Germany&rsquo;s Manfred Germar &ndash; world 200m record-breaker, European champion and Olympic medallist &ndash; made a generous donation of competition kit to the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/mowa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum of World Athletics</a> (MOWA) this summer.
After retiring as a sprinter,&nbsp;Germar was the meeting director of the ASV Sports Festival in Cologne&nbsp;for over a quarter of a century.&nbsp; 
<h2>'Money didn't matter&hellip; but we saw the world'</h2>
A large black eagle on a golden-yellow background, neatly embroidered on top of a wide red stripe, used to adorn the national jersey of German track and field athletes. Germar, once one of the world's best sprinters, always wore it with pride.
The last occasion on which he sported this iconic team uniform was during Germany&rsquo;s visit to India in autumn 1962, and he has bequeathed his jersey from that trip to the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MOWA</a>.
"It was always an honour to compete for Germany. Money didn't matter, we didn't receive a penny, but we saw the world," says the now 86-year-old firmly. From 1954 to 1962, he was called up to the national team 52 times, making 123 individual appearances - more than any other German track and field athlete.
Germar &ndash; who won relay bronze at the 1956 Olympics, ran two world records and six European records and was European champion three times &ndash; filled the stadiums alongside other stars such as Heinz Futterer, Martin Lauer and Armin Hary. Some 40,000 fans at athletics events were not the exception, but the rule. 
Germar, who grew up in Cologne in post-war Germany and was equally gifted in sports and music, found his sporting love in athletics after trying football, handball and table tennis.
"From the beginning, my idol was Jesse Owens. I had seen him in a film about Berlin 1936 and was just so passionate about the Olympics," says 'Manni', as his friends still call him. &ldquo;My wish was to compete in the Olympics one day."
This wish came true for the talented sprinter at the 1956 Olympics. "That was a dream, it was a highlight of my life, an unforgettable journey. We travelled 56 hours to Melbourne," recounts Germar, then a 21-year-old student, who tells of a key experience. "During training I met Jesse Owens, we had our picture taken with him."
The four-time 1936 Olympic champion said to him: "You have a great running style, you just need to do something about that start of yours!"&nbsp; 
<h2>Relay bronze saved in Melbourne</h2>
There could not have been a more motivational encounter for a young athlete before his Olympic debut. In the 100m &ndash; after a weak start &ndash; he finished fifth in 10.9, the best European in a final won by Bobby Morrow in 10.5. Owens was right, of course, about Germar's start. But in his career, the German always managed to come from behind and win. Many a relay race looked lost only to be saved by Germar&rsquo;s incredible energy as the anchor.
He proved his strength as anchor in Melbourne. Although he had acquired a strain that had worsened in the qualifiers, he saved the bronze medal for Germany (Knorzer, Pohl, Futterer, Germar) "in great pain and with the last of his energy", as it was reported in 1956. The USA ran a world record of 39.5.&nbsp;
"Not only because of this medal, but because of the whole journey, Melbourne remains the great highlight of my career. We were on the road for eight weeks and even travelled back via Hawaii," remembers Germar. Nevertheless, the following two years were to see his biggest sporting successes. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619c1c1f7c3ea9d92a68d946.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Manfred Germar with Armin Hary (&copy; Getty Images) 
<h2>Undefeated in 74 races</h2>
After Melbourne, he remained undefeated in 74 (!) races over 100m and 200m. "The post-Olympic year 1957 became a unique triumph for Germar, with brilliant performances the likes of which no other German sprinter has ever experienced," wrote Heinz Vogel in the German Leichtathletik magazine.
Germar ran 10.2 and 10.3 over and over again, although, as he says: "I never chased times or records, I always just wanted to win!" Which he succeeded in doing impressively. He also beat the US athletes at that time, was called the "fastest man in the world" in the USA and was voted "Sportsman of the Year" in Germany. 
Although the 200m was his favourite discipline, he travelled to the 1958 European Championships in Stockholm as the favourite for both sprint distances. He had also beaten Hary at the German Championships. But in Stockholm in the fight for gold (both 10.4) he had to admit defeat to his compatriot and rival, two years his junior.
"Armin had a very fast start, I didn't see him in the race at first, but when I did, I tensed up," says Germar. 
He proved to be a gracious loser, which everyone at the time gave him credit for. His exemplary attitude, good character, modesty and humility have always distinguished him.
He quickly put the disappointment over the 100m in Stockholm behind him, ran to a superior victory in 21.0 over 200m and led the sprint relay team to the gold medal as the anchor. Leichtathletik cheered: "The way that Germar raced down that straight was a great joy and a pleasure!" 
<h2>World records in the relay and over 200m</h2>
Two gold and one silver so far, but the great year 1958 was not yet over for Germar. In the Mungersdorf stadium, in his home city of Cologne, the quartet of Manfred Steinbach, Lauer, Futterer and Germar equalled the world record held by the USA in 39.5 on 29 August.
"Even without Armin Hary, our changeovers worked out excellently," Germar remarks. The 40,000 spectators celebrated the world record relay.
His performance met with similar enthusiasm a few weeks later. On 1 October, Germar set the 200m world record on a 400m track in Wuppertal in 20.6. "It felt crazy to run a world record, even more so because it actually came quite easily," he recalls.
All these successes were achieved by 'Manni' alongside his studies and work. "I only trained twice a week!" That said, he was not lazy about training, as some suspected. "After all, in some years I competed 50 to 60 times, sometimes three times a week." He was in shape and looked towards the 1960 Olympics with optimism. 
<h2>Bad luck in 1960</h2>
But he was dogged by bad luck. Injuries and above all a five-hour jaw operation shattered all his Olympic dreams before Rome. Out of shape, he was eliminated in the heats of both sprints and had to watch the German quartet win Olympic gold.
At that point he wanted to end his career, but still ran in the 1962 European Championships in Belgrade. It was a golden farewell. As the anchor, he led the German quartet to the title in 39.5.
"How much he has longed for it, for this gold medal, this medal that he got himself fit for once again, before hanging up his racing shoes for good at the end of the year,&rdquo; wrote Leichtathletik. Just before that farewell race, however, he travelled to India with the national team, where he put on the jersey with the federal eagle for the last time. 
After the end of his active career, he always remained loyal to athletics and to German sport. He organised the ASV Cologne sports festival 28 times, and for decades he held leading positions at Sporthilfe, the National Olympic Committee and the German Olympic Museum.
Speaking of the Olympics, in Munich 1972 he got a "dream job". 
"I was allowed to personally look after some Olympic champions, like Vera Caslavska and Emil Zatopek. Jesse Owens was also there!" And so the circle closes.
Olaf Brockmann for World Athletics

Manfred Germar has donated his national jersey to MOWA.

