A look back at the key moments of 2021 in the middle and long distance events

2021 review: middle and long distance

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;

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: Sifan Hassan and Joshua Cheptegei

The sight of Sifan Hassan at the finish line said it all. Having given the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games absolutely everything she had, the Dutch star was rewarded with an unprecedented medal treble &ndash; including two glorious golds &ndash; as she completed the distance double with a gritty 10,000m win on Saturday night (7).
After nine days and six races totalling 61 and a quarter laps of the Tokyo Olympic Stadium track, the 28-year-old double world champion added to her legend as she kicked to 10,000m victory in 29:55.32. It came less than 24 hours after she secured bronze in the 1500m, despite a fall in the heats, and five days after she won the 5000m.
It was a 10,000m race that came down to the final 100m, which proved perfect for Hassan. Running with Bahraini record-holder Kalkidan Gezahegne and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Letesenbet Gidey, who had succeeded Hassan as world record-holder in June, the medals looked set. Hassan only had one colour in mind, though, and she took off as the trio approached the final bend, leaving her rivals with no response. Hassan got the gold, with Gezahegne running 29:56.18 for silver and Gidey 30:01.72 for bronze.
&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.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not about how strong I am but how strong are the ladies I challenge. Now I am happy, I am done, it&rsquo;s over.&rdquo; 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610e7eb7455c4a1d10ace1c5.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 After her world record run in Hengelo, where she ran 29:06.82 just two days before Gidey went even faster with 29:01.03 on the same track, Hassan had talked about the importance of patience. She seemed to employ a similar strategy on Saturday as she tracked Gidey and Gezahegne until unleashing her killer kick.
The host nation&rsquo;s Ririka Hironaka had led the early stages, taking the field through the first kilometre mark in 3:03.0, with 2000m reached in 6:04.4. Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Chelangat then moved up into second, with Gidey and Kenya&rsquo;s 5000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri side by side just behind them. Hassan was sitting a little further down the field, untroubled.
Gidey and Obiri then moved to the fore as the pace started to pick up and the field began to string out, with the Ethiopian leading the way with 9:10.5 on the clock through 3000m.
A series of 71-second laps had an impact and 14 minutes into the race a group of seven was breaking away.
Running single file through the half-way point, Gidey was still in charge and clocked 15:08.3 just ahead of Obiri, Hassan, Gezahegne and Kenya&rsquo;s Irene Cheptai. Burundi&rsquo;s Francine Niyonsaba and Turkey&rsquo;s Yasemin Can were unable to handle the surge and the lead group was down to five as the pace picked up to 70-second laps.
With eight laps to go there remained four contenders &ndash; Gidey from Obiri, Hassan and Gezahegne. Gidey made a move but Hassan covered it instantly and surged into second behind her as Gezahegne also overtook Obiri.
Another burst saw Obiri dropped but then the pace started to ease, with Gidey seemingly either preparing for her own kick or struggling in the challenging hot and humid conditions.
After a 75-second circuit and with three laps to go, the race looked to be playing into Hassan&rsquo;s hands.
As they hit the bell, it was Gidey from Hassan and Gezahegne, with Gidey holding the kerb. Then came that kick, with Hassan finding her extra gear off the final bend and running a remarkable&nbsp;13.6 for the final 100m&nbsp;to become only the second woman after Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tirunesh Dibaba in 2008 to complete the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m double.
Never before had an athlete claimed medals in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m at the same Olympics.
She crossed the finish line with her arms spread wide, on her face a look of relief and elation. She then crumpled to the track in sheer exhaustion.
Hassan adds this win and her two other Olympic medals to the world 1500m and 10,000m titles she claimed in Doha two years ago, plus her 2017 world 5000m bronze, 2015 world 1500m bronze and her three world indoor medals.
Behind the top three in Tokyo was two-time world 5000m champion Obiri, holding on for fourth in a PB of 30:24.27, while Niyonsaba ran a national record of 30:41.93 for fifth and Cheptai was sixth in a PB of 30:44.00. There was also a PB performance by Hironaka in seventh (31:00.71), with Germany&rsquo;s Konstanze Klosterhalfen (31:01.97), Britain&rsquo;s Eilish McColgan (31:04.46) and the USA&rsquo;s Emily Sisson (31:09.58) completing the top 10.
A little later on, silver medallist Gezahegne was among those to hail Hassan's achievement.&nbsp;"It was very difficult, she's a tough girl," she said.
A tough athlete, and now a treble Olympic medallist.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
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<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S 10,000m MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Sifan Hassan 🇳🇱 NED</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">29:55.32</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Kalkidan Gezahegne 🇧🇭 BRN</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">29:56.18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Letesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">30:01.72</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/results/women/10000-metres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

The sight of Sifan Hassan at the finish line said it all. Having given the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games absolutely everything she had, the Dutch star was rewarded with an unprecedented medal treble.

