For Malaika Mihambo, it&rsquo;s never over, it would seem.
It was put to the German long jump queen on the eve of her fourth competition of this crowded 2022 outdoor season, the FBK Games in Hengelo (6 June), that she was the &ldquo;Chef der letzten Runde&rdquo; - the chief of the last round.
The suggestion drew a wry smile from Mihambo, an engagingly erudite individual who likes to spend her off-seasons meditating and absorbing the culture in India and Thailand.
&ldquo;For me, the competition is only over after the sixth attempt,&ldquo; the world, Olympic and European champion said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m all in until the competition is over. Whether it&rsquo;s the sixth round, or the third, it doesn&rsquo;t matter: I&rsquo;m giving it my all. Even if the odds don&rsquo;t seem that good, I don&rsquo;t give up.&ldquo;
As if to prove the point again &ndash; after the dramatic last-gasp effort that took her to Olympic gold in Tokyo last year &ndash; Mihambo proceeded to propel herself out of the long jump equivalent of the last chance saloon with another victory-grabbing final round leap in the rain-lashed Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadion. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b9fb68b17c8ca74e8db4eb.jpg" alt="Malaika Mihambo competes in Hengelo" />
Malaika Mihambo competes in Hengelo (&copy; Dan Vernon)
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Trailing to a wind-assisted 6.53m from Quanesha Burks of the US, the 28-year-old graduate in political science from the quaint university town of Heidelberg in south-west Germany uncorked a sixth-round leap of 6.65m. In the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome three days later, she was unable to repeat the trick, finishing 6cm down on Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, the Ukrainian she beat to world gold in Doha three years ago, with 6.79m.&nbsp;
Still, with a world lead of 7.09m from the Birmingham Diamond League meeting on 21 May, and five wins from six competitions in the 2022 outdoor season, Mihambo is on an encouraging overall roll as she seeks to complete a hattrick of consecutive global outdoor titles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 next month. She won the German outdoor title for a sixth time with 6.85m in Berlin on Sunday (26) and faces a final test before Oregon in the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Thursday (30).
Having bagged the world title ahead of Bekh-Romanchuk in Doha in 2019 with a mighty 7.30m leap and the Olympic crown in Tokyo last year, the Oregon trail beckons with the promise of the pride of TSV Oftersheim producing the first three-peat on the global outdoor stage since Brittney Reese of the USA hit the gold standard at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics &ndash; plus, one more time, for good measure, at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
It was a measure of Mihambo&rsquo;s mettle that she managed to finish on top of the pile in Tokyo - not just because of the stunning fashion in which she upgraded from bronze to gold with her final effort, her 7.00m leap trumping both Reese and Nigeria&rsquo;s Ese Brume, who had both jumped 6.97m. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6108db9ed75eb6769b073560.jpg" alt="Malaika Mihambo competes in the women's long jump final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games" />
Malaika Mihambo competes in the women's long jump final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (&copy; Getty Images)
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All through 2021 Mihambo struggled to find her rhythm on the runway. After winning at the Oslo Diamond League on 1 June, she only won one of five competitions: the Olympic final in Tokyo. In 2019, pre Covid, she triumphed in 10 out of 10.
The drop in consistency followed a period of turmoil off the track: a prolonged break from training because of a back injury and the Covid pandemic, a change of coach and a struggle to shift from shortened to full-length run ups.
Having parted with her coach of 15 years, Ralf Weber, Mihambo was preparing to move to Houston to train under Carl Lewis and Leroy Burrell until the advent of Coronavirus.
Instead, she stayed at home and hooked up with Uli Knapp, Germany&rsquo;s national women&rsquo;s long jump event coach. Though the switch is bearing dividends now, Mihambo confides that her hopes of linking up in some form with Lewis and Burrell are &ndash; like her approach to the totality of rounds in the competitive arena &ndash; far from over.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not finished,&rdquo; she said, when asked about Lewis, the four-time Olympic and two-time world long jump champion, and Burrell, the former 100m world record-holder.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It was delayed because of Coronavirus but then I found Uli. I&rsquo;m really happy training with him because of what he can do on the one hand with his technical expertise and also on the human level. He&rsquo;s a really special person.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m still interested to go outside and see the training camp of Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis but right now I have my coach and I&rsquo;m happy. I would like to see their training camp and how they work together, but with my coach now still as my head coach.
&ldquo;Uli is really a great person. He&rsquo;s super-empathetic. He&rsquo;s really kind-hearted - always looks as me as a person, not only as an athlete. My personal wellbeing is always the most important for him.
&ldquo;It makes working together something really special. I&rsquo;m really grateful for having that with Uli.&rdquo; 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b9fe98fe39c9744a4f53ef.jpg" alt="Malaika Mihambo competes at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin" />
Malaika Mihambo competes at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin (&copy; Getty Images)
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The pair first started working together in June 2020 and Mihambo confessed: &ldquo;The first year was a bit tough. I had a three or four-month break in the first Coronavirus lockdown because my back was injured. I couldn&rsquo;t train or jump.
&ldquo;You lose much of your substance that you have built up. So we decided then to jump from the short approach, only 16 steps, and the rhythm was completely different form the long approach, about 20 steps. It&rsquo;s around 10 metres less.
&ldquo;Then, coming back to the long approach in winter 2020-21, it was really difficult to change the rhythm back to normal. I had a confused approach set-up in my mind. I couldn&rsquo;t really find a stable approach.
&ldquo;In the last winter season we focused on sprints and technique, on stability in sprinting, and I think it&rsquo;s paid off. I feel really good now and I&rsquo;m confident about this season.&rdquo;
The pinnacle of the season, of course, is the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 &ndash; a fourth World Championships for Mihambo.
She made her debut as a 19-year-old in Moscow in 2013, fresh from victory at the European U20 Championships, placing 18th in qualifying. Two years later in Beijing, the year she won the European U23 title, she reached the final and finished sixth.&nbsp;
Then, in 2019, came victory in Doha - with the 7.30m jump that places her 12th on the world all-time list.
Beyond Oregon, there is the chance to win European Championships gold on home ground for a second time. Having taken the continental title in Berlin in 2018, Mihambo will get the chance to defend it in Munich in August &ndash; in the Olympiastadion arena where Heide Rosendahl claimed home Olympic long jump gold for Germany half a century ago.
&ldquo;For sure, it&rsquo;s a really amazing thing to jump in front of your home crowd,&rdquo; said Germany&rsquo;s sportswoman of the year. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s where my heart is.
&ldquo;Titles are nice and I am really happy that I have achieved them, but for me sport is something where I can train to be the best version of myself - where I can try to overcome my limits and grow, not only as an athlete but also as a person.
&ldquo;That is why I keep focused and motivated and why I am always looking to get better - not just for the titles, but to grow and be happy.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
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 That personal growth has encompassed broadening the mind on off-season travels to foreign shores. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been to India two times,&rdquo; said Mihambo. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve really enjoyed it because India has its own magic. People can feel it only once they&rsquo;ve been there.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I really like the history, the culture, the nature, the landscape and the people. I&rsquo;m really into meditation and I enjoyed meditating there. I&rsquo;ve been to Thailand and meditated there.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve also been to Finland to see the deepest snows. I&rsquo;m just curious to see the world.&rdquo;
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics

World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022

For Malaika Mihambo, it’s never over, it would seem.