Germar: 'It felt crazy to run a world record'

Judith Jeptum Korir and Titus Ekiru landed a Kenyan double at the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, winning by significant margins at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Friday (26).
The heat and humidity put paid to any truly fast times, so the course records remained intact. But Korir and Ekiru maintained their highly consistent career record over the marathon, winning in 2:22:30 and 2:06:13 respectively.
Korir, a former winner in Belgrade, Venice and Izmir, was part of a five-woman pack during the early stages, passing through 10km in 33:24. By the time the half-way point was reached in 1:10:27, just three women &ndash; Korir, 2009 world 10,000m bronze medallist Wude Yimer and Olympics seventh-place finisher Eunice Chumba &ndash; remained at the front.
Shortly after, Korir started to pull away from Yimer and Chumba. She reached 30km in 1:40:04, almost two minutes ahead of her closest pursuers and still on schedule to break the course record of 2:21:11, and by 40km her lead had grown to almost four minutes.
The conditions finally started to take their toll on Korir in the closing stages as her pace dropped, but by that point she had a comfortable margin and everyone else in the field were similarly feeling the effects of the heat. Korir crossed the line in 2:22:30, smashing her PB by more than four minutes. The 24-year-old, who earlier this year set a half marathon PB of 1:06:24, has now notched up four marathon victories from six races.
Chumba held on for second place in 2:26:01 while Uganda&rsquo;s Immaculate Chemutai came through to take third in 2:28:30.
Ekiru, who was competing for the first time since setting a world-leading 2:02:57 in Milan in May, set out confidently in the hope that he could challenge the course record of 2:04:40. Once the last of the pacemakers had dropped out at 15km, reached in 44:21, Ekiru upped the tempo and reached the half-way point in 1:01:46 with just defending champion Reuben Kipyego by his side.
The Kenyan duo ran together for a few more kilometres before Ekiru started to run away, and by 30km Ekiru&rsquo;s lead had grown to about 100 metres. Although Ekiru&rsquo;s pace dropped in the closing stages, like women&rsquo;s winner Korir, his lead was insurmountable and he won by more than a minute-and-a-half, crossing the line in 2:06:13. The 29-year-old has now won seven of the eight marathons he has completed.
Tanzania&rsquo;s 2017 world bronze medallist Alphonce Felix Simbu overtook Kipyego with about four kilometres to go and took second place in 2:07:50. Kipyego held on for third in 2:08:25, finishing 21 seconds ahead of two-time world champion Abel Kirui. 
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Judith Jeptum Korir (KEN) 2:22:30 2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:26:01 3 Immaculate Chemutai (UGA) 2:28:30 4 Abebech Afework Bekele (ETH) 2:29:43 5 Aleksandra Morozova 2:33:01
Men 1 Titus Ekiru (KEN) 2:06:13 2 Alphonce Felix Simbu (TAN) 2:07:50 3 Reuben Kiprop Kipyego (KEN) 2:08:25 4 Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:08:46 5 Felix Kimutai (KEN) 2:10:48

