Italy&rsquo;s Arianna Dentis and Sweden&rsquo;s Martin Nilsson claimed the first WMRA Mountain Running World Cup victories of their careers at Rollercoaster 21, closing the long distance season with two decisive performances in the Beskid Mały mountains in Poland on Saturday (19).
Dentis controlled the women&rsquo;s race from its opening stages and crossed the line in 1:55:03, almost four minutes ahead of USA&rsquo;s Maya Rayle, while Nilsson produced an equally authoritative performance in the men&rsquo;s race. After remaining close to the early pace, he moved clear over the second half of the course and won in 1:38:50, more than three minutes ahead of Great Britain&rsquo;s Finlay Grant.
Beautiful weather opened up views across the meadows, forests and lakes of the Beskid Mały for race day. Rollercoaster 21 covered 21.6km with 1511m of ascent and from the start in Międzybrodzie Bialskie, the runners climbed more than 500 metres during the opening three kilometres towards Czupel.
A long and technically demanding descent then carried the race towards Czernich&oacute;w. After crossing the Soła River, the course began climbing again, eventually reaching one of its defining sections on the way towards Mount Żar.
At the 7km checkpoint in the women&rsquo;s race, Dentis already held a lead of more than one minute and 40 seconds over Rayle. From there, Dentis continued to extend her advantage across the repeated climbs and technical descents. By the finish in Porąbka, the margin had grown to 3:48.
The victory rewarded a season in which Dentis had already competed at the Broken Arrow Ascent and Broken Arrow Skyrace, Grossglockner Mountain Run, both races at Vauban Mountain Trail, Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego. Poland was her eighth World Cup start of the year and the race in which all that work finally produced her first victory.
Rayle completed an impressive World Cup debut with second place in 1:58:52. C&eacute;line Aebi secured the final podium position in 2:02:04, surprising even herself with her strong performance.
Eden O&rsquo;Dea finished fourth, closely followed by Natalie Beadle in fifth. Rena Schwartz placed sixth, ahead of Selina Burch and Sara Willhoit. There was also a home top-10 finish for Izabela Wysluch, who crossed the line ninth. Alicia Shay-Vargo completed the first 10.
The men&rsquo;s race developed differently, but the final margin was just as convincing.
Maciej Lachowski was the quickest runner at the 7km checkpoint, passing through in 31:21. Nilsson was only 12 seconds behind, well positioned before the course entered its later sequence of climbs and descents.
From there, Nilsson took control. His strength across the full course allowed him to move clear of the leading group and build a winning margin of 3:07 by the finish.
After several strong World Cup performances during the season, including eighth place at Trofeo Nasego, Nilsson converted his consistency into his first World Cup victory.
The closest racing came behind him.
Grant made significant progress during the second half of the course. Sixth at the 7km checkpoint, his strength and confidence on the descents carried him through the field and into second place. He finished in 1:41:58.
Paul Knight remained close throughout and crossed the line just five seconds behind Grant, taking third in 1:42:02. Knight brought 28-minute 10,000m credentials to Poland and demonstrated that speed on the track could be transferred to a demanding mountain course of steep climbs and technical descents.
Luca Merli finished fourth, ahead of Pavol Orolin. Lachowski was the first Polish runner home in sixth. Oscar Subuh-Symons placed seventh, followed by Casey Campbell. Andrew Douglas and Karol Matyssek completed the men&rsquo;s top 10.
Rollercoaster 21 was the 14th race of the World Cup season, which had already visited Portugal, China, Spain, the United States, Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy.
It was also the fifth and final long distance race of the year, following Transvulcania Half Marathon, Broken Arrow Skyrace, Sierre-Zinal and Trofeo Nasego.
The overall World Cup now moves to D&eacute;fi des Couleurs in Canada on 10-11 October. The uphill final will take place on Saturday, followed by the up &amp; down final on Sunday.
After the&nbsp;Rollercoaster 21, Dentis and Nilsson will arrive in Canada higher in the overall standings &ndash; both now in sixth place. More significantly, they will arrive as World Cup winners for the first time.
H&eacute;ctor Rubio (WMRA) for World Athletics

Italy’s Arianna Dentis and Sweden’s Martin Nilsson claimed the first WMRA Mountain Running World Cup victories of their careers at Rollercoaster 21, closing the long distance season with two decisive performances in the Beskid Mały mountains

Dentis and Nilsson claim first World Cup wins in Miedzybrodzie Bialskie

Dawit Seare produced a superb late surge to deny Jakob Ingebrigtsen and claim the men&rsquo;s 5km title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 on Saturday (19).
The Eritrean &ndash; who won the African 5000m title earlier this year &ndash; overtook Ingebrigtsen in the closing stages of a fiercely contested race, crossing the line in a national record of 12:56. Ingebrigtsen, who briefly looked to have made the decisive move, followed three seconds later in a Norwegian record of 12:59, while Seare&rsquo;s teenage teammate Saymon Amanuel completed the podium in a PB of 13:00.
For Seare, who finished fourth at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga three years ago while still a teenager, victory completed his progression to the top of the global podium.
The early stages, though, belonged to France. Mediterranean Games 1500m champion Flavien Szot darted to the front shortly after the start and immediately injected pace into the race. His teammate Jimmy Gressier, who had run a European record of 12:51 in Lille earlier this year, positioned himself just behind alongside Ethiopia&rsquo;s Addisu Yihune and Kenyan youngster Charles Kiboino.
Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, was happy to sit in the middle of the pack and monitor proceedings. Szot led through the opening kilometre in 2:38, with Gressier tucked behind him, and the two-kilometre point was reached in 5:20. Soon afterwards Szot stepped off the course, his early effort having effectively served as a pacemaking stint at the front.
Gressier then assumed control, with Yihune and Amanuel closest behind. The race was beginning to change by the approach to 3km. Ingebrigtsen had moved steadily through the field and was now about seventh, while Gressier surrendered the lead to Amanuel. Kiboino remained prominent, as did Seare, who had kept himself within striking distance throughout.
As the leading group approached four kilometres, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Mezgebu Sime made the next significant move, charging into the lead shortly before the checkpoint, which was reached in about 10:20.
His advantage lasted barely a minute, as Seare came through to take command as the field prepared for the long finishing drive, while Ingebrigtsen had now worked his way into second.
The Norwegian was racing on his 26th birthday and seeking another global title just eight days after winning the 5000m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. Copenhagen was only his second road 5km and his third consecutive weekend of major championship racing.
With about 30 seconds of running remaining, Ingebrigtsen moved past Seare and into the lead. For a few moments, it appeared that the Olympic 5000m champion had timed his move perfectly. But Seare was not finished.
The Eritrean responded almost immediately, finding another gear as the line approached. He drew back alongside Ingebrigtsen before pulling clear in the final metres, breaking the tape in a national record of 12:56.
Ingebrigtsen held on for silver in 12:59, improving significantly on the 13:28 he had run in his only previous road 5km six years ago. Amanuel, still only 19, capped an excellent day for Eritrea by taking bronze in 13:00.
Australia&rsquo;s Ky Robinson finished just outside the medals, clocking an Oceanian record of 13:04. The 2025 world indoor 3000m bronze medallist had arrived in Copenhagen after winning the Commonwealth 10,000m title, finishing second over 5000m and placing ninth at the Ultimate Championship.
Uganda&rsquo;s Keneth Kiprop matched Robinson&rsquo;s 13:04 with a PB in fifth, followed by Yihune in 13:07 and Sime in a season&rsquo;s best of 13:08.
The performances by Yihune and Sime helped Ethiopia to the mixed team title, alongside Likina Amebaw and Aleshign Baweke who finished first (14:41) and fifth (14:53), respectively, in the women's race.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
1 Dawit Seare (ERI) 12:56 2 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 12:59 3 Saymon Amanuel (ERI) 13:00 4 Ky Robinson (AUS) 13:04 5 Keneth Kiprop (UGA) 13:04 6 Addisu Yihune (ETH) 13:07 7 Mezgebu Sime (ETH) 13:08 8 Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (KEN) 13:11 9 Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) 13:12 10 Maxime Chaumeton (RSA) 13:13
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/copenhagen26/results/men/5-kilometres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
<h3>Mixed team medallists</h3>
1 Ethiopia (Likina Amebaw, Aleshign Baweke, Addisu Yihune, Mezgebu Sime) 55:49 2 Australia (Rose Davies, Georgia Griffith, Ky Robinson, Toby Gillen) 56:30 3 Kenya (Caroline Gitonga, Caroline Nyaga, Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang, Charles Kiboino) 56:31