Mihambo's world adventures to continue in Oregon

Weltklasse Zurich has been writing athletics history for almost 100 years and as the meeting has developed, so too has its sustainability strategy. In the lead up to its 2028 centenary, the host of this year&rsquo;s Wanda Diamond League final has set several ambitious goals, delivering a zero-emission meeting to celebrate its 100th anniversary among them.
&ldquo;We want zero emissions for the entire meeting universe by 2028,&rdquo; said co-meeting director Christoph Joho. &ldquo;We will have to prove our innovation prowess in various areas to do this. However, we feel that taking this future-oriented, game-changing step is paramount.&rdquo;
The meeting began its sustainability journey with a comprehensive analysis in 2008. One year later the initial base measures were put in place, and the meeting became carbon-neutral. Promoting the use of public transport, focusing on local products and abandoning LED lights for the closing ceremony were all aspects of the new approach. Emissions that cannot be avoided are compensated through certified climate projects, but the meeting intends to go the extra mile.
&ldquo;At Weltklasse Zurich, we strive to be pioneers. Our ambition is to be &lsquo;Weltklasse&rsquo;, both on and off the track,&rdquo; Joho said. &ldquo;Because of that, we have initiated some very important projects. And we will, of course, live up to our motto. We will &lsquo;never stop getting better&rsquo; and will always set our goals high &ndash; with respect to the environment, to social aspects and to economic sustainability.&rdquo;
<h2>More projects on all levels</h2>
The meeting&rsquo;s mission is to promote athletics at all levels which also means organising innovative events outside of its home at Letzigrund Stadium. The UBS Kids Cup youth initiative and its winter edition UBS Kids Cup Team, for example, have reached almost 1.5 million children and teenagers between the ages of seven and 15. That has resulted in a considerable growth of the number of young athletes participating in athletics since the initiative&rsquo;s inauguration in 2011.
In addition to this year&rsquo;s special street venue for some Wanda Diamond League final events on the Sechselautenplatz, the city&rsquo;s largest square, with free admission, there will be several pop-up events during the week leading up to the meeting, including the Weltklasse Zurich Extra Mile, a new school project.
<h2>Equal pay and gender parity</h2>
Equal pay for women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s events has been a Diamond League policy since its first season in 2010, but it was in force in Zurich before that. Gender parity, too, is also a priority, on the track and behind the scenes.
Organisers are aiming to achieve equal numbers of female and male participants in the UBS Kids Cup, as well as with volunteers and members of the organising committee. A mentoring programme has been launched to ensure that gender parity can be achieved in the management team as well by 2027.
<h2>A six-figure amount for Switzerland&rsquo;s athletics community</h2>
On a local level, Zurich&rsquo;s athletics club Leichtathletik Club Zurich (LCZ) is the most important and long-term beneficiary of Weltklasse Zurich. The meeting provides financial and human resources and knowledge to the club and also to federations, other clubs and organisations, as well as higher education institutions.
Internationally, Weltklasse Zurich works with the Wanda Diamond League and shares professional knowledge, is active as a member of the series&rsquo; governing board and offers support to developing meetings. The meeting also launched a Diamond League initiative to financially support athletics in Ukraine this spring.
A six-figure amount the meeting generates every year is reinvested in the future of athletics, and in athletes, coaches and the sport&rsquo;s structures. Building an indoor athletics arena on the Letzigrund grounds to further entrench the sport in Zurich is an additional long-term goal.
<h2>Athletics innovation, with added value for society</h2>
Weltklasse Zurich joined forces with the Athletikzentrum fur Spitzensport OYM in Cham to create an athletics innovation cell. All organisations involved share a focus on promoting the sport and its stars. Launched in 2011, the UBS Kids Cup series has become an unparalleled success among youth sports initiative. Other successful projects include Leichtathletik 2030 and the coach summits held during the meeting week. In the future, further forums will be organised to share knowledge regarding sustainability and partnerships to benefit the sport of athletics.
<h2>Advisory Board and transparency</h2>
The evaluation and development of sustainability goals will take centre stage when it comes to future organisational aspects of Weltklasse Zurich. Sustainability will be a focus of the meeting&rsquo;s organising committee, and an Advisory Board will be created to analyse and evaluate all processes. Annual reports will show how the meeting progresses with its sustainability goals.
Organisers for World Athletics

Weltklasse Zurich has been writing athletics history for almost 100 years and as the meeting has developed, so too has its sustainability strategy.

Weltklasse Zurich pledges zero emission delivery by 2028 centenary edition

In ideal conditions for sprinting, Shericka Jackson produced a dazzling run to complete a magnificent sprint double on the final day of the Jamaican Championships in Kingston on Sunday (26).
When Jackson burst the tape at 21.55 (0.0m/s), the third-fastest 200m time in history, it simultaneously triggered a moment of utter disbelief and euphoria among the large crowd in the national stadium. &nbsp;
Drawn in lane six, Jackson flew off the curve ahead of the field, which included Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
With 50m to go, the race was over as the versatile Jackson opened up an insurmountable lead that widened with each stride. She now sits behind only world record-holder Florence Griffith-Joyner (21.34) and&nbsp;Thompson-Herah (21.53) on the women's world 200m all-time list.
&ldquo;Honestly, I didn&rsquo;t expect to run this fast,&rdquo; said Jackson, who claimed Olympic 100m bronze in Tokyo and has three global 400m medals to her name. &ldquo;I knew I was in good shape and when I spoke to the coach yesterday, he wanted a proper execution and the curve was one of the areas discussed. I think I did well on the curve, my coach told me to run the first 100m hard and do whatever I want afterwards. I am just grateful.&rdquo;
Thompson-Herah, who claimed second, and Fraser-Pryce in third, recorded season's bests of 22.05 and 22.14 respectively.
&ldquo;This evening I came to give myself the opportunity to qualify for the 200m,&rdquo; said Fraser-Pryce, who won the sprint double at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow. &ldquo;I am still not 100% sure if I&rsquo;m doing the sprint double at the World Championships (in Oregon), however, I&rsquo;ve placed myself in a position to make that decision and if I decide not to do it, then I won&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
On Friday, Jackson overcame some pre-race drama to win her first national 100m title in a season&rsquo;s best of 10.77 (0.9m/s).
The women&rsquo;s 100m finalists endured a lengthy delay before the start due to an equipment malfunction. Once the race got under way, however, there was no stopping Jackson as she became the first Jamaican woman to win national titles at 100m, 200m and 400m.
&ldquo;Last year was actually the first time I competed competitively in the 100m,&rdquo; said Jackson, whose winning time was 0.01 off her lifetime best.
Just as she did at the NCAA Championships, Kemba Nelson produced a clutch performance to finish second in a PB of 10.88. &ldquo;I feel great. It&rsquo;s kind of unbelievable,&rdquo; said Nelson, who recently graduated from the University of Oregon. &ldquo;To get a PR on home soil running out of lane eight is a job well done. I had good execution during the race and there&rsquo;s lots more to come, this is just the beginning.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, five-time Olympic champion Thompson-Herah, who was third in 10.89, expressed mixed sentiments. &ldquo;There was a delay, which was not our fault,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;After warming up, I came here to compete, this is not a training session where you can go through the motions and honestly, I almost walked away, I only stayed because I wanted to qualify for the World Championships. I felt very flat after waiting so long, fought my way through the line, and was happy that I came third, which I didn&rsquo;t know until afterwards.&rdquo;
Earlier in the heats, four-time world 100m champion Fraser-Pryce teased the enthusiastic audience as she accelerated to 10.70 (1.1m/s). But the 35-year-old, who has a wildcard entry for the World Championships, was only required to make an appearance at the event and so simply walked out of her blocks in the semifinals.
The men&rsquo;s 100m was a showdown between vastly experienced sprinter Yohan Blake, world champion back in 2011, and new members of the sub-10-second club Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake.
All three men got off to a strong start and powered away from the rest of the field with a rejuvenated Blake claiming the win in 9.85 (1.0m/s), his fastest time in 10 years.
&ldquo;You have to believe in yourself,&rdquo; said Blake. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m the second-fastest man in the history of the sport. The naysayers kept me going, whenever they say I won&rsquo;t make it or I should give up, I use that to fuel me and push through.&rdquo;
Seville, who finished second in 9.88, was gracious in defeat. &ldquo;My plan throughout the championships was to be calm and conserve for the finals,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I am pleased with the time because it&rsquo;s close to my personal best. It was a tremendous run, although the only thing that went wrong was my execution, especially that last part where I got a little tight.&rdquo;
Ackeem Blake was third with a personal best of 9.93.
The sprint hurdles, due to Jamaica&rsquo;s large pool of talent, provided the usual excitement and disappointment. World U20 record-holder Britany Anderson overcame a sluggish start and found her rhythm to claim her first domestic 100m hurdles title in 12.53 (0.6m/s) ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper (12.60) and 2015 world champion Danielle Williams (12.66).
"I'm excited to be the national champion," Anderson said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the fastest gun I&rsquo;ve ever heard, so my start wasn&rsquo;t the best, however, I kept my focus and momentum going straight through to the finish.&rdquo;
On the men's side, an intense battle between 2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod and reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment was on the agenda in the 110m hurdles. The match-up fizzled midway as McLeod began to fade. Parchment, as is customary, got faster after the sixth hurdle, but a new threat appeared to his right in Rasheed Broadbell, who pushed him all the way to the tape. The Olympic champion prevailed in 13.14 (1.0m/s) over Broadbell (13.20) and Orlando Bennett (13.28), who both registered season's bests.
&ldquo;It was raining a lot during warm-ups, but it was very warm,&rdquo; said Parchment. &ldquo;I prepared myself well and tonight I put together a decent race, although my coach will be correcting a few things. I wasn&rsquo;t as&nbsp;powerful at the start&nbsp;as&nbsp;I would have liked, I slacked off a little bit, however, it was a good race overall.&rdquo;
In the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles, Andrenette Knight looked on course to claim her first domestic title. That was until tragedy struck. Knight, who blasted from the blocks, took a considerable lead before smashing into a hurdle entering the home straight and fell out of contention. Janieve Russell assumed the lead that she never relinquished, winning comfortably in a season&rsquo;s best of 53.63. Shian Salmon ran strong to finish second in 53.82, a personal best.
&ldquo;I am feeling really good, words can&rsquo;t explain,&rdquo; said Russell. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m ready and I&rsquo;m going to the World Championships with a lot of confidence.&rdquo;
A tense finish in the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles enthralled spectators, with Jaheel Hyde, who ran with sustained willpower, adrenaline and relentless strength until the last two hurdles, just holding off a strong challenge from Kemar Mowatt - 48.51 to 48.53.
World champion Tajay Gayle, who has a wildcard entry for the World Championships, struggled to get going in the men&rsquo;s long jump. He started badly, fouling his first two attempts followed by two sub-eight-metre efforts in the third and fourth rounds before things got worse in the fifth round when he landed awkwardly after another fouled attempt. It took 10 agonising minutes before Gayle, after receiving medical attention, exited the pit in a laboured manner. Gayle was unable to continue and passed in the sixth round.
Wayne Pinnock won the event, his first senior long jump title, after cutting the sand at 8.14m (0.7 m/s) in the first round. However, after feeling some discomfort,&nbsp;he too decided to pass on the next five rounds.
Shanieka Ricketts won the women&rsquo;s triple jump with 14.27m (-0.5m/s). Danniel Thomas-Dodd won the women&rsquo;s shot put with 18.79m.
In the absence of the injured Fedrick Dacres, Travis Smikle won the men&rsquo;s discus with 65.73m.
Noel Francis for World Athletics