Judith Korir and Titus Ekiru land a Kenyan double with comfortable victories

Korir and Ekiru dominate in Abu Dhabi

We continue our countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2021 on 1 December by taking a closer look at the achievements of the five women and five men who have this week been confirmed as the finalists for the Athlete of the Year awards.
&nbsp;
<h2>Faith Kipyegon</h2>
Even by the lofty standards that any defending Olympic champion would set for themselves, Faith Kipyegon exceeded all expectations in 2021.
The Kenyan middle-distance runner retained her Olympic 1500m crown in a Games record, set a world-leading time over 1500m, and won nine of her 10 races throughout the year, producing some of the fastest times in history.
She stepped down in distance to the 800m when she opened her season at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha at the end of May, comfortably beating a field of two-lap specialists to win in 1:58.26.
Two weeks later, she contested her first 1500m of the season at the Diamond League meeting in Florence. In another epic clash with arch rival Sifan Hassan, Kipyegon finished a close second in 3:53.91, breaking her own Kenyan record in the process. That was to be the last and only one of her races of 2021 in which Kipyegon was beaten.
One month later, and having had a few races under her belt, Kipyegon gained revenge on Hassan at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco. She kicked hard as she came off the final bend, opening up a huge gap on Hassan to win by more than two seconds in 3:51.07, the fourth-fastest time in history and just one second shy of the world record. 
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 It was the perfect confidence booster ahead of the Olympic Games in Tokyo &ndash; not that Kipyegon has ever been lacking in self-belief. Even when Hassan announced that she&rsquo;d be attempting an ambitious triple at the Games, Kipyegon remained quietly confident.
She advanced through the rounds with ease, winning her heat in 4:01.40 and her semifinal in 3:56.80. But Hassan &ndash; the only woman to have beaten Kipyegon over 1500m since the start of 2017 &ndash; was on a roll, having won gold over 5000m just four days before the 1500m final, and looked invincible every time she set foot on Tokyo&rsquo;s track.
The Olympic final played out in similar fashion to the World Championships final from 2019 with Hassan and Kipyegon dictating the pace, keeping the likes of Laura Muir and Gabriela Debues-Stafford at bay. The first 1000m was covered in 2:38.4 and the pace gradually increased as the race went on until Kipyegon made her decisive move with half a lap left.
Kicking hard on the final bend, Kipyegon managed to shake off a fading Hassan as she sprinted to victory, eventually crossing the line in 3:53.11 to break an Olympic record that had stood for 33 years. Muir came through to take silver ahead of Hassan. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610d6f50684c216666b4f558.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 &ldquo;Once I crossed the finish line, it was a very emotional moment for me,&rdquo; said Kipyegon after becoming just the second woman in Olympic history to win back-to-back 1500m titles. &ldquo;I thought about my daughter (Alyn) who I left behind at home. She wanted me to bring home a gold medal, and I am so happy and excited I did that.&rdquo;
Having achieved her fifth consecutive top-two finish at a global championships, Kipyegon didn&rsquo;t take her foot off the gas. She went on to win at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, setting a US all-comer&rsquo;s record of 3:53.23, and then won the Diamond Trophy in Zurich in 3:58.33, once again beating Hassan to the title. Fittingly, she capped her season on home soil with a victory at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Nairobi.
By the time she wound down her season in mid-September, Kipyegon had become the first woman in history to break 3:54 four times in one year. And although she is better known for being a championship performer than a time-trial runner, the 27-year-old now owns three of the 10 fastest times in history.
&ldquo;I came back after giving birth and I feel like a role model for the young mothers out there and the young athletes,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I hope to show them that when you go for maternity leave, this does not mean the end of your career. You can come back strong and win races.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
<h2>Ryan Crouser</h2>
Where to begin when trying to describe the dominance US shot putter Ryan Crouser has shown in 2021?
His world records &ndash; 23.37m outdoors and 22.82m indoors &ndash; are probably the best starting point. Both of the previous marks had been set more than 30 years prior.
Or perhaps his performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where he smashed the Games record with 23.30m to win gold. For context, silver medallist Joe Kovacs threw 22.65m &ndash; comfortably in excess of the previous Olympic record &ndash; but Crouser beat him by a whopping 65 centimetres.
Or maybe his flawless season of 16 victories (including qualifying rounds) is more notable, extending his current two-year unbeaten streak to 27 wins.
But his incredible tally of 22-metre &ndash; and now 23-metre &ndash; throws cannot be ignored. He racked up 58 throws beyond 22 metres this year alone &ndash; more than any other shot putter has achieved across a whole career span, and he now owns the three farthest throws in history. 
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 Crouser started 2021, quite literally, how he meant to go on; in the first round of his first competition of the year, he broke the world indoor record. His 22.82m throw in Fayetteville added 16 centimetres to the record, and he backed it up later in the series with a throw of 22.70m, also beyond the previous mark.
He opened his outdoor campaign with 21.93m, which, despite being a world-leading mark at the time, was the only competition in which Crouser didn&rsquo;t throw beyond 22 metres. He followed it with wins in Fayetteville (22.69m) and Tucson (22.60m) and then returned to Tucson to throw a world-leading PB of 23.01m &ndash; the first 23-metre throw in the world for 31 years.
Crouser didn&rsquo;t compete again until the US Trials one month later. After breaking the meeting record in qualifying with 22.92m, Crouser smashed the world record in the final with 23.37m, adding 25 centimetres to the long-standing mark.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve wanted that world record for so long, it feels like a weight has been lifted,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I've been thinking about this moment since I started throwing. To finally do it is pretty special."
At the Olympics in Tokyo, he lived up to his status as one of the biggest favourites in any discipline and secured gold with an Olympic record of 23.30m. His five other throws in the final &ndash; 22.54m, 22.74m, 22.83m, 22.86m and 22.93m &ndash; were all beyond the previous Olympic record. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610e011bdb0a4cb0dfc083f3.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 Crouser was determined to win in Tokyo to honour his grandfather Larry, the patriarch of the Crouser throwing dynasty which has spawned three Olympians, who died the week before his grandson left for Tokyo.
After his triumph, Crouser held up a handwritten sign that said: &ldquo;Grandpa, we did it. 2020 Olympic champion."
&ldquo;My Grandpa got me started throwing, and he played a huge role in my throwing career,&rdquo; said Crouser. &ldquo;To lose him the week before coming to the Olympics obviously was sad, but I feel like he was able to be here in spirit.&rdquo;
Crouser&rsquo;s fine run of form continued after the Olympics. Returning to Eugene&rsquo;s Hayward Field &ndash; the site of Crouser&rsquo;s world record earlier in the year and venue for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 &ndash; Crouser set a Wanda Diamond League record with 23.15m.
Victories in Lausanne (22.81m) and Chorzow (22.39m) followed, then he won the Diamond Trophy in Zurich with 22.67m. He ended his season with a 22.84m triumph in Zagreb.
Whichever way you look at it, Crouser has produced not only the greatest ever shot put season this year, his 2021 campaign could well be one of the best seasons of any track and field athlete in history.

We take a closer look at the achievements of the five women and five men who have been confirmed as finalists for Athlete of the Year.

