but straightforward. After a childhood spent as a child soldier in Nepal, she eventually discovered trail and ultra-running and rose to international success.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/mira-rai-child-soldier-ultra-runner-mentor-nepal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Now she mentors young girls in Nepal</a>, helping them find opportunities through sport. &ldquo;I don't know where I would be if I wasn't lucky enough to find support,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This sport can change lives for others like it did for me.&rdquo;
<h3> Janeth Jepkosgei</h3>
Kenya&rsquo;s 2007 world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei was a consistent presence on the global stage for several years.
After retiring, she turned her attention to <a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/u20-refugee-team-changing-lives-moser-mercer-jepkosgei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentoring younger athletes, including work with the Athlete Refugee Team</a>. &ldquo;I see myself in them,&rdquo; she said.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66094b02b41049e9e128b1d1.jpg" alt="Perina Lokure Nakang, Esterina Irino Julius, Farida Abaroge and Janeth Jepkosgei on the course in Belgrade" />
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Perina Lokure Nakang, Esterina Irino Julius, Farida Abaroge and Janeth Jepkosgei on the course in Belgrade (&copy; Christel Saneh)
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<h2> Carrying the flame forward</h2>
These athletes competed in different events, different countries and different eras. What connects them is the way their influence has reached beyond results lists and podiums.
Each, in her own way, helped expand what was possible &ndash; and left something behind for the next generation to build on.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women who have not only excelled on the track, field and roads, but who have also helped shape athletics itself.

Beyond the finish line: women who changed the sport – and the world

Three-time world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo returned to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon &ndash; the scene of his record-breaking performance five years ago &ndash; and triumphed in a world record of 57:20* at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (8).
The Ugandan took 10 seconds off Yomif Kejelcha&rsquo;s official world record for the distance. Before Kejelcha produced that mark in Valencia in 2024, Kiplimo had held the previous world record at 57:31, which he achieved in Lisbon in 2021.
In the women&rsquo;s contest, Tsigie Gebreselama successfully defended her title, winning by more than two minutes in 1:04:48.
In a race with no pacemakers, Kiplimo covered the first 5km of the men&rsquo;s race in a swift 13:28. Kenyan duo Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich were tucked close behind the Ugandan for the first half, with the trio passing through 10km in 27:00 as Kiprotich started to fade.
Kiplimo and Kipkorir continued to run side by side and passed through 15km in 40:52. Realising the pace had dropped slightly, Kiplimo picked up the tempo and forged ahead, covering the next 5km section in 13:31.
He maintained that pace until the end and crossed the finish line in 57:20. Kipkorir followed in 58:08 with Kiprotich holding on for third (58:59).
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so happy to break the world record,&rdquo; said Kiplimo. &ldquo;After the first 10km, I thought the world record was possible. I tried to keep pushing the pace in the final two kilometres.&rdquo;
Kiplimo had clocked 56:42 in Barcelona last year, but it could not be ratified as a world record because the race conditions were not fully compliant with World Athletics rules.
For most of the way in the women&rsquo;s race, Gebreselama was ahead of the pace she set last year when setting a course record of 1:04:21. She broke away from her competitors in the early stages, passing through 5km in 14:55 and 10km in 30:05 &ndash; both faster than her official PBs for those distances.
The 2023 world cross-country silver medallist tired slightly in the second half, though, and chances of a course record began to disappear. By that point, however, she&rsquo;d already carved out an insurmountable leading margin and was able to coast home in 1:04:48, the second-best winning time ever recorded in Lisbon.
Kenya&rsquo;s Janeth Chepngetich was second (1:06:50) as her compatriot Regina Wambui placed third (1:07:10).
&ldquo;This is my second win,&rdquo; said Gebreselama, who became the first woman to achieve back-to-back wins in Lisbon since Susan Chepkemei in 2002. &ldquo;The race was good. My plan was to run sub-64, but I&rsquo;m still happy.&rdquo;
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Tsigie Gebreselama (ETH) 1:04:48 2 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 1:06:50 3 Regina Wambui (KEN) 1:07:10 4 Tabitha Njeri Kamau (KEN) 1:07:22 5 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 1:07:30 6 Emeline Imanizabayo (RWA) 1:07:35
Men 1 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 57:20 2 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) 58:08 3 Gilbert Kiprotich (KEN) 58:59 4 Benard Langat (KEN) 59:31 5 Mohamed Ismail (DJI) 59:45 6 Oscar Chelimo (UGA) 1:00:12
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Jacob Kiplimo returned to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon and triumphed in a world record of 57:20