Jackson records the third-fastest 200m in history at the Jamaican Championships

Jackson runs 21.55 200m to complete sprint double in Kingston

There&rsquo;s no place like Hayward Field for US athletes, who completed their national championships on Sunday (26) in what was essentially a trial run for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 next month.
Abby Steiner had the race of her life in the women&rsquo;s 200m, while 400m hurdler Rai Benjamin and shot putter Chase Ealey moved atop the world lists on another hot day at the US Championships in Eugene.
For Steiner, Hayward Field is definitely in her comfort zone. She lowered her PB to 21.77 while earning her first national crown just 15 days after shattering the collegiate record and taking the world lead with a 21.80 amid cooler temperatures at the NCAA Championships. The University of Kentucky sprinter equalled that time in the semifinals at the US Championships.
&ldquo;The main focus was just to come away with a win, make the team,&rdquo; said Steiner, whose performance was another world lead until Shericka Jackson ran 21.55 at the Jamaican Championships. &ldquo;It was nice having had NCAAs at this track; it was kind of a familiar environment so I knew if I replicated my race that I had at NCAAs with nicer weather, we were going to walk away with a PB.&rdquo;
Steiner will return to Eugene along with the other US athletes who qualified for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 in less than three weeks, no doubt to enjoy their home field advantage. The World Championships are taking place on US soil for the first time.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While Steiner wasn&rsquo;t as dominant in the first 50 metres, she grabbed the lead with 40 meters to go, defeating Tamara Clark, who ran a PB of 21.92. Olympian Jenna Prandini, who came off the curve in first place, ran a season's best of 22.01 on her college alma mater&rsquo;s track.
Olympic bronze medalist Gabby Thomas placed eighth in 22.47 after battling a hamstring injury the past two weeks, while Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson did not advance to the final.&nbsp;
Steiner was smiling with her arms outstretched as she crossed the finish line into a slight headwind.
Steiner said the win means &ldquo;Everything.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Coming off the collegiate season, a lot of people want to put limitations on you and say you&rsquo;re going to be burnt out,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;
Steiner definitely proved she still has momentum.
<h2>Benjamin uses final burst to take world lead</h2>
Benjamin chopped his steps going into the second hurdle of the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles and actually trailed Khallifah Rosser at the ninth barrier.
Then Benjamin hit another gear to pull ahead and run a world-leading time of 47.04, 0.45 better than his previous best this season, and leap over Alison Dos Santos&rsquo; 47.23 on the world list.&nbsp;
Trey Bassitt surged past Rosser to take second with a personal best of 47.47, while Rosser ran a PB of 47.65 for third. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b8ed50bf22c9871b1f4813.jpg" alt="Rai Benjamin in the 400m hurdles at the 2022 US Championships" />
Rai Benjamin in the 400m hurdles at the 2022 US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Benjamin has recovered from a tough bout with Covid-19 and had not been able to train as much as he would have liked. He said he felt &ldquo;kind of banged up&rdquo; after the weekend.
Winning his third straight US title, Benjamin said: &ldquo;It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.&rdquo;
Making the US team, he added, &ldquo;is the hardest part, in all honesty. Worlds &mdash; that&rsquo;s the easiest part. I still have a lot of work to do. I know what I have in store. It&rsquo;s a matter of getting healthy and putting my best foot forward.&rdquo;
Benjamin also hopes to run on the US 4x400m relay as he did in Tokyo, where he won an Olympic gold medal.
<h2>Ealey ready to make first world outdoor podium</h2>
Ealey, the world indoor silver medallist, took the world lead on her second toss, a throw of 20.51m to move ahead of China&rsquo;s Song Jiayuan with 20.38m and Canadian Sarah Mitton&rsquo;s 20.33m. Ealey's mark was also a meeting and stadium record and a PB by 38cm.&nbsp;
Ealey &ndash; who now sits second on the US all-time list &ndash; had a stellar series. After three throws over 19 metres (19.30m, 19.46m and 19.80m), she finished with another monster throw of 20.19m.
&ldquo;I was really nervous leading into this meet,&rdquo; Ealey said. &ldquo;I hadn&rsquo;t been nervous all year, but I used the nerves really well and was able to push past the nerves and really go for it.&rdquo;
Ealey said she is primed for the World Championships and doesn&rsquo;t want to leave Eugene next month without a medal, &ldquo;and I&rsquo;m really hoping it&rsquo;s a gold one.&rdquo;
She added: &ldquo;Since my breakout year it&rsquo;s been a while since I&rsquo;ve finally been on my feet again and I feel like I have it now."
Adelaide Aquilla was second at 19.45m, followed by Jessica Woodard at 19.40m. Olympic silver medallist Raven Saunders had a season's best of 18.95m, but missed the US team, while 2016 gold medallist Michelle Carter closed out her final national championships in eighth place (17.72m).
<h2>Thrilling finish to women&rsquo;s 800m</h2>
Olympic 800m gold medalist Athing Mu, who turned 20 on 8 June, has not lost a race outdoors at any distance since age 17.&nbsp;
Ajee&rsquo; Wilson almost ended Mu&rsquo;s winning streak, pulling abreast with her in the final push for the line, but coming up just short.
Mu&rsquo;s time was 1:57.16, while Wilson, who admitted she might have started her kick a little too early, had a season best of 1:57.23. Raevyn Rogers, who went to college at Oregon and whose likeness is on the Hayward Field Tower, was in sixth place with 100 metres to go and wound up third in 1:57.96. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b8edadbf22c9871b1f4816.jpg" alt="Athing Mu wins the 800m ahead of Ajee Wilson at the 2022 US Championships" />
Athing Mu wins the 800m ahead of Ajee Wilson at the 2022 US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad that I fought,&rdquo; said Mu, who ran 1:57.55 in the semifinals, &ldquo;and I&rsquo;m glad that I still had it in my legs to come back and run. I&rsquo;m glad I was able to replicate what I did two days ago even though it wasn&rsquo;t a super fast time.&rdquo;
She was also happy for her boyfriend Brandon Miller, who threw himself across the line in the men&rsquo;s 800m to deny 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Clayton Murphy another national team. Miller&rsquo;s time was 1:45.19 while Murphy finished fourth with a season's best of 1:45.23.
Bryce Hoppel won the race, fighting off Jonah Koech on the final stretch, 1:44.60 to 1:44.74, with Koech posting a PB to attain the World Championships standard.
<h2>Proving a point in the men&rsquo;s 200m</h2>
Noah Lyles did not follow the example of fellow world champions Christian Coleman, Nia Ali and Grant Holloway of skipping their final because they had a wildcard entry into the World Championships.
Lyles had something to prove.
He won the 200m with a time of 19.67, blowing past teenager Erriyon Knighton, who clocked 19.69. Fred Kerley doubled by placing third in 19.83 after winning the men&rsquo;s 100m. Kenny Bednarek, the Olympic silver medallist, also made the US team in fourth place with a season's best of 19.87, just ahead of Lyles&rsquo; brother Josephus with a PB of 19.93.
Knighton has the world lead of 19.49, and the attention on the young sprinter had Lyles feeling left out.
Lyles pointed his finger at Knighton as he crossed the finish line, but he explained that the gesture was meant for the people who had doubted him.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m pointing at all those people who kept doubting me, all year and all last year,&rdquo; Lyles said, &ldquo;everybody who keeps saying, &lsquo;He&rsquo;s out of the picture.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Lyles admitted that Knighton got the best of him on the turn, but he refused to panic.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I saw he reached his top speed and I said, &lsquo;Mine&rsquo;s faster,&rsquo;&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to catch him.&rdquo;
Knighton was visibly upset by the loss. During the post-race television interview, he vowed to &ldquo;Just come back and win. The job&rsquo;s not finished, it&rsquo;s never finished.&rdquo; And then he stalked out of camera range.
Lyles shouted after him, &ldquo;It ain&rsquo;t finished!&rdquo;
Lyles said the pointing was &ldquo;just about having fun,&rdquo; but he allowed that the move could have cost him some time with Knighton on his shoulder.
&ldquo;To be honest,&rdquo; Lyles said, &ldquo;I risked it for the biscuit.&rdquo; 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b8f9ff774be729e2fb1a54.jpg" alt="Noah Lyles wins the US 200m title ahead of Erriyon Knighton" />
Noah Lyles wins the US 200m title ahead of Erriyon Knighton (&copy; Getty Images)
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Grant Fisher withstood the morning heat to win the men&rsquo;s 5000m and set a meeting record with a time of 13:03.86. Woody Kincaid ran a 54-second final lap to move from fourth to second in 13:06.70. Abdihamid Nur was third in 13:08.63.
Fisher was thrilled to win his first national title after three near misses.
&ldquo;I knew if I put in some pace with a few laps to go that I would break a lot of people,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;and I wanted this to be a true 5km. I didn&rsquo;t want it to be a 400m. I wanted to make them hurt and it worked.&rdquo;
World gold and silver medallist Emma Coburn won the women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase in 9:10.63 as Courtney Wayment moved into second with a time of 9:12.10 by overtaking Olympic silver medallist Courtney Frerichs, who finished third in 9:16.18.&nbsp;
Shelby McEwen jumped a PB of 2.33m to win the men&rsquo;s high jump, moving into a tie for second on the world list and attaining the World Championships standard. JuVaughn Harrison made the US team with a season's best of 2.30m and Dontavious Hill was third in 2.22m. Harrison, who made the Olympic team in both the high jump and long jump, was unsuccessful in his quest to double at the World Championships in Oregon.
Daniel Roberts won his second national title in the 110m hurdles, clocking a season's best of 13.03. It was a blanket finish for the next three places, with Trey Cunningham, the NCAA champion, taking second with a time of 13.08.&nbsp;
Two-time Olympian Devon Allen, who ran the world-leading time this season of 12.84 two weeks ago, was third by three-thousandths of a second. He edged Jamal Britt, 13.087 to 13.090, to claim the final spot on the US team.
Karen Rosen for World Athletics