Focus on finalists: Faith Kipyegon and Ryan Crouser

<h3 align="center">&bull; Female athletes were the target of 87% of all abuse</h3>
<h3 align="center">&bull; 65% of all abusive posts warrant intervention from social media platforms</h3>
 In line with its commitment to making athletics a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, World Athletics today publishes findings of a study conducted during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to identify and address targeted, abusive messages sent to athletes via social media.
The study revealed disturbing levels of abuse of athletes, including sexist, racist, transphobic and homophobic posts, and unfounded doping accusations. It also unequivocally highlights the greater levels of abuse female athletes receive in comparison to their male counterparts.
These results, which follow <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-safeguarding-policy">the launch of World Athletics&rsquo; Safeguarding Policy</a> earlier this month, raise concerns that existing safeguarding measures on social media platforms need to be tougher to protect athletes. Online abuse may cause trauma for the affected individual and can heavily impact athletes&rsquo; performances &ndash; both in training and during competition.
The study was carried out in collaboration with Threat Matrix, an initiative by data science company Signify Group Ltd and sports investigations company Quest Global Ltd, and was developed to understand the size, scale and gravity of online abuse targeted at Olympic athletes on Twitter. It builds the foundation for the action World Athletics is taking and provides a basis for World Athletics to work more closely with social media platforms to tackle this issue.
To gain an understanding of the level of online abuse in athletics, a sample of 161 Twitter handles of current and former athletes involved in the Tokyo Olympic Games (derived from a list of 200 athletes selected by World Athletics) was tracked during the study period, starting one week prior to the Olympic opening ceremony and concluding the day after the Olympic closing ceremony (15 July &ndash; 9 August 2021).
In this timeframe, 240,707 tweets including 23,521 images, GIFs and videos were captured for analysis. This included text analysis through searches for slurs, offensive images and emojis and other phrases that could indicate abuse. It also used AI-powered Natural Language Processing to detect threats by understanding the relationship between words (allowing it to determine the difference between &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll kill you&rdquo; and &ldquo;you killed it&rdquo;, for example).
The study revealed:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">132 targeted discriminatory posts from 119 authors, with 23 of the 161 tracked athletes receiving targeted abuse.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">Out of the 23 athletes who received abuse, 16 were women with 115 of the 132 identified abusive posts directed at female athletes.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">Female athletes received 87% of all abuse.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">63% of identified abuse was directed at just two athletes &ndash; both black and female &ndash; while the two most common categories of abuse were of a sexist (29%) and/or racist (26%) nature, accounting for 55% of all identified abuse.</li>
</ul>
 <img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619f7eef2a7c51ccf670b529.png" alt="" width="100%" />
 "When we published our Safeguarding Policy earlier this month, I said athletics clubs, schools and community sports environments should be safe and happy places for those in our sport," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;In a world where we share so much of our lives online, this must apply to the virtual, as well as the physical&nbsp;world.&nbsp;This research is disturbing in so many ways but what strikes me the most is that the abuse is targeted at individuals who are celebrating and sharing their performances and talent as a way to inspire and motivate people.&nbsp;To face the kinds of abuse they have is unfathomable and we all need to do more to stop this.&nbsp;Shining a light on the issue is just the first step.&rdquo;
Unfounded doping accusations made up 25% of abusive messages, while 10% consisted of transphobic (9%) and homophobic (1%) posts.
89% of racist abuse was targeted at US athletes, despite them representing only 23% of the study set.
Max Siegel, CEO of USA Track&amp;Field, commented: &ldquo;The entire USATF community is grateful to World Athletics for conducting this vital survey which has confirmed unfortunately what we have all known for a long time: US athletes are disproportionately targeted for abuse and hate on social media.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Increasing evidence indicates that this is driven by a huge rise in prejudice against race, gender and social status. Simply put, this type of behaviour is disgusting and utterly unacceptable. USATF remains committed to working alongside World Athletics, our athlete and constituent community, social media proprietors, the US Center for SafeSport and law enforcement to eliminate abuse and make our sport safe and welcoming for all.&rdquo;
The analysis consisted of a triage process which involved assessing each of the flagged posts, analysing their content and context and providing a view as to which one of four tiers of required action they met.
65% of abusive posts were deemed gravely abusive, thus warranting intervention from the social channel. We work closely with Twitter and have notified them of the relevant posts and users and will continue to work with their team to take appropriate actions against the perpetrators.
Jonathan Hirshler, CEO of Signify Group, commented:&nbsp;&ldquo;Working on this important study with World Athletics and our partners Quest Global, has allowed us to illustrate the tactics and nuances used by bad actors in this space &ndash; while also providing clarity on the scale of the problem. Threat Matrix is focused on proactive monitoring and informed assessment of targeted discriminatory abuse, and the identification of accounts sending these messages.
&ldquo;Our goal is to shift the process from being victim-led to a proactive and preventative approach, making the athlete online experience safe, less threatening,&nbsp;and less toxic.&nbsp;We are&nbsp;grateful to World Athletics for taking a lead on this important issue.&rdquo;
Posts marked as Tier 3 made up 12%, with one serious case of erotic fixation targeting one female athlete and four cases of egregious racism. Where tweets have passed a criminal threshold, World Athletics has, together with their relevant Member Federation, passed over information to law enforcement in that country. We have also been in direct contact with respective Member Federations where abusive accounts have been identified to determine the individuals&rsquo; level of affiliation to the sport in the region.
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619f7f052a7c51ccf670b52c.png" alt="" width="100%" />
World Athletics will be conducting further research in this area and has used the findings of this survey to introduce an Online Abuse Framework for its own social media channels to ensure they are environments free from abuse.
The beauty of athletics is its diversity. We want our channels to not only represent, but to celebrate this diversity, free from harassment and abuse.
To make sure this is the case, World Athletics pledges to
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">remove hate speech, including but not limited to sexist and racist language, bullying and other misconduct from the comments sections of our channels</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">block people bringing abuse and hate to our channels</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">report the most serious cases to relevant authorities</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">ensure our channels continue to cover and celebrate diversity and equality in sport</li>
<li style="margin-left: 36px;">build on this promise to make our channels and the social media platforms used by our members a safer and more equal environment for everyone</li>
</ul>
 World Athletics will also work closely with the Safeguarding Working Group on providing appropriate materials to Area Associations and Member Federations as part of its Safeguarding Policy resources to ensure the implementation of safeguarding measures covers not just physical, but also digital spaces.
<h3><a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/619f83480b038f437f485aea.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full press release and key findings</a></h3>

65% of all abusive posts warrant intervention from social media platforms 

World Athletics publishes Online Abuse Study covering Tokyo Olympic Games

65% of all abusive posts warrant intervention from social media platforms

The Wanda Diamond League will touch down in 14 cities across four different continents in 2022, with the series set to host two meetings in China in July and August.
Track and field&rsquo;s premier one-day meeting series returns for its 13th annual cycle next summer, with the world&rsquo;s best athletes battling it out throughout the season for a place in the Wanda Diamond League Final.
Athletes will compete for points in 13 series meetings from May to September, with the most successful qualifying for the two-day season finale in Zurich and a shot at the prestigious Diamond Trophy.
After the season opener in Doha on 13 May and a trip to Birmingham (tbc) eight days later, athletes will have the chance to test out the host venue for the 2022 World Athletics Championships when the series arrives in Eugene on 28 May.
The world&rsquo;s best will then head to Rabat on 5 June, before returning to Europe for the rest of the month with meetings in Rome, Oslo, Paris and Stockholm.
After the World Athletics Championships, the Wanda Diamond League will return to China for the first time since 2019, with the Shanghai Diamond League set for 30 July and a second Chinese meeting scheduled for 6 August.
August will then see the series head to Monaco and Lausanne before the last series meeting in Brussels on 2 September.
Those athletes who have picked up enough points on the road to the final will then head to Zurich, where the 32 Wanda Diamond League champions will be crowned at a two-day season finale on 7-8 September.
Further information on the allocation of disciplines will be released before the festive season in December.
The calendar remains subject to changes depending on the global health situation in 2022, as organisers continue to prioritise the safety of athletes and fans while delivering high-quality competitions.
<a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/calendar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full 2022 Wanda Diamond League calendar</a>

The Wanda Diamond League will touch down in 14 cities across four different continents in 2022