Kiplimo breaks world half marathon record with 57:20 on Lisbon return

Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Chepkirui successfully defended her title at the Nagoya Women&rsquo;s Marathon on Sunday (8), winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:21:54 after a late breakaway from Japan&rsquo;s Sayaka Sato.
Sato claimed the runner-up spot for the second year in a row, though this time Chepkirui&rsquo;s winning margin was a lot smaller as Sato finished just two seconds behind in 2:21:56, while Ethiopia&rsquo;s Aynalem Desta placed third in 2:22:37.
Run in cool but windy conditions, a large lead pack of eight women passed 10km in 33:10. Chepkirui was joined by Desta, Sato and Japan&rsquo;s Rika Kaseda, Natsuki Omori, Rino Goshima, Wakana Kabasawa and Yuka Ando.
The group was reduced to six by halfway, reached in 1:10:51, and after another 10km Goshima lost contact, leaving five women together at 30km (1:41:12): Chepkirui, Sato, Desta, Kaseda and Omori.
Omori was the next to drop back, and with about seven kilometres remaining the race had narrowed to four contenders. Kaseda and Desta then lost touch with Chepkirui and Sato, setting up a head-to-head duel between the top two finishers from last year.
The pair remained stride for stride deep into the closing stages before Chepkirui finally managed to edge clear, opening a small gap in the final kilometres. She crossed the line in 2:21:54 to secure her second successive Nagoya title, with Sato finishing two seconds later. Desta followed for third in 2:22:37.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy to defend my title,&rdquo; said Chepkirui, who has a PB of 2:17:29. &ldquo;The wind was really strong, so I needed to stay mentally strong all the way to the finish.&rdquo;
Sato said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s tough to lose the sprint at the end, but I believe I ran a good race today.&rdquo;
Several Japanese athletes were chasing qualifying marks for the Marathon Grand Championship &ndash; Japan&rsquo;s selection race for the LA 2028 Olympic Games &ndash; with the standard set at 2:23:30, or alternatively a top-six Japanese finish with a time under 2:27:00.
The race was held in clear conditions with a temperature of 9C at the start, though athletes faced steady winds throughout the course. A total of 17,101 runners took part in the event, recognised as the world&rsquo;s largest women-only marathon.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
1 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:21:54 2 Sayaka Sato (JPN) 2:21:56 3 Aynalem Desta (ETH) 2:22:37 4 Rika Kaseda (JPN) 2:22:53 5 Natsuki Omori (JPN) 2:23:45 6 Sora Shinozakura (JPN) 2:24:34 7 Rino Goshima (JPN) 2:24:44 8 Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:25:06

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui successfully defended her title at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in 2:21:54

