Czech Republic&rsquo;s Zuzana Hejnova, the two-time world 400m hurdles champion and Olympic bronze medallist, has confirmed her retirement from competitive athletics.
The 35-year-old, who has announced that she is expecting a baby, is to bid an official farewell to her successful career at the Ostrava Golden Spike &ndash; a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting &ndash; on 31 May.
&ldquo;I wanted to say goodbye in front of Czech spectators,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I have had a great career and from the bottom of my heart&nbsp;I thank&nbsp;everyone who supported me. I'm looking forward to a new role now.&rdquo;
World U18 gold in 2003 was the first of the global titles claimed by Hejnova, the then 16-year-old clocking 57.54 to win the 400m hurdles in Sherbrooke, Canada. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/628381235b57bac3508cdee6.jpg" alt="Zuzana Hejnova celebrates her win at the 2003 World U18 Championships" />
Zuzana Hejnova celebrates her win at the 2003 World U18 Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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She broke the Czech U20 record for the first time at the World U20 Championships in Grosseto the following year, her 57.44 securing silver, and lowered it again in 2005, eventually taking it to 55.89 when winning the 2005 European U20 title in Kaunas.
Hejnova then broke the Czech senior record the following year and improved it every season from 2006 to 2011. During that period she claimed 400m hurdles bronze at the 2007 European U23 Championships, made her Olympic debut with a seventh-place finish in Beijing in 2008 and secured silver as part of the Czech 4x400m team at the 2010 World Indoor Championships.
Hejnova became an Olympic medallist two years later, winning bronze at the 2012 Games in London, and that was to prove just the start.
During an unbeaten 2013 season in her specialist event, Hejnova won the first of her two world 400m hurdles titles and she did it with the performance of her life &ndash; clocking a still-standing Czech record of 52.83 to get gold in Moscow. She won the overall Diamond League title &ndash; a feat she repeated in 2015 &ndash; and was named athlete of the year by European Athletics and the Czech Athletics Federation. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/864004a9-f240-48cd-a84a-068bf5fc8031.jpg" alt="Zuzana Hejnova in the women's 400m hurdles at the World Championships Moscow 2013" />
Zuzana Hejnova in the women's 400m hurdles at the World Championships Moscow 2013 (&copy; Getty Images)
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She retained her world title in Beijing in 2015 &ndash; becoming the only athlete to win back-to-back world gold medals in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles &ndash; and also achieved top-five finishes in London in 2017 and Doha in 2019. Hejnova then became a three-time Olympian in 2016, finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles in Rio, and claimed European indoor 400m silver in Belgrade the following year.
Despite injury struggles, she returned to reach the final of the World Championships in 2019 and then ran her last race at the Ostrava Golden Spike in September 2020. There she contested the 300m hurdles, an event in which she set the world best of 38.16 in 2013.
World Athletics

The Olympic medallist is to bid an official farewell to her successful career at the Ostrava Golden Spike.

Two-time world 400m hurdles champion Hejnova retires

Karlstrom clocks 38:42, Qieyang cruises to 43:07 victory

Karlstrom and Qieyang shine in Madrid

Some of the world's best sprinters will be expected in the city of Chorzow when the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Poland's Silesia region takes place for the first time on 6 August this year.
The new addition to the Diamond League calendar in 2022 will feature the men's 100m and women's 200m as diamond disciplines, as well as a double bill in the 400m.
The Kamila Skolimowska Memorial meeting will therefore be a chance for the finest sprinters in world athletics to pick up more valuable points in their bid for a place in the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich on 7-8 September.
There will also be a men's and women's double bill in the javelin, as well as in the hammer, which will be staged as an additional discipline in the pre-programme.
Diamond disciplines in Silesia Women: 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, high jump, shot put, javelin Men: 100m, 400m, 400m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, javelin
Additional disciplines: Women: 100m*, 100m hurdles, hammer* Men: 800m, pole vault, hammer*, shot put
*with Wanda Diamond League prize money
The meeting in Silesia was added to the Diamond League calendar for 2022 following the decision not to hold two scheduled meetings in China due to ongoing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
The meeting will be held according to all Wanda Diamond League standards, and athletes competing in diamond disciplines will be able to earn qualification points for the road to the final.
The event will take place at Chorzow's Silesia Stadium on 6 August.
Several disciplines which were scheduled to take place in China will also be reallocated to other Wanda Diamond League meetings. The 110m hurdles will now be held in Birmingham, the men's triple jump in Lausanne, the women's shot put in Stockholm and there will now be women's javelin in Monaco.
Wanda Diamond League for World Athletics

