Legendary Los Angeles track and field promoter and meeting director Al Franken has been posthumously awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in the Legend category.
The plaque was unveiled on Thursday 28 May during a special ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, one of the landmark venues associated with Franken&rsquo;s remarkable career in athletics promotion.
Franken, who died in 2021 at the age of 96, is regarded as one of the most influential, innovative and prolific promoters in the history of the sport. Over more than half a century, he organised more than 100 world-class meetings, at which 95 world records and hundreds of US records were set, with more than 120 Olympic gold medallists competing in his events.
&ldquo;Al Franken transformed athletics promotion in the United States and far beyond, creating competitions that brought together the world&rsquo;s greatest athletes while helping shape the modern era of our sport,&rdquo; said World Athletics Council Member&nbsp;Willie Banks. &ldquo;His vision, innovation and lifelong commitment to athletes left a lasting legacy that continues to resonate across generations, from Olympic champions to young competitors discovering athletics for the first time.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a197fdac665432f9228192c.jpeg" alt="Al Franken" />
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Al Franken (&copy; Don Franken archives)
Three-time Olympian and former world triple jump record-holder Banks represented World Athletics at the ceremony. The plaque was accepted by Don Franken, Al Franken&rsquo;s son, who worked with his father for 25 years.
Franken&rsquo;s influence extended across generations of athletes and across disciplines. Virtually every major figure in US track and field history competed in his meetings. Several of those athletes were among the 100 guests who attended the ceremony: Maurice Greene, Olympic 100m champion and former world record-holder; Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland, nicknamed &ldquo;The Chairman of the Boards&rdquo;, who set two indoor mile world records at Franken&rsquo;s Jack in the Box Invitational in San Diego; Martha Watson, a four-time US Olympian in the long jump; Herman Frazier, 1976 Olympic gold medallist in the 4x400m; Steve Williams, one of the world&rsquo;s leading sprinters during the 1970s; Reynaldo Brown, who reached the 1968 Olympic high jump final while still in high school; and Danny Harris, Olympic 400m hurdles silver medallist in 1984.
Legendary coaches Ron Allice, the former USC athletic director, and Bob Larsen, former UCLA head coach, also paid tribute to Franken. Also in attendance were Michael Cooper, the former Los Angeles Lakers star, and actor John Savage, best known for his role in the classic film The Deer Hunter.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a19845c66529d3779591af5.jpeg" alt="The Al Franken Heritage Plaque in Los Angeles" />
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The Al Franken Heritage Plaque in Los Angeles
Among the competitions&nbsp;Franken&nbsp;created or promoted were the Los Angeles / Sunkist Invitational at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, the Jack in the Box / Michelob Invitational at the San Diego Sports Arena, the Pepsi Invitational at UCLA, the San Francisco indoor meeting at the Cow Palace, and the Kinney / Footlocker outdoor meeting at Cal Berkeley.
In 1960, Franken launched indoor athletics on the West Coast with the Los Angeles Invitational. He was also among the first promoters to bring title sponsorship into athletics, with Sunkist sponsoring the Los Angeles Invitational for 26 years, from 1970 to 1995.
A strong advocate for athletes and for the professionalisation of the sport, Franken helped create meetings that became classics of the athletics calendar. His events combined elite competition, entertainment, media attention and opportunities for young athletes, with high school sections allowing thousands of rising talents to compete alongside Olympic champions and world record-holders.
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is awarded for outstanding contributions to the worldwide history and development of athletics. The Plaque will remain on permanent display at the south end of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, beside the plaque listing the stadium&rsquo;s track and field records.
World Athletics Heritage
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Legendary Los Angeles track and field promoter and meeting director Al Franken has been posthumously awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in the Legend category