Abby Steiner improved her PB, while 400m hurdler Rai Benjamin and shot putter Chase Ealey moved atop the world lists

Steiner storms to 200m win at US Championships

Diaz Fortun added 10cm to his world triple jump lead, leaping 17.87m

Diaz, Mitton and Richards impress on busy national championships weekend

The history of Irish athletics is a complex one, certainly as far as its governing institutions have been concerned, but it&rsquo;s also a colourful and uplifting one and comes into full focus this weekend.
The 150th Irish Championships are being held in Dublin&rsquo;s Morton Stadium on Saturday and Sunday and will be a celebration of the country&rsquo;s rich and long contribution to the sport.
Although the current generation of Irish athletes will have the main aim of qualifying for the World Athletics Championships next month, and the European Championships in August, memories will stretch back to the 19th century and how athletics gained a footing in the Emerald Isle.
In James Kelly&rsquo;s excellent book Pound for pound, a winner: Sport in Ireland, 1600-1840, the author devotes a modicum of space to athletics and elaborates on the fact that although ad hoc races took place in villages and at county fairs during the two-and-half centuries in question, the pastime was far less popular than other pursuits of this era such as pugilism, cock fighting horse racing and blood sports. However, the Irish Famine from 1845 to 1852 effectively put an end to all forms of social activities and, as society restructured after this defining moment in Irish history, athletics started to become more popular.
<h2>Irish Famine changes society</h2>
Ireland&rsquo;s first recorded athletics meeting that resembles those of the current day was held at Trinity College, Dublin in 1857. The Irish Champion Athletic Club was then founded in 1872 by local engineer and keen sportsman Henry Dunlop after the Trinity College Provost banned any further athletics meetings on its grounds.
Dunlop also leased what was to become the famed Lansdowne Road and laid down what he later described as &ldquo;a cinder running path of a quarter-mile,&rdquo; before organising Ireland&rsquo;s first national athletics championships in 1873.
The first nine editions of the championships were held under the aegis of the Irish Champion Athletic Club before then being organised by the short-lived Amateur Athletic Association of Ireland. In 1881, the first Irish Cross County Championships were also held in Dunboyne.
However, political differences came to the fore in 1884 with the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) which was focussed on repelling the British influence on the local sporting scene.
<h2>Two national championships</h2>
The GAA started to host its own athletics championships in 1885 to rival that organised by the re-branded Irish Amateur Athletic Association (IAAA) which had been set up in Dublin in February 1885.
From 1885 to 1922, parallel championships were held by the GAA and IAAA with athletes often winning titles at both in the same year. Notably, while the IAAA stopped staging its championship between 1915 and 1918 because of World War I, the GAA continued to stage an event giving rise to the justifiable boast that the Irish national championships, in its various forms, are the longest continually held national athletics championships in the world.
During this period, Irish athletes also competed at the Olympics as part of Great Britain teams as the country was still under British rule winning four gold medals, notably Tim Ahearne&rsquo;s 1908 triple jump win of 14.915m which remained an Olympic record until 1924.
Following Irish independence in 1922, a new body called the National Athletic and Cycling Association (NACA) &ndash; formed after a merger of the IAAA, Cross Country Association of Ireland and the Athletics Council of the GAA &ndash; took over the administration of athletics in Ireland. For a while, all seemed calm &ndash; to the wider world as least &ndash; as Ireland joined the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the forerunner of World Athletics, in 1924 and sent a team of 10 athletes to the Paris 1924 Olympic Games.
<h2>O&rsquo;Callaghan makes history</h2>
History was made in 1928 when hammer thrower Pat O&rsquo;Callaghan won gold at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games, the first Olympic medal of any description in any sport for an independent Ireland. In 1931, Tim Smyth became the first Irish winner of the International Cross Country Championships, which were held that year at the Baldoyle Racecourse near Dublin.
A year later, Robert Tisdall won the 400m hurdles at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games before O&rsquo;Callaghan &ndash; a candidate for the honour of being Ireland&rsquo;s greatest ever athlete &ndash; retained his hammer title on the same day.
However, political issues were again to intervene and NACA was suspended from the IAAF in 1935 over its insistence that it also had governance over athletics in Northern Ireland.
Consequently, Ireland did not send a team to the 1936 Olympic Games and, although Tisdall had by then retired, O&rsquo;Callaghan would likely have been a medal contender once again.
A new body, the Irish Amateur Athletic Union (IAAU), was set up in 1937 and admitted to the IAAF as the Irish representative but its creation again led to two national championships being staged from 1937 through to 1966, a more-widely recognised one organised by the IAAU and its successors and another by NACA, the situation complicated further by the latter&rsquo;s affiliation to the Irish Olympic Council.
In 1967 after discussions between various parties over the previous two years, both groups finally agreed to dissolve themselves and form a new association, the Bord Luthchleas na hEireann (BLE) and unity prevailed once more. A few die-hards in NACA, however, continued to keep alive an organisation by that name until 2000 when the BLE and NACA joined forces to form the Athletics Association of Ireland, which is now known by its shortened name of Athletics Ireland.
Against a backdrop of all these political shenanigans, which stretch back more than a century, Irish athletes have continued to periodically shine on the global stage.
<h2>Delany&rsquo;s memorable win in Melbourne</h2>
Following the successes in Los Angeles, it was to be 28 years before an athlete in the familiar green vest got a medal and once again it was a gold thanks to Ronnie Delany&rsquo;s iconic 1500m win in an epic race at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6218e110244342148eac9924.jpg" alt="John Landy (156) takes the 1500m bronze behind Ron Delany of Ireland at the 1956 Olympics" />
John Landy (156) takes the 1500m bronze behind Ron Delany of Ireland at the 1956 Olympics (&copy; Getty Images)
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 Delany&rsquo;s triumph remains the last time the Irish national anthem has sounded out in an Olympic athletics arena, but John Treacy &ndash; the 1978 and 1979 world cross-country champion &ndash; and Sonia O&rsquo;Sullivan went close when they took silver medals in the 1984 marathon and 2000 5000m.
Eamonn Coghlan was a frustrated fourth in the 1976 Olympic Games 1500m and then the 5000m four years later in Moscow but got compensation when he was victorious in the longer event at the inaugural World Athletics Championships in 1983, memorably going through the gears over the final 150 metres to leave all his rivals training in his wake.
O&rsquo;Sullivan then followed in Coghlan&rsquo;s footsteps by taking the 1995 world 5000m title in Gothenburg, and in the 21st century Irish race walkers have had not inconsiderable success with Olive Loughnane and Robert Heffernan winning world titles in 2009 and 2013. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/2c54e2cc-918a-461a-9bfb-de88419a66aa.png" alt="Sonia O'Sullivan in action at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships" />
Sonia O'Sullivan in action at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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 Irish runners also prospered at the early World Indoor Championships with Marcus O&rsquo;Sullivan being particularly adapt, winning 1500m titles in 1987, 1989 and 1993 and Frank O&rsquo;Mara taking back-to-back 3000m gold medals in 1987 and 1989.
<h2>O&rsquo;Sullivan&rsquo;s myriad medals</h2>
Sonia O&rsquo;Sullivan took a 3000m silver medal in 1997 before Derval O&rsquo;Rourke took a surprise but fully deserved 60m hurdles victory in 2006.
Inevitably, for a country with as rich an athletics history as Ireland, it is impossible to do justice to everyone who deserves to be acknowledged but it would be badly remiss not to mention Catherina McKiernan who took four successive silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships between 1992-95 as well as the winning the inaugural European cross-country title in 1994.
O&rsquo;Sullivan followed this by showing off her talent on all surfaces with a double triumph in both the long and short races at the 1998 World Cross Country Championships, in the latter case the first year it was contested in this competition.
Athletics Ireland as a federation is also noting its centenary in 2022, tracing the origins of its modern-day organisation back to the founding of NACA on 19 July 2022, and this will be celebrated formally in November at the federation&rsquo;s annual gala awards event.
Phil Minshull for World Athletics Heritage