World Athletics Road Running Championships

Coverage of the men's 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Seare outkicks Ingebrigtsen to claim world 5km title in Copenhagen

Likina Amebaw added another global title to her collection just six days on from claiming the Ultimate 5000m crown, securing a dominant 5km victory at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 on Saturday (19).
The Ethiopian 28-year-old took control of the race during the first kilometre and made her winning move as she reached the 4km mark, kicking away from Kenya&rsquo;s Caroline Gitonga.
Her rivals had no response, leaving Amebaw enough time to celebrate on her approach to the finish line, which she crossed with her arms raised in 14:41. Gitonga secured silver in 14:48, while Australia&rsquo;s Rose Davies finished strongly to clinch bronze in an Oceanian record of 14:50.
Racing on a cool afternoon, it was Great Britain&rsquo;s Megan Keith who made her way to the front of the field early on. Amebaw soon joined her and then eased past, followed by Gitonga and Uganda&rsquo;s Charity Cherop.
The leaders, who covered the first kilometre down &Oslash;sterbrogade in just outside three minutes, picked up the pace and by the time they reached the 2km marker in around 5:54, Amebaw was in charge of a breakaway group of three &ndash; ahead of her compatriot Aleshign Baweke and Gitonga.
Gitonga then took a turn at the front and they hit the 3km mark inside nine minutes. Baweke struggled to maintain the pace and with 10 minutes on the clock she had been dropped, Amebaw and Gitonga running side by side.
Baweke was five seconds back as the leaders ran alongside the lake, approaching the final kilometre. And that 4km marker was Amebaw&rsquo;s sign to surge &ndash; she moved away from Gitonga with ease, returning past Trianglen with only the final 600-metre stretch past Parken remaining.
Amebaw could enjoy the moment &ndash; starting her celebrations with the finish line in sight and securing a seven-second victory. Davies was a couple of seconds behind Gitonga, clinching the final podium place by a second ahead of South Africa&rsquo;s fast-finishing Tayla Kavanagh in a PB of 14:51. Baweke was fifth in 14:53.
The top six all finished inside 15 minutes, Spain&rsquo;s Marta Garc&iacute;a next over the finish line in a PB of 14:59.
The performances by Amebaw and Baweke helped Ethiopia to the mixed team title, alongside Addisu Yihune and Mezgebu Sime who finished sixth (13:07) and seventh (13:08), respectively, in the men's race.
It has been a highly successful year for&nbsp;Amebaw, who has impressed on the road and track. After opening 2026 with a 10km PB of&nbsp;29:29 in Valencia, she secured a series of top-two finishes on the Diamond League circuit before finishing second in the final in Brussels over 5000m.
Just nine days later she stormed to a dominant 5000m victory at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Amebaw's performance in Copenhagen completing her three consecutive weekends of major competition.
"I'm coming straight from Budapest, but the shift from track to road was not really difficult as I have been training both at the same time," she explained. "The track was a bit difficult for me so running the 5km today was better and I felt good &ndash; I had prepared for road racing.
"I knew I had to push from the very start and it worked as planned. There was a little bit of wind, but it was okay and I managed to find some good spots on the course."
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
1&nbsp;Likina Amebaw (ETH)&nbsp;14:41&nbsp; 2&nbsp;Caroline Gitonga (KEN)&nbsp;14:48&nbsp; 3&nbsp;Rose Davies (AUS)&nbsp;14:50 4&nbsp;Tayla Kavanagh (RSA)&nbsp;14:51 5&nbsp;Aleshign Baweke (ETH)&nbsp;14:53 6&nbsp;Marta Garc&iacute;a (ESP)&nbsp;14:59 7 Georgia Griffith (AUS) 15:01 8 Samiya Hassan Nour (DJI) 15:04 9 Hannah Gapes (NZL) 15:06 10 Hannah Nuttall (GBR) 15:08
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/copenhagen26/results/women/5-kilometres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
<h3>Mixed team medallists</h3>
1 Ethiopia (Likina Amebaw,&nbsp;Aleshign Baweke,&nbsp;Addisu Yihune, Mezgebu Sime) 55:49 2 Australia (Rose Davies,&nbsp;Georgia Griffith,&nbsp;Ky Robinson, Toby Gillen) 56:30 3 Kenya (Caroline Gitonga, Caroline Nyaga,&nbsp;Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang, Charles Kiboino) 56:31

Likina Amebaw added another global title to her collection just six days on from claiming the Ultimate 5000m crown, securing a dominant 5km victory at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Amebaw adds world 5km crown to Ultimate win in Copenhagen