Franken honoured with World Athletics Heritage Plaque at LA Coliseum

The Wanda Diamond League moves to Africa on Sunday (31) as many of the sport&rsquo;s biggest names head to Morocco for the Meeting International Mohammed VI d&rsquo;Athletisme de Rabat.
After stops in Shanghai and Xiamen, Rabat hosts the third meeting of the season, with a series of world and Olympic podium rematches set to take centre stage.
One of the most anticipated clashes will come in the final event of the programme, the men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase, where Morocco&rsquo;s double Olympic and two-time world champion Soufiane El Bakkali can expect huge home support as he takes on New Zealand&rsquo;s Geordie Beamish.
Beamish was the surprise winner of the world title in Tokyo, where he beat El Bakkali to gold. The inclusion of Kenya&rsquo;s Edmund Serem means the full World Championships podium will be reunited in Rabat, while Germany&rsquo;s Diamond League champion Frederik Ruppert adds further quality to the field.
The women&rsquo;s pole vault brings together the winner of every global title from 2020 onwards. Three-time world champion Katie Moon of the USA, world silver medallist Sandi Morris of the USA and world bronze medallist Tina Sutej of Slovenia are all entered, recreating the full 2025 World Championships podium.
They will take on Olympic champion Nina Kennedy of Australia, who makes her first Diamond League appearance since September 2024, as well as Britain&rsquo;s two-time world indoor champion Molly Caudery and France&rsquo;s 2025 world indoor champion Marie-Julie Bonnin.
The men&rsquo;s javelin also features a global podium rematch. Sri Lanka&rsquo;s world leader Ramesh Tharanga Pathirage takes on the three medallists from last year&rsquo;s World Championships: Trinidad and Tobago&rsquo;s Keshorn Walcott, Grenada&rsquo;s Anderson Peters and USA&rsquo;s Curtis Thompson. Germany&rsquo;s 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler, Czech Republic&rsquo;s Jakub Vadlejch and Kenya&rsquo;s 2015 world champion Julius Yego &ndash; all 90-metre throwers &ndash; are also in the field.
There&rsquo;s another podium reunion in the men&rsquo;s 400m, where Olympic champion Quincy Hall of the USA is set for his first race in almost a year. He faces Britain&rsquo;s Matt Hudson-Smith and Zambia&rsquo;s Muzala Samukonga, the other two medallists from the Olympic final, while the field also includes sub-44-second performers Khaleb McRae of the USA, Zakithi Nene of South Africa and Jacory Patterson of the USA.
The men&rsquo;s 200m brings together the two most recent Olympic champions. Botswana&rsquo;s Letsile Tebogo will take on Canada&rsquo;s Andre de Grasse, the Rabat meeting record-holder, as well as two medallists from last year&rsquo;s World Championships: USA&rsquo;s Kenny Bednarek and Jamaica&rsquo;s Bryan Levell. South Africa&rsquo;s Sinesipho Dambile, a world finalist who recently clocked 19.77 in Nairobi, also lines up.
Jamaica&rsquo;s Shericka Jackson will look to continue her winning start to the Diamond League season in the women&rsquo;s 200m, having taken victories in both Shanghai and Xiamen. Bahamas&rsquo; Shaunae Miller-Uibo was runner-up in both of those races and will renew that rivalry in Rabat, while USA&rsquo;s Cambrea Sturgis arrives off the back of a 21.93 PB in Nairobi last month.
The women&rsquo;s 100m includes Jamaica&rsquo;s world silver medallist Tina Clayton and Italy&rsquo;s world indoor champion Zaynab Dosso.
<h2>World champions Wanyonyi, Odira and Nader lead middle-distances</h2>
Kenya&rsquo;s world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi opens his Diamond League campaign in the men&rsquo;s 800m, where he faces USA&rsquo;s 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier, Britain&rsquo;s world and Olympic finalist Max Burgin and Ireland&rsquo;s Mark English, winner of the Diamond League 800m in Shanghai.
Wanyonyi&rsquo;s compatriot Lilian Odira makes her first Diamond League appearance since landing a surprise 800m victory at the World Championships last year. The high-quality field also includes Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma, Switzerland&rsquo;s world indoor silver medallist Audrey Werro, USA&rsquo;s world indoor bronze medallist Addison Wiley, South Africa&rsquo;s 2025 world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso, Botswana&rsquo;s Oratile Nowe and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Nigist Getachew, who beat Odira in Nairobi last month.
Portugal&rsquo;s world champion Isaac Nader heads the men&rsquo;s 1500m field, where he will face Kenya&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot, Ethiopia&rsquo;s steeplechase world record-holder Lamecha Girma, France&rsquo;s Azeddine Habz and USA&rsquo;s Yared Nuguse.
<h2>Crouser seeks response in shot put</h2>
USA&rsquo;s Ryan Crouser will look to rebound in the men&rsquo;s shot put after finishing third in Xiamen. The world and Olympic champion faces Jamaica&rsquo;s Rajindra Campbell, who threw a national record of 22.34m to win in Xiamen, as well as Italy&rsquo;s world leader and world bronze medallist Leonardo Fabbri, New Zealand&rsquo;s world indoor champion Tom Walsh and USA&rsquo;s two-time world champion Joe Kovacs.
Ukraine&rsquo;s world record-holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh heads the women&rsquo;s high jump field. The Olympic champion faces Australia&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson, Serbia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Angelina Topic, Poland&rsquo;s world silver medallist Maria Zodzik and Ukraine&rsquo;s Yuliia Levchenko, the world indoor silver medallist who won in Xiamen with 1.99m.
In the women&rsquo;s discus, the winners of the past three world titles will clash. USA&rsquo;s world and Olympic champion Valarie Allman faces 2023 world champion Laulauga Tausaga of the USA and China&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Feng Bin, while the field also includes world silver medallist Jorinde van Klinken of the Netherlands.
Elsewhere, USA&rsquo;s Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell and Slovakia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Emma Zapletalova are among the leading names in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles.

The Wanda Diamond League moves to Africa on Sunday (31) as many of the sport’s biggest names head to Morocco for the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat.

Podium rematches the focus in Rabat

One of the most emblematic streets in Spain, Gran V&iacute;a, will be the venue for the Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha &ndash; the sixth World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting of 2026 &ndash; on Sunday (31).
The men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 10km races, which will be held at the same time over a one-kilometre circuit, feature race walkers from 18 different countries. Before the race takes place, organisers will pay tribute to Ecuador&rsquo;s 1996 Olympic and three-time world 20km champion Jefferson P&eacute;rez.
The men&rsquo;s event features no fewer than seven out of the first 10 finishers from the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Brasilia over the half marathon distance held in Brasilia last month.
In-form Italian Francesco Fortunato is arguably the athlete to beat on Sunday. The 31-year-old kicked off his year by breaking his own world 5000m record of 17:54.48 in Ancona. He then made his half marathon debut with his brilliant win in Brasilia. He followed that with a 1:23:00 half marathon victory in Podebrady to maintain his unbeaten streak in 2026.
The European bronze medallist has competed at every edition of Madrid Marcha, having won in 2023 and placed second in 2024.
In his past two races, Fortunato has beaten world champion Caio Bonfim, so the 35-year-old Brazilian will be out for revenge on Sunday. Bonfim, the Olympic silver medallist, has a half marathon best of 1:21:44, set in Kobe in February, and more recently he finished fourth in La Coru&ntilde;a last weekend.
This will be his fourth appearance in Madrid, having made the podium on his three previous races as he placed third in 2022 before finishing second in 2023 and 2025.
Massimo Stano will be one of the most accomplished race walkers on the start line. The Italian won the Olympic 20km title in 2021, then followed it one year later with the world 35km title. Last year he clocked a world 35km record of 2:20:43 in Podebrady.
The 34-year-old&rsquo;s only outing so far this year has been his fifth-place finish in the marathon (3:07:38) at the World Race Walking Team Championships. He remains competitive at shorter distances too, though, having clocked 37:33.03 over 10,000m to beat Fortunato last year.
Watch out too for Japan&rsquo;s Keisuke Hara, China&rsquo;s Qian Haifeng and Ecuador&rsquo;s David Hurtado &ndash; third, fifth and sixth respectively in La Coru&ntilde;a last weekend. World 20km bronze medallist Paul McGrath led that race for a couple of laps before later drifting outside the top 10. The 24-year-old heads the Spanish charge alongside the two-time European 20km medallist Diego Garc&iacute;a, who will be combining roles as organiser and athlete for the fifth year in a row.
The 30-year-old, who dropped out of the race in La Coru&ntilde;a in the 13th kilometre, will try to bounce back in front of his home crowd. Sweden&rsquo;s European champion Perseus Karlst&ouml;m, the first victor in Madrid in 2022, also shouldn&rsquo;t be discounted for the top spots as he has triumphed in Dudince and Rio Maior over half marathon this season.
France&rsquo;s Aurelien Quinion, fourth at the 2025 World Championships over 20km, and Germany&rsquo;s Leo K&ouml;pp, a surprise fourth-place finisher in Brasilia in the half marathon, should also be in contention on Sunday.
World 20km silver medallist Alegna Gonz&aacute;lez starts as the favourite in the women&rsquo;s race following her commanding 1:32:24 win in La Coru&ntilde;a last Saturday, just nine seconds shy of the time she clocked one week earlier in Rio Maior where she also won. The in-form Mexican is aiming for back-to-back victories in Madrid.
Evelyn Inga, who finished second to Gonz&aacute;lez last year, also returns. The 28-year-old Peruvian won in Dudince in March with a PB of 1:33:49, then placed sixth at the World Race Walking Team Championships before finishing 14th in a high-quality race in La Coru&ntilde;a.
World 35km bronze medallist Paula Milena Torres, who won the marathon at the World Race Walking Team Championships, was eighth in La Coru&ntilde;a, but Sunday&rsquo;s 10km might be on the short side for the Ecuadorian. Japan&rsquo;s world 20km bronze medallist Nanako Fujii, who placed sixth in La Coru&ntilde;a, should also be a factor.
Spanish hopes rest with 19-year-old Aldara Meil&aacute;n. The European U20 10,000m bronze medallist made a major breakthrough by finishing third at the World Race Walking Team Championships. She will be joined by Ant&iacute;a Chamosa, the seventh-place finisher over 20km at the 2025 World Championships. The 26-year-old won the Spanish half marathon title in 1:33:45, finishing almost a minute ahead of Meil&aacute;n.
The Chinese contingent includes 2025 World Championships eighth-place finisher Wu Quanming, world U20 champion Zhuoma Baima and Xizhen Yang. France&rsquo;s 2023 European U23 champion Pauline Stey and Italy&rsquo;s Federica Curiazzi &ndash; a surprise fourth-place finisher in the marathon in Brasilia &ndash; will also be targeting a top-10 performance.
Weather forecasters predict a sunny and hot day, with the temperature about 27C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