History-maker Hassan completes medal treble in Tokyo

If there is one thing that has characterised the fledgling career of 21-year-old Ethiopian distance runner Selemon Barega, it is fearlessness.
Since bursting on to the international scene as a precocious teenager, he has never been afraid to take on the best runners in the world, even when, on occasion, he has been schooled by his elders in major races.
But he has clearly been learning, because he gave a distance-running masterclass to win the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/news/tokyo-olympic-games-men-10000m-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 10,000m</a> at the Olympic Stadium on Friday night (30), the first gold medal awarded in athletics at the Tokyo Games.
A fascinating race, with a series of twists and turns, ultimately came down to the usual suspects - the world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei, the world silver medallist Barega and the world half marathon champion Jacob Kiplimo.
Cheptegei, the world record-holder over both 5000m and 10,000m, had made no secret of his desire to succeed Mo Farah as the Olympic champion, but Barega ran the better tactical race, getting the jump on his Ugandan rivals when he launched a withering attack 350m from the finish line.&nbsp;
He committed completely to the move, tearing away as if being pursued by wolves. Cheptegei and Kiplimo were a beat too slow to react in the oppressive conditions (27 degrees and 80 percent humidity) and ultimately that made the difference.
The Ugandan duo closed on their quarry in the last 50 metres but it was too late. Barega crossed the finish line with arms aloft in 27:43.22, recapturing the title for Ethiopia for the first time since 2008 (Kenenisa Bekele). Cheptegei finished just 0.41 behind (27:43.63), with Kiplimo third (27:43.88).
Barega said he had prepared for a sprint finish and was confident in his late turn of speed.
"When I was left with very short lengths like 400 (metres) or 200 (metres), I was really confident about myself to win," he said.&nbsp;
He declared that he would like to step into the shoes of his illustrious forebears Haile Gebrselassie and Bekele, by attempting the 5000m-10,000m double in Tokyo, if allowed by his team.
Cheptegei admitted afterwards that he had been caught in two minds, and was unwilling to push the pace earlier after struggling with a tendon injury in his heel for the last few months. 
<h2>Hassan,&nbsp;Tsegay and&nbsp;Obiri advance</h2>
Meanwhile, all the main contenders progressed safely through the women&rsquo;s 5000m heats, headed by first heat winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands (14:47.89). 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610404ca9c55819dd106668f.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="640" />
 Hassan may yet tackle an unprecedented treble at these Games as she has entered the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m and is tempted by the opportunity to do something that no other athlete has done in the Olympic arena.
She expended as little energy as possible tonight, only exerting herself in the late stages, and she kept her cards equally close to her chest in the post-race interviews.
"I never say 'I&rsquo;m going to compete (in) three events', I just look at (it) one by one," she said.
"Now I&rsquo;m happy that I made it to the 5000m final and the weather is so hot, and I have a lot of pressure with Covid, about everything."
Kenyan pair Agnes Tirop (14:48.01) and Lilian Rengeruk (14:50.35), plus Ethiopian pair Selamawit Teferi (14:48.31) and Ejgayehu Taye (14:48.52), were the other automatic qualifiers from the first heat.
The second heat was dominated by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Gudaf Tsegay (14:55.74) and Kenyan world champion Hellen Obiri (14:55.77) ahead of Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti (14:55.83), the USA's Elise Cranny (14:56.14) and Norway&rsquo;s Karoline Grovdal (14:56.82).
Burundi&rsquo;s Francine Niyonsaba was third across the finish line but was disqualified for stepping inside the track on the bend. The Burundi team appealed the decision but the Jury of Appeal reviewed the video evidence and denied it.
Obiri revealed afterwards that the Kenyan trio would run as a team in the final in order to claim back the gold medal for their country. 
<h2>Relay drama</h2>
The mixed 4x400m relay made its Olympic debut with a dramatic qualifying round. The US team was initially disqualified for having one runner start outside the takeover zone, after winning the first heat in 3:11.39, only to be reinstated a few hours later.
Second-placed Dominican Republic (3:12.74) had also been ruled out for lining up in the wrong order at the takeover, but they too were reinstated.
Behind them, also securing places in the final, was Belgium (3:12.75) and Ireland (3:12.88). 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6103f397ef667c76188d1541.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 The second heat was faster as Poland set a European record of 3:10.44 to win from the Netherlands (3:10.69), Jamaica (3:11.76) and Great Britain (3:11.95).
Twelve of the 15 teams in action set national records, reflecting the youth of the event, which was introduced at the World Athletics Championships in Doha two years ago.
By contrast, world champion and 2020 female World Athlete of the Year Yulimar Rojas breezed through the qualifying round of the triple jump, progressing with one jump despite taking off nearly 40cm behind the board.
Her leap of 14.77m was still well clear of the automatic qualifying standard of 14.40m and would have been well over 15 metres had she hit the board on take off.
Dominica&rsquo;s Thea LaFond joins her in the final with a national record of 14.60m on her first jump. Other one-jump qualifiers included Portugal&rsquo;s Patricia Mamona (14.54m), Cuba&rsquo;s Liadagmis Povea (14.50m) and Jamaica&rsquo;s Shanieka Ricketts (14.43m). Spain&rsquo;s Ana Peleteiro (14.62m) also progressed comfortably. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6103f02ccc52e2680e5df19e.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 But the drama was around 37-year-old two-time world champion Caterine Ibarguen, who struggled to find her rhythm on the runway and was facing elimination before a third round jump of 14.37m, which earned her place in the final as the seventh-best qualifier.
Another veteran, two-time Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams, had no such difficulty, becoming the first shot putter in history to reach five Olympic finals with an automatic qualifier of 18.83m.
However, reigning world champion Gong Lijiao dominated proceedings with a best throw of 19.46m, ahead of her compatriot Song Jiayuan (19.23m) and American Raven Saunders (19.22m).
Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics

Selemon Barega gave a distance-running masterclass to win the men’s 10,000m.

Barega wins first final as action heats up at Tokyo Olympics

Selemon Barega restored Ethiopia&rsquo;s dominance in the men&rsquo;s 10,000m, charging to the front on the final lap and holding off two Ugandan favourites to win the first athletics gold medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games on Friday (30).
The 20-year-old Barega staved off a late challenge from world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei and world-leader Jacob Kiplimo to win his first major championships title in 27:43.22.
Barega&rsquo;s triumph brought redemption for Ethiopia, which had dominated the 25-lap event for more than 20 years &ndash; with Haile Gebrselassie winning back-to-back titles in 1996 and 2000 and Kenenisa Bekele earning consecutive victories in 2004 and 2008.
Britain&rsquo;s Mo Farah swept the men&rsquo;s 5,000m and 10,000m in 2012 and 2016, but failed to qualify for the Tokyo Games.
"It&rsquo;s very well known that we have been winners for the 10,000m competition," Barega said. "Since Kenenisa won the last time, we have been unable to achieve a gold medal. I am very proud. It means a lot to me.
"Even in the future I want to make history like my previous colleagues," he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m also very hopeful to achieve more in this Olympics.&rdquo;
Barega, who won silver in the 5000m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, said he still plans to run the 5000m in Tokyo. Cheptegei and Kiplimo are also entered in the 5000m.
Cheptegei, the reigning world 10,000m champion, took silver on Friday in 27:43.63 for his first Olympic medal. Kiplimo won the bronze in 27:43.88, marking the first time Uganda placed two athletes on the podium at an Olympics.
Cheptegei broke Bekele&rsquo;s world 5000m and 10,000m world records last year but hadn&rsquo;t run the longer distance this year.
The 20-year-old Kiplimo, meanwhile, had clocked a world-leading 26:33.93 in May, the second-fastest time over the distance since 2008 and a mark which moved him to seventh on the world all-time list.
So while the Ugandans came in as the athletes to beat, it was Barega who timed his run to perfection on the night.
Another Ugandan, Stephen Kissa, set the early pace, separating from the pack by more than 40 meters and 10 seconds at different stages as part of what he said was the Ugandan team&rsquo;s strategy.
But after Barega and Kenya&rsquo;s Rhonex Kipruto eventually pulled even with him, Kissa dropped out with nine laps to go.
&ldquo;It was a&nbsp;sacrifice for the team,&rdquo; Kissa said. &ldquo;We had a plan for me to go ahead to make it a fast race. I thought they were going to&nbsp;follow me but when I looked round they were not there. My teammates stayed behind. They couldn't do it.&rdquo;
Kiplimo said Kissa&rsquo;s pace-making strategy didn&rsquo;t work.
&ldquo;He was trying to push the pace, maybe a&nbsp;bit too fast,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It's a bit hot, a bit too humid. That's why we didn&rsquo;t follow the pace.&rdquo;
Kipruto held the lead until Cheptegei pulled slightly ahead with four laps to go as another Kenyan, Rodgers Kwemoi, hung on his shoulder. Canada&rsquo;s Mohammed Ahmed made a break to the front on the second-to-last lap but couldn&rsquo;t sustain the pace.
Barega swept back into the lead as the bell lap rung and never looked back. &nbsp;Cheptegei and Kiplimo began their kick with about 200m to go. Cheptegei passed Kiplimo with 20 metres left and closed on Barega but it was not enough.
Cheptegei was philosophical about the result.
&ldquo;I came here expecting to win a gold, but you never know how someone has prepared and you just have to be grateful and thankful that you had the best opportunity of being on the podium,&rdquo; he said.
Cheptegei said he had bothered by an achilles tendon injury and lack of motivation in the build-up to the Games.
"This year was really a very difficult year for me in terms of racing,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It's the year that I have lost all the focus, all the belief. There was a lot of pressure and I was losing it out in every moment."
For Barega, the victory provided him with another goal: taking Cheptegei&rsquo;s world record.
&ldquo;That is my primary target,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I want to break the record in the future.&rdquo;
Steve Wilson for World Athletics
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MEN'S 10,000m MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 65%; background-color: #e9c968;">Selemon Barega 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 25%; background-color: #e9c968;">27:43.22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 65%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Joshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬 UGA</td>
<td style="width: 25%; background-color: #ced4d9;">27:43.63 SB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 65%; background-color: #bd895e;">Jacob Kiplimo 🇺🇬 UGA</td>
<td style="width: 25%; background-color: #bd895e;">27:43.88</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/results/men/10000-metres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Selemon Barega restored Ethiopia’s dominance in the men’s 10,000m, charging to the front on the final lap and holding off two Ugandan favourites to win the first athletics gold medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games on Friday (30).