14 Wanda Diamond League meetings in 2022 calendar

Reuben Kipyego and Vivian Kiplagat will defend their ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon titles on Friday (26), but the Kenyan duo will face a strong line-up at the World Athletics Elite Label road race.
When the Abu Dhabi Marathon last went ahead in 2019, Kipyego was initially enlisted as a pacemaker but he went on to triumph in 2:04:40, a PB at the time. He went on to reduce that to 2:04:12 in Valencia exactly one year later and then to 2:03:55 in Milan earlier this year where he finished second.
Titus Ekiru was the winner on that occasion, clocking a world-leading 2:02:57 to move to equal fifth on the world all-time list. Ekiru, who hasn&rsquo;t raced since his Milan victory, will renew his rivalry with Kipyego, who last month placed eighth at the Chicago Marathon in 2:14:24.
Aside from having the fastest PB of the field, Ekiru is also a formidable competitor, having won five of the six marathons he&rsquo;s completed to date.
Barnabas Kiptum, who finished third behind Ekiru and Kipyego in Milan, will also be in Abu Dhabi. He clocked a PB of 2:04:17 in the Italian city six months ago and will also arrive in the UAE capital on fresh legs.
Although he doesn&rsquo;t have as many career marathon victories as Ekiru, Kiptum is extremely consistent and has finished in the top five in all of his last 14 marathons.
Two-time world champion Abel Kirui can never be discounted. More than 12 years have passed since his first World Championships victory, but the 39-year-old Kenyan came within one second of his PB last year, clocking 2:05:05 in Valencia.
Three-time Toronto Marathon winner Philemon Rono and 2017 world bronze medallist Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania are also ones to watch, as is Oqbe Kibrom Ruesom, who will be keen to reclaim the Eritrean record, having recently surrendered it to Hizkel Tewelde.
Vivian Kiplagat&rsquo;s 2:21:11 clocking from her 2019 Abu Dhabi victory still stands as her PB. The 30-year-old Kenyan was on course to break that at last month&rsquo;s Chicago Marathon, passing through the half-way point in second place in a swift 1:08:50, but she faded in the closing stages and eventually finished fifth in 2:29:14.
Having had almost seven weeks to recover, Kiplagat &ndash; who set a half marathon PB of 1:06:07 in September &ndash; will aim to retain her Abu Dhabi title and improve on the course record she set two years ago.
Alemu Megertu&rsquo;s PB is just one second faster than Kiplagat&rsquo;s, making her the fastest woman in this year&rsquo;s field. The Ethiopian&rsquo;s only outing in 2021 was a 13th-place finish in London in 2:27:18, having passed through half way in 1:08:52 &ndash; almost identical to Kiplagat&rsquo;s equivalent split in Chicago. A better-paced effort from both women could result in an enthralling duel.
Eunice Chumba may not have the fastest PB of the field, but the Bahraini is a smart racer. She finished second in Abu Dhabi in 2018 and fourth in 2019, while this year she clocked a PB of 2:23:10 in Milan and finished seventh at the Olympic Games.
Others to watch out for include 2011 world bronze medallist and 2012 Boston Marathon champion Sharon Cherop, 2014 Houston and Rotterdam winner Abebech Afework, 2014 Amsterdam champion Betelhem Moges and 2009 world 10,000m bronze medallist Wude Ayalew Yimer, the runner-up in Abu Dhabi two years ago.
<h2>Elite fields</h2>
Women Megertu Alemu Kebede (ETH) 2:21:10 Vivian Kiplagat (KEN) 2:21:11 Sharon Cherop (KEN) 2:22:28 Sintayehu Lewetegn (ETH) 2:22:45 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:23:10 Abebech Afework Bekele (ETH) 2:23:33 Betelhem Moges (ETH) 2:23:38 Monica Jepkoech (KEN) 2:23:59 Wude Ayalew Yimer (ETH) 2:24:03 Letebrhan Haylay (ETH) 2:24:47 Judith Korir (KEN) 2:26:52 Nurit Shimels (ETH) 2:27:40 Immaculate Chemutai (UGA) 2:29:09 Almaz Gelana (ETH) 2:29:59
Men Titus Ekiru (KEN) 2:02:57 Reuben Kipyego (KEN) 2:03:55 Barnabas Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:17 Philemon Rono (KEN) 2:05:00 Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:05:04 Oqbe Kibrom Ruesom (ERI) 2:05:53 Thomas Kiplagat (KEN) 2:06:00 Hicham Laqouahi (MAR) 2:06:32 Asefa Bedada (ETH) 2:06:39 Abdi Asefa (ETH) 2:06:43 Shumi Dechasa (BRN) 2:06:43 Victor Kipchirchir (KEN) 2:07:39 Alphonce Felix Simbu (TAN) 2:08:27 Alemu Gemechu (ETH) 2:08:47 Felix Kimutai (KEN) 2:09:23

Reuben Kipyego and Vivian Kiplagat will defend their ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon titles on Friday (26), but the Kenyan duo will face a strong line-up at the World Athletics Elite Label road race.

Defending champions Kipyego and Kiplagat face tough test in Abu Dhabi

There are just 100 days to go until the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 and to mark the milestone in the countdown, the local organising committee has unveiled the exclusive brand identity for the event.
The artwork features iconic Muscat landmarks, including the Al Alam Palace, the Riyam Park monument and the Al Sahwa Clock Tower above a traditional Omani tile pattern motif. 
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/large/619e406c602f74d8b6e2dbba.png" alt="" width="600" height="400" />
&ldquo;Plans for the event are progressing rapidly,&rdquo; said Sheikh Salim Al Amri, President of the Oman Athletics Association. &ldquo;We have held work sessions together to narrow down the details and deliver a highly professional, well-coordinated event for athletes, coaches and international media.
&ldquo;This is a unique opportunity for Oman to enhance athletics within the country and establish ourselves as a viable host nation for future events and we are determined to make sure the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships live long in the memory.&rdquo;
It will be the first time the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships have been held in the Middle East. It&rsquo;s also the first time an Asian nation other than China has hosted the event. The championships were originally due to be held in Minsk, Belarus, but the ongoing travel restrictions caused by Covid-19 forced the event to be rescheduled.
Racing will take place around the pristine landscaped gardens of the Oman Convention &amp; Exhibition Centre (OCEC) in the heart of Muscat. The week of racing will be a celebration of athletics with fun runs taking place either side of the main competition, as well as an on-site health and fitness exhibition to help inspire local athletes and visitors to become more active.
&ldquo;This is a great achievement for Oman and we are incredibly proud to host the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships,&rdquo; said Said Al Shanfari, CEO of the OCEC. &ldquo;To take such a leading role in Oman&rsquo;s sporting evolution is a responsibility we are delighted to have, and hopefully this will be the first of many World Athletics events to visit our nation.&rdquo;
The championships will feature 20km and 35km races for senior men and women, plus 10km races for U20 men and women.
&ldquo;We have had success hosting a wide variety of high-profile sporting events over recent years and this is the next step forward for our development as an attractive venue for major events,&rdquo; said Khamis Al Jabri, CEO of the local organising committee. &ldquo;Oman has built a strong reputation on its authenticity and hospitality, and the benefits of hosting the 2022 World Race Walking Team Championships will reach far and wide. Local SMEs will benefit, athletes of all ages can be inspired to realise their ambitions on home soil, and this is the ideal platform to showcase our capabilities to a new global sporting audience.&rdquo;
The World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 is expected to attract more than 1000 inbound visitors, including athletes, coaches, delegates, friends and family. Training camps will also be established at various resorts in Nizwa to allow competitors to acclimatise before the event.
LOC for World Athletics

Just 100 days to go until the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22

Preparations well under way for World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22

There are just 100 days to go until the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 and to mark the milestone in the countdown, the local organising committee has unveiled the exclusive brand identity for the event.