One of the most emblematic streets in Spain, Gran Vía, will be the venue for the Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha

Fortunato and González the favourites in Madrid

Five global title winners will clash in the men&rsquo;s decathlon at the Hypo Meeting in G&ouml;tzis this weekend, as one of the strongest fields of the year gathers for the World Athletics Combined Events Tour Gold meeting on Saturday and Sunday (30-31 May).
Leo Neugebauer heads the entries for what will be his first decathlon since winning the world title with 8804 last year. The Olympic silver medallist, world No.1 and German record-holder with 8961, already has several competitions behind him in 2026, including a 53.00m discus throw, 16.92m shot put and 14.57 clocking in the 110m hurdles.
Neugebauer made his G&ouml;tzis debut last year, finishing fifth with 8555. He returns looking to improve on that and secure a first podium finish at the famed Austrian meeting.
World indoor champion Simon Ehammer heads to G&ouml;tzis off the back of an incredible start to the 2026, having won the world indoor title with a world heptathlon record of 6670. He opened his outdoor combined events season with victory at the Multistars meeting in Brescia last month with 8361. This weekend he&rsquo;ll be keen to improve on the Swiss decathlon record of 8575 he set when finishing third in G&ouml;tzis last year.
Canada&rsquo;s Damian Warner needs little introduction in G&ouml;tzis. The 2021 Olympic champion has won the meeting eight times and is one of the few men in history to have surpassed 9000 points. Now 36, Warner scored 8527 in G&ouml;tzis last year &ndash; higher than two of his previous winning scores at the meeting, but only enough for sixth in a remarkable competition. He has already shown sharp early-season form this year, running 13.76 for the 110m hurdles and 10.44 for 100m.
His compatriot Pierce LePage, the 2023 world champion, continues his return to form. He won the Canadian indoor heptathlon title earlier this year with 5683, but G&ouml;tzis will be his first outdoor competition of 2026. LePage did not finish in G&ouml;tzis last year or at the World Championships, meaning the last decathlon he completed remains his 8909-point triumph at the 2023 World Championships.
Germany&rsquo;s Niklas Kaul, the 2019 world champion, also returns to G&ouml;tzis after one of the best performances of his career there last year. His 8575 tally for equal third last year was his best score outside of a major championships, bettered only by the 8691 PB he set to win the 2019 world title. He went on to finish fourth at last year&rsquo;s World Championships with 8538.
A trio of US athletes &ndash; all winners of national titles in recent years &ndash; will also be looking to build on their first G&ouml;tzis appearances from last year, which brought mixed fortunes.
Heath Baldwin, the world indoor silver medallist, finished sixth at last year&rsquo;s World Championships and was US champion in 2024. The 8625 performer placed eighth in G&ouml;tzis last year with 8430.
Harrison Williams, the 2023 US champion, has a PB of 8630 and has finished seventh at each of the past three global outdoor championships. He did not finish in G&ouml;tzis last year on his Hypo Meeting debut.
Hakim McMorris, the 2026 US indoor champion, arrives in G&ouml;tzis after setting a PB of 8420 to win at the Mt SAC Relays. Like Williams, he did not finish on his G&ouml;tzis debut last year.
The field also includes Estonia&rsquo;s Karel Tilga, who set his PB of 8681 to finish fourth at the 2023 World Championships; France&rsquo;s Makenson Gletty, who set a PB of 8606 to take European bronze in 2024; and Sven Roosen, who set a Dutch record of 8607 when finishing fourth at the 2024 Olympic Games.
A new heptathlon champion will be crowned in G&ouml;tzis with a field led by three women who, between them, have won the past four world indoor titles.
Dutch all-rounder Sofie Dokter, the world indoor champion, returns to the meeting where she set her PB of 6576 when finishing second last year. She went on to finish sixth at the World Championships in Tokyo, matching her position from the 2024 Olympic Games. She has already contested several low-key competitions this year, including a shot put PB of 14.23m.
Finland&rsquo;s Saga Vanninen, the 2025 world indoor champion, is set for her first outdoor combined events competition since finishing seventh at last year&rsquo;s World Championships with 6396. The two-time world U20 champion set her PB of 6563 at the 2025 European U23 Championships and was fourth in G&ouml;tzis in 2023.
Belgium&rsquo;s Noor Vidts owns the highest PB in the field, having scored 6707 to take Olympic bronze in 2024. The two-time world indoor champion missed most of last year through injury, so G&ouml;tzis will be her first heptathlon since the 2024 Olympic Games.
Emma Oosterwegel of the Netherlands also set her PB to win Olympic bronze, scoring 6590 in Tokyo in 2021. She finished ninth at last year&rsquo;s World Championships with 6381 and has competed in G&ouml;tzis several times, her best result being fourth in 2024.
USA&rsquo;s Taliyah Brooks set a PB of 6581 to finish equal third at the World Championships last year, having also claimed world indoor bronze earlier in the season. A strong hurdler and long jumper, Brooks has already competed extensively over the past two months, clocking 12.91 for the 100m hurdles and leaping a wind-assisted 6.87m in the long jump.
Switzerland&rsquo;s Annik K&auml;lin finished fourth at the 2024 Olympic Games with a national record of 6639 and won world indoor long jump silver last year. The last heptathlon she completed was in G&ouml;tzis last year, where she placed fifth with 6395, but was a non-starter at the World Championships.
Others to watch include German duo Sophie Weissenberg and Sandrina Sprengel, both of whom have PBs above 6400; Commonwealth bronze medallist Jade O&rsquo;Dowda of Great Britain, who finished eighth at last year&rsquo;s World Championships; and Austria&rsquo;s 2018 world indoor silver medallist Ivona Dadic Glavas.