New addition to Diamond League calendar will feature men's 100m & 400m and women's 200m & 400m as diamond disciplines

Wanda Diamond League in Silesia to feature 100m and 400m double bill

World indoor silver medallist Adrianna Sulek led the Wiesław Czapiewski Memorial heptathlon from start to finish while Czech decathlon champion Ondrej Kopecky broke the 8000-point barrier for the first time at the World Athletics Combined Events Tour Gold meeting in Bydgoszcz on Sunday (15).
Sulek&rsquo;s winning score of 6290 was just 25 points shy of her lifetime best. Kopecky, meanwhile, gave himself an early birthday present &ndash; he turned 24 the day after the competition &ndash; and added more than 400 points to his PB with his 8041 tally.
Sulek was the only heptathlete to dip inside 14 seconds in the 100m hurdles, opening her account with 13.70. An outdoor PB of 1.87m in the high jump increased her lead over Dorota Skrivanova of the Czech Republic.
The Pole came within one centimetre of her PB in the shot put (13.20m) and rounded out her first day with a 24.34 clocking in the 200m, giving her a leading score of 3777, more than 250 points ahead of Skrivanova, who was just ahead of Sulek in the 200m (24.32).
Skrivanova &ndash; who finished fifth at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade &ndash; topped the long jump with a leap of 6.24m, while Sulek managed 6.14m. But Sulek increased her lead in the javelin, throwing 40.37m to Skrivanova&rsquo;s 32.91m.
Poland&rsquo;s Edyta Bielska dominated the 800m and ran 2:07.48, with Skrivanova (2:10.29) and Sulek (2:11.25) relatively close behind. Sulek&rsquo;s clocking brought her winning tally to 6290, while Skrivanova was rewarded with a PB of 5926.
&ldquo;Were it not for the fact that this was the Wieslaw Czapiewski Memorial, I would have run the 800m in about 2:15, just enough to hold on to victory, but since this competition is in memorial of my former coach, there was no room for poor results,&rdquo; said Sulek, who was coached by Czapiewski up until his death in 2019. &ldquo;I decided to run my lungs out and fight in the 800m. My score may have been just short of my PB, but I know that I gave 100% today. And in the near future I&rsquo;ll be faster and stronger.&rdquo;
Kopecky got off to a strong start in the decathlon, winning the 100m in 11.06 and the long jump with a PB of 7.47m. Poland&rsquo;s Pawel Wiesiolek (14.85m) and Lithuania&rsquo;s Edgaras Benkunskas (14.64m) applied pressure in the shot put, but Kopecky&rsquo;s 13.46m heave was enough for the Czech all-rounder to maintain his lead.
Wiesiolek took no further part in the competition, but Benkunskas took the lead after clearing 2.04m in the high jump. Kopecky managed 1.89m but rebounded in the 400m with a big PB of 48.54, giving him a first-day score of 4057, 66 points ahead of Benkunskas.
The lead duo were close in the first event of the second day, Benkunskas winning the 110m hurdles from Kopecky, 14.32 to 14.35. But Kopecky pulled ahead in the discus (44.06m) and pole vault (5.10m).
Benkunskas gained a bit of ground in the javelin, throwing 61.11m to Kopecky&rsquo;s 57.86m, but the Czech leader had a comfortable lead going into the 1500m and duly won that event in 4:43.42, gaining the overall victory with 8041. Benkunskas finished second with 7689.