We continue our countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2021 on 1 December by taking a closer look at the achievements of the five women and five men who have this week been confirmed as the finalists for the Athlete of the Year awards.
&nbsp;
<h2>Sifan Hassan</h2>
&ldquo;If you do long distance,&rdquo; said Sifan Hassan after claiming her third Olympic medal in Tokyo, &ldquo;it's like building a house.&rdquo; If that&rsquo;s the case, then the Dutch distance running star has produced a palace in 2021.
Hassan was replying to a comment about her having been seen running in the Olympic Village in between her nine-day schedule of six races in Japan. "It's not only about talent,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;You can have two or three talents, but you have to work hard also."
So there she was, building hard towards her unprecedented medal treble. It paid off, as she left Japan with two golds, in the 5000m and 10,000m, plus bronze in the 1500m. Eleventh on the medals table &ndash; that&rsquo;s where Hassan would have placed had she formed her own one-woman team.
"Many people doubted that it would happen,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Is it possible, is it not possible? When I think about it, it feels like a dream. But it has happened.
&ldquo;This Olympics is one of the best feelings I've ever had in my life. It's something special. I'll never forget it.&rdquo;
Hassan&rsquo;s season had started with wins over 5000m and 800m in the USA in May, but she took things to another level a couple of weeks later. Running 29:06.82 at the FBK Games in Hengelo, the 28-year-old took more than 10 seconds off the world 10,000m record that had been set by Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. 
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 &ldquo;I am so happy to share this record in front of my Dutch fans,&rdquo; said Hassan, who had previously broken world records in the mile, one hour event and road 5km.
Incredibly, the 10,000m mark stood just two days, as back on the same Hengelo track, Letesenbet Gidey improved it by a further five seconds to 29:01.03 to win the Ethiopian Trials.
But rather than that world record being the pinnacle of her season, Hassan was only just getting started. Four days after her Hengelo run, she ran 3:53.63 for a 1500m win at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Florence. The following month she clocked 3:53.60 to place second in Monaco &ndash; behind Kenya&rsquo;s Faith Kipyegon, who would go on to retain her Olympic title &ndash; and then it was time for Tokyo. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610e7eb7455c4a1d10ace1c5.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 First came 5000m gold. Despite running, and falling, in the 1500m heats earlier on in the day, Hassan returned to the track 12 hours later to clock 14:36.79 after timing her winning kick to perfection.
Four days later she secured bronze in the 1500m behind Kipyegon and Britain&rsquo;s Laura Muir and she was back on the track less than 24 hours after that, seeking to become only the second woman after Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008 to complete the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m double.
She achieved it. Unleashing her trademark kick, she covered the final 100m in 13.6, clocking 29:55.32 to get gold.
&ldquo;I am so happy and I cried during the medal ceremony,&rdquo; said Hassan. &ldquo;I actually realised that I am done, the Games are over.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
<h2>Joshua Cheptegei</h2>
The world 5000m record-breaker became the Olympic champion in 2021. Despite wondering whether he should even race the event at all in Tokyo, Joshua Cheptegei rebounded to get 5000m gold, running the second-fastest ever Olympic time of 12:58.15 one week after securing silver in the 10,000m.
&ldquo;I have learned the most important things are achieved no matter the difficulties or challenges,&rdquo; Cheptegei told NN Running Team when reflecting on his year. &ldquo;Of course, I don&rsquo;t look at my medal every day, but when I do it acts as a reminder that, wow, I can fight back, and I know in the future I can get better and better.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s an exciting prospect, given that the Ugandan 25-year-old is already a treble world record-holder, a world champion and now an Olympic champion.
After the high of setting world records at 5000m, 10,000m and 5km on the road in 2020, Cheptegei started this year on a winning note, claiming victory at the Monaco Run &ndash; the same event at which he broke the world record with 12:51 12 months earlier. 
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 But then an infection affected his preparations for the Olympic Games and after a 3000m win at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, he was disappointed to place sixth at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Florence. &ldquo;I was not really healthy at the time with an infection. It shattered my body,&rdquo; he said.
After winning the world 10,000m title in Doha in 2019, Cheptegei was determined to add another global title to his CV, so he refocused ahead of the Olympics. Lining up for his sole 10,000m race of the year, he was slightly ahead with four laps to go and followed Ethiopia&rsquo;s Selemon Barega as he led at the bell, crossing the finish line in 27:43.63 for his first Olympic medal.
Four days later he was back in action for the 5000m heats, before he took his place in the final a week after his 10,000m silver medal performance.
&ldquo;Part of me thought it was not a wise decision to race,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but the other part said, no, you&rsquo;ve prepared for this.&rdquo;
This time, only a win would do. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610d367cc628cc00175b7a4a.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 With 600m remaining, he made his move and surged away untroubled, gaining victory in 12:58.15 &ndash; a winning time only bettered at the Olympics by Kenenisa Bekele&rsquo;s Games record of 12:57.82 from 2008.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really a great moment,&rdquo; he said afterwards. &ldquo;I made a small mistake and I was regretting (having) to become a silver medallist (in the 10,000m).
&ldquo;I came here to become an Olympic champion and my dream has been fulfilled today on a beautiful evening.&rdquo;
After Tokyo, he had one more race left to run &ndash; the two miles at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene. Clocking a world-leading 8:09.55, he ended his year on a high.
&ldquo;It really means a lot to me to win here in Oregon,&rdquo; he said, fresh from racing on the track that will host next year&rsquo;s World Athletics Championships, &ldquo;and it will always be in my heart.&rdquo;