Chepkirui retains title at Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Emmanouil Karalis and Sondre Guttormsen both cleared 6.06m at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen as a historic season for the men&rsquo;s pole vault continued at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting on Saturday (7).
Karalis won on countback, one week on from his 6.17m clearance at the Greek Indoor Championships, while Guttormsen improved his Norwegian record by six centimetres to move to joint sixth on the world all-time list.
It is the best mark ever achieved for second place, beating the 6.05m cleared by Karalis for silver at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing last year.
A record six athletes have now soared over six metres or more this season.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69ac99eb2d0ed23813ace6be.jpg" alt="Sondre Guttormsen celebrates at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen" />
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Sondre Guttormsen celebrates at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen (&copy; Ga&euml;lle Mobuchon)
Greek star Karalis, who sits second behind Mondo Duplantis on the world all-time list thanks to that 6.17m clearance in Paiania, opened his competition with a first-time clearance of 5.70m. He passed to 5.90m and achieved that on his first try before managing a meeting record of 6.06m, also from his first attempt.
Guttormsen needed two tries at 5.70m, 5.90m and 6.00m &ndash; the latter mark equalling the national record he set when winning his second NCAA indoor title in Albuquerque in 2023.
The bar then moved to 6.06m and he cleared that on his third attempt, deciding to call it a day at that point.
Karalis continued and had three attempts at 6.20m &ndash; the first two very close.
The pair will have the chance to renew their rivalry later this month at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, where they are set to go up against Duplantis, on the hunt for his fourth consecutive world indoor title.
Before that, they are all due to clash for the first time of the season at the Mondo Classic &ndash; also a World Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Uppsala on 12 March.
The women&rsquo;s competition in Rouen was won by Great Britain&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery.
Both she and Slovenia&rsquo;s two-time world indoor medallist Tina &Scaron;utej cleared 4.70m on their first attempts, but Caudery clinched victory on countback.
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Emmanouil Karalis and Sondre Guttormsen both cleared 6.06m at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen as a historic season for the men’s pole vault continued

Karalis and Guttormsen clear 6.06m in Rouen

There was a double surprise at the Dudinska 50 &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Dudince, Slovakia, on Saturday (7) as Bence Venyercs&aacute;n won the men&rsquo;s marathon and Evelyn Inga upstaged the favourites in the women&rsquo;s half marathon.
In the other senior races, Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m cruised to victory in the men&rsquo;s half marathon, while&nbsp;Sofia Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez won the&nbsp;women&rsquo;s marathon.
The women&rsquo;s half marathon race walk had been billed as a battle between Ecuador&rsquo;s Paula Torres and Peru&rsquo;s Kimberly Garc&iacute;a, both athletes with a lengthy pedigree of global success, but Inga took top spot this time, clocking a South American best of 1:33:49.
Alejandra Ortega looked to be on her way to a major win, but the Mexican race walker saw her 57-second lead at 15km snuffed out in a heartbeat when she was called into the penalty zone after receiving three red cards.
That left the door open for Inga to forge ahead of Garc&iacute;a and finish with a comfortable margin over her compatriot: 1:33:49 to 1:34:17. It was only the third time in 19 races that she had beaten her arch rival and both athletes finished inside&nbsp;Garc&iacute;a&rsquo;s previous South American best of&nbsp;1:35:10 achieved in Lima in November.
To her credit, Ortega refused to throw in the towel after her enforced stop and she surged to move into third ahead of a disappointed and tired Torres, 1:35:57 to 1:36:18.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69ac77ce53489e0163bf87e0.jpg" alt="Evelyn Inga celebrates her win at the Dudinska 50" />
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Evelyn Inga celebrates her win at the Dudinska 50 (&copy; Dudinska 50 <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Milan Duroch)
Earlier, Venyercs&aacute;n achieved the best result of his career when the Hungarian won the men&rsquo;s marathon.
The 30-year-old bided his time and watched the race unravel around him before race walking the last 10km solo. His 3:03:45 finish was a European best as patience proved the watchword.
Behind him, early pacesetter Karl Junghann&szlig; recovered to finish second in 3:04:33 while his German compatriot and pre-race favourite Christopher Linke came third in 3:05:44.
But the surprise was the late entry from Aur&eacute;lien&nbsp;Quinion, who finished fourth in the 20km race walk at the World Championships in Tokyo last year.
The French athlete&rsquo;s job, as it turned out, was to nurture a second late entrant, Martin Madeline-Degy, to a 3:02:00 French qualifying time for the European Championships in Birmingham in August.
Quinion coaches Madeline-Degy and all went well for the pair until 32km, when the prot&eacute;g&eacute; had to serve a time penalty. Quinion waited for him by the roadside, only to suffer the same fate 5km later. Madeline-Degy went on to finish ninth in 3:10:31.
In the men&rsquo;s half marathon race walk, Karlstr&ouml;m strolled to one of the easiest wins of his career.
The four-time world medallist from Sweden showed his intent in the first 100 metres when he shot away and he eventually clocked 1:24:58 &ndash; a European best.
It improved another short-lived PB &ndash; the 1:28:52 Karlstr&ouml;m clocked in Mexico last month.
A long way back, Jerry Jokinen from Finland recorded 1:28:17 for second-place. Like Karlstr&ouml;m, he also race walked solo long before half way.
Behind him, Andres Nunez from Mexico claimed the last spot on the podium in 1:28:47.
The race for fourth was the only close finish in the first five. Mateusz Nowak from Poland clocked 1:29:51 and just got the better of 50-year-old Jo&atilde;o Vieira by three seconds &ndash; a wonderful result for the Portuguese two-time world medallist.
The women&rsquo;s marathon saw another comfortable win, this time for Mexico&rsquo;s Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez.
An early charge from her teammate Nadia Manjarrez quickly faded and Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez was on her own from 6km, going on to win in 3:35:37.&nbsp;
Fast-finishing Laura Monje Martinez from Spain overtook the French pair of Elvina Carr&eacute; and Marine Rottier in the last three kilometres to finish second in 3:39:11.
Carr&eacute; then pulled away from the fading Rottier to decide third and fourth as they respectively clocked 3:40:28 and 3:43:12, all improving their personal bests by considerable margins.&nbsp;
In Martinez&rsquo;s case, it was 6:25 better than her debut at the distance at the Spanish Championships in February.
Bianca Dittrich of Germany finished fourth in 3:43:54.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-tour/calendar-results/7228072/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a> 
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There was a double surprise at the Dudinska 50 as Bence Venyercsán won the men’s marathon and Evelyn Inga upstaged the favourites in the women’s half marathon