Robert Farken timed his challenge to perfection to win the men&rsquo;s road mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, charging past Yared Nuguse in the closing stages to triumph in a world-leading German record of 3:51.80 on Saturday (19).
The German produced his decisive move at almost exactly the same point on the V-shaped Copenhagen course as Agathe Guillemot had done in the women&rsquo;s race 20 minutes earlier, overhauling long-time leader Nuguse before powering towards the finish near Parken Stadium.
Farken&rsquo;s 3:51.80 moved him to second on the world all-time list for the road mile, behind only Elliot Giles&rsquo; world record of 3:51.3. Nuguse held on for silver in a season&rsquo;s best of 3:52.33, while Luxembourg&rsquo;s Ruben Querinjean produced one of the surprises of the championships to take bronze in a national record of 3:52.77.
Nuguse had spoken before the race of challenging Giles&rsquo; world record and made his intentions clear from the gun. The Olympic 1500m bronze medallist immediately went to the front and quickly opened a small gap, his long stride stretching the field behind him into a V formation as they raced along &Oslash;sterbrogade towards Trianglen. Jake Heyward was the closest pursuer, a stride or so back, with Farken settled in third.
Unlike the cagey women&rsquo;s race before it, there was no waiting around. Nuguse continued to dictate the race as the runners swept towards the turnaround point, reached with about 2:15 on the clock. The distinctive course then sent the athletes back along &Oslash;sterbrogade towards the final stretch past Parken.
As they emerged from the turn with about 600 metres remaining, the chase began in earnest. The advantage Nuguse had established in the opening stages gradually started to disappear as Farken and the athletes behind him began their long drive for home. Nuguse continued to press at the front, but Farken was visibly gaining with every stride.
Then, at almost exactly the same part of the course at which Guillemot had made her winning move in the women&rsquo;s race, Farken swept past. Nuguse gritted his teeth and fought to stay with him, but Farken had timed his effort superbly. The 28-year-old pulled clear through the closing metres and charged across the line in 3:51.80.
It completed another significant step in the finest season of Farken&rsquo;s career. The German finished sixth over 1500m at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo and has rewritten his national record books in 2026, clocking 3:30.09 for 1500m en route to a 3:46.82 mile in London in July. He had also finished 11th at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest just six days before his Copenhagen triumph.
&ldquo;I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen," said Farken. "I&rsquo;ve been training with Yared and we&rsquo;ve shared the same Airbnb for the past four days. His racing hadn&rsquo;t quite gone to plan recently, so I knew he had that fire in him and would want to take it out hard.
&ldquo;I knew I needed to stay close to him and find some shelter from the wind a few places back. I&rsquo;ve raced a road mile before and it felt so much longer than I expected, so today I took it bit by bit. I kept telling myself to wait, wait, wait. Then in the end I just put everything into it and ran.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very overwhelming to come away with a world gold medal, and it&rsquo;s very special to do it with Yared. It shows how good the work Dathan (Ritzenhein) and Kelsey (Quinn) are doing with us in Boulder, and it gets me really fired up for the future.
"This was definitely my final race of the season," added Farken. "It&rsquo;s also my last day in my twenties &ndash; my birthday is tomorrow. I don&rsquo;t think I need anything else for my birthday after this.&rdquo;
Nuguse, meanwhile, once again showed his strength on the roads. His 3:52.33 in Copenhagen gave him another global medal to add to his Olympic 1500m bronze.
Perhaps the biggest breakthrough, though, came from Querinjean. Better known as a steeplechaser, the 24-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 campaign. He took European steeplechase silver in Birmingham last month and later lowered his Luxembourg record to 8:05.36.
His bronze was also historic. It was the first global senior athletics medal won by a Luxembourg man since Josy Barthel&rsquo;s 1952 Olympic 1500m gold.
Morocco&rsquo;s Anass Essayi finished fourth in a PB of 3:53.28, with France&rsquo;s Flavien Szot setting a national record of 3:53.44 in fifth. Oliver Hoare was sixth in an Australian record of 3:53.65, followed by Italy&rsquo;s Pietro Arese in a PB of 3:54.37.
Vincent Ciattei was eighth in&nbsp;3:54.62, helping USA to the mixed team title alongside runner-up Nuguse as well as Addison Wiley and Gracie Hyde, who respectively finished 10th (4:31.02)&nbsp;and 11th&nbsp;(4:31.92) in the women's race.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
1 Robert Farken (GER) 3:51.80 2 Yared Nuguse (USA) 3:52.33 3 Ruben Querinjean (LUX) 3:52.77 4 Anass Essayi (MAR) 3:53.28 5 Flavien Szot (FRA) 3:53.44 6 Oliver Hoare (AUS) 3:53.65 7 Pietro Arese (ITA) 3:54.37 8 Vincent Ciattei (USA) 3:54.62 9 Jude Thomas (AUS) 3:54.92 10 Tshepo Tshite (RSA) 3:55.66
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/copenhagen26/results/men/road-mile/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
<h3>Mixed team medallists</h3>
1 United States (Addison Wiley, Gracie Hyde, Yared Nuguse, Vincent Ciattei) 16:49.89 2 Australia (Linden Hall, Sarah Billings, Oliver Hoare, Jude Thomas) 16:50.61 3 Kenya (Mirriam Cherop, Naomi Korir, Brian Komen, Kyumbe Munguti) 16:51.36

Coverage of the men's mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Farken surges to world road mile title in Copenhagen