Barega returns Olympic 10,000m title to Ethiopia

Four years, 11 months and nine days after the action in Rio came to a close, Olympic Games athletics will make its highly anticipated return at Tokyo&rsquo;s Olympic Stadium on Friday (30).
There is one final &ndash; the men&rsquo;s 10,000m &ndash; taking place on the first day of the athletics programme, while a series of heats and qualification rounds will set the scene for all that is to come.
Here are five things to follow on day one. 
<h2>A new champion</h2>
Men&rsquo;s 10,000m final 8:30pm Tokyo time | 1:30pm CEST
With two-time winner Mo Farah missing from the field, a new Olympic men&rsquo;s 10,000m champion will be crowned in Tokyo for the first time since 2012.
Two Ugandan stars &ndash; world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei and world-leader Jacob Kiplimo &ndash; shape up as the men to beat in an event in which some of the sport&rsquo;s all-time greats have won consecutive golds dating back to 1996. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/9fea4c20-b9e2-411d-b45b-07721dbc9fd1.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 The last time the Olympics were held in Tokyo, the men&rsquo;s 10,000m produced one of the greatest athletics upsets in Games history. Unheralded US runner Billy Mills, a Native American, sprinted past the leaders in the final straight of an epic race to claim gold at the 1964 Games &ndash; the first, and still only, US athlete to win the event.
Fans can look forward to what should be a thrilling competition in Tokyo, even without the reigning champion on the start line.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/news/preview/tokyo-olympics-preview-10000m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full preview</a>
<h2> Warholm takes to the track</h2>
Men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles heats 11:25am Tokyo time | 4:25am CEST
After two world title wins, this time Karsten Warholm will stand on a global start line and be introduced as the world record-holder.
In 2016, the Norwegian was just settling into his first full year as a 400m hurdles specialist. Rai Benjamin, at 18 and two years Warholm's junior, had just wrapped up his first year of NCAA competition. In Tokyo they'll co-star in one of the Games' most eagerly awaited showdowns as two of the three fastest 400m hurdlers of all-time.
Warholm &ndash; who ran 46.70 to break Kevin Young's long standing world record in Oslo &ndash; goes in heat three at 11:41am local time. Benjamin &ndash; who clocked 46.83 less than a week earlier at the US Olympic Trials &ndash; races in heat five at 11:57am.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/news/preview/tokyo-olympics-preview-400m-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full preview</a>
<h2> Relay exciting debut</h2>
Mixed 4x400m heats 8:00pm Tokyo time | 1:00pm CEST&nbsp;
There is one event on this athletics programme that has no previous Olympic medallists, no Olympic records and, in fact, no Olympic history at all. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/608effbec20b044c15aecea0.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="698" />
 The mixed 4x400m relay makes its debut in Tokyo, a discipline featuring teams of two men and two women competing against each other in any order they choose.
Fans will get an early taste of the new event on the first day of action, with the final set for the next evening.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/news/preview/tokyo-olympics-preview-4x400m-relays" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full preview</a>
<h2> Sprint stars align</h2>
Women&rsquo;s 100m heats 12:15pm Tokyo time | 5:15am CEST
The women&rsquo;s 100m is an event on fire right now, with eight women having gone sub-10.90 in 2021 and three athletes on the Tokyo entry list &ndash; Jamaica&rsquo;s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson &ndash; all having run under 10.80.
Multiple global gold medallist Fraser-Pryce&rsquo;s 10.63 to become the second-fastest 100m sprinter of all time leads the list, while defending Olympic 100m and 200m champion Thompson-Herah is just 0.01 off her 10.70 PB from 2016 so far this season. Meanwhile, Olympic and world 400m medallist Jackson, who is concentrating on the shorter sprints this year, has run a PB of 10.77. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60e592261f5996c4407f4e7c.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 The 100m entries joining them in having dipped under 10.90 in 2021 are multiple world medallists Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast and Nigeria&rsquo;s Blessing Okagbare, while Britain&rsquo;s Dina Asher-Smith has clocked 10.91.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/news/tokyo-olympics-preview-100m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full preview</a>
<h2> Field focus</h2>
Men&rsquo;s high jump,&nbsp;men&rsquo;s discus,&nbsp;women&rsquo;s triple jump,&nbsp;women&rsquo;s shot put&nbsp;
The qualification rounds for the men&rsquo;s high jump (9:15am Tokyo time/2:15am CEST), men&rsquo;s discus (9:45am &amp; 11:20am Tokyo time/2:45am &amp; 4:20am CEST), women&rsquo;s triple jump (7:05pm Tokyo time/12:05pm CEST) and women&rsquo;s shot put (7:25pm Tokyo time/12:25pm CEST) all take place on the first day.
Stars in action include Qatar&rsquo;s two-time world champion Mutaz Barshim in the high jump, Sweden&rsquo;s world champion Daniel Stahl in the discus, Venezuela&rsquo;s two-time world champion Yulimar Rojas in the triple jump and New Zealand&rsquo;s shot put star Valerie Adams.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/news/previews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full previews</a>
&nbsp;

Four years, 11 months and nine days after the action in Rio came to a close, Olympic Games athletics will make its highly anticipated return at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium on Friday (28).

Five things to follow on day one in Tokyo

<h3 style="text-align: center;">Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)</h3>
World 10,000m and cross-country champion, world record-holder for 5000m and 10,000m. 
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My passion for running started from the age of 10 or 11. I remember my brother and I would put some poles around a grass field as markers, and we&rsquo;d race friends and neighbours six or seven times around the poles.
Even back then, running brought me great joy and immense happiness. &nbsp;Running was in my blood from a young age. It was my passion.
I soon started competitive running at primary school. Back then I competed just for the glory of my school. It was never for commercial gain. The glory of competing for my school is what motivated me. Sometimes I finished second, sometimes third, I didn&rsquo;t always win but I was grateful and happy.
It was while at high school in 2012 I first dreamed of being a professional runner. But even later, once I started training full time, my passion for running has remained.
I&rsquo;m at my happiest running the tempo runs. I love it. Those long speed sessions where you have to try to hold the same pace for a long time. It brings me immense joy &ndash; especially those sessions when you finish and you still feel like you can push some more.
It is never a good day when, for whatever reason, I can&rsquo;t run &ndash; especially if I&rsquo;m injured or ill. I love to wake up every morning and go for a run.
I would say there is immense value in running. Success starts with a healthy body and a healthy mind, and when we run we are nourishing both. This will then allow us to be more productive and achieve our best results, no matter the profession.
Running brings with it great freedom and health. And even after I&rsquo;m retired from professional athletics, I look forward to the thought of going for a run every day.
Steve Landells for World Athletics