Venyercsán, Inga, Karlström and Ramos Rodríguez win in Dudince

Jakub Szymański continued his preparations for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on home soil by clocking a Polish 60m hurdles record of 7.37 at the ISTAF Indoor &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Berlin on Friday (6).
The performance moves the European indoor champion to joint seventh on the world all-time list and extends his 60m hurdles win streak to 11 races this season.
World shot put champion Jessica Schilder&nbsp;also achieved a world lead, throwing 20.69m to match the Dutch record she set when winning the European indoor title on home soil in Apeldoorn last year. That result in Apeldoorn had been the farthest indoor throw in the world since 2013.
The&nbsp;26-year-old&rsquo;s 20.69m in Berlin adds 20 centimetres to her own world lead that had also been set in Apeldoorn, last month. Schilder now owns three of the four farthest winning marks of the season and is unbeaten so far in 2026.
Her first valid mark of the competition was 20.38m from the third round and she followed that with a throw of 20.03m. She closed her campaign in style, throwing 20.69m from her final attempt.
Szymański maintained his own win streak in Berlin and with that&nbsp;7.37 he now sits alongside US indoor champion Dylan Beard and silver medallist Trey Cunningham at the head of the season top list.
Only one European athlete has ever gone quicker &ndash; Great Britain&rsquo;s former world record-holder Colin Jackson with his marks of 7.30 and 7.36 from 1994.
Szymański&rsquo;s previous national record was 7.39, set in Ł&oacute;dź in February last year. The 23-year-old will look to take this impressive form with him to Toruń when the World Indoor Championships take place from 20-22 March.
It was a Polish 1-2 in Berlin, as Damian Czykier was second in the final in 7.55.
In other action in Berlin, Great Britain&rsquo;s Jeremiah Azu ran a PB and meeting record of 6.47 ahead of his world indoor 60m title defence in Kujawy Pomorze. He now sits joint fifth on the season top list. Emmanuel Eseme was second in 6.55.
Dutch 2018 world indoor bronze medallist Nadine Visser pipped Switzerland&rsquo;s world 100m hurdles champion Ditaji Kambundji in the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles &ndash; 7.81 to 7.82. Canada&rsquo;s Sade McCreath won the 60m in 7.12.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results/7229999/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a>