Agathe Guillemot produced a perfectly timed finish to claim the women&rsquo;s road mile title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, clocking a world-leading European record of 4:22.74 on Saturday (19).
The French 27-year-old remained patient as a large lead group stayed together for much of the V-shaped course through Copenhagen, before moving to the front with little more than 20 seconds of racing remaining and kicking decisively for the first individual global title of her career.
Three years after taking silver at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Freweyni Hailu again finished second, this time in a season&rsquo;s best of 4:24.35. Kenya&rsquo;s Mirriam Cherop earned bronze in 4:25.71, also a season&rsquo;s best, while home favourite Annemarie Nissen delighted the Danish crowd by finishing fourth in a PB of 4:26.78.
Guillemot&rsquo;s winning time took almost half a second off the previous European record of 4:23.25 set by Jemma Reekie in Dusseldorf earlier this month and moved the Frenchwoman to fourth on the world all-time list.
Hailu, one of the most experienced athletes in the field, was prominent from the outset alongside USA&rsquo;s Addison Wiley. Behind them, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Birke Haylom and Guillemot were content to tuck into a tightly packed group as the athletes headed along &Oslash;sterbrogade.
The Copenhagen course sent the athletes out along &Oslash;sterbrogade before turning them back towards the finish near Parken Stadium, and with nobody willing to force the issue early, the pack remained largely intact through 800m in 2:18.
The turn was reached with about 2:44 on the clock and still there was no decisive move. Hailu and Wiley remained among the leading figures, while Guillemot stayed close enough to react without committing too soon.
Her patience proved crucial. With 3:57 on the clock and the finish line in sight, Guillemot swept into the lead and accelerated hard. She quickly created daylight between herself and the chasing pack and maintained the advantage all the way to the line.
She raised her arms after crossing in 4:22.74, bringing to a close a season that has taken her across track, short track, cross country and now road racing.
Copenhagen was the third major meeting in as many weekends for Guillemot. She had finished sixth over 1500m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels before placing eighth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 seven days later.
Her year had already included mixed relay silver at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, fourth place over 1500m at the World Indoor Championships and a French 1500m record of 3:56.24 in Paris in June.
&ldquo;I felt great during the race," said Guillemot. "In the first part I didn&rsquo;t want to make any extra effort, so I just followed the others. After the turn, I kept pushing and pushing, and I believed in it.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice to finish with a medal &ndash; and even nicer to finish with gold. It has been a very long season, with a lot of races and some difficult moments. It wasn&rsquo;t a perfect season, but it had a perfect ending.
&ldquo;I love running," added Guillemot, who started out as a heptathlete before moving to the middle distances. "I love cross country, indoors and outdoors, and I like doing lots of different things. Maybe I&rsquo;ll run the European Cross Country Championships in December. Longer distances are good for me.&rdquo;
Behind her, Hailu showed once again how well suited she is to the road mile. The Ethiopian had run 4:23.06 when finishing second to Diribe Welteji at the 2023 championships in Riga and returned to the same step of the podium in Copenhagen.
One of the biggest cheers of the race, meanwhile, was reserved for Nissen. The Dane stayed with the leading contenders throughout and was rewarded with fourth place in 4:26.78.
Kenya&rsquo;s Naomi Korir followed in a PB of 4:29.15, just ahead of Jamaica&rsquo;s Adelle Tracey, who also set a PB with 4:29.30. Australia&rsquo;s Linden Hall was seventh in an area record of 4:29.36, with Canada&rsquo;s Lucia Stafford eighth in a PB of 4:29.51, one place ahead of her sister Gabriela DeBues-Stafford.
Wiley's 10th place in 4:31.02 helped USA to the mixed team title alongside Gracie Hyde, who was one place behind her compatriot in the individual race (4:31.92), and Yared Nuguse and Vincent Ciattei, who respectively finished second (3:52.33) and eighth (3:54.62) in the men's race.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<h3>Leading individual results</h3>
1 Agathe Guillemot (FRA) 4:22.74 2 Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 4:24.35 3 Mirriam Cherop (KEN) 4:25.71 4 Annemarie Nissen (DEN) 4:26.78 5 Naomi Korir (KEN) 4:29.15 6 Adelle Tracey (JAM) 4:29.30 7 Linden Hall (AUS) 4:29.36 8 Lucia Stafford (CAN) 4:29.51 9 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN) 4:30.59 10 Addison Wiley (USA) 4:31.02
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/copenhagen26/results/women/road-mile/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
<h3>Mixed team medallists</h3>
1 United States (Addison Wiley,&nbsp;Gracie Hyde,&nbsp;Yared Nuguse, Vincent Ciattei) 16:49.89 2 Australia (Linden Hall, Sarah Billings, Oliver Hoare, Jude Thomas) 16:50.61 3 Kenya (Mirriam Cherop, Naomi Korir, Brian Komen, Kyumbe Munguti) 16:51.36

Coverage of the women's mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Guillemot kicks to world road mile title in Copenhagen

Marileidy Paulino maintained her unbeaten season in dramatic fashion at Athlos in London on Friday (18), just catching Henriette Jaeger in a high-quality 400m that produced two sub-49-second performances.
The Olympic champion clocked a meeting record of 48.73, edging Norway&rsquo;s Jaeger by just 0.05 as she smashed her national record with 48.78.
Jaeger and Nickisha Pryce attacked the race from the outset, with Jaeger reaching 200m in 23.69 while Paulino was half a second behind in sixth. The Dominican began to close on the leaders around the final bend and moved into third with 100m remaining, but Jaeger still held a clear advantage for much of the home straight.
Paulino gradually ate into the deficit and finally caught Jaeger in the closing metres to extend her winning streak through an undefeated 2026 season.
It was Paulino&rsquo;s 15th career sub-49-second performance, equalling the all-time record. Eight of those have come this year, also a record number within a single calendar year.
Jaeger's 48.78, meanwhile, is the fastest 400m performance by a European athlete since Marie-Jose Perec's victory at the 1996 Olympics. She now moves to 13th on the world all-time list.
Two more meeting records fell in the 100m and 800m.
Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson took control of the 100m during the second half of the race, powering clear to win in 10.80. New Zealand&rsquo;s Zoe Hobbs was second in 11.19.
Keely Hodgkinson improved her own meeting record in the 800m, winning by more than two seconds in 1:56.40. The first lap was covered in 57.53, with Raevyn Rogers leading and Hodgkinson on her shoulder before the Olympic champion moved away. Eloisa Coiro Rosamilia finished second in 1:58.75.
There was a late twist in the mile, where Klaudia Kazimierska continued her strong end-of-season form. Georgia Hunter Bell led into the closing stages and was trying to hold off Kenya&rsquo;s Dorcus Ewoi, but Kazimierska charged through on the inside to win in 4:19.43. Hunter Bell was second in 4:19.54 and Ewoi third in 4:19.84.
Gabby Thomas won the 200m in 22.13 from Kayla White&rsquo;s 22.40, while Alaysha Johnson edged Tobi Amusan by 0.01 in the 100m hurdles, 12.50 to 12.51.
Alyssa Jones took victory in the long jump, her 6.66m best giving her a two-centimetre advantage over Hilary Kpatcha.

Marileidy Paulino maintained her unbeaten season in dramatic fashion at Athlos in London on Friday 