Focus on finalists: Sifan Hassan and Joshua Cheptegei

With eight&nbsp;days to go until the&nbsp;World Athletics Awards 2021, the names of the five finalists for Female World Athlete of the Year have been confirmed.
The five athletes, who represent five countries from four area associations, have produced some exceptional performances across a range of athletics disciplines in 2021, at the Tokyo Olympic Games, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.
The finalists are (in alphabetical order):
Sifan Hassan, NED - Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion - Olympic 1500m bronze medallist - Broke the world 10,000m record
Faith Kipyegon, KEN - Olympic 1500m champion - Diamond League 1500m champion - Kenyan 1500m record
Sydney McLaughlin, USA - Olympic 400m hurdles champion - Olympic 4x400m champion - Set two world 400m hurdles records
Yulimar Rojas, VEN - Olympic triple jump champion - Diamond League triple jump champion - World triple jump record
Elaine Thompson-Herah, JAM - Olympic 100m, 200m and 4x100m champion - Diamond League 100m champion - National 100m and 200m records, second fastest of all time 
<h3>Voting procedure for 2021 World Athletes of the Year</h3>
A three-way voting process determined the finalists.
The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family cast their votes by email, while fans voted online via the World Athletics social media platforms. The World Athletics Council&rsquo;s vote counted for 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family&rsquo;s votes and the public votes each counted for 25% of the final result.
Voting closed on 6 November.
The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced at the World Athletics Awards 2021, which will be held virtually on 1 December.
World Athletics

World Athletics is pleased to confirm the five finalists for Female World Athlete of the Year.

Finalists announced for Female World Athlete of the Year 2021

As the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2021 continues, a&nbsp;digital exhibition has been created featuring&nbsp;the 25 images shortlisted for the Photograph of the Year award.
From the 112 images that were submitted, a panel of judges &ndash; comprising Raquel Cavaco Nunes, Ivo Gonzalez, Pascal Rondeau, Akani Simbine and Katerina Stefanidi &ndash; selected the below 25 shortlisted images and then the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/awards/news/world-athletics-photograph-year-2021-finalists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three finalists</a>.
The finalists were announced on 16 November and the winning photograph will be revealed during the World Athletics Awards 2021 on 1 December.
&nbsp;
<h2>Digital exhibition of shortlisted images</h2>
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bc93bd72b7995b5a7e460.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Neeraj Chopra of India competes in the men's javelin throw final during the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Christian Bruna, European Pressphoto Agency B.V.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bca11d72b7995b5a7e463.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Athletes' reflection on the track. The heptathlon at the 14th Chinese National Games, won by&nbsp;Ninali Zheng Photo by Yujia Dou, Track &amp; Field Camp
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bcac3d72b7995b5a7e466.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Joy. Athletes celebrate at the World Athletics Relays in Silesia Photo by Michal Dubiel, 400mm.pl
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bcc6df9144532a3313e2e.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins the gold medal in the men's 100m final at the Tokyo Olympics&nbsp; Photo by Naoki Enokido
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bcce1f9144532a3313e31.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />An athlete competes in the classic pentathlon at the Czech Republic Veterans Championships Photo by Eduard Erben, CPA
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61925906447534976d7b8a7e.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Viktoriya Tkachuk of Ukraine competes in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles semifinals at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Vegard Grott, Bildbyran
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61925975447534976d7b8a84.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Sweden&rsquo;s Mondo Duplantis competes in the men's pole vault final at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Matthias Hangst, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bcf1ff026a6c5c80a98c4.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Decathletes celebrate together following their competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Richard Heathcote, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bcfc2f026a6c5c80a98c7.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Portugal&rsquo;s Pedro Pichardo celebrates his win in the men&rsquo;s triple jump at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd088f026a6c5c80a98ca.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Karsten Warholm of Norway reacts after crossing the finish line having broken the men&rsquo;s world 400m hurdles record to win Olympic gold in Tokyo Photo by Kota Kiriyama, The Sankei Shimbun
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd10d397b78ee3f4f5276.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Kaede Maegawa of Japan competes in the women&rsquo;s long jump T42 final during the Tokyo Paralympic Games&nbsp; Photo by Joel Marklund, OIS (Olympic Information Service)
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd197397b78ee3f4f5279.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Kyle Blignaut of South Africa in action during men's shot put qualification at the Olympic Games in Tokyo Photo by Dylan Martinez, Reuters
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd2aaf026a6c5c80a98cd.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />The Hunger (athletics) Games. Pole vaulter Malen Ruiz De Azua competes at the European Athletics Team Championships Super League in Silesia Photo by Sergio Mateo Maria, Sportmedia
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd332f026a6c5c80a98ce.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />General view of the silhouettes of athletes in action as rain falls during the third women's 400m hurdles semifinal at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Hannah McKay, Reuters
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd3c5f026a6c5c80a98d1.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Brazil&rsquo;s Lucas Mazzo, with a Brazilian flag emblazoned contact lens, cools down during the men&rsquo;s 20km race walk at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by&nbsp;Morgan Treacy, INPHO
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd432f026a6c5c80a98d4.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Ntando Mahlangu of South Africa competes in the men&rsquo;s long jump T63 final at the Tokyo Paralympic Games Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd4a8f026a6c5c80a98d7.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Yulimar Rojas from Venezuela reacts after her last attempt during the final of the women&rsquo;s triple jump at the Tokyo Olympic Games. With a jump of 15.67m from her final attempt, she breaks the Olympic and world record Photo by Oscar Munoz Badilla, freelance / fotografiadeportiva
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61925940447534976d7b8a81.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Rachel McCoy of the United States competes in the women's high jump qualification at the Tokyo Olympic Games while her fellow competitors shelter from the sun Photo by Ryan Pierse, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd528f026a6c5c80a98da.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />A pole vault competitor is reflected in a puddle at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium Photo by Juan Ignacio Roncoroni, Delegacion de la Agencia Efe en la Republica Argentina
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd5a0f026a6c5c80a98dd.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />USA&rsquo;s Tara Davis jumps at the Tokyo Olympic Games, with her hair falling into the sand pit Photo by Felix Sanchez Arrazola,&nbsp;Fotorunners
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd653af5892f62390619c.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Due to Covid-19 restrictions in South Africa, a marathon is run on a motorsport race track, in dark and very cold conditions. This marathon at Killarney International Raceway in Cape Town served as a last-minute opportunity for elite athletes from South Africa, and her neighbouring countries, to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo Photo by Roger Sedres, Image SA / Gallo Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd6e9e639d1a22e51f9cc.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Jorge Urena of Spain competes in the decathlon high jump at the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Patrick Smith, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd748e639d1a22e51f9cf.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />USA's Raven Saunders reacts as she competes in the women's shot put final during the Tokyo Olympic Games Photo by Ben Stansall, AFP
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd7d8e639d1a22e51f9d2.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />Yanique Thompson of Jamaica pulls up as Christina Clemons of USA and Tobi Amusan of Nigeria leap in the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles semifinal at the Tokyo Olympics Photo by Michael Steele, Getty Images
&nbsp;
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/619bd837f026a6c5c80a98e0.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />The Poland team celebrates after winning mixed 4x400m gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Photo by Aleksandra Szmigiel, Running Creatives / Reuters

The 25 images shortlisted for the Photograph of the Year award have been included in a digital exhibition.