Jakub Szymański continued his preparations for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on home soil by clocking a Polish 60m hurdles record of 7.37

World leads for Szymański and Schilder in Berlin

World Athletics is looking for a Financial Controller to ensure accurate financial reporting and oversee the company&rsquo;s accounting operations of the world&rsquo;s most participated sport.
Reporting directly to the Head of Finance, the Financial Controller will join a team of two people and will play a central role in steering the organisation&rsquo;s financial performance. They will be responsible for ensuring reliable budget monitoring, producing relevant financial analyses, and coordinating monthly closings with the accounting team. The role sits within a context of structuring financial processes and deploying a new Finance ERP, requiring rigor, analytical skills and strong communication and training abilities with operational teams. The Financial Controller will ensure that every initiative reflects World Athletics&rsquo; values: integrity, inclusivity, innovation and the advancement of athletics globally.&nbsp;
Job description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=d136be7c-e0ae-4d7d-a88c-d0f314532736.pdf&amp;urlSlug=financial-controller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=d76b9762-9d3e-40de-a977-065cbbe91f3b.pdf&amp;urlSlug=controleureuse-financiere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
Deadline:&nbsp;18 March 2026

World Athletics is looking for a Financial Controller 

Job vacancy: Financial Controller

By the time Christian Plaziat made it back to Barcelona for the 1995 World Athletics Indoor Championships, his quest for a global medal had reached epic proportions.
Hailed as a future golden boy of French track and field after narrowly missing the decathlon podium at the 1987 World Championships in Rome and at the Olympic Games in Seoul a year later, the flamboyant multi-eventer had still yet to find a Midas touch on the global stage &ndash; or a silver or bronze one, for that matter.
He was 31. The litany of heartache stretched back to the rich promise of his early 20s.
Lying second at the halfway stage in Rome in 1987, the 23-year-old Lyonnais faded to fourth. In Seoul in 1988 he was second after eight events but ended up fifth after fluffing the javelin with what he called a &ldquo;shameful&rdquo; 52.18m.
A resounding victory at the 1990 European Championships in Split raised hopes so high for the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo that Plaziat proclaimed the presence of the rising US star Dan O&rsquo;Brien would push him to the decathlon title with a world record score. He finished ninth with 8122 points, 690 behind the victorious O&rsquo;Brien.
Then came the crushing disappointment of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Regarded as one of the leading contenders in the absence of O&rsquo;Brien, who had no-heighted in the pole vault at the US trials, Plaziat dropped out after four events, suffering from knee cartilage damage.
And so &ndash; following a sixth-place finish at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart &ndash; he returned to Barcelona for the World Indoor Championships in 1995.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aad174cd2d39e6099902c4.jpg" alt="Christian Plaziat in action" />
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Christian Plaziat in action (&copy; Getty Images)
For the 31-year-old Plaziat, the road to redemption happened to be a five-minute stroll from Montjuic Stadium, the scene of his 1992 Olympic calamity, to the Palau Sant Jordi.
The d&eacute;j&agrave; vu must have been unsettling. There he was, back on the Barcelona Olympic complex, with O&rsquo;Brien a notable absentee once again &ndash; the decathlon world champion and world record-holder having suffered a hamstring injury &ndash; and with the pressure of expectation again on his shoulders.
Still, the indoor heptathlon was a stronger combined events suit for Plaziat than the outdoor decathlon. Without any of the long throwing events to contest, he had set two world indoor records and one indoor best in the heptathlon and another world indoor record in its predecessor, the octathlon. He had also collected two European indoor crowns.
The team uniform he wore in the Palau Sant Jordi suited him, too. Often dubbed &ldquo;the French Hercules&rdquo; Plaziat looked the part in a natty blue, white and red striped French bodysuit that brought to mind the extravagant blue and white striped pants worn by the Gallic cartoon strongman Obelix.