Paulino pips Jaeger in 400m thriller as meeting records fall at Athlos in London

World Athletics is proud to announce two landmark initiatives in its Athletics for a Better World programme: becoming a signatory to the Sports for Nature Framework, a global initiative aiming to deliver transformative action for nature through sports, and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the UNHCR, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to further its commitment to working with refugee athletes around the world.
<h2>&lsquo;Protecting nature helps to protect the long-term future of our sport&rsquo;</h2>
Launched in 2022, the Sports for Nature Framework sets out four key principles to help sport organisations protect and restore biodiversity and reverse nature loss:
&middot; to protect nature and avoid damage to natural habitats and species;
&middot; restore and regenerate nature wherever possible;
&middot; understand and reduce risks to nature in their supply chains; and
&middot; educate and inspire positive action for nature across and beyond sport.
"Doing what we can to protect nature helps to protect the long-term future of our sport," said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. "Our sport, all sport, depends on healthy ecosystems, clear air and clean water.&rdquo;
"This is an issue that our athletes care deeply about," Coe continued. "Nature is where they train, where they compete, where they relax and reflect. We must take steps where we can to act on those concerns."
To mark the occasion, World Athletics released a video comprised of messages from several of its Champions for a Better World, a group of athletes who are lending their voices to sustainability campaigning within the sport.
<div style="padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="World Athletics and Sport for Nature Athlete Voices" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1227384837?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
"Signing this framework is really important for World Athletics, and for all sports, because we depend on nature to do our sport," said Commonwealth pole vault champion Eliza McCartney, one of the athletes who participated in the video. "It's something that's integral to our lives as athletes so it means a lot to us to be a part of that. And I'm very proud to be part of this.&rdquo;
Olympians Elena Vallortigara, Sam Mattis, Ajla Del Ponte and Rhydian Cowley also contributed messages.
As part of its commitment to the Framework, World Athletics will:
&middot; further embed biodiversity consideration in event delivery through the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard
&middot; incorporate biodiversity considerations into the ABW Impact Standard for Federations (to be launched in 2027)
&middot; continue to provide athletes with platforms to voice their environment concerns and to champion solutions, and
&middot; require all hosts of World Athletics Championship events from 2027 to undertake a biodiversity assessment pre-event to help with mitigation and risk management planning, and post-event for accountability, future benchmarking and event legacy.
<h2>Strengthening collaboration with UN&rsquo;s Refugee Agency</h2>
The Memorandum of Understanding with the UN&rsquo;s Refugee Agency builds on World Athletics&rsquo; long-standing collaboration with UNHCR and will help expand athletics&rsquo; positive impact on refugee athletes and communities worldwide.
&ldquo;What began as a largely grassroots initiative at a refugee camp in Kenya ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, has grown to become the world&rsquo;s only year-round full-time refugee team programme,&rdquo; Coe said. &ldquo;The programme will only grow stronger thanks to our ongoing collaboration and friendship with UNHCR.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6aad3e220727fc92d178c1bd.jpeg" alt="World Athletics signs on to Sports for Nature Framework and MOU with UNHCR" /></div>
Jorge Olague, UNHCR&rsquo;s Head of Private Sector Partnerships, said: &ldquo;At UNHCR we recognise the power and potential of sport to transform the lives of refugees and all those forced to flee violence, conflict and persecution. We thank World Athletics for their commitment to providing opportunities to young refugees through athletics and helping change the narrative on forced displacement with the Athlete Refugee Team."
Athletics Kenya, represented by its president Jackson Tuwei, joined World Athletics as a signatory of the Sports for Nature Framework at a ceremony today in the Danish capital on the eve of the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26.
Athletics Kenya, along with the country&rsquo;s national Olympic committee NOCK, has also played a pivotal role in the Athlete Refugee Team programme, providing logistical support, training and competition opportunities to several refugee athletes based in Kenya.
Kenyan athletes have also provided inspiration, including two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, who has served as a mentor for the Athlete Refugee Team since 2023.
In a video message addressing both the refugee team programme MOU and the Sports for Nature initiative, the former world record-holder said: &ldquo;As sports men and women, we have the power to make a difference. And the more we consolidate our efforts for a better world, the brighter future we will leave behind for the planet, our children and future generations.&rdquo;
<div style="padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Eliud Kipchoge - Message for Sport for Nature, Athletics Kenya and the Athlete Refugee Team" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1227384838?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
- <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-signs-sports-nature-framework-biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more about the World Athletics commitment to the Sports for Nature Framework</a>
- <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-mou-unhcr-refugees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more about the World Athletics MOU with UNHCR, the UN&rsquo;s Refugee Agency</a>

World Athletics is proud to announce two landmark initiatives in its Athletics for a Better World programme

World Athletics signs on to Sports for Nature Framework and MOU with UNHCR

World Athletics is proud to announce it has become signatory to the <a href="https://sportsfornature.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sports for Nature Framework</a>, a global initiative aiming to deliver transformative action for nature through sports.
Launched in 2022, the framework sets out four key principles to help sport organisations protect and restore biodiversity and reverse nature loss:
&middot; to protect nature and avoid damage to natural habitats and species;
&middot; restore and regenerate nature wherever possible;
&middot; understand and reduce risks to nature in their supply chains; and
&middot; educate and inspire positive action for nature across and beyond sport.
<h2>&lsquo;Protecting nature helps to protect the long-term future of our sport&rsquo;</h2>
Speaking at a signing ceremony today in the Danish capital on the eve of the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: "Doing what we can to protect nature helps to protect the long-term future of our sport. Our sport, all sport, depends on healthy ecosystems, clear air and clean water.&rdquo;
"This is an issue that our athletes care deeply about," Coe continued. "Nature is where they train, where they compete, where they relax and reflect. We must take steps where we can to act on those concerns."
Athletics Kenya joined World Athletics as a signatory of the Framework, which now includes more than 150 federations, leagues and clubs as members.
"Environmental changes are affecting athletics significantly in Kenya and the African Region,&rdquo; said Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei, who also attended the ceremony. &ldquo;It is important that Athletics Kenya is committed to restoring and preserving nature for the benefit of our athletes and the sport."
To mark the occasion, World Athletics released a video comprised of messages from several of its <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/champions-better-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Champions for a Better World</a>, a group of athletes who are lending their voices to sustainability campaigning within the sport.
<div style="padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="World Athletics and Sport for Nature Athlete Voices" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1227384837?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
"Signing this framework is really important for World Athletics, and for all sports, because we depend on nature to do our sport," said reigning Commonwealth pole vault champion Eliza McCartney, one of athletes who participated in the video. "It's something that's integral to our lives as athletes so it means a lot to us to be a part of that. And I'm very proud to be part of this.&rdquo;
Olympians Elena Vallortigara, Sam Mattis, Ajla Del Ponte and Rhydian Cowley also contributed messages.
<h2>Biodiversity assessments for all championship hosts</h2>
As part of its commitment to the Framework, World Athletics will:
&middot; further embed biodiversity consideration in event delivery through the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard by strengthening tools and guidance so it becomes a practical, measurable part of sustainable event delivery
&middot; incorporate biodiversity considerations into the ABW Impact Standard for Federations (to be launched in 2027), to encourage its 214 member federations to drive positive change for nature,
&middot; continue to provide athletes, those at both the professional and grassroots levels, with platforms to voice their environment concerns and to champion solutions through a dedicated newsletter and annual campaigns, and
&middot; require all hosts of World Athletics Championship events from 2027 to undertake a biodiversity assessment pre-event to help with mitigation and risk management planning, and post-event for accountability, future benchmarking and event legacy.
Hosts will use the BENCHES Biodiversity Assessment Tool to identify, measure and mitigate biodiversity impacts across their value chains and ecosystems. The groundbreaking tool was developed by the BENCHES (Biodiversity, Ecosystem and Nature Conservation Helped and Enhanced by Sports) consortium, an Erasmus+ funded project on biodiversity management in sport, of which World Athletics is a partner.
<h2>Addressing the triple planetary crisis</h2>
Together, these actions commit World Athletics to addressing all three elements of the UN&rsquo;s triple planetary crisis framework: climate change through the Sport for Climate Action Framework, pollution through air quality work conducted by its Health and Science Department, and biodiversity loss through the Sports for Nature Framework. All three are also covered in its 10-year Sustainability Strategy, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/organisation/news/sustainability-strategy-midway-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whose midway review was published in June</a>.
<a href="https://sportsfornature.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sports for Nature</a> is a joint initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.
Susan Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Division at UNEP, said: "As a runner, I know personally how closely sport connects us to the natural world. Athletes everywhere depend on healthy nature to train, compete and thrive &mdash; and many of those places are under growing pressure. World Athletics and Athletics Kenya have an extraordinary reach, and with it an opportunity to inspire millions of people to protect and restore nature. I am delighted they are joining Sports for Nature and look forward to seeing their commitment turned into action.&rdquo;
As part of its sustainability activations in Copenhagen, World Athletics produced a Copenhagen urban biodiversity map, illustrating some of the hundreds of plant and animal species that live along the half marathon course at different times of the year. On display at the race expo, which is expected to attract more than 130,000 visitors in the lead-in to this weekend&rsquo;s races, the map includes a call to action inviting runners to help preserve the city&rsquo;s biodiversity during their training and competition. The map also highlights the work of the BENCHES project.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6aad564508241c0b63dba817.jpg" alt="Copenhagen biodiversity map" /></div>
Susanne Pedersen, Director of the IUCN Centre for Science and Knowledge, who attended the ceremony, said: &ldquo;It is fantastic to see World Athletics and Copenhagen Zoo, a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, joining forces to celebrate Copenhagen&rsquo;s remarkable biodiversity and share it with such a broad audience. This is sport at its best: using its reach to connect people with nature and showing what can be achieved when the sport and nature communities work together - exactly the spirit of the Sports for Nature initiative!&rdquo;
Sports for Nature aims to deliver transformative action for nature through sports, by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. It provides a game plan for sports --at all levels-- to accelerate and inspire others to take action for nature.
<a href="https://erasmus-benches.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BENCHES consortium</a> partners include World Athletics, the International Biathlon Union, World Sailing, Benfica, the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation and the Sant&rsquo;Anna School of Advanced Studies.