Five global title winners will clash in the men’s decathlon at the Hypo Meeting in Götzis this weekend

Neugebauer leads loaded decathlon line-up in Götzis

As the global elite and tens of thousands of recreational runners gather for the World Athletics Road Running Championships (WRRC Copenhagen 26) &ndash; the official world championships for the one mile, 5km, and half marathon &ndash; the ambitions extend well beyond record-breaking times and race distances.
Behind the scenes, organisers are systematically integrating social responsibility to improve workflows, procurement, and processes &ndash; not only for these championships but for major events in the future. While elite athletes race through Copenhagen's streets followed by 65,000 participants, both the runners and the more than 100,000 spectators are expected to play an active role in the event's sustainability efforts.
This includes sorting waste responsibly, choosing environmentally friendly transport options, and opting for climate-conscious food. At the same time, the event will act as a catalyst for engaging children, young people, and individuals living with illnesses across the country &ndash; all with the aim of creating lasting benefits for public health.&nbsp;
"It may sound simple to ask people to sort their waste or take the bus, but as a leading green city, Copenhagen has a responsibility &ndash; especially when we welcome the world," says Christopher R&oslash;hl, Mayor of Culture and Leisure, City of Copenhagen. "We cannot take over the city and its public spaces without taking responsibility for the footprint we leave behind. That is why I am proud that we are hosting a World Championships that addresses climate impact while strengthening our sports communities. It sets an important new direction for the future of tourism and events &ndash; and Copenhagen is leading the way."
<h3>A clear and measurable goal</h3>
A key ambition, in collaboration with World Athletics, is to achieve gold certification under the federation's sustainability framework, the Athletics for a Better World Standard. To reach this level, organisers must collect data and demonstrate action across 55 action areas, covering climate end environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance. This objective is also central to the event's partners:
"When Denmark hosts major international sporting events, it comes with a responsibility to do so in a more sustainable way," says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark. "That is why at Sport Event Denmark, we have introduced minimum green requirements for event organisers. It is about concrete actions &ndash; from renewable energy and reducing food waste to circular solutions and better use of public transport. Together with organisers such as Sparta, we demonstrate that major sporting events bring people together while also setting the direction for a more sustainable future."
A similar focus is reflected in the strategy of Wonderful Copenhagen: "International events bring locals and visitors together around shared experiences making them stronger catalysts for changing behaviour and creating long-term positive impact both locally and internationally," says Kit Lykketoft, Director of Congresses, Events &amp; Sustainability. "Ensuring such a lasting legacy from events is something we work on strategically across Copenhagen's tourism sector, and we are therefore very pleased to be part of the ambitions connected to the World Athletics Road Running Championships."
<h3>Small steps, big impact</h3>
While the ambitions are concrete, the approach is deliberately pragmatic and impact-driven. Rather than grand gestures, organisers are focused on steady, measurable progress&nbsp;&ndash; taking many small steps in the right direction, collecting data, and using insights to drive long-term improvements.
"The World Championships provide a unique international platform that allows us to elevate our social responsibility efforts to a new level," says Dorte Vibjerg, CEO of Sparta Athletics &amp; Running. "The requirements we introduce and the experience we gain here will create lasting effects that extend far beyond the event itself, directly influencing how we organise future major events."
She is supported by the organisation's sustainability lead: "We believe that an 'every action counts' approach will take us far," says Nynne Ammundsen, Head of Sustainability, Sparta Athletics &amp; Running. "Rather than promoting one overly ambitious goal, we are setting measurable targets across a wide range of areas where we, as organisers, can genuinely make a difference. Together, these cumulative efforts can create a positive impact and deliver meaningful results in the long term."
<h3>Five key focus areas</h3>
All sustainability efforts are brought together under the slogan: Do less. Do greener. Do it together.
Five key focus areas have been defined:
<ul>
<li>Consistent behavioural nudging to encourage responsible choices</li>
<li>Integration of greener requirements in partner and supplier agreements</li>
<li>Prioritisation of public transport for participants and spectators</li>
<li>Social initiatives targeting different demographics</li>
<li>Continued responsible event delivery to set new standards for the future</li>
</ul>
With these ambitions, the organisers send a clear message: the 2026 World Road Running Championships will not only be a world-class sporting celebration, but also a firm step towards a more responsible future for international sporting events.
&nbsp;
 <a style="cursor: pointer; width: 100%; color: #2c2a29; background-color: #69d7e1; text-decoration: none; padding: 25px;" href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Sustainability framework</a>
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<h3>Facts about WRRC Copenhagen 26</h3>
<ul>
<li>Takes place on 19-20 September 2026 in Copenhagen</li>
<li>Events: half marathon, 5km, and one mile (1,609 km)</li>
<li>Official name: World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26</li>
<li>Open to both elite athletes and mass participation runners</li>
<li>5km and one mile: Saturday, 19 September 2026</li>
<li>Half marathon: Sunday, 20 September 2026 (entries sold out via lottery last year)</li>
<li>5km and one mile entries available via the official website</li>
<li>Follow @wrrccopenhagen26 on Facebook and Instagram</li>
<li>Hosted by Danish Athletics Federation and Sparta Athletics &amp; Running for World Athletics, in collaboration with the City of Copenhagen, Sport Event Denmark, and Wonderful Copenhagen</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
 <a style="cursor: pointer; width: 100%; color: #2c2a29; background-color: #69d7e1; text-decoration: none; padding: 25px;" href="https://in.wrrccopenhagen26-tickets.com/world-athletics-road-running-championships-copenhagen-261739620994027?campaign=682c95061a459878e35dc4b9&amp;_gl=1*knoq45*_gcl_au*MTc1OTI5NzE2Ny4xNzU4MDk3Nzgx&amp;currentPage=select-competition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up for 5km and One Mile</a>
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World Athletics Road Running Championships

World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen to deliver lasting positive impact. The organisers are launching concrete initiatives to minimise the event's climate footprint while creating long-term health benefits for vulnerable groups across Denmark.