Like Asterix&rsquo;s muscular sidekick, Plaziat &ndash; or Plazman, as he became known by the French public &ndash; proceeded to summon the strength he needed to see off his opponents, before pulling his uniform down to his waist on a bare-chested lap of honour.
That distinctive bodysuit is now on display in the Museum of World Athletics, thanks to the generosity of the colourful French character who achieved a permanent place in track and field posterity when he finally struck global gold in Barcelona.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aad2068a49d684d3a746e0.jpg" alt="Christian Plaziat's 1995 World Indoor Championships bodysuit" />
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Christian Plaziat's 1995 World Indoor Championships bodysuit (&copy; MOWA)
It was the first time the men&rsquo;s heptathlon was contested as an official medal event at the World Indoor Championships, the event having been held as a demonstration competition in Toronto in 1993, O&rsquo;Brien topping the finishing order.
Plaziat was handily-placed throughout but only hit the front on day two, proving too strong for his rivals to dislodge thereafter.
After opening with 6.96 for 60m and following up with a 7.52m long jump, he settled into second place behind the Estonian Erki Nool, who proceeded to blow his 64-point lead in the shot put. Struggling with an injured hand, the future Olympic champion managed to scrape only a 10.46m final effort and dropped out of contention.
Plaziat threw a steady 14.92m to remain in second, 15 points down on Swede Henrik Dag&aring;rd, and then cleared 2.04m in the high jump. That left him in second spot at the end of day one with 3462 points, just six points behind new leader Sheldon Blockburger of the USA.
Day two, Sunday 12 March, could hardly have gone better for the big French hope. Plaziat flew out of the blocks in the 60m hurdles, clocking 7.85 to secure his first &ndash; and subsequently only &ndash; event &lsquo;win&rsquo; of the competition.
More importantly, he also took the lead for the first time &ndash; his running tally of 4482 points furnishing him with a healthy lead over the emerging Tomas Dvorak of Czechia (4455), Dag&aring;rd (4437) and USA&rsquo;s Ricky Barker (4411).
Plaziat was worried about losing ground, and pole position, to Barker in the pole vault but was guided smoothly through the competition by S&eacute;bastien Levicq. His French teammate topped the order with a 5.30m clearance, while successfully guiding Plaziat through to 5.10m, which Barker matched but was unable to better.
Plaziat started the final event with a 71-point lead over Barker and could afford to cruise through the 1000m, finishing fifth in 2:44.56 &ndash; four places and 5.16 seconds ahead of Barker. The French athlete took the gold with 6246 points, with future decathlon world record-breaker Dvorak coming through for silver (6169) and Dag&aring;rd sneaking the bronze (6142) ahead of Barker (6120).
Serenaded by horn-blaring, tricolour-waving friends, family and supporters, Plaziat savoured the golden moment to the full.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never really performed well without that sense of communication between the crowd and me,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When you saw me take my suit off at the end, it was more about the pleasure of being able to breathe &ndash; those suits are suffocating &ndash; than putting on a show.
&ldquo;My victory is important to me. It&rsquo;s a reward for 20 years&rsquo; work.&rdquo;
Two years later, his multi-events work was over. Sixth at the 1995 World Championships and 11th at the 1996 Olympics, Plaziat hung up his spikes after finishing fifth at the 1997 World Indoor Championships) in Paris.
He retired from track and field, initially to run a pub in Annecy, but his legend lived on.
The French decathlon record of 8574 points he set in 1990 in Split stood for more than a quarter of a century &ndash; until Kevin Mayer notched 8834 as Olympic silver medallist in 2016.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy that it lasted so long,&rdquo; Plaziat reflected. &ldquo;At 52, I&rsquo;ve spent more time living with the French record than without it.&rdquo;
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage
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<div><a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/visitMOWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6885f79e982e117f1338cb26.jpg" alt="MOWA banner" /></a>
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By the time Christian Plaziat made it back to Barcelona for the 1995 World Athletics Indoor Championships, his quest for a global medal had reached epic proportions