The world 10,000m champion explains why he runs

Joshua Cheptegei: why I run

<h2>Women's 10,000m</h2>
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/athletes?competitionGroup=olympic-games&amp;countryCode=&amp;disciplineCode=10K&amp;sexCode=W&amp;urlSlug=the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/timetable/bydiscipline/women/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/world-rankings/10000m/women?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;rankDate=2021-07-13&amp;limitByCountry=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middle-long/10000-metres/outdoor/women/senior/2021?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middle-long/10000-metres/outdoor/women/senior?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true&amp;firstDay=1900-01-01&amp;lastDay=2021-07-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how it works</a>
Two world records, just two days apart, and now the world&rsquo;s all-time top two are preparing to go head-to-head on the biggest stage of them all. The women&rsquo;s 10,000m looks set to be quite a show.
In one of the most highly anticipated clashes of the Games, Dutch star Sifan Hassan, the double 2019 world champion and multiple world record-holder, will take on Ethiopia&rsquo;s Letesenbet Gidey, the world silver medallist who now has both the world 5000m and 10,000m records to her name, as they look to build on the history they made in Hengelo earlier this summer.
First it was Hassan in the spotlight. Racing on home soil at the FBK Games on 6 June, the 28-year-old ran 29:06.82 to take more than 10 seconds off the world 10,000m record of 29:17.45 which had been set by Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana five years earlier at the Rio Olympics.
But just two days later it was Gidey&rsquo;s turn to take to the Hengelo track for the Ethiopian Trials. Running 29:01.03, the 23-year-old improved the record by a further five seconds. Could another world record at the Olympic Games be on the cards?
&ldquo;I was happy that it was broken after two days because I want the 10,000m to become exciting and for me it also gives me more motivation to work hard,&rdquo; said Hassan. &ldquo;I know the Games is not going to be easy.&rdquo;
And Hassan&rsquo;s campaign will be even more of a challenge due to the fact that the 10,000m could be the final of three events she contests in Tokyo as she is also entered for the 5000m and 1500m in Japan. Having previously suggested that her focus would be on the 5000m and 10,000m double, the world mile record-holder&rsquo;s 3:53.63 1500m win in Florence last month convinced her to keep her options open. Should Hassan decide to do all three, and progress to each final, the 10,000m would fall on her fifth day of competition, after the 5000m heats on 30 July and final on 2 August, and the 1500m heats on 2 August, semifinals on 4 August and final on 6 August, before the 10,000m on 7 August.
Gidey, however, would be racing on fresh legs, with the 10,000m her sole focus in Tokyo. The pair have only clashed once before over the distance and that was at the 2019 World Championships where Hassan beat Gidey to gold, 30:17.33 to 30:21.23, and with a 3:59.09 last 1500m. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/a9063180-7ce2-48ba-83ae-8660317e95b4.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 Behind them, the race for bronze looks open. Kenya&rsquo;s team features the greatly experienced Hellen Obiri, the two-time world 5000m champion who may choose to take on the 10,000m after her main event, plus Sheila Chelangat and Irene Cheptai.
Joining Gidey on the Ethiopia team for Tokyo are world U20 3000m and cross country bronze medallist Tsigie Gebreselama, who was second behind Gidey (30:06.01) in Hengelo, and world 5000m fourth-place finisher Tsehay Gemechu. World 1500m bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay is the athlete to have gone closest to Gidey and Hassan in 2021 with 29:39.42 in Maia in May, but she looks set to contest the 5000m in Tokyo.
Behind Tsegay in Portugal, Bahrain&rsquo;s Kalkidan Gezahegne clocked a national record of 29:50.77 to finish second, while the 2010 world indoor 1500m champion has also run a 5000m PB of 14:52.92 this season.
Starring for the host nation is Hitomi Niiya, who won the 2007 Tokyo Marathon as an 18-year-old and raced at the London 2012 Olympics before stepping away from the sport two years later. She returned in 2018 and set national records for the 10,000m (30:20.44) and half-marathon (1:06:38) in 2020. Ririka Hironaka (31:11.75) and Yuka Ando (31:18.18) have both run PBs this year.
The USA&rsquo;s two-time NCAA champion Karissa Schweizer improved her 10,000m best to 30:47.99 in February, while the field also features Norway&rsquo;s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal, Germany&rsquo;s world 5000m bronze medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Eilish McColgan, who broke Paula Radcliffe&rsquo;s British 5000m record with 14:28.55 in Oslo on 1 July and is getting ready to compete in the city where her mother and coach, Liz, won the world 10,000m title 30 years ago.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
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<h2>Men's 10,000m</h2>
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/athletes?competitionGroup=olympic-games&amp;countryCode=&amp;disciplineCode=10K&amp;sexCode=M&amp;urlSlug=the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/timetable/bydiscipline/men/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/world-rankings/10000m/men?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;rankDate=2021-07-13&amp;limitByCountry=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middle-long/10000-metres/outdoor/men/senior/2021?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middle-long/10000-metres/outdoor/men/senior?regionType=world&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true&amp;firstDay=1900-01-01&amp;lastDay=2021-07-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how it works</a>
With two-time winner Mo Farah missing from the field, a new Olympic men&rsquo;s 10,000m champion will be crowned in Tokyo for the first time since 2012.
Two Ugandan stars &ndash; world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei and world-leader Jacob Kiplimo &ndash; shape up as the men to beat in an event in which some of the sport&rsquo;s all-time greats have won consecutive golds dating back to 1996.
The men&rsquo;s 10,000m is the first track-and-field medal event of the Tokyo Games, with the 25-lap final being contested on the opening day of the athletics programme on 30 July.
The last time the Olympics were held in Tokyo, the men&rsquo;s 10,000m produced one of the greatest athletics upsets in Games history. Unheralded USA runner Billy Mills, a Native American, sprinted past the leaders in the final straight of an epic race to claim gold at the 1964 Games &ndash; the first, and still only, US athlete to win the event.
Fans can look forward to what should be a thrilling competition in Tokyo, even without the reigning champion on the start line.
Farah, who swept the 5000m and 10,000m at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, failed to make the British team for Tokyo. The 38-year-old missed the qualifying time in an invitational 10,000m race at the British Championships, clocking 27:47.04, nearly 20 seconds off the time he needed to secure his spot at a third Games.
Farah was the third man in a row to win back-to-back 10,000m titles, following Ethiopian greats Haile Gebrselassie in 1996-2000 and Kenenisa Bekele in 2004-2008.
Tokyo will see a new face atop the podium.
Ugandan teammates Cheptegei and Kiplimo are both attempting the 5000m-10,000m double in Tokyo.
This is the second Olympics for the 24-year-old Cheptegei, who finished sixth in the 10,000m and eighth in the 5000m in Rio.
He has since risen to the top of the sport, earning silver at the 2017 World Championships in London and gold in Doha in 2019. He also completed the 5000m-10,000 double at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Then came Cheptegei&rsquo;s spectacular year in 2020. He broke the 5000m world record in Monaco with a time of 12:35.36, beating Bekele&rsquo;s 16-year-old record by two seconds. Less than two months later, Cheptegei shattered the 10,000m record, running 26:11.00 in Valencia to shave more than six seconds off Bekele&rsquo;s 15-year-old mark.
On top of all that, within a spectacular span of 10 months, Cheptegei also broke world records in the 5km and 10km road races.
It is difficult to gauge Cheptegei&rsquo;s current 10,000m form. He hasn&rsquo;t run the distance this year, competing only in three races, at 1500m, 3000m and 5000m.
The 20-year-old Kiplimo, meanwhile, stated his Tokyo intentions in stunning fashion by clocking a world-leading 26:33.93 in Ostrava on 19 May, the second-fastest time over the distance since 2008 and elevating him to seventh on the world all-time list. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60fbef73aa2c55aaf69f56ba.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 Kiplimo&rsquo;s time was nearly a full 15 seconds faster than that recorded by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Selemon Barega, who ran this year&rsquo;s second-best time of 26:49.51 at his national trials in Hengelo on 8 June.
Kiplimo was just 15 when he competed in Rio as the youngest ever Olympian from Uganda, running in the heats of the 5000m. That was the launch pad for his dazzling rise through the ranks: He claimed the world U20 cross-country title at age 16, claimed silver at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and became world half-marathon champion in 2020. He missed the 2019 World Championships in Doha through injury.
Kiplimo qualified for the Olympic 5000m by running 12:55.60 at the Spitzen Leichtathletik Stadion Allmend in Luzern, Switzerland on 30 June, setting him up for the long-distance double in Tokyo.
The Ethiopian 10,000m challenge is led by Barega and Yomif Kejelcha, the world silver medallists over 5000m and 10,000m respectively.
Kenya has not won Olympic gold in the men&rsquo;s 10,000m since Naftali Temu at the 1968 Mexico City Games. The country&rsquo;s chances in Tokyo received a blow when 2015 world silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor was forced to pull out with an ankle injury. His place will now be filled by world bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto, while the other Kenyan contenders are Rodgers Kwemoi, who finished fourth in Doha, and Weldon Kipkirui Langat.
The USA entrants are Woody Kincaid, Grant Fisher and Joe Klecker. They finished 1-2-3 at the US Trials, with Kincaid running a blistering final lap to win in 27:53.62.
Steve Wilson for World Athletics