Sulek scores 6290, Kopecky sets big PB of 8041

Sulek and Kopecky dominate in Bydgoszcz

Cheptai runs 30:35, Kimeli clocks 27:38

Cheptai and Kimeli break course records in Bengaluru

Favour Ofili, Britton Wilson and Julien Alfred were among the stand-out performers on a busy weekend of collegiate conference championship action.
Ofili, competing at the SEC Championships in Oxford, Missouri, came close to her lifetime bests when winning the sprint double. The Nigerian teenager, who represents Louisiana State University, took the 100m title in 10.93 (-0.7m/s) ahead of collegiate rival Abby Steiner (11.02). The 200m was even closer between the pair, but Ofili once again came out on top, running 22.04 to Steiner&rsquo;s 22.07.
Ofili added a third title to her collection when LSU won the 4x100m in 42.59. Steiner, representing Kentucky University, once again finished runner-up in 42.63, but she gained redemption at the end of the championships after running a storming 48.78 split on her way to winning the 4x400m in a collegiate record of 3:21.93.
In a thrilling finish with sensational anchor legs from Charokee Young (48.90) and Britton Wilson (48.60) respectively, Texas A&amp;M finished a close second in 3:22.01 with Arkansas third in 3:22.55.
Wilson had already established herself as one of the stars of the event after winning the one-lap double. She took the 400m flat title in a PB of 50.05 and followed it with another lifetime best to win the 400m hurdles in a world-leading 53.75.
US heptathlon champion Anna Hall was second in the 400m hurdles in 55.36 after clocking a PB of 54.91 in the heats.
Elsewhere in Oxford, Champion Allison won the men&rsquo;s 400m in 44.74 from Elija Godwin (44.81).
Women&rsquo;s sprints also produced the headlines at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock, Texas.
St Lucia&rsquo;s Julian Alfred, a student at the University of Texas, made another big improvement on what is turning out to be a superb breakthrough year for the 20-year-old. She won her 100m heat in a national record of 10.81 (1.7m/s) to smash the meeting record that had stood for 14 years.
The other heats were similarly fast with Kevona Davis setting a PB of 10.95 to win her heat and Rosemary Chukwuma take one of the other races in a wind-assisted 10.94. Most of the track finals in Lubbock will take place on Sunday (15).
Alfred later won her 200m heat in 22.46 (1.2m/s), once again setting a national record. Davis (22.49) and Kynnedy Flannel (22.54) were among the other heat winners.
In other action in Lubbock, Monae Nichols won the long jump with a PB of 6.97m (1.0m/s), backing it up with a 6.80m leap in the fifth round. Ruth Usoro was second with 6.78m. Stacey Ann Williams won her 400m heat in 50.29.

10.93 / 22.04 sprint double from Favour Ofili, 10.81 national 100m record from Julien Alfred