Digital exhibition: 2021 World Athletics Photograph of the Year shortlisted images

With nine days to go until the&nbsp;World Athletics Awards 2021, the names of the five finalists for Male World Athlete of the Year have been confirmed.
The five athletes, who represent five countries from three area associations, have produced some exceptional performances across a range of athletics disciplines in 2021, at the Tokyo Olympic Games, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.
The finalists are (in alphabetical order):
Joshua Cheptegei, UGA - Olympic 5000m champion - Olympic 10,000m silver medallist - World-leading 8:09.55 for two miles
Ryan Crouser, USA - Olympic and Diamond League shot put champion - Undefeated all year - World shot put records indoors and outdoors
Mondo Duplantis, SWE - Olympic pole vault champion - Diamond League pole vault champion - European indoor pole vault champion
Eliud Kipchoge, KEN - Olympic marathon champion - Largest winning margin in men&rsquo;s Olympic marathon since 1972 - Winner of Enschede Marathon
Karsten Warholm, NOR - Olympic 400m hurdles champion&nbsp; - Diamond League 400m hurdles champion - World 400m hurdles record and world 300m hurdles best 
<h3>Voting procedure for 2021 World Athletes of the Year</h3>
A three-way voting process determined the finalists.
The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family cast their votes by email, while fans voted online via the World Athletics social media platforms. The World Athletics Council&rsquo;s vote counted for 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family&rsquo;s votes and the public votes each counted for 25% of the final result.
Voting closed on 6 November.
The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced at the World Athletics Awards 2021, which will be held virtually on 1 December.
World Athletics

Finalists announced for Male World Athlete of the Year 2021

World Athletics is pleased to confirm the five finalists for Male World Athlete of the Year.

Kenya&rsquo;s Norah Jeruto and Burundi&rsquo;s Rodrigue Kwizera secured victories at the Cross Internacional de It&aacute;lica on the outskirts of Seville in what was the fifth World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season, held today (21) on a cloudy but dry day.
Right from the start of the women&rsquo;s 7.9km contest, Jeruto took command of the race and led a quartet that included compatriot Beatrice Chebet, Ethiopia&rsquo;s 5km world record-holder Senbere Teferi and recent Atapuerca winner Rahel Daniel. Margaret Chelimo, the defending Cross de Italica champion and world 5000m silver medallist, was a few seconds adrift of the leaders within the first few kilometres.
While Jeruto and Chebet took charge of the pacing duties, Teferi and Daniel ran at the back of the lead pack. Just before the halfway point, Chelimo made contact with the lead group and moved to the front alongside Chebet and Jeruto. Daniel, meanwhile, began to lose contact after the fourth kilometre as the race became a duel between the Kenyan trio and Teferi.
Half way through the final circuit, Teferi couldn&rsquo;t live with the pace being set by Chelimo and Jeruto. Chebet lost ground on her compatriots in the final kilometre, leaving Jeruto and Chelimo to battle for victory.
It briefly seemed as though the long-legged Chelimo would reel in the long-time leader, but Jeruto, who this year clocked a world-leading 8:53.65 in the steeplechase to move to third on the world all-time list, found an extra gear in the home straight to win marginally ahead of Chelimo, herself two seconds clear of Chebet.
The men&rsquo;s 10.1km event began at a moderate pace, set by the Spanish duo of Carlos Mayo, a 27:25.00 10,000m performer, and the 40-year-old Ayad Lamdassem, a creditable fifth at the Tokyo Olympics in the marathon. Shortly before the third kilometre, world U20 3000m champion Tadese Worku moved to the front to whittle down the leading group to six other men: fellow Ethiopian Nibret Melak, Uganda&rsquo;s Thomas Ayeko, Eritrea&rsquo;s Aron Kifle, Kwizera, Mayo and Abdessadam Oukhelfen.
The first significant move came some 15 minutes into the race when Kifle, the winner in Atapuerca last weekend, put in a surge to leave Ayeko and the Spaniards behind within a matter of seconds. Kifle and Worku then took turns at the front with Melak and Kwizera tucked behind.
Throughout the closing loop, Worku tried to shake off Melak, Kwizera and Kifle, but Kwizera was able to stick to the teenager&rsquo;s relentless pace. After negotiating the tricky final bend, Kwizera overtook Worku with relative ease to take the biggest win of his career so far in 28:33, one second ahead of the defending champion Worku, while Melak secured third spot in 28:42, seven seconds clear of Kifle.
&ldquo;Winning the It&aacute;lica permit is incredible for me,&rdquo; said 22-year-old Kwizera, who finished 11th at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m doing very well this cross country season and hope to maintain this. I feel very comfortable in cross country races but I also would like to improve my career bests on the track (13:34.65 for 5000m and 28:21.92 for 10,000m).&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h2>Leading results</h2>
Women 1 Norah Jeruto (KEN) 24:22 2 Margaret Chelimo (KEN) 24:23 3 Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 24:25 4 Senbere Teferi (ETH) 24:38 5 Rahel Daniel (ERI) 24:58 6 Eva Cherono (KEN) 25:22 7 Esther Chebet (UGA) 25:27 8 Fancy Cherono (KEN) 25:37 9 Dolshi Tesfu (ERI) 25:43 10 Lucy Maiwa Muli (KEN) 25:46
Men 1 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 28:33 2 Tadese Worku (ETH) 28:34 3 Nibret Melak (ETH) 28:42 4 Aron Kifle (ERI) 28:49 5 Thomas Ayeko (UGA) 28:59 6 Carlos Mayo (ESP) 29:08 7 Abdessadam Oukhelfen (ESP) 29:31 8 Albert Rop (BRN) 29:32 9 Ayad Landassem (ESP) 29:34 10 Ra&uacute;l Celada (ESP) 29:42

Kenya’s Norah Jeruto and Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera secured victories at the Cross Internacional de Itálica

Kotut and Maru claim marathon crowns in Florence

Focus on finalists: Elaine Thompson-Herah and Karsten Warholm

Focus on finalists: Yulimar Rojas and Eliud Kipchoge

Focus on finalists: Sydney McLaughlin and Mondo Duplantis

Ayeko and Tesfu poised to strike in Alcobendas