Looking back on the past 150 years of athletics in Ireland

Irish Championships extend their unbroken streak to 150 years

Sydney McLaughlin does not race often, but she produces memorable performances whenever she does step on the track. Running a sizzling world record of 51.41* in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles on a hot afternoon at the US Championships on Saturday (25), McLaughlin has now set world records in three of her past four 400m hurdles finals.
Clearing the hurdles effortlessly and with no one pressing her, McLaughlin broke her own record of 51.46 from the Tokyo Olympics, where she captured the gold medal. McLaughlin set her first world record of 51.90 on this same track, Hayward Field in Eugene, during last year&rsquo;s US Olympic Trials and will return here next month for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
&ldquo;I knew it was going to be fast,&rdquo; McLaughlin said. &ldquo;I looked at the time and I was really happy with it &ndash; being able to slowly progress towards lower and lower times &ndash; and I think there&rsquo;s still things I could work on. I think there&rsquo;s a little bit more in the tank there, so hopefully when it&rsquo;s time we can just empty it completely.&rdquo;
Before the three rounds of the US Championships, McLaughlin had run only twice this season: one 100m hurdles race and one 400m hurdles race, in which she clocked a world-leading 51.61 with one of the hurdles placed in the wrong position. She then withdrew from the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in New York two weeks ago to focus on the National Championships.
McLaughlin had a lead of about six metres entering the home straight and that margin had grown significantly by the time she reached the finish. NCAA champion Britton Wilson ran a PB of 53.08 for second and Shamier Little, the 2015 world silver medallist who missed the US Olympic team last year by one spot, was third with a season&rsquo;s best of 53.92.
McLaughlin was the world silver medallist in 2019 behind former world record-holder Dalilah Muhammad, who has a wildcard entry to the World Championships as defending champion and did not compete at the US Championships.
They will likely face off next month, where McLaughlin said, &ldquo;we want to put on a show for the world.&rdquo;
<h2>Norman rewrites Hayward Field record</h2>
Michael Norman posted a world-leading time of 43.56 to win the men&rsquo;s 400m, besting his own 43.60 from the Prefontaine Classic in May on the same track. He now owns the three fastest times at Hayward Field, having also run 43.61 in 2018.
Champion Allison nearly lived up to his name, finishing second with a PB of 43.70 while challenging Norman, who had to dig deep to pull away on the final stretch. Randolph Ross was third in 44.17. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b7a92f362878d774b5717c.jpg" alt="Michael Norman in the 400m at the US Championships" />
Michael Norman in the 400m at the US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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 Norman has run only six races this season. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m in a pretty good place,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I know I&rsquo;m in really good shape. I&rsquo;m excited to go back and dissect the race and figure out what areas I need to fine tune. I know it was nowhere near a perfect race.&rdquo;
Norman will be seeking his first individual medal at a World Championships or Olympic Games, having finished fifth in Tokyo and failing to reach the final in Doha in 2019. &ldquo;It does give me a little bit more comfort knowing that I&rsquo;ve gone through the process and know what the experience is like,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just want a different outcome.&rdquo;
<h2>Diggs digs deep</h2>
Talitha Diggs, daughter of four-time Olympian Joetta Clark and niece of world and Olympic 800m finalist Hazel Clark, won the 400m in 50.22 to make her first national team. Olympic 4x400m gold medallists Kendall Ellis and Lynna Irby were second (50.35) and third (50.67) respectively.
&ldquo;To see my mom and my aunt win so many of these titles, for me to get my own is a blessing,&rdquo; said Diggs, who is the only US woman to break 50 seconds this season with a 49.99 for fourth on the world list.
Allyson Felix put herself in the frame for relay consideration for what would be her 10th World Championships team by placing sixth in 51.24.
This is the farewell season for the 36-year-old, who made her first appearance at a senior US Championships 21 years ago.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy I have no more open 400s ever in life,&rdquo; Felix said with a laugh. &ldquo;I wanted to come here, put myself in a position to be considered for one of the relays, so I can&rsquo;t be upset. I&rsquo;m grateful for all of the memories and happy I did it one more time.&rdquo;
Felix is the most decorated US track and field athlete and has 13 World Championships gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes.
<h2>Harrison holds off Johnson</h2>
The 100m hurdles had the closest finish of the day, with Keni Harrison out-leaning Alaysha Johnson at the tape. Harrison, the world record-holder and Olympic silver medallist, clocked a season&rsquo;s best of 12.34 to Johnson&rsquo;s PB of 12.35. Alia Armstrong was third at 12.47.
Nia Ali, the world champion who is coming back from maternity leave, ran 12.49 in the semis and then withdrew because she has a wildcard entry for the World Championships. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b7a9d6320762a7da9f0dc7.jpg" alt="Kendra Harrison in the 100m hurdles at the US Championships" />
Kendra Harrison in the 100m hurdles at the US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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 In the upset of the day, Maggie Malone, the US record-holder and world leader in the women&rsquo;s javelin, was eliminated after three straight fouls. The Olympic finalist put her hands to her head in distress after her third toss was wide right.
Kara Winger won the event with a season&rsquo;s best of 64.26m for her ninth national title going back to 2008.
Two-time Olympic finalist Keturah Orji leaped 14.79m to win her sixth US crown in the women&rsquo;s triple jump, putting her second on the world list this season. The only better marks in US history are Orji&rsquo;s US record of 14.92m from 2021 and Tori Franklin&rsquo;s 14.84m from 2018.
Franklin was second with a season&rsquo;s best of 14.59m and NCAA champion Jasmine Moore was third with 14.15m.
World and Olympic finalist Hillary Bor pulled away to win his third US steeplechase title while US record-holder Evan Jager proved that he is back after a hard four years full of injuries.
Bor&rsquo;s winning time was 8:15.76, followed by Jager at 8:17.29 and Benard Keter at 8:19.16.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad he made the team,&rdquo; Bor said of Jager. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy for him now, more than me.&rdquo;
Jager, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist, was one of the top steeplechasers in the world between 2012 and 2018.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a real hard long journey to build back my body and my confidence,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I definitely haven&rsquo;t felt like myself this last season steepling. I&rsquo;m really proud of myself being able to get back here and making the team.&rdquo;
Daniel Haugh became the sixth US man to throw beyond 80 metres in the hammer, winning the title with 80.18m and beating continental record-holder Rudy Winkler in the process.
Cooper Teare, who is known more as a 5000m runner, won a strategic men&rsquo;s 1500m in 3:45.86 while Sinclaire Johnson won the women&rsquo;s 1500m in 4:03.29.
Karen Rosen for World Athletics
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Takes 0.05 off the record she set when winning Olympic gold