Expected highlights in the 10,000m

Tokyo Olympics preview: 10,000m

Just two days after Sifan Hassan clocked a world 10,000m record of 29:06.82 in Hengelo, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Letesenbet Gidey &ndash; competing on the same track in the Dutch city &ndash; improved the mark by five seconds with 29:01.03* to win the Ethiopian Trials on Tuesday (8).
With few getting racing opportunities abroad, the Ethiopian Olympic Trials offered not only a chance for Ethiopian athletes to make their case for being selected to represent their country, but also run fast times. As the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, lies at about 2400m, domestic races are competitive but much slower than they would be run at sea level.
The competition programme featured all distances from 800m to 10,000m, including the steeplechase. The main event, however, was the last: the women&rsquo;s 10,000m.
Gidey, who last year set a world 5000m record of 14:06.62, went to the lead in the early stages, passing through 2000m in 5:54 and 3000m in 8:50. She reached the half-way point in about 14:42, which put her slightly behind the world record pace that was being indicated by the blue Wavelight technology, but she looked extremely comfortable and had just Ababel Yeshaneh for company.
Gidey, the world 10,000m silver medallist, cranked out two more 2:55 kilometres, reaching 7000m in 20:32, and then started to wind up the pace. As she began lapping competitors, it soon became apparent that Hassan&rsquo;s mark would last only a few more minutes.
Yeshaneh dropped back in the second half before eventually withdrawing from the race. Gidey, meanwhile, went through the bell just a couple of seconds inside 28 minutes, indicating she&rsquo;d need a final lap of about 68 seconds to break Hassan&rsquo;s mark.
Despite having to navigate around a field of lapped runners, Gidey powered around the final circuit and stopped the clock at 29:01.03.
In a post-race interview, Gidey revealed that she was confident in her plans to break the record, even if it was a bold attempt at a trials event. &ldquo;I expected to run the world record,&rdquo; she said, but indicated she had grander plans. &ldquo;Next I will try again, to run maybe 28:56.&rdquo;
Whether or not her chance to do so comes before or after her faceoff with Hassan at the Olympics remains to be seen. The 23-year-old becomes the first woman to hold both the 5000m and 10,000m world records since Ingrid Kristiansen did so from 1986-1993.
Yeshaneh later dropped out, but Tsigie Gebreselama came through to take second place in 30:06.01. Tsehay Gemechu was third in 30:19.29.
<h2>Getachew breaks national 800m record</h2>
It was clear from the outset that athletes were keen to take advantage of the ideal racing conditions in Hengelo.
The evening began with a demonstration of the growing depth in Ethiopian steeplechase. Bikila Tadese Takele, who won the African U18 steeplechase title in 2019, finished first in the men&rsquo;s race in 8:09.37. Mekides Abebe, who recently lowered her personal best to 9:02.52 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha, took home the win in the women&rsquo;s race in 9:13.63 with Lomi Muleta right behind in 9:14.03.
Sparks really began to fly in the women&rsquo;s 800m when newcomer Werkwuha Getachew surprised the field, winning in a world-leading national record of 1:56.67. She beat Ethiopia&rsquo;s most successful 800m runner, Habitam Alemu, by more than one second, in her first time breaking two minutes.
Getachew, whose first name translates to &lsquo;gold water&rsquo;, was relatively unknown before the race, but she seems to be taking advantage of growing momentum in women&rsquo;s Ethiopian middle distance running. Alemu, despite feeling disappointed after her runner-up finish, is happy to see her event grow in stature. &ldquo;We can find even more youth for the 800m,&rdquo; she said, indicating that Ethiopian athletes in the shorter distances are only now being properly trained. And she is by no means discouraged: &ldquo;I still want to do something really special in the 800m.&rdquo;
The women&rsquo;s 5000m went out at an aggressive pace, holding a 14:11 pace for most of the race. Gudaf Tsegay tried to run away with the race about half way through, then struggled for a lap, allowing Senbere Teferi and Ejgayehu Taye to re-establish contact and contend for the win.
Tsegay, however, re-emerged from her rough spot to outkick the others and finish in 14:13.32, the fifth-fastest time in history. Taye and Teferi ran 14:14.09 and 14:15.24 respectively, moving up to sixth and seventh on the world all-time list.
The men&rsquo;s 5000m went out well below 13-minute pace, with many curious as to how steeplechase specialist Getnet Wale would fare. &lsquo;Well&rsquo; was the answer, as Wale tucked in the front pack which dwindled to Nibret Melak and frontrunner Milkesa Mengesha until the final lap. Melak, who won the most recent Jan Meda Cross Country Championships, challenged Wale on the final straight, but the 2019 Diamond League steeplechase winner overtook Melak for the win in 12:53.28.
&ldquo;I can run even faster,&rdquo; said Wale, who was still thrilled with his result. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been wanting to run a fast and flat 5000m race for a long time. I knew I had the speed and with better pace making we could have definitely run in the 12:40s.&rdquo;
Melak was rewarded with a big PB of 12:54.22, while Mengesha &ndash; the world U20 cross-country champion &ndash; clocked a PB of 12:58.28 for third. Addisu Yehune, an U20 athlete, was fourth in 12:58.99.
Both 1500m races also saw impressive times. Freweyni Hailu, winner at the recent Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, set a huge PB and a world lead to win the event in a time of 3:57.33. World U20 800m champion Diribe Welteji set a national U20 record of 3:58.93 to finish second.
The winning time in the men&rsquo;s 10,000m may not have threatened the record books, but it was an exciting race nonetheless.
World 5000m silver medallist Selemon Barega took control of the loaded field early on, and threw in regular surges, running uneven paces in an attempt to shake up the field. U20 athlete Tadese Worku also shared the lead before fading along with the majority of the field throughout the tumultuous race.
As world 10,000m silver medallist Yomif Kejelcha and national 10,000m champion Berihu Aregawi creeped up on the long-time leader in the final stages, it seemed as though Barega had played all his cards too soon. However, a blisteringly fast last lap of about 51 seconds proved Barega still had room left in the tank. Barega, Kejelcha, and Aregawi battled the final 200 metres to finish in 26:49.51, 26:49.73, and 26:50.37 respectively.
The Ethiopian Olympic team is not yet finalised, as this final competition fell along a series of meets in which potential competitors were given the opportunity to prove their fitness and racing ability. But one thing was certainly clear: the Ethiopian Olympic team will be ready, and they will be fast.
Hannah Borenstein for World Athletics
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Just two days after Sifan Hassan clocked a world 10,000m record of 29:06.82 in Hengelo, Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey – competing on the same track in the Dutch city – improved the mark by five seconds with 29:01.03 to win the Ethiopian Trials on Tuesday (8).