Ofili, Wilson and Alfred shine at collegiate conference championships

As many parts of the world start to see the first signs of summer and the outdoor season gets under way, many will see it as a perfect time to make their own introduction to track running.
Taking those first steps can be a daunting task but there are some steps you can take to make the process easier. 
<h2>How to find a club, coach and track races</h2>
Finding an athletics club can be an intimidating prospect but most clubs throughout the world are eager to increase their membership so you will likely be far more welcome than you first think.
Finding local athletics clubs can often be done by going on to the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/structure/member-federations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website of your national athletics federation</a> where information is often contained about affiliated clubs as well as the registered coaches who train the athletes.
This is a good way of ensuring the club you are joining is properly trained, qualified and monitored.
Qualifications alone, however, may not show exactly what you&rsquo;re looking for from a club and coach. Nowadays most clubs (and many coaches) will have various social media channels. Check them out and these may well provide a good idea of whether that club would be a good fit for you.
These pages will also often highlight any changes to training times or the right people to get in touch with to ask some questions. These channels are often much more regularly updated than websites so may be the best place to start.
While it is possible to find athletics competitions online, coaches at these clubs will be able to match your level to the appropriate competition. This means when you first decide to compete, you will be competing against people of a similar standard, making the whole experience more enjoyable and getting those competitive juices flowing. 
<h2>Getting the right footwear</h2>
Athletics spikes are generally lighter than those you would use on the road, with a lower stack height and less support. That said, there do exist variances with some models offering more support than others.
The first times you wear spikes can cause a lot of pressure on your legs, especially the calves which are normally more cushioned by less aggressive road shoes.
When training on the track, many will choose to train in lighter road shoes, gradually introducing the spikes when their legs start to get used to the different impact of the track.
Speak to your coach and footwear specialists to decide what&rsquo;s right for you and take time to introduce track spikes into your shoe rotation.
When taking part in competitions, it is important to note that many federations have adopted <a href="https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/technical-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics' guidance on what shoes are eligible for competitions</a>.
Whether your federation has adopted different rules will be something you should be able to find out from your coaches or the federation website. 
<h2>Track etiquette</h2>
Often it can be intimidating knowing what to do on the track and you may feel self-conscious at the start but it is not as complicated as you might think.
The rules may vary from one facility to the next, but generally speaking if you are doing a workout on a track, you have just as much right as anyone else to use the inside lane (lane one) when carrying out your efforts.
If you are passed by someone, don&rsquo;t feel the need to step into an outside lane as this may confuse the person running behind. Instead, stay on your line and the person approaching behind will normally run outside to overtake.
Equally, if overtaking someone, try not to undercut them and if you feel you might surprise them going past, a gentle call of &ldquo;track&rdquo; may alert them to your presence.
When warming up, it is generally good etiquette not to use the inside lane, instead using the outer lanes and paying attention to anyone else who may be using the track. When you&rsquo;ve finished your session, try to find a spot outside the track to change your shoes or clothing, making sure that if it is on the inside that it does not interfere with anyone practicing their field events. 
<h2>Basic strength and conditioning exercise to avoid injuries associated with first stepping on a track</h2>
As discussed, the less support provided by lighter track spikes can increase the pressure on your calves and other leg muscles. As well as building up gradually, ways of increasing the strength in your calves can include calf raises.
This exercise involves finding something for your hand to hold for balance and then slowly rising to the tips of your toes, and then slowly back down to the ground. This can start with both legs together and when you start to get stronger you can move to a single leg. Try four sets of 10-16 repetitions and build up the volume as and when you begin to get more comfortable.
Some athletes choose to use a calf raise machine, which can be found in some gyms, or alternatively carry weights in their hands to add difficulty and build further strength. With both of these make sure you don&rsquo;t increase the weights too quickly and ensure this is at a weight you can manage.
There are many other exercises that can help get your body used to the extra demands of track running. Speak to a coach or a physiotherapist for more detailed information.
George Mallett for World Athletics

The first move can be daunting, but there are some steps you can take to make the process easier.

How to get into track running

The oldest national cross country championships in the world, whose 146-year history was recognised with the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in March 2019, was presented with its honour during the Night of the 10,000m PBs in Highgate, London, on Saturday (14).
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a> is a location-based recognition, awarded for 'an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking'.
The official presentation of the plaque to the English National Cross Country Championships, which had been on hold due to the pandemic, took place at Parliament Hill Fields Athletics Track on the edge of Hampstead Heath, where the plaque will be permanently displayed. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6280a5f52e77fa7e1caa4578.jpg" alt="Aerial view of the Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill Athletics Track" />
Aerial view of the Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill Athletics Track (&copy; Getty Images)
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Ian Beattie, the chair of UK Athletics, which is the national member federation of World Athletics, presented the plaque to John Temperton and Ian Byett, respectively the chair and secretary of the English Cross Country Association, the custodians of a cross country tradition which dates back to 1876. 
<h2>'Null and void'</h2>
The history of the championships did not begin auspiciously. The first English Cross Country Championships was staged in 1876 in Buckhurst Hill, Epping Forest. However, the result was declared null and void. Over the decades a variety of reasons have been blamed, including a bad storm delaying the runners or more fundamentally the trail not being set properly, as reported at the time by the <a href="http://www.national.crosscountrychampionship.uk/html/reportCC18763S.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">London and Sporting Chronicle</a>.
As such, the 1877 edition is most commonly acknowledged as that start of the championships, staged in Roehampton near Wimbledon Common, England.
That race was won by P H Stenning of Thames Hare &amp; Hounds, London, which in 1868 was established as the world&rsquo;s first adult harrier club. The championships became formalised following the foundation of the English National Cross Country Union in 1883. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/58eac972-f12e-405b-973f-d317140241aa.jpg" alt="March 1913: Competitors in the English National Cross Country Championships climbing over a gate on the route" />
March 1913: Competitors in the English National Cross Country Championships climbing over a gate on the route (&copy; Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
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<h2>A French victory</h2>
The English Cross Country Association (ECCA), which today organises the championships, was established in 1992 following the amalgamation of the former men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s bodies: the English Cross Country Union and the Women&rsquo;s Cross Country and Road Running Association.
Parliament Hill Fields as a venue for the championships is a relative newcomer. It first hosted 'The National', as the event is affectionally known, in 1957. This corner of Hampstead Heath has since been the venue for the championships on another dozen occasions. It is regarded by many as the modern spiritual home of the event.
The individual winners of the championships &ndash; whose names include Jack Holden, Sydney Wooderson, Gordon Pirie, Diane Leather, Basil Heatley, Dave Bedford, Brendan Foster, Joyce Smith, Mike McLeod, Tim Hutchings, Paula Fudge and Paula Radcliffe, to name but a very few &ndash; read like a who&rsquo;s who of English distance running.
If you add France&rsquo;s Joseph Guillemot, the 1920 Olympic 5000m champion who won that same year,&nbsp;to that pantheon of local greats then 'The National' is unquestionably a living distance running legend.
Chris Turner for World Athletics Heritage
<a href="http://www.national.crosscountrychampionship.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> for history and results since 1876