McLaughlin breaks world 400m hurdles record with 51.41 at US Championships

There were upsets, surprises and excitement at the Kenyan Championships on Friday and Saturday (24-25) as Athletics Kenya selected its teams for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 and the Commonwealth Games.
The men&rsquo;s 800m, one of the most anticipated &ndash; and competitive &ndash; events of the championships, was won by Wycliffe Kinyamal in 1:43.55. World indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet led for most of the way but was overtaken in the last 150 metres. Kinyamal and world U20 champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi came from behind to secure the first two positions, Wanyonyi finishing second in 1:44.01 as Kibet faded to eighth place.
Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Korir didn&rsquo;t compete in the two-lap event but has earned selection for the 400m and 800m for the World Championships.
Mary Moraa emerged as one of the star performers of the championships. The Olympic semifinalist smashed her PB when winning the 800m on the first day of action, clocking 1:57.45 to finish comfortably ahead of Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon (1:58.18). Newly crowned African champion Jarinter Mawia was third in 2:00.36.
The next day, Moraa returned to her original event, the 400m, and scorched to a national record of 50.84.
World leader Nicholas Kimeli took the men&rsquo;s 5000m title in 13:28.76. Jacob Krop, who finished second to Kimeli in Rome earlier this month when the duo ran 12:46.33 and 12:46.79, finished second here too in 13:29.20. Cornelius Kemboi was third in 13:29.90.
Two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri stepped up to the 10,000m and won in 31:49.55 ahead of Sheila Chepkirui (31:50.13) and world silver medallist Margaret Chelimo (31:50.22). Irene Cheptai was fourth in 31:52.03.
Having missed out on a top-two automatic qualifying spot in the 10,000m, Chelimo tried her luck in the 5000m on Saturday. She led for almost the first 2000m before Eva Cherono moved into the lead and pushed the pace. Sarah Jepleting then emerged over the final two laps and kicked away to win in 15:05.24.
Beatrice Chebet came through for second (15:07.74) as Chelimo finished third again. Chelimo, however, was eventually named for both the 5000m and 10,000m on Kenya&rsquo;s World Championships team.
Conseslus Kipruto&rsquo;s third-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase was a reassuring step on his road to defending his world title in Oregon. Amos Serem won the race in 8:17.03 from Abraham Kibiwot (8:17.79) and Kipruto (8:18.21).
The two big names in the women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase &ndash; world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech and 2015 world champion Hyvin Kiyeng &ndash; were non-starters at the championships. Jackline Chepkoech, a relative newcomer to the steeplechase, got the better of Celliphine Chespol to win by more than 10 seconds in 9:21.84. Purity Kirui was third in at 9:36.29.
Winnie Chebet benefited from the absence of Kipyegon in the 1500m as she won in 4:11.20. Edinah Jebitok, who had done most of the front running, finished second in 4:11.87.
After a relatively chilly and cloudy morning, the weather turned warm and sunny just before the men&rsquo;s 10,000m on Saturday afternoon
As the race progressed, a leading pack of Edward Zakayo, Kibiwott Kandie, Waithaka Mburu, Daniel Ebenyo, Daniel Mateiko and Rhonex Kipruto would eventually remain with a bout 1000 metres to go. Despite appearing to lose ground on the leaders with about 500 metres to go, Kandie produced his trademark devastating kick on the last lap to win the title in 27:33.57. Waithaka took second (27:34.01) while Mateiko finished third (27:34.62). Kandie doesn&rsquo;t have the World Championships qualifying standard in this event, but he will instead represent Kenya at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Abel Kipsang edged Timothy Cheruiyot in the men&rsquo;s 1500m as four runners battled it out in one of the closest contests of the championships. Kipsang won in 3:34.55 just 0.04 ahead of Cheruiyot. Kumari Taki and Raynold Cheruiyot followed in 3:34.73 and 3:34.77 respectively.
In the men&rsquo;s 100m, the final event of the championships, Ferdinand Omanyala won comfortably in 10.03 ahead of Samuel Imeta (10.25).
Justin Lagat for World Athleics