World Athletics is proud to announce it has become signatory to the Sports for Nature Framework

World Athletics signs on to Sports for Nature Framework, strengthening commitment to nature and biodiversity

World Athletics is proud to announce signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to further its commitment to working with refugee athletes around the world.
The Memorandum of Understanding with the UN Refugee Agency builds on World Athletics&rsquo; long-standing collaboration with UNHCR and will help expand athletics&rsquo; positive impact on refugee athletes and communities worldwide.
&ldquo;What began as a largely grassroots initiative at a refugee camp in Kenya ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, has grown to become the world&rsquo;s only year-round full-time refugee team programme,&rdquo; World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said. &ldquo;The programme will only grow stronger thanks to our ongoing collaboration and friendship with UNHCR.&rdquo;
The team made its first competitive appearance as part of the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, a debut that became a source of inspiration for tens of millions of displaced persons from around the world and whose stories resonated with millions more.
World Athletics built on that foundation to create what is now a formalised team &ndash; albeit one whose athletes are currently spread across eight countries &ndash; which has competed as the Athlete Refugee Team (ART) in nearly all World Athletics Series events since.
Members of the team of four who will be competing at this weekend&rsquo;s World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 were present at the signing ceremony today in the Danish capital.
Jorge Olague, UNHCR&rsquo;s Head of Private Sector Partnerships, who also attended the ceremony, said: &ldquo;At UNHCR we recognise the power and potential of sport to transform the lives of refugees and all those forced to flee violence, conflict and persecution. We thank World Athletics for their commitment to providing opportunities to young refugees through athletics and helping change the narrative on forced displacement with the Athlete Refugee Team."
While its relationship with UNHCR began in 2020, World Athletics formalised the collaboration when signing on to the Joint Sport Pledge launched by the Sport for Refugees Coalition at the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023, and reaffirmed its commitment to the pledge at the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review in December 2025, highlighting its support to talented refugee athletes by offering them competition opportunities at global and continental competitions.
The MOU outlines current and future priority areas for cooperation where the respective and complementary tools, capacities and expertise of the two organisations can be optimised and assistance towards forcibly displaced and stateless persons can be improved.
The purpose of this MOU is for UNHCR and World Athletics to commit to continue assisting and upholding the rights of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other persons of concern to UNHCR and affected communities through partnership using athletics as a tool for inclusion and protection globally.
The specific objectives of the partnership between UNHCR and World Athletics include:
&middot; Providing opportunities for young athletes from affected communities to access elite athletics programmes, including training camps, coaching opportunities and media training;
&middot; Promoting and facilitating equal access to and participation of refugees and other persons of concern in relevant athletics competitions at local, national, continental and international levels, including at the Youth Olympics Games Dakar 2026 and the World Athletics Championships Beijing 2027;
&middot; Increasing the availability and access to organised athletics and sport-based initiatives for refugee and hosting communities, actively considering age, gender, ability and other diversity needs, including through the World Athletics Kids&rsquo; Athletic Programme;
&middot; Promoting the mental health and wellbeing of young refugees through joint communications and advocacy initiatives; and
&middot; Promoting the protection of refugee athletes through the implementation of the World Athletics Safeguarding Policy in collaboration with the Athletics Integrity Unit and UNHCR&rsquo;s Protection Policy and Guidance.
To further those objectives, UNHCR and World Athletics have agreed to collaborate in the areas of protection, inclusion, advocacy and sports diplomacy, communication and the support of elite sports.
Athletics Kenya, along with the country&rsquo;s national Olympic committee NOCK, has also played a pivotal role in the Athlete Refugee Team programme, providing logistical support, training and competition opportunities to several refugee athletes based in Kenya. Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei, who is also a World Athletics Council Vice President, also attended the signing ceremony.
Kenyan athletes have also provided inspiration during the programme&rsquo;s first decade, including two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, who has served as a mentor for the Athlete Refugee Team since 2023.
In a video message addressing both the refugee team programme MOU and the Sports for Nature initiative also announced in Copenhagen, the former world record-holder said: &ldquo;As sports men and women, we have the power to make a difference. And the more we consolidate our efforts for a better world, the brighter future we will leave behind for the planet, our children and future generations.&rdquo;
<div style="padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Eliud Kipchoge - Message for Sport for Nature, Athletics Kenya and the Athlete Refugee Team" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1227384838?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