Gidey breaks 10,000m world record in Hengelo

On 7 August 1992, at the Barcelona Olympic Games, two women lined up for the 10,000m not knowing that their spontaneous post-race display of fair play and celebration would have an impact on Africa and the world.
Derartu Tulu, a black woman from Ethiopia, and Elana Meyer, a white South African, weren&rsquo;t the favourites in the presence of world champion Liz McColgan of Great Britain. Not only did Tulu and Meyer go on to occupy the top two places on the podium, their joint celebration on the victory lap symbolised hope for a new Africa. 
<h2>Meyer: The dream had to wait</h2>
Meyer, an elite South African athlete, grew up during apartheid. The country was banned from Olympic participation since 1964 for their discriminatory politics against their black people. The white minorities dominated the political scene and it took revolutions, international boycotts and a leader like Nelson Mandela to stand against this racial segregation policy. And, just like many generations of South African athletes had done, every four years Meyer would wait to see if her country would take part in the Olympic Games.
Growing up, Meyer would often compete against a track and field legend from her home country, Zola Budd.
&ldquo;Zola used to beat me by big margins and I was just trying to improve, until 1984 when Zola got the chance to compete for the UK in Los Angeles,&rdquo; Meyer told the International Olympic Committee in an interview.
Meyer also achieved the qualifying standard for the 1984 Games, but she was unable to compete while the ban on South Africa remained in place. But after watching Budd compete in Los Angeles representing a different country, Meyer was even more determined to achieve her dream of representing South Africa at the Olympics.
Four years later, however, Meyer missed out on the 1988 Seoul Games. Nonetheless, she persevered.
On 11 February 1990, Mandela was released from prison. The news brought hope to Meyer who thought that a real change might happen and it would alter the participation of South African athletes in international sports.
A year later, Meyer ran a world-leading 8:32.00 for 3000m and hoped to compete for the first time outside of her country and maybe represent South Africa at the World Championships in Tokyo. But instead, she had to watch it from the stands.
&ldquo;That really made me realise for the first time that I should be there, on the track competing against the best athletes,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;That last year, I was getting a bit frustrated.&rdquo;
In 1992, a new South African government saw the light and athletes were finally given the green light to compete at the Olympic Games after a 32-year-ban. Throughout her international competitions leading up to the Barcelona Olympic Games, the media bombarded Meyer with political questions but she refused to be used as a pawn.
&ldquo;I knew people were not only interested in South African runners; they were also interested in the history of the country and the impact that apartheid had on athletes and individuals,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I knew it was not only about athletics, but also human rights.&rdquo;
When Meyer arrived in Barcelona for the Games, she was in disbelief that the wait was over at long last. After missing two Olympic Games, Meyer was finally at the Olympic Stadium and ready to race the best athletes in the world.
&ldquo;I remember when I walked on the track and when I saw the Olympic flame burning on one side, that&rsquo;s when you know &lsquo;ok it is reality, we&rsquo;re actually here, I&rsquo;m taking part in the Olympic Games&rsquo;,&rdquo; Meyer said. 
<h2>Tulu: Ethiopia&rsquo;s rising star</h2>
Tulu grew up in the village of Bekoji, the southeast region of the Ethiopian capital, in the highlands that has since become synonymous with distance running legend Kenenisa Bekele.
In her teens, Tulu&rsquo;s teacher encouraged her to compete over 800m and 1500m. At 16, Tulu finished third at the national cross country championships held in Addis Ababa. During that same decade, Ethiopia had boycotted the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games.
In 1988, Tulu moved to the Ethiopian capital to join the police and focus solely on running. The move paid off and she went on to win the 10,000m at the 1990 World U20 Championships, then set a world U20 record over the same distance in 1991.
Tulu and Meyer weren&rsquo;t expected to feature on the podium at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Tulu had finished eighth at the World Championship in Tokyo in 1991 and Meyer had spent so many years away from international competition that she wasn&rsquo;t on the radar of many observers.
Before lining up for the 10,000m final at their first Olympics, Meyer and Tulu exchanged a few words and smiles, unaware of the impact their post-race actions would have. 
<h2>The historic celebration</h2>
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bf3767a07e69a0f8359c5d.png" alt="" width="950" height="861" /> <img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bf3776a07e69a0f8359c60.png" alt="" width="950" height="799" /> <img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bf378ea07e69a0f8359c63.png" alt="" width="950" height="1353" /> <img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bf37aea07e69a0f8359c66.png" alt="" width="950" height="942" />
 &ldquo;Running around the track with Derartu Tulu was something that happened spontaneously,&rdquo; said Meyer. &ldquo;It was the celebration of being back at the Games, winning a medal for myself and for South Africa, for a lot of South Africans who missed for many years a celebration of us white and black to have the opportunity to compete at the highest level.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Imagine a black, young African girl in the ocean of humidity and heat and an atmosphere beyond imagination snatching the gold,&rdquo; said Tulu. &ldquo;It was an unforgettable situation.
&ldquo;As for Elana, I had never met her before, but she acted as though we were acquainted and we were former friends. That was a very big surprise for me. Amazingly, we had the best-ever hug. We never forgot we were both from Africa.&rdquo;
Meyer emerged as the image of the post-apartheid era in South Africa. In 1994 she became the first African woman to win a world half marathon title and she went on to set a world record for the distance in 1999.
Later that year, she received a surprise call from Mandela, who congratulated Meyer on her achievement.
Tulu went on to win the Olympic 10,000m title in Sydney in 2000 and earned a bronze in Athens in 2004, before shifting her focus to the roads, just as her friend Meyer had done.
"The 10,000m at the Barcelona Games was of extraordinary nature &ndash; having two Africans competing for gold was wonderful to see,&rdquo; said Dr Sam Ramsamy, who was the Chef de Mission for South Africa at that time and the chair of the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee and later the South African Olympic Committee until 2005. "Derartu Tulu and Elana Meyer were an exhibition of African unity. I remember watching them in the Olympic Stadium and it felt that no one else was to be seen except these two athletes.
&ldquo;It was South Africa&rsquo;s first participation as a non-racial team, and this win indicated to the world that South Africa was back on the sporting scene with a non-racial policy," he added. "Coming back with two silver medals, one in 10,000m and one in tennis, equipped our athletes with motivation towards Atlanta 1996 where we had two white and two black south African medallists."
Part of what makes the Olympic Games so special is that it brings together people and nations, but the 10,000m final in 1992 was a particularly historic moment as it symbolised the unity between black and white Africans. This moment, which continues to be told around the world decades later, was initiated by simple sporting gestures.
As Nelson Mandela once said: &ldquo;Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.&rdquo;
Christel Saneh for World Athletics

On 7 August 1992, at the Barcelona Olympic Games, two women lined up for the 10,000m not knowing that their spontaneous post-race display of fair play and celebration would have an impact on Africa and the world.