Kinyamal clocks 1:43.55, Moraa breaks Kenyan 400m record

Kinyamal, Moraa and Kimeli among the winners at Kenyan Championships

Fred Kerley blazed to a world-leading 9.76 in the 100m semifinals of the US Championships on Friday (24), posting the fastest ever time by a US sprinter on home soil.
Kerley, who moved into a tie for sixth on the all-time world list, then clocked an impressive 9.77 about 90 minutes later to win the final at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. He&rsquo;ll hold the stadium record as the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 comes to the United States for the first time next month.
Kerley, the Olympic silver medallist, qualified for his third outdoor World Championships, but at a different distance than he did in 2017 and 2019. Kerley earned bronze in the 400m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha along with a gold in the 4x400m.
Marvin Bracy-Williams, who pulled up with a cramp in the semifinals of the US Olympic Trials last year, qualified for his first world team by equalling his personal best of 9.85 for second place.
Olympian Trayvon Bromell was third in the final with a time of 9.88 after posting a season&rsquo;s best of 9.81 in the semifinals. All seven starters in the final broke 10 seconds.
Kerley, who opened the meeting a night earlier with a PB of 9.83 in the first round, did not have a great start. He and had to catch Bromell midway through the race, then showed his power in the last 40 meters for the victory.
&ldquo;I continue to do what I got to do,&rdquo; Kerley said.
Melissa Jefferson rebounded from a disappointing eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships to win the women&rsquo;s 100m in a wind-assisted 10.69 (2.9m/s). Aleia Hobbs was second in 10.72 followed by Twanisha Terry in 10.74. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b6df39f212ca9a3252107a.jpg" alt="Melissa Jefferson (right) wins the 100m at the US Championships" />
Melissa Jefferson (right) wins the 100m at the US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
 All three made their first senior World Championships team. With Tamari Davis finishing fourth in 10.78, the race was the first in which four women broke 10.80. It was also the first in which six women bettered 10.90.
&ldquo;Two weeks ago I knew the biggest thing I had to work on was just staying relaxed and focusing on my lane and focusing on my race and trusting what I&rsquo;d been doing,&rdquo; Jefferson said. &ldquo;Today I just came out here and had a clear mind and just ran.&rdquo;
In the semis, Hobbs held off Jefferson, 10.81 to 10.82, with both posting PBs.
One off the biggest shockers of the meeting occurred on the first day as Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson did not advance to the semifinal. The flamboyant sprinter placed fifth in her heat with a time of 11.31, just 11 days after running 10.85 at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in New York.
Teahna Daniels, the only US finalist at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2019 World Championships, missed the final by one-thousandth of a second as Brittany Brown had a PB of 10.955 to Daniels&rsquo; 10.956.
<h2>Crouser powers to victory, Morris soars to success</h2>
Olympic champion Ryan Crouser, who has achieved every major honour save a world title, won his fifth national title with a world-leading heave of 23.12m in the men&rsquo;s shot put. On his third attempt, Crouser surpassed world champion and long-time rival Joe Kovacs, who had opened with an almighty 22.87m &ndash; the second-best mark of his career &ndash; and repeated that mark in the second round.
Once in the lead, Crouser maintained an incredibly high level of performance, throwing 23.01m, 23.11m and 22.98m with his remaining attempts. It&rsquo;s the first time the 23-metre barrier has been broken more than once in a series.
Josh Awotunde was third with 21.51m.
Crouser said he felt &ldquo;strong and powerful,&rdquo; but lacked his usual finesse.
&ldquo;It took me a couple off rounds to catch up to (Joe),&rdquo; Crouser said, &ldquo;but that pressure helped me to pop off a few big throws.&rdquo; 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b6e078da5363ad638291db.jpg" alt="Ryan Crouser, winner of the shot put at the US Championships" />
Ryan Crouser, winner of the shot put at the US Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
 Two-time world indoor champion Sandi Morris won the women&rsquo;s pole vault by clearing a world-leading height of 4.82m. Alina McDonald was second with a vault of 4.65m, a height she shared with Olympic champion Katie Nageotte.
Olympic champion Valarie Allman characteristically started strong with a big first throw in the discus of 65.61m. She surpassed that on her third throw with a 66.92m, which held up for her fourth national crown. Laulauga Tausaga-Collins was second (64.49m) followed by Rachel Dincoff (62.14m).
<h2>Anderson earns first US title</h2>
On Thursday (23), the first day of competition, Olympic finalist Brooke Andersen won the women&rsquo;s hammer with a toss of 77.96m, followed by Janee Kassanavoid (76.04m) and Annette Echikunwoke with a throw of 73.76m.
&ldquo;I would have not liked to not foul my first one and have that added stress,&rdquo; Andersen said, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;ve thrown enough times and believed in myself enough times to get the job done.&rdquo;
World champion DeAnna Price fourth with a season&rsquo;s best of 73.07m as she returns to form after an injury.
Quanesha Burks won the women&rsquo;s long jump with a wind-aided leap of 7.06m, followed by Jasmine Moore (6.80m) and Tiffany Flynn (6.69m). Olympic finalist Tara Davis fouled three times and did not advance to the final.
Burks said she knew she could excel in her event once she stepped up her mental game to match her physical ability.
&ldquo;With Brittney Reese paving the way for us young jumpers &mdash; ooh, I&rsquo;m so happy she&rsquo;s gone,&rdquo; Burks said with a laugh in reference to the retired Olympic and world champion, &ldquo;and with her being a great mentor and guiding us, I knew I could do it.&rdquo;
Olympian Vashti Cunningham, who has not lost to a competitor from the US since August 2017, won her fourth straight US outdoor title with a height of 1.93m. Rachel Glenn jumped 1.90m for second and Rachel McCoy was third, also at 1.90m.
Rayvon Grey won the men&rsquo;s long jump with a PB of 8.19m on his third attempt. Steffin McCarter moved into second place on his fifth attempt with a leap of 8.15m to edge Jeremiah Davis. Olympian JuVaughn Harrison, who was attempting to make the US team in the long jump and high jump, equalled his season best with 7.86m, but placed 11th.
<h2>Felix still in the running</h2>
Twenty-one years after Allyson Felix made her debut at the US Championships on this same track, she advanced to the final in the women&rsquo;s 400m. This all but assures Felix of making the US team in the relay pool. However, the Olympic bronze medallist will be seeking another individual race at the World Championships in her farewell season.
Felix was last in her semi as she rounded the turn onto the straightaway, but fought hard to finish fourth and qualified on time with a 51.32.
Talitha Diggs, the 19-year-old daughter of four-time Olympian Joetta Clark, was the top qualifier in the 400m with a time of 50.88.
Olympian Michael Norman smoothly made his way around the final turn to lead all qualifiers into the men&rsquo;s 400m final with a time of 44.28, followed by Randolph Ross. Diamond League champion Michael Cherry has a bye and is not competing.
Also in the rounds, Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin coasted to a 52.90 in the semis of the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles for the second-fastest semifinal run in history. Dalilah Muhammad, the reigning world champion, has a bye and is not competing.
Olympic silver medallist Rai Benjamin posted the top time in the first round of the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles by running 48.41.
Athing Mu looked relaxed as she cruised to a time of 1:57.55 in the semis of the women&rsquo;s 800m while collegiate runner Brandon Miller had the top time in the men&rsquo;s 800m semi of 1:46.20, followed by Olympians Bryce Hoppel and Clayton Murphy. World champion Donavan Brazier, who ran a season&rsquo;s best of 1:46.49 to lead all qualifiers in the first round, did not contest the semi since he has a wildcard entry to the World Championships.
In the first round of the 100m hurdles, Alaysha Johnson clocked 12.41 and world record-holder Keni Harrison posted a time of 12.47.
Karen Rosen for World Athletics

Olympic silver medallist clocks 9.77 in the final and 9.76 in semis

Kerley cruises to speedy 100m triumph at US Championships

Eight reigning Olympic champions have so far been announced for the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, with just over two months to go until the Wanda Diamond League meeting returns on 26 August.
The men&rsquo;s high jump will bring together multiple champions - joint Olympic gold medallists Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi going up against world indoor champion Woo Sanghyeok and Swiss record-holder Loic Gasch.
Bahamian 400m stars Shaunae Miller-Uibo and&nbsp;Steven Gardiner, who both claimed 400m titles in Tokyo, will also compete, racing the women's 400m and men's 200m respectively.&nbsp;
In the 200m, Gardiner will face USA's world champion Noah Lyles and Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek. It was in Lausanne in 2019 that Lyles achieved his PB of 19.50, a time that places him fifth on the world all-time list.
The throwing disciplines also promise exhilarating performances thanks to the presence of Olympic champions Ryan Crouser in the shot put and Neeraj Chopra in the javelin.&nbsp;
Olympic champion and world record-holder Mondo Duplantis will lead a high-flying line-up in the men's pole vault, which will take place the day before the main meeting, on 25 August, in the idyllic setting of Ouchy, on the shores of Lake Geneva.&nbsp;
Athletissima has already announced Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles, Lamecha Girma in the 3000m steeplechase and Olympic champion Pedro Pichardo in the triple jump. Other Swiss stars in action include Mujinga Kambundji and Ajla Del Ponte, who will run the 100m as well as the women's 4x100m relay.
Earlier today (24) it was announced that <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque/news/athletissima-lausannes-heritage-plaque" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athletissima has been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a> to mark the Swiss meeting&rsquo;s 45-year history.
Organisers for World Athletics

Eight reigning Olympic champions have been announced for the Athletissima meeting