The oldest national cross country championships in the world was presented with its honour during the Night of the 10,000m PBs.

'The National' receives Heritage Plaque at its modern spiritual home

Some of the world&rsquo;s best race walkers will compete in Madrid on Monday (16) when the first Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha LaLiga takes place in the Spanish capital.
One of the most iconic streets of Madrid, Gran V&iacute;a, will be the venue for the World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event, where Massimo Stano, Perseus Karlstrom and Qieyang Shijie are among the entries.
There will be a mixed 10km race featuring 45 men and 37 women on a kilometre circuit. Before the start, Spain&rsquo;s eight-time Olympian and 1993 world 50km champion Jesus Angel Garcia will receive a warm tribute.
The driving force behind Monday's competition is Spain's European 20km silver medallist Diego Garcia.
"I come from Madrid. There wasn't a first-class competition here and I was eager to perform in my home town, so I decided to take a step forward,&rdquo; said the 26-year-old, who finished sixth at the Tokyo Olympics. &ldquo;After talking to so many people over the past few years, the event will finally become a reality on Monday.&rdquo;
Garcia himself has acted as the elite athlete coordinator and the line-up assembled is of a high calibre. 
<h2>Tough challenge for Stano</h2>
Italy's Olympic 20km champion Stano should be one of the athletes to beat. After his Olympic success, the 30-year-old competed twice in the short space of eight days and remains unbeaten following a fine 2:29:09 35km win in Dudince and another 1:21:21 victory at the Italian 20km Championships a fortnight ago. Stano looks set to contest the 35km event at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, before returning to his 20km speciality for the European Championships in Munich.
Yet Stano will face stiff opposition from a number of world-class walkers, led by world bronze medallist Karlstrom. The 28-year-old Swede proved to be in top form at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat in March, when he took a 40-second win in the 35km event with a 2:36:14 clocking. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/624c24b7275bdccf724cdb9d.jpg" alt="Perseus Karlstrom celebrates his win at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22" />
Perseus Karlstrom celebrates his win at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 (&copy; Getty Images)
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He had to settle for the runner-up spot the following month in Podebrady, where he was beaten by Brazil's Caio Bonfim &ndash; 1:18:54 to 1:19:42. The 31-year-old 2017 world bronze medallist, one of the most consistent walkers over the past decade, will also be in contention on Monday and is fresh from a second-place finish last Saturday in Rio Maior, where he was outclassed by Pan-American champion Brian Pintado, who achieved his first victory in a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold race.
The Ecuadorian continues his busy campaign, as he will be contesting his seventh competition in 2022 in Madrid, topped by his success last weekend and respective fourth places in Muscat and Podebrady, where he managed a 20km PB of 1:19:47.
There will also be several dangerous outsiders. Britain's Tom Bosworth holds the world indoor 3000m race walk best and is an accomplished specialist over shorter distances. He will line up alongside Canada's Olympic 50km bronze medallist Evan Dunfee and the Indian pair of Sandeep Kumar and Amit Khatri, the world U20 10,000m race walk silver medallist. Wang Kaihua, holder of the third-quickest ever 20km performance at 1:16:54, leads the Chinese challenge.
Local hopes rest on Garcia, fifth-place finisher in Muscat just behind Pintado. The Spaniard's final week has been frantic, having to combine his roles as organiser and athlete, but he's confident of performing well in front of his home crowd.
Garcia will be joined by his compatriots Marc Tur, who just missed an Olympic 50km medal in the closing stages, plus Podebrady fifth-place finisher Luis Alberto Amezcua and Paul McGrath, the world U20 bronze and European gold 10,000m race walk medallist. 
<h2>Qieyang aims to prevail</h2>
On the women's side, the leading athlete is China&rsquo;s Qieyang, who claimed 2012 Olympic 20km silver but is expected to be awarded gold following the disqualification of the winning Russian athlete. Qieyang is also the world 20km silver medallist and showed great shape in Dudince, where she captured a convincing victory over 35km in 2:43:06. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/626454c5a02a6969615cd34f.jpg" alt="Qieyang Shijie celebrates her 35km race walk win at the Dudinska 50" />
Qieyang Shijie celebrates her 35km race walk win at the Dudinska 50 (&copy; Milan Duroch)
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She will be accompanied by her compatriot Li Maocuo, the world 50km silver medallist.
Trying to avoid a 1-2 for the Asian squad will be Peru's Kimberly Garcia, the recent victor in Rio Maior ahead of Portugal's Ana Cabecinha, who also competes on Monday. Garcia seems to be in the form of her life having achieved podium spots in Muscat, where she finished third, and Dudince, the venue of her 35km debut at which she clocked 2:43:19 and finished second.
Watch out too for the emerging Czech athlete Eliska Martinkova, silver medallist at the World U20 Championships in Nairobi last year over this distance. The 20-year-old finished a fine fifth in Podebrady in a PB of 1:30.53.
The line-up also includes France's Clemence Beretta, Britain's Heather Lewis and some top Spaniards such as national 10,000m record-holder with 42:24.12 Raquel Gonzalez and Laura Garcia Caro, a 1:28:07 20km race walker who placed fourth in Muscat over 35km.
Weather forecasters predict a pleasant sunny day, with the thermometer reaching 22&deg;C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