How Plaziat's world indoor title win rewarded 20 years of work

Five new athlete designs have been added to the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) Collectors&rsquo; Cards series and will debut at the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 in Toruń, Poland.
The exhibition, located at Toruń Plaza in the city centre, was <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/news/mowa-officially-opened-at-torun-plaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officially opened on 20 February</a> and forms part of the activations surrounding the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, which will take place from 20-22 March.
The latest additions to the Collectors&rsquo; Cards series highlight athletes whose careers are represented in the World Athletics Heritage Collection through artefacts generously donated to the MOWA.
All five athletes selected for the new cards have enjoyed notable success in indoor competition, reflecting the theme of the Toruń exhibition and the upcoming World Indoor Championships.
The five new cards feature:
&bull; No. 71 Nelli Cooman (NED) 60m &ndash; spikes worn when setting the 60m world indoor record in 1986 &bull; No.72 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 1500m &ndash; bodysuit and bib from the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22 &bull; No. 73 Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) high jump &ndash; notebook featuring the two-time world indoor champion&rsquo;s own artwork &bull; No. 74 Marcus O&rsquo;Sullivan (IRL) 1500m &ndash; singlet from the World Indoor Championships Indianapolis 1987 &bull; No. 75 Frank O&rsquo;Mara (IRL) 3000m &ndash; singlet and bib from the World Indoor Championships Seville 1991
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aac2465c0dfb6b5b903af3.jpg" alt="MOWA Collectors' Card for Frank O&rsquo;Mara" />
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MOWA Collectors' Card for Frank O&rsquo;Mara (&copy; MOWA)
Visitors to the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 will be able to obtain the new cards from Thursday 19 March, while stocks last. From the same day, the cards will also be available via the <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/visitMOWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online MOWA platform</a>.
With the addition of these five new designs, the series now comprises 75 cards in total. A list of the first 70 cards in the collection can be viewed <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/68b2e159810e64ae5a8d19da.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. The full set can be explored through the online MOWA platform, where individual cards can be requested free of charge
<h2>MOWA Donation Ceremony</h2>
A highlight of the exhibition&rsquo;s programme will be the MOWA Donation Ceremony, which will take place at the exhibition venue at 3:00pm on Saturday 21 March, between the morning and evening sessions of the World Indoor Championships.
The ceremony will be hosted by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe together with Michael H. Burke, Founding Patron of MOWA, and will feature a group of distinguished athletes who will contribute items from their careers to the World Athletics Heritage Collection.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aac22b5c0dfb6b5b903af0.jpg" alt="MOWA Collectors' Card for Nelli Cooman" />
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MOWA Collectors' Card for Nelli Cooman (&copy; MOWA)
The athletes who will make donations during the ceremony are:
&bull; Nelli Cooman (NED), two-time world indoor 60m champion &bull; Sebastian Chmara (POL), first Pole to win a world indoor gold medal (heptathlon in 1999) &bull; Daniel Komen (KEN), set 3000m and 5000m world indoor records in 1998 &bull; Adam Kszczot (POL), 800m world indoor champion in 2018 &bull; Noureddine Morceli (ALG), 1500m world indoor champion and record-holder in 1991 &bull; Pawel Wojciechowski (POL), pole vault world champion in 2011 and WIC Kujawy Pomorze 26 ambassador
The MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 presents a selection of artefacts, images and stories from the World Athletics Heritage Collection highlighting the history of indoor athletics since 1970, alongside displays celebrating the history of the Polish Athletic Association since its foundation in 1919.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for World Athletics Heritage 
<h3>MOWA exhibition details</h3>
Date: Friday 20 February &ndash; Sunday 22 March 2026 Location: Toruń PLAZA, Centrum Handlowo&ndash;Rozrywkowe, ul. Broniewskiego 90, 87-100 Toruń Opening hours: 9:00am &ndash; 9:00pm daily Admission: free
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<div><a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/visitMOWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6885f79e982e117f1338cb26.jpg" alt="MOWA banner" /></a>
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Five new athlete designs have been added to the Museum of World Athletics Collectors’ Cards series and will debut at the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26