Tulu and Meyer: the victory lap that united Africa

There was little about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/news/fbk-games-hengelo-world-record-hassan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sifan Hassan&rsquo;s run at the FBK Games in Hengelo on Sunday (6)</a> that gave the impression she was being patient. Eyes firmly fixed on the track ahead, her arms pumping and legs turning with incredible consistency, she looked like a person who had places to be &ndash; and fast.
But, at the same time, she seemed calm and in control. Despite traveling at a pace of 2:55 per kilometre for the majority of her 10,000m, there was no fluster or signs of the tiredness that she later revealed had gripped her in the early stages. Hassan was flowing towards the finish line, where &ndash; 29 minutes and six seconds after she started &ndash; her world record ambition would be realised. Inside, the Dutch 28-year-old was giving herself a stern talking to.
&ldquo;Having travelled from America, I had jet lag and I felt terrible at the beginning,&rdquo; Hassan revealed. &ldquo;Everything felt heavy, but I just tried to hang on to the lights. Sometimes I accidentally passed them, and I thought &lsquo;no, calm down! Be patient.&rsquo;&rdquo;
The lights she describes formed part of the Wavelight technology used at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadion during the&nbsp;World Athletics Continental Tour Gold&nbsp;meeting in the Dutch city, programmed to highlight the pace needed to improve the world 10,000m record of 29:17.45 which had been set by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Almaz Ayana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
The blue lights showed world record tempo, while the green indicated the speed of Hassan&rsquo;s own European record of 29:36.67 run on the same track eight months earlier. Ultimately, the double world champion&rsquo;s patience paid off, as she waited until the final kilometre to move away from those bulbs. Then it was Hassan&rsquo;s turn to light the way.
After kilometres of 2:56.12 and 2:56.07 behind pacemakers, Hassan ran splits of 2:55.72, 2:55.42, 2:55.42, 2:55.69, 2:55.93, 2:55.48 and 2:55.20 before upping the tempo and completing the final 1000m in 2:45.77. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bd824f0825c1c3d348b305.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 As she reached her destination, the clock read 29:06.82 &ndash; a time more than 10 seconds faster than Ayana&rsquo;s world record mark. What makes the performance all the more remarkable is how it forms part of a CV which also boats world records for the mile (4:12.33), women-only road 5km (14:44) and one-hour event (18,930m), plus European records in the 1500m (3:51.95), 3000m (8:18.49), 5000m (14:22.12) and half-marathon (1:05:15).
And then there&rsquo;s the fact that Hassan feels she can go even quicker still.
&ldquo;I know I am in shape to go under 29 minutes,&rdquo; said the Tim Rowberry-coached runner, who has trained in Kenya and Utah, USA, in recent months. &ldquo;But my coach said &lsquo;no, we train for under 29 so you can run 29:17&rsquo;. Yesterday I had confidence, I was like &lsquo;I want to go 29:10&rsquo; but he said he wanted me to go exactly with the pace.&rdquo;
Having started her season with a 14:35.34 5000m and then run 2:01.54 for 800m in May, she added: &ldquo;I am not the sort of person who always runs a fast time in my first race. I know my training has been amazing, but I didn&rsquo;t know how it would be in my competition. When I got to the last mile or the last 1500m I thought &lsquo;okay you can do this, you can hold it&rsquo;.&rdquo;
The path for that performance had been paved in Hengelo last year. &ldquo;I was scared in October,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;I was tired in the last couple of laps.
&ldquo;I learned a lot from that race. That race taught me to hold myself back. I was telling myself that I have time to go under 29 minutes, I am just young &ndash; now I should just get the world record.
&ldquo;Patience,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;I learned patience.&rdquo; 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60bd823c0825c1c3d348b302.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="593" />
 Her manager Jos Hermens, himself a world record-breaker, also believes that quicker times are to come.
&ldquo;I think it is possible for a woman to go sub-29:00,&rdquo; he said, having just witnessed Hassan&rsquo;s run. &ldquo;Not only Sifan, but also Letesenbet Gidey, they are very close (on times).
&ldquo;Sifan prepared well, she is in good shape,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;With the weather, we were very lucky because she attacked it (the record) in October in very cold conditions, but today everything was good. It worked very nicely with the Wavelight. I remember the old days when you were there with the stopwatch.&rdquo;
While Hassan demonstrated that aforementioned good shape in Hengelo, before the race the world 1500m and 10,000m champion had explained how she was happy with her endurance in training but that she had been missing some speed. Now, with the Olympics in Tokyo drawing ever closer, Hassan will turn her attention to preparing for another global double &ndash; this time probably in the 5000m and 10,000m.
&ldquo;I have two months &ndash; I have enough time to train for speed,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I am going to do two distances, probably the 5000m and 10,000m. I&rsquo;m not going to do only the 10,000m. The programme is very perfect for 5000m and 10,000m.&rdquo;
Whether she decides to turn her speed towards the 1500m or 5000m alongside the 10,000m in Tokyo, one thing for certain is that Hassan will be waiting patiently for her moment to strike and make even more history.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

There was little about Sifan Hassan’s run at the FBK Games in Hengelo on Sunday (6) that gave the impression she was being patient. Eyes firmly fixed on the path ahead, her arms pumping and legs turning with incredible consistency, she looked like a person who had places to be – and fast.

Patience pays off for Hassan

Johannes Vetter produced the standout performance among an all-star cast of talent at the Golden Spike in Ostrava, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, on Wednesday (19), the German unleashing a 94.20m effort in the opening round of the javelin competition.
That was the third longest throw of the 28-year-old&rsquo;s career, and gave him victory with 11 metres to spare over his nearest rival, world champion Anderson Peters, who threw 83.39m.
&ldquo;It was a great throw,&rdquo; said 2017 world gold medallist Vetter. &ldquo;But of course the world record would be even better. It was great training for me. I made only small mistakes and managed to hit the javelin very clean.&rdquo; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What a 🚀<a href="https://twitter.com/jojo_javelin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jojo_javelin</a> produces impressive 94.20m world lead with third biggest throw of his career. The only man to have ever thrown farther than the German is <a href="https://twitter.com/ZlataTretra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZlataTretra</a> meeting director and world record-holder Jan Zelezny.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ContinentalTourGold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ContinentalTourGold</a> <a href="https://t.co/FNYtb47c0d">pic.twitter.com/FNYtb47c0d</a>
&mdash; Continental Tour Gold (@ContiTourGold) <a href="https://twitter.com/ContiTourGold/status/1395078584730062852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script>