World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen to deliver lasting positive impact

Five titles at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship are up for grabs in the men&rsquo;s field events: high jump, pole vault, long jump, hammer and javelin. Each winner will go home with their bank balance boosted by U$150,000.&nbsp;
Already battles are brewing to decide the Ultimate Champions and here, in the third instalment of a four-part series, we take a look at some of the best current head-to-heads.
<h3>Hammer</h3>
He&rsquo;s been likened to Thor while his long hair and moustache combination has had social media querying whether he is more Australian than Canadian. Amid it all, there&rsquo;s no denying Ethan Katzberg is the benchmark for the hammer throw.
Moments after winning a second world title and third global gold by the age of 23, he immediately turned his attention to the Ultimate Championship.
In Budapest, he anticipates the hammer will take centre stage in front of a fanbase in rapture to the event and the locals will make no secret of their favourite, Hungary&rsquo;s Bence Hal&aacute;sz, who was the first man to throw over 80 metres this season.
That mark may have since been bettered by Katzberg with a season's best 82.43m in Nairobi in April but Hal&aacute;sz, the Olympic silver medallist, will be confident of again being part of the podium in Hungary.
The signs for the sport are promising after a world final in which three men went over 82 metres with Canadian Katzberg hurling it 84.70m, the furthest throw by anyone in 20 years. He is, however, under no illusions over who people will be supporting: &ldquo;They&rsquo;ll be cheering Bence on.&rdquo;
<h3>High jump</h3>
New Zealand&rsquo;s Hamish Kerr has won the past two outdoor global titles, backing up his Olympic gold to become world champion last year as the only man to sail over 2.36m. Instead of the World Indoor Championships in Toruń, he opted for a seven-week training block on the Gold Coast to prepare for the outdoor season.
In his absence, Ukraine&rsquo;s Oleh Doroshchuk finally shook off his nearly-man tag in clearing 2.30m for victory in a contest that saw Mexico&rsquo;s Erick Portillo surprise for silver and Korea&rsquo;s defending champion Woo Sanghyeok get bronze.
Woo had already managed a 2.30m clearance in the early part of 2026 but others had fared better. Jan &Scaron;tefela, who rounded off the Tokyo podium just behind Woo, started the contest having cleared 2.32m.&nbsp;
<h3>Pole vault</h3>
For a time, fans were talking about another athlete in this event in the early part of 2026 &ndash; a potential challenger to Mondo Duplantis&rsquo; hegemony.
Emmanouil &lsquo;Manolo&rsquo; Karalis cleared a staggering 6.17m &ndash; bettering his previous best by 12 centimetres &ndash; in February to put him second on the world all-time list.
Sure, Duplantis has since gone well past that with a 15th world record of 6.31m at the Mondo Classic in March. But Karalis suggested there&rsquo;s plenty left in the tank after his 6.17m at the Greek Indoor Championships when he went over that height with room to spare. And while Duplantis won world indoor gold, he credited Karalis with piling the pressure on.
But it&rsquo;s not just that top two, with four other men &ndash; including their fellow major medallists Sondre Guttormsen and Kurtis Marschall &ndash; all having surpassed the six-metre barrier so far in 2026.

World Athletics Ultimate Championship

From the hammer throw to the pole vault, a look at the key battles brewing in men's field at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship 2026.

Ultimate clashes: men’s field

Behind the shades shielding his eyes from the glare of the late evening floodlights, it was not difficult to imagine the thoughts of James Edward Hardee III as he crossed the line to win heat three of the decathlon 400m at the London 2012 Olympics.
His time, 48.11, was bettered by the winner of the final heat, his US teammate Ashton Eaton clocking 46.90, yet the well-paced effort completed a soundly measured opening day by the native of Birmingham, Alabama (also the birthplace of Carl Lewis), better known to the world as &lsquo;Trey&rsquo; Hardee.
It left the 28-year-old a clear second in the standings with 4441 points, a huge 220 points down on Eaton, the newly established world record-holder, but steadily on course for a place on the podium.
As he packed away the bright yellow sprint spikes &ndash; which he has generously donated to the Museum of World Athletics &ndash; Trey Hardee had reason to be more than satisfied with that state of affairs.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a17055f3024a170524ee43e.jpeg" alt="Trey Hardee signing his shoes" />
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Trey Hardee signing his shoes
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He might have been the reigning world champion, having backed up his 2009 victory in Berlin by successfully defending the title ahead of the rapidly improving Eaton in Daegu in 2011, but his Olympic ambitions had been left in serious doubt by the painful legacy of his victory in South Korea.
In the penultimate event in Daegu, the javelin, having opened with a lifetime best of 68.99m, on his third attempt Hardee ripped the ligaments in his right elbow.
&ldquo;I only had an hour and fifteen minutes to get ready for the 1500m and at that stage there was not a lot I could do,&rdquo; the Alabaman recalled in an interview for the World Athletics series My greatest challenge. &ldquo;I took a painkiller and taped up the elbow to 90 degrees, so I ran like a robot.
&ldquo;In the end, running this way was not bad because the pain acted as a distraction from the process of the race. I crossed the line in 4:45.68, which was some way short of what I could have run, but I had won the gold by 102 points from Ashton.&rdquo;
Hardee turned to a celebrated surgeon in his home town in a bid to rebuild his golden arm for the London 2012 Olympics. A former pole vaulter, Dr James Anderson had forged a reputation for healing sports stars stricken with shoulder and elbow injuries, the basketball icon Michael Jordan and legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus among them.
Hardee underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, more popularly referred to as Tommy John Surgery after the Major League baseball pitcher whose stellar career was saved by the procedure &ndash; in which the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the patient&rsquo;s body.
It was still touch and go whether Hardee would be ready for the US Trials, or make the top three. While Eaton reeled off a series of stunning marks en route to a world record of 9039 in Eugene, Hardee took it one event at a time, concentrating on keeping his body together and making the team.
Having picked up a javelin for the first time since Daegu just two weeks earlier, he managed to throw it out to 57.00m at Hayward Field. &ldquo;As soon as it landed, I threw off my brace and ran around like I had just won the lottery,&rdquo; he recalled.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/c6ffadad-1e3d-4d47-86cd-c58225ecfdc7.jpg" alt="Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee battle it out in the high hurdles in Daegu" />
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Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee battle it out in the 110m hurdles in Daegu (&copy; Getty Images)
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Hardee&rsquo;s final points tally, 8383, was a long way down on the 8790 from his 2009 world title win that would remain his career best, but it was good enough for second place behind the new world record-holder and a hard-earned spot on the US Olympic team. &ldquo;I knew I&rsquo;d been given a gift and a bunch of chips just by making the team, so I could just enjoy myself in London,&rdquo; he reasoned.
Hardee didn&rsquo;t waste his chips in the British capital. Opening with 10.42 in the 100m, then long jumping 7.53m, putting 15.28m in the shot and clearing 1.99m in the high jump, his 48.11 in the 400m cemented a solid first day.
Though a long way down on Eaton&rsquo;s halfway haul of 4661 points, Hardee&rsquo;s running tally of 4441 put him 55 clear of Canada&rsquo;s Damian Warner in third place.
Hardee had been this way before. At the end of day one of the Beijing Olympic decathlon in 2008, he sat in third place in a tight contest with 4428, just five points behind second-placer Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus and 93 down on his US teammate and competition leader Bryan Clay.
Hardee was still in contention for a medal, lying fourth, when he no-heighted in the pole vault. Having joined Mississippi State University on a pole vault scholarship (before graduating to combined events and moving to the University of Texas), the disappointment was a particularly hard one for Hardee to take.
It was with a sense of some relief then that &ndash; after opening the second day in London with a 110m hurdles PB of 13.54, beating Eaton by 0.02, and following up with a throw of 48.26m in the discus &ndash; he managed to steady his nerves and safely negotiate both the pole vault and the javelin.
Clearing 4.80m in the vault and throwing 66.65m in the javelin, the third-best mark of his career, Hardee finished with the flourish of a lifetime best 1500m time of 4:40.94 to secure the silver medal.
It was the first US one-two since Milt Campbell prevailed ahead of Rafer Johnson in Melbourne in 1956. Eaton took gold with 8869, Hardee the silver with 8671, and Cuba&rsquo;s Leonel Suarez claimed bronze with 8523.
&ldquo;Just making the team and being in London, considering the circumstances of my elbow surgery, was my goal for 2012,&rdquo; Hardee reflected. &ldquo;To get a silver medal there, I was shocked, honoured and blessed.&rdquo;
Hardee also gained a world indoor heptathlon silver medal in the course of a career that came to an end in 2017. A father of three and a high performance trainer, the two-time world champion has since become a successful and respected television track and field analyst.
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage
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Behind the shades shielding his eyes from the glare of the late evening floodlights, it was not difficult to imagine the thoughts of Trey Hardee in the decathlon 400m at the London 2012 Olympics.