Barshim, Tamberi, Chopra and Miller-Uibo among champions set for Lausanne

World Athletics has received 12 nominations for the six available seats on the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/structure/commissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/structure/commissions">World Athletics Athletes&rsquo; Commission</a>.
All athletes accredited for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 will have the right to vote in the elections, which will take place during the championships between 15-20 July in official team venues.
To be eligible for nomination, athletes must have participated in at least one of the past two editions of the World Athletics Championships, or in the most recent Olympic Games, or be a competitor at this year&rsquo;s World Athletics Championships.
The 12 nominees, in alphabetical order, are:
<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b501c6a23878150e4f9afe.jpeg" alt="Andrea Paola Bonilla" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ecuador/andrea-paola-bonilla-14859648" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ecuador/andrea-paola-bonilla-14859648">Andrea Paola Bonilla</a>&nbsp;🇪🇨 Nominating member federation: ECU <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b5038ec63eb91c6a641cd1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b5038ec63eb91c6a641cd1.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b501dcc63eb91c6a641cc8.jpg" alt="Lisanne de Witte" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/netherlands/lisanne-de-witte-14361462" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/netherlands/lisanne-de-witte-14361462">Lisanne de Witte</a>&nbsp;🇳🇱 Nominating member federation: NED <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503fec63eb91c6a641ce0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503fec63eb91c6a641ce0.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b501f04e7defbefd494a17.jpg" alt="Lauma Griva" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/latvia/lauma-griva-14289989" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/latvia/lauma-griva-14289989">Lauma Griva</a>&nbsp;🇱🇻 Nominating member federation: LAT <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503d2c63eb91c6a641cda.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503d2c63eb91c6a641cda.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b5025e4e7defbefd494a1a.jpg" alt="Ramil Guliyev" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/turkey/ramil-guliyev-14178065" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/turkey/ramil-guliyev-14178065">Ramil Guliyev</a>&nbsp;🇹🇷 Nominating member federation: TUR <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50425c63eb91c6a641ce6.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50425c63eb91c6a641ce6.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b5026d4e7defbefd494a1d.jpg" alt="Matthew Hughes" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/matthew-hughes-14174102" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/matthew-hughes-14174102">Matthew Hughes</a>&nbsp;🇨🇦 Nominating member federation: CAN <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50410c63eb91c6a641ce3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50410c63eb91c6a641ce3.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62bacccbb769194f9428e9aa.jpg" alt="Ivet Lalova-Collio" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/bulgaria/ivet-lalova-collio-14268643" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/bulgaria/ivet-lalova-collio-14268643">Ivet Lalova-Collio</a>&nbsp;🇧🇬 Nominating member federation: BUL <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503bbc63eb91c6a641cd7.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503bbc63eb91c6a641cd7.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b502984e7defbefd494a23.jpeg" alt="Halimah Nakaayi" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/uganda/halimah-nakaayi-14431159" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/uganda/halimah-nakaayi-14431159">Halimah Nakaayi</a>&nbsp;🇺🇬 Nominating member federation: UGA <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50464c63eb91c6a641cec.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50464c63eb91c6a641cec.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b502aa4e7defbefd494a26.jpg" alt="Airine Palsyte" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/lithuania/airine-palsyte-14290340" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/lithuania/airine-palsyte-14290340">Airine Palsyte</a>&nbsp;🇱🇹 Nominating member federation: LTU <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50355c63eb91c6a641ccb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50355c63eb91c6a641ccb.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b502ba4e7defbefd494a29.jpg" alt="Anna Ryzhykova" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ukraine/anna-ryzhykova-14304336" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ukraine/anna-ryzhykova-14304336">Anna Ryzhykova</a>&nbsp;🇺🇦 Nominating member federation: UKR <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503a4c63eb91c6a641cd4.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503a4c63eb91c6a641cd4.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
&nbsp;
<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b502c74e7defbefd494a2c.jpg" alt="Lea Sprunger" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerland/lea-sprunger-14301240" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerland/lea-sprunger-14301240">Lea Sprunger</a>&nbsp;🇨🇭 Nominating member federation: SUI <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503eac63eb91c6a641cdd.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b503eac63eb91c6a641cdd.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
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<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b502db4e7defbefd494a2f.jpeg" alt="Alessia Trost" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/italy/alessia-trost-14361143" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/italy/alessia-trost-14361143">Alessia Trost</a>&nbsp;🇮🇹 Nominating member federation: ITA <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50377c63eb91c6a641cce.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b50377c63eb91c6a641cce.pdf">Candidate info form</a>
&nbsp;
<h4><img style="width: 90px; height: 90px; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 20px;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62b503034e7defbefd494a32.jpg" alt="Toshikazu Yamanishi" align="left" /></h4>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/japan/toshikazu-yamanishi-14573292" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/japan/toshikazu-yamanishi-14573292">Toshikazu Yamanishi</a>&nbsp;🇯🇵 Nominating member federation: JPN <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b5043fc63eb91c6a641ce9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62b5043fc63eb91c6a641ce9.pdf">Candidate info form </a>
&nbsp;
Six athletes will be elected in Oregon to fill the spots of the following outgoing Athletes' Commission members:
Inaki Gomez (CAN) Kim Collins (SKN) Adam Kszczot (POL) Thomas Rohler (GER) Ivana Vuleta (nee Spanovic) (SRB) Benita Willis (AUS)
The official campaign period will start on 1 July, allowing candidates to promote their own campaigns.&nbsp;More information about the campaign period and election process are set out in the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=0ab5b2dd-9f3a-49a6-b7d7-4e9c8657e00d.pdf&amp;urlslug=Athletes%27%20Commission%202022%20Elections%20Candidate%20Pack" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=0ab5b2dd-9f3a-49a6-b7d7-4e9c8657e00d.pdf&amp;urlslug=Athletes%27%20Commission%202022%20Elections%20Candidate%20Pack">Athletes' Commission 2022 Elections Candidate Pack</a>.
The importance of athletes to decision-making within World Athletics was recognised and embedded into the World Athletics structures with the governance and integrity reforms approved in December 2016.
Since 2019, the Chairperson and one other member of the Athletes&rsquo; Commission &ndash; one man and one woman &ndash; have been full voting members of the World Athletics Council. The Athletes currently holding these positions on the Council are Renaud Lavillenie (FRA, as Chair) and Dame Valerie Adams (NZL, as Deputy Chair).
&ldquo;It has been an exciting, but also a challenging few years since our last Athletes&rsquo; Commission elections in Doha in 2019. For the first time in history, two Athletes&rsquo; Commission members have held voting seats on the World Athletics Council, giving more weight to the athlete&rsquo;s voice at the leadership level of our sport,&rdquo; says World Athletics Athletes&rsquo; Commission chair Renaud Lavillenie.
&ldquo;The six athletes to be elected from this exciting group of 12 candidates will join a strong and experienced group of Commission members, and I am sure will pay a great contribution to the future of athletics, always with the athlete community&rsquo;s best interests at heart.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I wish all the candidates good luck and would like to encourage all athletes competing at the World Athletics Championships next month to use their voice and vote for those who they think will best represent them on the Athletes&rsquo; Commission.&rdquo;
World Athletics

World Athletics has received 12 nominations for the six available seats on the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission

Candidates announced for 2022 Athletes' Commission elections

Athletissima Lausanne (1977) has today (24) been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque to mark the Swiss meeting&rsquo;s 45-year history.
The historic accolade was conferred today to coincide with the Wanda Diamond League meeting&rsquo;s press conference, at which the major stars of this year&rsquo;s edition were declared.
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque">World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a> is a location-based recognition, awarded for 'an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking'.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Congratulations to Athletissima Lausanne on the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque, which marks the meeting&rsquo;s important place in the development of the international invitational track and field circuit,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
&ldquo;Athletissima has been entertaining crowds of spectators in Lausanne for 45 years. Born as the Lausanne International Meeting in the Coubertin Stadium in 1977, its growing popularity meant a change in venue and name eight years later. The Pontaise Olympic Stadium has been hosting &lsquo;Athletissima&rsquo; ever since.
&ldquo;This Heritage Plaque recognises the energy, time, strength and self-sacrifice of the meeting&rsquo;s organising team who, led by Jacky Delapierre, have helped put athletics firmly centre stage in Lausanne, the Olympic capital.&rdquo;
<h2>Inexorably upwards</h2>
The meeting&rsquo;s history did not get off to an auspicious start, with torrential rain subduing performances at the first competition. Yet that wet beginning, especially the passion and enthusiasm exuded by the soaked spectators who stayed to support the equally wet athletes, confirmed this was no ordinary competition nor audience.
The athletes were so impressed that they made the exceptional decision to return later in the same season to compete again. On 3 August 1977, the athletes and spectators returned in dry conditions and the competition began its history in earnest.
USA&rsquo;s Leroy Burrell gave Athletissima its first world record in a standard Olympic event. On 7 July 1994, Burrell ran the 100m in 9.85, improving Carl Lewis&rsquo; mark by one hundredth of a second. In 2005, Russia&rsquo;s Yelena Isinbayeva flew to 4.93m in the pole vault, raising her own record by 1cm. The next year China&rsquo;s Liu Xiang gave the meeting its third world mark, clearing the barriers to establish a 110m hurdles world record of 12.88, which improved the time he set at the 2004 Olympic Games (12.91).
While the marks by Isinbayeva and Liu still stand as meeting records today, Yohan Blake&rsquo;s 9.69 at the 2012 edition of Athletissima is the fastest 100m ever run in the Diamond League, let alone Lausanne.
In 2020, the Covid pandemic restricted Athletissima to city centre action and the men&rsquo;s pole vault produced, as Simon Turnbull described for the World Athletics website, &ldquo;a competition for the ages, Duplantis and Sam Kendricks duelling inexorably upwards as the sun set over Switzerland&rsquo;s fourth largest municipality. It was the first contest in which two men cleared 6.02m, the Swede prevailing with 6.07m and his US rival clearing 6.02m.&rdquo;
The Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, which was built in 1954 and holds 15,850 people, will be the permanent home of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque honouring Athletissima Lausanne. The plaque will be displayed on a wall next to existing historic markers which commemorate the world records set at the stadium.
World Athletics Heritage

Athletissima has been entertaining crowds of spectators in Lausanne for 45 years

Qualification period ends for World Athletics Championships Oregon22

How to follow and watch the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Stockholm

Stockholm stages strong test for stars on road to Oregon

Okagbare's further ban disqualifies Nigeria's 4x100m squad's qualifying time for World Championships

Clayton sets 10.96 Jamaican U20 100m record in Kingston