World Athletics is proud to announce signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the UNHCR

World Athletics signs MOU with UNHCR, furthering its commitment to working with refugees around the world

The world&rsquo;s best road runners will share the streets with thousands of recreational athletes this weekend as Copenhagen hosts what World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described as an &ldquo;extraordinary demonstration of humanity in running&rdquo;.
Six world titles will be decided across the road mile, 5km and half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, with the elite races forming part of a two-day festival of running in the Danish capital.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference on Friday (18), Coe highlighted participation as one of the key pillars of World Athletics and praised Copenhagen for embracing a format that brings together runners of all levels.
&ldquo;This weekend is an extraordinary demonstration of humanity in running,&rdquo; said Coe. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so pleased that participation, which is one of our core pillars at World Athletics, is being demonstrated so clearly on the streets of Copenhagen this week.&rdquo;
It is a concept with which Copenhagen is already familiar. The city hosted the World Half Marathon Championships in 2014, an edition that helped pioneer the model of staging mass participation races alongside an elite global championship.
Christopher R&oslash;hl, Mayor of Culture, Leisure and Citizen Services for the City of Copenhagen, believes the return of a global road running championship provides an opportunity to build on that legacy.
&ldquo;Copenhagen has shown that world-class sport and mass participation belong together,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;Whether you are running your first mile, your first 5km, or you are competing for a world title, you are all part of the same event. This is the kind of running community that we want to strengthen here in Copenhagen.&rdquo;
Few athletes on the start line will understand that community better than Denmark&rsquo;s Jacob Sommer Simonsen, winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 2023.
The Danish champion has watched the popularity of the sport grow rapidly in his home city and is looking forward to experiencing the championships from the sharp end.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s crazy to see how running, and especially road running, is blooming and exploding here in Denmark, and especially in Copenhagen,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s wonderful to be part of a time when running is so popular, so I&rsquo;m just trying to soak it all in.&rdquo;
While thousands will be taking to Copenhagen&rsquo;s streets for their own personal challenges, the battle for the six world titles promises to be fierce.
Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse arrives for the road mile just days after racing at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. The US middle-distance star will bring his season to a close in Copenhagen and believes he is ready to end it on a high.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m in the fitness of my life right now,&rdquo; said Nuguse. &ldquo;Based on how I&rsquo;ve been doing, I know I&rsquo;m very ready to just hammer out a really good race.&rdquo;
Whatever the outcome, Nuguse says his enthusiasm for racing remains as strong as ever.
&ldquo;Running is going to bring me joy regardless of the result,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Especially here in Copenhagen, on the road, this being my last race of the season, I&rsquo;m just really excited to see what I can do.&rdquo;
France&rsquo;s Agathe Guillemot will also contest the road mile at the end of a season that has taken her from cross country to indoor and outdoor track, the Ultimate Championship and now the roads.
The world cross-country mixed relay silver medallist said she was relishing the opportunity to finish her long campaign as part of such a large running festival and is targeting the podium before finally taking a break.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait to compete tomorrow,&rdquo; said the European indoor 1500m champion. &ldquo;Finishing the season with this kind of event makes me really happy because I have this amazing opportunity to share my final race with 60,000 people. I&rsquo;m hoping to leave with a medal.&rdquo;
For Agnes Ngetich, Copenhagen offers the possibility of completing a remarkable trio of victories across three different surfaces.
The Kenyan started her year by winning the senior women&rsquo;s title at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, before producing a dominant world-leading 3000m victory at the Monaco Diamond League. Now the world 10km record-holder turns her attention to the half marathon.
&ldquo;That would be the dream, to win here,&rdquo; said Ngetich. &ldquo;We have a big line-up and, of course, everyone wants the title, but it would be my dream to win here. If I have a medal, it will be a nice way to close the season.&rdquo;
European 10,000m champion Andreas Almgren is taking a different approach. After a track season highlighted by his first senior continental title, the Swede has deliberately turned towards the roads in search of a fresh challenge.
&ldquo;I focused so much on the European Championships this year, so I wanted to do something completely different to feel very motivated again,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;This is the first stop of a very exciting autumn, so I&rsquo;m really excited to go out there and road race again.&rdquo;
For Coe, that combination of world-class competition, innovation and participation reflects what the World Road Running Championships were designed to achieve.
&ldquo;We are, as an international federation, always out there trying to do things differently,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;This is really important for us. Innovation comes because you have the bravery to set out to do something differently that nobody else has done before, the resilience not to get deterred, and the focus to really execute. And that is what this weekend is all about.&rdquo;
World Athletics

The world’s best road runners will share the streets with thousands of recreational athletes this weekend as Copenhagen hosts an extraordinary demonstration of humanity in running