Hardee’s post-surgery silver lining

Three North American road record-holders will headline USA&rsquo;s team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 on 19-20 September.&nbsp;
Weini Kelati, Conner Mantz and&nbsp;Yared Nuguse&nbsp;are among the 19 athletes selected for the event, which includes one mile, 5km and half marathon races.
Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Nuguse will compete in his first World Road Running Championships after qualifying in the mile. The North American record-holder will be joined by three-time US road mile champion Vincent Ciattei, who will make his US team debut.
Kelati and Mantz are both area record-holders in the half marathon, while Mantz also owns the North American marathon record.
Kelati, a 2024 Olympian in the 10,000m, leads a women&rsquo;s half marathon squad that includes <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/copenhagen26/news/press-releases/statement-usatf-participation-road-running-championships-copenhagen-26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six other athletes from the USATF Half Marathon Championships</a>. Scoring will be limited to Kelati and three athletes who were misdirected late in the race: Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat.
Joining Mantz on the men&rsquo;s half marathon team are Wesley Kiptoo, Hillary Bor and Ahmed Muhumed.&nbsp;
US champion Drew Hunter has been confirmed on the&nbsp;men&rsquo;s team for the 5km, joined by Dylan Jacobs. The women&rsquo;s 5km team features Olympic and world 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Courtney Frerichs and Karissa Schweizer. On the women&rsquo;s mile squad are Gracie Hyde and Addy Wiley.
<h3>US team for Copenhagen</h3>
 WOMEN Mile: Gracie Hyde, Addy Wiley&nbsp; 5km: Courtney Frerichs, Karissa Schweizer Half marathon: Molly Born, Carrie Ellwood, Emma Grace Hurley, Weini Kelati, Ednah Kurgat, Jess McClain, Annie Rodenfels
MEN Mile: Vincent Ciattei, Yared Nuguse 5km: Drew Hunter, Dylan Jacobs Half marathon: Hillary Bor, Wesley Kiptoo, Conner Mantz, Ahmed Muhumed
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Weini Kelati, Conner Mantz and Yared Nuguse are among the 19 athletes selected

Area record-holders on US team for World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen

Several medallists from the World Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze will return to Poland for the Irena Szewińska Memorial &ndash; this season&rsquo;s fourth World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Bydgoszcz on Friday (29).
Jakub Szymański races on home soil two months on from winning the world indoor 60m hurdles title in front of passionate local fans at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena. Now competing at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium, he will be joined by fellow world indoor medallists including Natalia Bukowiecka, Erick Portillo, Pia Skrzyszowska and Alexander Doom.
Szymański became Poland&rsquo;s first ever world indoor hurdles champion when he got gold in Kujawy Pomorze and is unbeaten in 15 races &ndash; indoors and outdoors, including heats and semifinals &ndash; so far this year. But in the 110m hurdles he faces another athlete looking to maintain a win streak &ndash; Jamal Britt, who won the opening two Wanda Diamond League meetings in Shanghai and Xiamen and who has shown impressive consistency by matching his PB of 13.07, set in 2024, four times already this season.
Also in the field, contesting heats before the final, are Polish champion Damian Czykier who finished fourth at the 2022 World Championships, Spain&rsquo;s 2022 world bronze medallist Asier Mart&iacute;nez, and Michael Obasuyi and Kendry Men&eacute;ndez, who have respectively clocked 13.22 and 13.26 this month.
A home star headlines the 100m hurdles, too, as two-time world indoor 60m hurdles medallist Skrzyszowska goes up against US Olympic finalist Alaysha Johnson and Hungary&rsquo;s Luca Koz&aacute;k. Skrzyszowska makes her hurdles season debut after racing as part of the Polish 4x100m quartet at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone at the start of the month.
Bukowiecka added world indoor 400m silver to her individual World Championships silver and Olympic bronze medals and she also opens her season in her specialist event in Bydgoszcz after running the 4x400m at the World Relays.
She faces her relay teammate Justyna Święty-Ersetic and Great Britain&rsquo;s Yemi Mary John, who was also in action in Gaborone and who ran a PB of 49.85 to win on her 400m season opener at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Tokyo.
The men&rsquo;s 400m features Doom, who anchored Belgium to 4x400m silver in Kujawy Pomorze after getting world indoor 400m and 4x400m gold at the previous edition in Glasgow. He takes on his teammate Dylan Borlee, Great Britain&rsquo;s Olympic and world relay medallist Charlie Dobson, and Poland&rsquo;s world indoor mixed 4x400m bronze medallist Marcin Karolewski.
Portillo will have fond memories of competing in Poland as he won Mexico's first ever global medal in a vertical jumps event by getting high jump silver in Kujawy Pomorze. He opens his outdoor season in Bydgoszcz where his rivals include his compatriot Edgar Rivera and Czechia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Jan &Scaron;tefela.
Multiple global medallists Chris Nilsen of the USA and home favourite Piotr Lisek will clash with Menno Vloon and Simen Guttormsen in the pole vault, while the javelin contests star Poland&rsquo;s Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Maria Andrejczyk, Croatia&rsquo;s 2016 Olympic champion Sara Kolak and Finland&rsquo;s Olympic finalist Oliver Helander.
Great Britain&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie races Poland&rsquo;s European indoor champion Anna Wielgosz and France&rsquo;s Olympic fifth-place finisher R&eacute;nelle Lamote in the 800m, while the 1500m features Poland&rsquo;s world finalist Klaudia Kazimierska and Great Britain&rsquo;s Melissa Courtney-Bryant.
In the men&rsquo;s events, Great Britain&rsquo;s 2023 world bronze medallist Ben Pattison is back in 800m action after finishing sixth in Shanghai, while Spain&rsquo;s world indoor 800m bronze medallist Mohamed Attaoui steps up to contest the 1500m to make his season debut.
The 400m hurdles races feature Swedish record-holder Carl Bengtstr&ouml;m and T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s İsmail Nezir, who won at the Tokyo Continental Tour Gold meeting in a PB of 48.25, plus Italy&rsquo;s Alice Muraro and Poland&rsquo;s Anna Gryc, who meet again after respectively finishing second and third on their hurdles season debuts in Savona.
&nbsp;

Several medallists from the World Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze will return to Poland for the Irena Szewińska Memorial

Global medallists return to Poland as Continental Tour continues in Bydgoszcz

The World Athletics Council has approved the qualification system and entry standards for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27.
View and download: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6a156f9f527e379c9a3c765f.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6a156fb77143075da1c78e73.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
As has been the case for recent global championships, the qualification system will be based on a combination of entry standards and world rankings. For the 2027 World Championships, the system has been set with the objective of having approximately 40% of the athletes qualifying through entry standards and 60% qualifying through world rankings.&nbsp;
The approach is designed to ensure that the World Championships continue to bring together the world&rsquo;s leading athletes across all disciplines, while recognising both exceptional single performances and consistent high-level competition across the qualification period.&nbsp;
The entry standards &ndash; and the target number of athletes in each discipline &ndash; have been set following detailed analysis of recent performance trends across the sport, including the increasing depth of results in many disciplines and the impact of advances in technology and preparation. The standards also reflect the expanded role of the world rankings as a qualification route, with most athletes expected to become eligible for selection through rankings rather than by achieving a single entry standard. The world rankings now place more weight on the results score and less on the placing score, to even the playing field for athletes with limited access to high-ranking competitions.&nbsp;
Under the approved system, athletes in individual events will be able to qualify in four ways: by achieving the entry standard during the qualification period; by virtue of finishing position at designated competitions; through a wild card; or by world rankings position at the end of the respective ranking period.&nbsp;
The qualifying window for the marathon runs from 3 November 2025 to midnight on 2 May 2027. For the 10,000m, race walks, combined events and relays, the window runs from 23 February 2026 to midnight on 22 August 2027. For all other disciplines, entry standards can be achieved from 23 August 2026 to midnight on 22 August 2027.&nbsp;
For entry standard purposes, performances must mainly be achieved at category C competitions and above, to ensure the mark has been set in a meeting where minimum competition standards have been met. Performances achieved in lower category competitions will remain valid for world rankings. Recognising the limited availability of category C and higher meetings for the 5000m and 10,000m on the track, road running performances in Label road races &ndash; category E &ndash; for the 5km and 10km will also be recognised for entry standard purposes. Marathon marks may also be achieved in Label road races.&nbsp;
Area champions in individual events, except for the marathons, will be considered as having met the qualification criteria for the World Championships provided there is no other qualified athlete entered from the same area in the same event. The top five finishers at Platinum Label marathons held during the qualification period and the winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2027 until 2 May will also be considered as having achieved the qualification requirements.&nbsp;
Wild cards will be available to the defending world champions from 2025, winners at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship 2026, winners of the 2026 World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour, the leading hammer performers on the 2026 Continental Tour, and the winners of the 2027 Wanda Diamond League. If a member federation has four athletes in one event as a result of this criterion, all four will be permitted to compete. Should a member federation have more than one athlete per event qualified via wild card, the member federation will need to select one of those athletes to accept the spot.&nbsp;
The first 12 placed teams in each discipline at the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 have already qualified for WCH Beijing 27. The remaining four places in each relay discipline will be allocated to the best-ranked teams at the end of the qualification period, based on top lists.&nbsp;
World Athletics will publish a regularly updated &lsquo;Road to Beijing 27&rsquo; tool during the qualification period, providing athletes, member federations, media and fans with a real-time view of the qualification situation in each discipline.&nbsp;
World Athletics

World Athletics Championships, Beijing 2027

The World Athletics Council has approved the qualification system and entry standards for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27