The first Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha LaLiga takes place in the Spanish capital on Monday.

Thrilling 10km race walk contests set for Madrid

More than 50 Member Federations and other organisations from all six regional areas celebrated Kids&rsquo; Athletics Day, making the inaugural edition on 7 May a truly global occasion.
Held to mark the launch of the new Kids' Athletics programme, Kids' Athletics Day has been created as an annual day to encourage all relevant groups to organise activities that give children the chance to participate in athletics, be active and learn new skills.
Some 30,000 children were involved in the inaugural year. Bolivia, China, Costa Rica and Turkey welcomed the highest attendances and Japan linked their events to the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series of meetings. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627f7829c42fc4098398a466.jpg" alt="Celebrating Kids' Athletics Day in Japan" />
Celebrating Kids' Athletics Day in Japan
</div>
Bolivia used the occasion as an opportunity to upskill 2500 coaches and deliver events to 12,000 children across the country. China held four in-person events, attended by 2500 children, while a social media campaign also encouraged kids to engage and get moving at home. Costa Rica, meanwhile, ran coach seminars in the week leading up to a national event, which was streamed live on YouTube and had more than 2000 participants. Turkey also held several events across the country involving thousands of kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;The event was incredible, with the children eager to discover further activities,&rdquo; said Marco Brenes, Kids&rsquo; Athletics lead for Costa Rica. &ldquo;During the previous week we held webinars for coaches and teachers of PE, as well as judges and support staff of the federation, and we continue working to update the whole country on the new Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme. The experience has been rewarding, and I want to continue to offer joy and skill development options to children in our country and beyond.&rdquo;
In Africa, Guinea, Mozambique and Senegal participated as part of their Olympic Solidarity projects, while Algeria, Angola, Kenya and Liberia also took part, organising various activities.
In Asia, as well as the in-person and virtual events in China and Japan, activities were organised in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Tajikistan.
Countries involved in Europe included Albania, Azerbaijan, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Monaco, Poland, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. In Hungary, the national relay championships included children&rsquo;s activities, while the Warsaw Kids Championships in Poland welcomed 400 children. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627f7706c42fc4098398a463.jpg" alt="Celebrating Kids' Athletics Day in Turkey" />
Celebrating Kids' Athletics Day in Turkey
</div>
Joining Costa Rica among the countries involved in the North American, Central American and Caribbean area were El Salvador, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. In Oceania, activities were arranged by organisations in Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. In Australia, Kids&rsquo; Athletics is delivered through Athletics Australia&rsquo;s Sporting Schools programme, and Olympian Brooke Stratton visited a school in Melbourne to inspire kids to be more physically active and get involved in athletics.
As well as Bolivia, other participants in South America included Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Venezuela.
A number of other Member Federations have also indicated that they will participate in Kids&rsquo; Athletics Day on other dates throughout the month, with World Athletics encouraging everyone to get involved.&nbsp;
The vision behind Kids' Athletics is the belief that every child is born to move, to play and to explore. No matter where they are in the world, no matter their individual circumstances, it&rsquo;s their fundamental right to have access to sport.
All activities and resources, designed for use by Member Federations, schools and clubs, are available online for free at <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/kids-athletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kids-athletics.org</a>.
World Athletics also marked the new programme by inviting young people aged between four and 14 from all around the world to design the Kids&rsquo; Athletics mascot.
For information about how to enter and what makes a good mascot, please visit the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/kids-athletics/mascot-competition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mascot competition page</a>.
World Athletics