 The touted 3000m world record attempt by Joshua Cheptegei fell victim to the cold, windy conditions on the night, the Ugandan setting off on pace and passing 1000m in 2:26. He followed his second pacemaker Stewart McSweyn through the next two laps before being left alone to hit 2000m in 4:56.19. But with Daniel Komen&rsquo;s world record of 7:20.67 then slipping out of reach, Cheptegei didn&rsquo;t need to empty his tank thereafter but he maintained a decent pace to again stamp his supremacy over some world-class rivals.
His 7:33.24 was a world lead and personal best, with the USA&rsquo;s Paul Chelimo a distant second in 7:41.69.
&ldquo;It was kind of a speed test for me,&rdquo; said Cheptegei, who added that his next stop is the Golden Gala in Florence on 10 June, where he will race over 5000m. There, he will renew his rivalry with compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, who produced the performance of the meeting on the track four hours earlier. The world half marathon champion put on an exhibition in the 10,000m, moving to seventh on the all-time list with his time of 26:33.93.
The 20-year-old Ugandan coasted behind the pacemakers until 5000m, reached in 13:27.43, then shifted through the gears over the latter half, which he ran entirely alone in a blazing 13:06 to carve almost a minute off his previous best, which dated back to the 2016 World U20 Championships. 
<img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e7d54c29-4b60-44cf-9e4c-df3d89d889b7.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="633" />
 &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t expect to run that time, I was hoping to run under 27:00,&rdquo; said Kiplimo, who added that he will double over 5000m and 10,000m at the Olympics and that his goal in Tokyo is to &ldquo;be on the podium&rdquo;.
Back in second, Birhanu Balew set a Bahraini record of 27:07.49.
<h3>Burgin and Hodgkinson claim British 800m double</h3>
British teenagers Max Burgin and Keely Hodgkinson produced a pair of stunning performances in the 800m races, clocking respective European U20 records of 1:44.14 and 1:58.89.
Hodgkinson followed the pacemaker through the first lap in 58 seconds in the women&rsquo;s race and hit 600m in front in 1:28.39, then powered away from her rivals to record her first ever sub-1:59 clocking.
&ldquo;I knew I was in good shape but it&rsquo;s different getting it out on the day,&rdquo; said the 19-year-old. &ldquo;The pacemaker did an amazing job and it was a perfect race. I could not ask for more.&rdquo;
Burgin was rewarded for his bravery in going with the pacemaker &ndash; the only runner in the men&rsquo;s 800m to do so &ndash; and clocked a world lead and European U20 record of 1:44.14. He came home well clear of Dutch athlete Tony van Diepen (1:45.36) and Britain&rsquo;s Jake Wightman (1:45.47). The effort left him in some distress afterwards as he took several minutes to get to his feet in the mixed zone.
&ldquo;I saw the race of my good friend Keely who ran just before me and she ran so fast so I thought, &lsquo;I just have to match it at least,&rsquo;&rdquo; said Burgin, who only turns 19 on Thursday. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Britain's 19-year-old <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxBurgin3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaxBurgin3</a> breaks the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroAthletics</a> U20 record with a world-leading 1:44.14 at <a href="https://twitter.com/ZlataTretra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZlataTretra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ContinentalTourGold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ContinentalTourGold</a> <a href="https://t.co/SxfOq5kV8B">pic.twitter.com/SxfOq5kV8B</a>
&mdash; Continental Tour Gold (@ContiTourGold) <a href="https://twitter.com/ContiTourGold/status/1395064267754332165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script>

 Marcin Lewandowski showed all of his typical tactical nous to kick to victory in the men&rsquo;s 1500m in 3:35.57. &ldquo;Those who know me know I start slowly,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;ll get better during the next weeks and months.&rdquo;
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Freweyni Hailu was a class apart in the women&rsquo;s 1500m, clocking 4:04.20 to win from Slovenia&rsquo;s Marusa Mismas-Zrimsek (4:07.50). World record-holder Genzebe Dibaba stepped off the track midway through the final lap when fading back through the field.
Getnet Wale coasted to victory in the men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase, the Ethiopian running all alone for the latter half of the race and winning by 11 seconds in 8:09.47. Britain&rsquo;s Phil Norman was next best in 8:20.12. &ldquo;It was a good race, but the weather was a bit too cold and one pacemaker was not enough,&rdquo; said Wale.
<h3>Sprint wins for Richardson and Kerley</h3>
Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson continued her winning ways with a facile victory in the women&rsquo;s 200m, the 21-year-old US sprint sensation clocking 22.35 to beat Blessing Okagbare (22.59).
&ldquo;It was a good result for the conditions and the weather, the girls definitely gave me a good push,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I just continue to make a statement that nothing I do is a fluke, everything is legit, it comes from hard work for me and my coach. I wanted to shout out to world that my bark may be loud but my actions and my bite are even louder.&rdquo;
Richardson will return to the 100m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Gateshead on Sunday (23) where she faces Dina Asher-Smith and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
&ldquo;It definitely will be a race to make a statement, not just for myself,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Anyone that comes out on top will make a statement for the world to see.&rdquo; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Another statement from <a href="https://twitter.com/itskerrii?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@itskerrii</a> ‼️ 22.35 for the American sprint sensation at <a href="https://twitter.com/ZlataTretra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZlataTretra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ContinentalTourGold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ContinentalTourGold</a> <a href="https://t.co/zHTTqdCFAX">pic.twitter.com/zHTTqdCFAX</a>
&mdash; Continental Tour Gold (@ContiTourGold) <a href="https://twitter.com/ContiTourGold/status/1395087951357415424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script>

 Kirani James was an impressive winner of the men&rsquo;s 400m, the 2012 Olympic champion clocking 44.74 ahead of runner-up Vernon Norwood (45.28). &ldquo;I still have some work to do, things we can improve,&rdquo; said James. &ldquo;The time was important but the main thing was to perform well and stay healthy.&rdquo;
Kenny Bednarek took victory in the men&rsquo;s 200m, clocking 19.93 (-0.6m/s) ahead of Fred Kerley, who was runner-up in 20.27 just 80 minutes after competing in the 100m. The shorter sprint ironically proved to be the better one for Kerley, a 400m specialist. He powered to victory in 9.96 (1.4m/s) ahead of Justin Gatlin (10.08) and Andre De Grasse (10.17).
&ldquo;I got two good runs here, I cannot complain,&rdquo; said Kerley. &ldquo;I can get ready for the 400 now. To run both was part of the training cycle.&rdquo;
<h3>Duplantis on top in rust-buster</h3>
Mondo Duplantis was off his best in the men&rsquo;s pole vault, but these days even that is typically good enough given his ability, and so it was tonight. The Swede&rsquo;s best clearance was his first-time effort at 5.90m, which ultimately gave him victory over Sam Kendricks who finished second with 5.85m. Duplantis went on to try 5.95m and 6.00m but was unsuccessful on a breezy night that was not ideal for vaulting.
&ldquo;It was my first meeting of the summer so I just needed to get the rust away,&rdquo; said world record-holder Duplantis. &ldquo;I had a bit of a problem with the running part and just could not feel my legs doing the job I needed. But it showed me I am in pretty good shape.&rdquo;
The touted head-to-head clash in the men&rsquo;s triple jump between Hugues Fabrice Zango and Christian Taylor never truly materialised, with Taylor exiting the competition after sustaining an injury in the fifth round. He had a best on the night of 16.36m. Zango took victory with his fourth-round effort of 17.20m.
Poland&rsquo;s Malwina Kopron produced a season&rsquo;s best to take victory in the women&rsquo;s hammer, throwing 74.74m in wet, windy conditions in the late afternoon.
&ldquo;The weather was great because the circle was faster after the rain and it suited me well,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I do not think I am in top shape yet but it should come just before the Olympics. I think it will be necessary to throw over 76 metres to get a medal in Tokyo.&rdquo;
France&rsquo;s Alexandra Tavernier was second with 73.30m, while two-time Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk was next best, the world record-holder throwing 72.72m.
Germany&rsquo;s Christin Hussong fared best in the women&rsquo;s javelin, her fourth-round effort of 66.56m carrying her to victory ahead of Czech Republic&rsquo;s Nikola Ogrodnikova (65.13m). World record-holder Barbora Spotakova finished fourth with a best of 59.49m.
Croatia&rsquo;s Filip Mihaljevic was best in the men&rsquo;s shot put, his 21.58m giving him victory over Poland&rsquo;s Michal Haratyk (21.30m). France&rsquo;s Augustin Bay took the long jump with 8.02m.
Turkey&rsquo;s Yasmani Copello was a comfortable winner of the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist clocking 49.21. Britain&rsquo;s Jessie Knight broke her PB for the second time in four days when clocking 54.74 in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles, which handed her victory ahead of Ukraine&rsquo;s Anna Ryzhykova (55.09).
Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

Johannes Vetter produced the standout performance among an all-star cast of talent at the Golden Spike in Ostrava, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, on Wednesday (19).