Qualification system approved for World Athletics Championships Beijing 27

Misgana Wakuma won a fabulous half marathon silver at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Bras&iacute;lia 26 &ndash; Ethiopia&rsquo;s first global race walking medal.
His runner-up placing in Brazil was also the highest finish by an African athlete in the history of the World Race Walking Team Championships.
Just over a month later, he retained his African 20km race walk title in Accra in a national record of 1:18:47.
He did so without having his own coach. In a world where it&rsquo;s standard for top athletes to get direction, the 21-year-old says he goes it alone. That&rsquo;s not to say he wouldn&rsquo;t like outside help. In fact, if someone suitable were to come along, Wakuma would welcome the approach.
&ldquo;There are some young people working with me,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are working together, but I want to work with a coach in the future. Maybe, if I find one, we will meet three days a week. Then we will work according to our abilities.&rdquo;
No one doubts the race walker&rsquo;s ability.&nbsp;
Wakuma&rsquo;s steady inroads on elite fields since switching from running five years ago is evident.
As a 17-year-old he clocked an impressive 42:33.0 to win the 10,000m race walk at the Ethiopian U20 Championships in Assela in 2022. A year later he slashed that to 41:36.64 at the African U20 Championships in Zambia.
Fast forward to this March and he won the Ethiopian Championships in 38:04.09 &ndash; a mark that elevated him to 15th on the world all-time list.
In between, there have been gold medals from the African Championships and All-African Games at 20km, and a top-10 finish at the same distance at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, T&uuml;rkiye, in 2024.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a1438949b7cbcac23c8c092.jpg" alt="Misgana Wakuma at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya in 2024" />
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Misgana Wakuma at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya in 2024 (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Sergio Mateo Maria)
But the biggest eye catcher until Bras&iacute;lia was an outstanding sixth place in the Paris Olympic Games 20km race walk that same year.
Wakuma remained with the leaders until 18km in Paris, before the eventual top four moved away. He still finished in 1:19:31 &ndash; then a national record &ndash; while winning the admiration of the athletics world.
He says he was inspired by the efforts of Yehualeye Beletew, the 2018 African champion who set an Ethiopian 20km race walk record of 1:31:32 in 2021 and won silver at the African Championships in 2022 where Wakuma placed fourth, but he insists training at altitude, self-belief and a healthy diet are key ingredients to his success.
&ldquo;I used to follow Yehualeye, who really came before me, and I could see she was making progress,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;But because of my results, because of my progress, I thought I could start to challenge for big medals.&rdquo;
That diet of meat, eggs, milk and traditional Ethiopian food: "... that works for me, also includes injera &ndash; in fact, it&rsquo;s my daily food,&rdquo; Wakuma added.
Injera is a sour fermented pancake-like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, injera is a staple. Wakuma&rsquo;s daily bread comes with punishing daily workouts in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, 2355 metres above sea level, where he lives.
He is one of a family of 11, and none of the other 10 have an interest in athletics.
&ldquo;They like football or don&rsquo;t play sport at all,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m the only athlete.&rdquo;
If not training, he&rsquo;s relaxing and &ldquo;having fun&rdquo; as much as any top athlete can, and when asked to nominate his favourite race walkers, the list has few surprises.&nbsp;
Olympic gold medallists &Aacute;lvaro Mart&iacute;n, Mar&iacute;a P&eacute;rez and Massimo Stano, along with world champion Caio Bonfim who finished behind Wakuma in Bras&iacute;lia, and Francesco Fortunato who finished ahead to win the inaugural half marathon at the World Race Walking Team Championships, all get the Wakuma approval.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a143879d56f6037cb65f69d.jpg" alt="Francesco Fortunato, Misgana Wakuma and Caio Bonfim in Bras&iacute;lia" />
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Francesco Fortunato, Misgana Wakuma and Caio Bonfim in Bras&iacute;lia (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Oscar Munoz Badilla)
&ldquo;There is much to admire about them,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I came to Bras&iacute;lia thinking I could get a medal after my results since 2024. I can start to dream of becoming a world and Olympic champion.&rdquo;
The name Wakuma in Amharic, or more specifically Oromo, the language spoken by around 40% of Ethiopians, roughly translates as &lsquo;Godlike&rsquo; or &lsquo;divine&rsquo;.
If Wakuma continues to make progress like that which got him silver in Bras&iacute;lia and another African gold in Accra, it might well see prayers answered for that global gold. It might also see a lot of athletes looking up the recipe for injera.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
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Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Misgana Wakuma won a fabulous half marathon silver at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasília 26 – Ethiopia’s first global race walking medal

How Ethiopia’s Wakuma raced walked his way into the history books in Brasília

Mohamed Esa set an African all-comers' record to win the men&rsquo;s race and Dera Dida clinched women&rsquo;s race victory to complete an Ethiopian double at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon &ndash; a World Athletics Elite Label road race &ndash; on Sunday (24).
Esa clocked 2:04:55 to take more than three minutes off the previous course record of 2:08:16, while Dida ran 2:23:18 to win by almost half a minute.
Competing just over a month after being unable to finish the Boston Marathon, Esa clinched victory by four seconds ahead of his compatriot Yihunilign Adane. Keyna&rsquo;s Kalipus Lomwai was third in 2:05:06.
They all formed part of a group that passed halfway in 1:02:49 and were joined by Kenya&rsquo;s Leonard Langat in a four-man battle for victory as the race entered the final 5km.
Esa made a decisive move at the 40km mark, surging to the front and holding off his rivals. He crossed the finish line in 2:04:55 to secure the first marathon victory of his career after runner-up finishes in Tokyo in 2023 and Boston and Chicago in 2024.
&ldquo;To win my first marathon here in Africa, on home ground, and in a course-record time makes this victory very special to me,&rdquo; he said.
There was an Ethiopian top three in the women&rsquo;s contest as Berlin Marathon runner-up Dida ran a well-judged race to win by 27 seconds ahead of Mestawut Fikir. Waganesh Mekasha Amare completed the podium in 2:23:57.
They all ran as part of a lead group that hit halfway in 1:12:33. Six athletes remained in contention at 35km before Dida moved away over the final few kilometres.
The event also marked the start of Kenyan marathon great Eliud Kipchoge&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/news/eliud-kipchoge-world-tour-marathons-seven-continents">World Tour</a> &ndash; a quest to complete seven marathons across seven continents.
The initiative marks a new chapter in the two-time Olympic champion&rsquo;s storied career, combining elite racing with a mission to &ldquo;unite the world through running.&rdquo; Each stop on the tour will also raise funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which supports education and environmental projects around the globe.
In Cape Town, the former world record-holder clocked 2:13:29. His next stop on the tour will be the Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on 12 July. &ldquo;Cape Town, this was a special day,&rdquo; said Kipchoge. &ldquo;Today was a celebration of running on this beautiful course, supported by thousands of incredible fans singing and making music along the route, and by fellow runners sharing the same race. You all made our first stop on the tour one we&rsquo;ll never forget. I&rsquo;m proud to begin our world tour in Africa and to run my first-ever marathon on home soil. It was the perfect start.&rdquo;
The event was live streamed on <a href="https://worldathletics.org/worldathletics-plus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics+</a> and is available to <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6a11d826031d40b20f89c64c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch again</a> &ndash; geo-restrictions may apply
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Mohamed Esa set an African all-comers' record to win the men’s race and Dera Dida clinched women’s race victory to complete an Ethiopian double at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon

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