World-class sport and mass participation come together in Copenhagen

Three-time Olympic heptathlon champion Nafissatou Thiam and the past two Olympic decathlon champions, Markus Rooth and Damian Warner, headline the fields for the 50th anniversary edition of D&eacute;castar &ndash; this season&rsquo;s final World Athletics Combined Events Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Talence on Friday and Saturday (18-19).
Belgium&rsquo;s Thiam contests her first full heptathlon of the year after testing herself in select events during the Combined Events Tour Gold meeting in Ratingen in June, clearing 1.84m in the high jump and throwing 14.64m in the shot put. She then contested the high jump during the Wanda Diamond League Final on home soil in Brussels, again clearing 1.84m.
The 32-year-old, a two-time world champion in 2017 and 2022, competed at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo but withdrew after five events. Her most recent completed heptathlon came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she won with 6880 &ndash; the third-highest score of her career behind her national record of 7013 set in G&ouml;tzis in 2017 and 6947 from the 2022 World Championships.
Her competition includes her compatriot&nbsp;Noor Vidts, the two-time world indoor pentathlon champion who claimed Olympic bronze in Paris.
They will be joined in Talence by three other athletes who have surpassed 6300 points &ndash; Germany&rsquo;s Vanessa Grimm, Lithuania&rsquo;s Beatričė Ju&scaron;kevičiūtė and USA's Erin Marsh. Grimm set a PB of 6381 to finish sixth at the Hypomeeting in G&ouml;tzis in May, while Ju&scaron;kevičiūtė (6323) and Marsh (6305) are also in the form of their lives this year.
Great Britain&rsquo;s Niamh Emerson continues her comeback after injury. The 27-year-old marked her return to major championship competition by finishing sixth at the Commonwealth Games. In Talence she will line up alongside her compatriot Ellen Barber, who was fourth at the Commonwealth Games, as well as Sweden&rsquo;s Lovisa Karlsson and Germany&rsquo;s Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers.
D&eacute;castar also features the return of Rooth, who contests his first decathlon since his win at the Paris Olympics. The 24-year-old scored 8796 to clinch his Olympic crown but has competed sparingly since due to injury. He competes in Talence for the second time, following his sixth place in 2022.
D&eacute;castar offers Warner his third decathlon of the season. The Canadian record-holder, who has four World Championships medals to go with his Olympic title from 2021, scored 8497 to finish fourth in G&ouml;tzis before he secured silver at the Commonwealth Games.
They will face some strong competition in Talence as the two Olympic champions go up against Warner's compatriot Pierce LePage and Rooth's compatriot Sander Skotheim.
Skotheim, the 2025 world indoor heptathlon champion, has a season&rsquo;s best of 8433 set when finishing third at the European Championships, while 2023 world champion LePage will want to build on the 8117 he scored in G&ouml;tzis.
Dutch athlete Jeff Tesselaar set a PB of 8378 to finish one place behind Skotheim at the European Championships, while Estonia&rsquo;s Karel Tilga was fifth and France&rsquo;s Makenson Gletty was sixth in Birmingham, and they all clash again. Gletty has a season&rsquo;s best of 8458, set when finishing second in Ratingen.
The field also features US athletes Harrison Williams, Hakim McMorris and Devon Williams, as well as Olympic fourth-place finisher Sven Roosen of the Netherlands who finished fifth &ndash; between Warner and Tilga &ndash; in G&ouml;tzis in May on 8428.
<h3>Leading entries</h3>
Women&rsquo;s heptathlon Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) 7013 Noor Vidts (BEL) 6707 Vanessa Grimm (GER) 6381 Beatričė Ju&scaron;kevičiūtė (LTU) 6323 Erin Marsh (USA) 6305 Niamh Emerson (GBR) 6253 Lovisa Karlsson (SWE) 6218 Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers (GER) 6216 L&eacute;onie Cambours (FRA) 6192 Marie Dehning (GER) 6180 Ellen Barber (GBR) 6169 C&eacute;lia Perron (FRA) 6138 Mareike R&ouml;sing (GER) 6105
Men&rsquo;s decathlon Damian Warner (CAN) 9018 Pierce LePage (CAN) 8909 Sander Skotheim (NOR) 8909 Markus Rooth (NOR) 8796 Karel Tilga (EST) 8681 Harrison Williams (USA) 8630 Sven Roosen (NED) 8607 Makenson Gletty (FRA) 8606 Hakim McMorris (USA) 8420 Devon Williams (USA) 8402 Jeff Tesselaar (NED) 8378 Amadeus Gr&auml;ber (GER) 8345 Dario Dester (ITA) 8318

Three-time Olympic heptathlon champion Nafissatou Thiam and the past two Olympic decathlon champions, Markus Rooth and Damian Warner, headline the fields for the 50th anniversary edition of Décastar

Olympic gold medallists Thiam, Rooth and Warner top fields for Talence

Multiple global medallists will clash when the men&rsquo;s half marathon brings the elite World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 competition to a close on Sunday (20).
Kenya&rsquo;s Nicholas Kipkorir and Daniel Ebenyo both claimed medals at the last edition of the World Road Running Championships in Riga in 2023 and will fight for podium places again in the Danish capital. But they will be up against a formidable field featuring fellow major medallists such as Sweden&rsquo;s world 10,000m bronze medallist Andreas Almgren and Uganda&rsquo;s multiple Olympic and world champion Joshua Cheptegei.
Kipkorir is the fastest in the field so far this season thanks to the PB of 58:08 he ran in Lisbon in March. That performance places him in the top 10 on the world all-time list and the 27-year-old will line up as the world&rsquo;s No.2-ranked road runner following a series of results that include a win at the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 58:23 a year ago.
As well as experience of running in the Danish capital, Kipkorir is also no stranger to the World Road Running Championships as he clinched bronze in the 5km three years ago &ndash; his first global medal after just missing the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 5000m at the Olympic Games in 2021. He has since stepped up in distance and made his marathon debut in Boston in April.
Among his rivals is his teammate Ebenyo who will be looking to go one better than his silver medal behind his compatriot Sabastian Sawe in Riga. The 2023 world 10,000m silver medallist, who turns 31 two days before the race in Copenhagen, will be aiming for a late birthday present of another medal to go with the world cross country bronze he claimed in Tallahassee in January.
It was Cheptegei who won ahead of Ebenyo at the 2023 World Championships &ndash; the Ugandan distance great clinching his third consecutive world 10,000m crown. In Copenhagen the 30-year-old will return to global competition for the first time since winning the Olympic 10,000m title in Paris two years ago. As well as his world and Olympic track titles, Cheptegei has a world cross-country crown from 2019, world records in the 5000m and 10,000m, and he finished fourth at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, where he set his PB of 59:21. He went close to that with 59:26 to win in Dubai in February, beating Kipkorir by two seconds.
Almgren started 2026 with a European record as he ran 26:45 for 10km in Valencia in January and matched that mark in Castell&oacute;n the following month. The 31-year-old then switched his focus to the track, clinching top-three spots in Diamond League races in Shanghai, Oslo and Paris before winning the European 10,000m title. Now he prepares for his first half marathon of the year. Almgren also holds the European record in the longer event as he ran 58:41 to finish fourth in Valencia last year, two places ahead of Kipkorir.
North American record-holder Conner Mantz leads the US team. The 29-year-old ran his 59:15 half marathon in New York last year and set another area record of 2:04:43 for the marathon in Chicago in October. Copenhagen is set to offer him only his second race of the year as he continues his comeback after injury.
Kipkorir and Ebenyo are joined on the Kenyan team by Gideon Rono and Alex Nzioka Matata, who respectively clocked PBs of 58:38 in Ras Al Khaimah and 59:11 in Yangzhou earlier this year. The Ethiopian squad is led by Tadese Worku who finished fourth at the World Cross Country Championships, denied a medal as he finished one place behind Ebenyo. Worku has a season&rsquo;s best of 58:59 from Prague in March, while his teammate Bereket Nega has also dipped inside an hour this year, running 59:43 in Berlin.
Italian record-holder Yemaneberhan Crippa is also in action. The 29-year-old finished fourth in the European 10,000m won by Almgren and set his national record of 59:01 in February. Others looking to make their mark include France&rsquo;s Etienne Daguinos, who got European 5000m bronze last month and finished sixth in the 5km at the World Road Running Championships three years ago, plus Australia&rsquo;s Jack Rayner and Canada&rsquo;s Rory Linkletter.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Multiple global medallists will clash when the men’s half marathon brings the elite World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 competition to a close on Sunday

Six athletes donate treasured career items to MOWA in Budapest

Fifty years of Décastar: five moments that shaped Talence

Almgren runs European record to win world half marathon title in Copenhagen

Ngetich breaks women-only world half marathon record at World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen

Skotheim holds off McMorris as Thiam makes winning return in Talence