Five new MOWA Collectors' Cards to debut at World Indoor Championships

<h3 style="text-align: center;">Mentorship a key driver in helping women grow into leadership positions in sport</h3>
Make your pledge&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/pledge-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>
World Athletics is calling on its Member Federations, Area Associations, coaches, technical officials, administrators, athletes and partners worldwide to pledge their time and expertise to mentor women and girls across all areas of the sport, as a commitment to closing the gender gap in athletics.
This pledge forms part of World Athletics&rsquo; contribution to the International Women&rsquo;s Day 2026 global campaign, #GiveToGain, which calls on individuals and organisations to give their time, resources and support to&nbsp;help forge gender equality through abundant giving. By encouraging stakeholders to pledge mentoring hours, World Athletics is turning the #GiveToGain message into practical action across the sport.
Stakeholders are encouraged to register their mentoring pledges via&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/pledge-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this form</a>&nbsp;where they can formally commit the number of mentoring hours they will dedicate over the next 12 months and beyond. They will be able to log their hours, indicate the area of support &ndash; such as coaching, officiating, administration, governance or media &ndash; and outline the type of mentorship they are pledging to provide, whether one-to-one guidance, group sessions, shadowing opportunities or structured development programmes. Pledges made should reflect what stakeholders are currently providing within their local athletics communities, or new support they are willing to offer to help women and girls progress in the sport.
&ldquo;Mentorship is one of the most powerful tools we have to accelerate change. Throughout my career, both on and off the track, I have seen how guidance, support and the willingness to open doors can change the trajectory of someone&rsquo;s life,&rdquo; said&nbsp;World Athletics President&nbsp;Sebastian Coe.
&ldquo;If we are serious about achieving gender equality in athletics, we must be equally serious about investing our time in the next generation of women leaders &ndash; in coaching, officiating, administration and governance. When we give our experience and expertise, we strengthen not only individuals, but the entire sport.&rdquo;
World Athletics already has a number of mentorship programmes aimed at creating pathways for the next generation of talent including the World Athletics Media Academy, Content Creator Programme and Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops.
<h3>World Athletics Media Academy and Content Creator Programme</h3>
With the aim of nurturing the next generation of media talent in the sport, World Athletics has established the Media Academy and Content Creator Programme. By addressing critical gaps in talent, diversity and expertise, the Media Academy is designed to ensure a bright future for the storytelling of athletics &ndash; in journalism, photography and broadcast commentary. Running alongside this is the Content Creator Programme, which was established in 2023 and has become a launch pad for content creators within the sport &ndash; providing a platform for talented creatives on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-media-academy-content-creator-programme-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more about the Media Academy and Content Creator programmes.</a>
<h3>Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops</h3>
Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops are designed to upskill Kids&rsquo; Athletics Leads with skills to deliver the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme, and to grow and build a strong network of coaches and teachers within the Member Federations. These Leads play a central role in rolling out the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme in their country, supporting and guiding coaches and teachers in their development. By strengthening these leaders, World Athletics is helping to create sustainable structures that expand opportunities at grassroots and community level.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/kids-athletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more about the Kids' Athletics programme.</a>
"We are calling on&nbsp;organisations and individuals to commit to mentoring women and girls in our sport, whether through formal programmes or one-on-one shadowing opportunities,&rdquo; said World Athletics Gender Leadership Taskforce Chair&nbsp;Stephanie Hightower. &ldquo;Together, by committing our time, expertise and leadership, the athletics community can bridge the gender gap and ensure women have equal opportunities to lead, officiate, coach and shape the future of the sport.&rdquo;
As part of this initiative, stakeholders are also encouraged to share stories of the work they are already doing to support women&rsquo;s advancement. These stories will be highlighted across World Athletics platforms throughout the year to celebrate these efforts and inspire further action and collaboration. The stories can be sent to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:genderleadership@worldathletics.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">genderleadership@worldathletics.org</a>
World Athletics will collect the pledges and connect mentors with aspiring future leaders looking for mentorship opportunities in our sport. The hours pledged and delivered will be tracked and reported to measure impact, ensure accountability and help strengthen development pathways for women across the sport.
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