More than 50 Member Federations and other organisations from all six regional areas celebrated Kids’ Athletics Day, making the inaugural edition on 7 May a truly global occasion.

World Athletics celebrates global impact of inaugural Kids' Athletics Day

On an evening where strong winds hampered proceedings, some athletes at the Ooredoo Doha Meeting excelled on their Wanda Diamond League debut.
The date &ndash; Friday 13th &ndash; proved somewhat unlucky for the pole vaulters, whose event had to be cancelled due to the conditions and rescheduled as an indoor competition on Saturday.
But others appeared almost unaffected by the stiff breeze at the Qatar Sports Club, not least Anderson Peters who prevailed in a thrilling javelin contest with a sensational 93.07m winning throw. 
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 Returning to the city where he won the world title in 2019, the Grenadian made his intention known from the outset, opening his series with a national record of 88.96m, then following it with 87.30m and 88.51m.
Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch then took the lead in round four with a lifetime best of 89.87m, but Peters responded in the next round with 90.19m, another Grenadian record. Just moments later, Vadlejch hit back with an almighty leading 90.88m effort.
Vadlejch was up first to throw in the final round and closed out his series with an 85.50m effort. Peters then took to the runway and launched his spear high into the Doha night air. Instead of stalling, as many high throws tend to do, it simply continued to fly before piercing the ground farther than any other attempt this evening.
The distance &ndash; 93.07m &ndash; came up on the scoreboard and Peters burst into an impromptu dance, celebrating the fact he had become the fifth-best thrower of all time, breaking the North &amp; Central American and Caribbean record in the process.
Germany&rsquo;s Julian Weber finished third with 86.09m and Leandro Ramos set a Portuguese record of 84.78m in fourth, one centimetre ahead of Moldova&rsquo;s Andrian Mardare. 
<h2>Dos Santos, Thomas, Lyles and Harrison triumph in close finishes</h2>
The javelin was one of several highly competitive events in the Qatari capital.
Despite the late withdrawal of world bronze medallist Abderrahman Alsaleck (formerly known as &lsquo;Samba&rsquo;), the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles still served up an exciting clash between USA&rsquo;s Rai Benjamin and Brazil&rsquo;s Alison Dos Santos, the Olympic silver and bronze medallists respectively, and the second- and third-fastest men of all time.
Dos Santos got out strongly but then allowed Benjamin to take the lead down the back straight. Benjamin held pole position into the home straight but Dos Santos, looking ominously comfortable, drew level with the US sprinter over the final barrier and then charged for the line, crossing in 47.24. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627e8de1bf13efcaa3d66f9a.JPG" alt="Alison dos Santos pips Rai Benjamin in the Doha Diamond League 400m hurdles" />
Alison dos Santos pips Rai Benjamin in the Doha Diamond League 400m hurdles (&copy; Christel Saneh)
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It was the 21-year-old&rsquo;s second-fastest time of his career, behind the 46.72 he clocked to earn bronze in Tokyo. It also erased the 47.38 meeting record that Benjamin set last year &ndash; which, at the time, was a revision of the 47.42 Qatari all-comers&rsquo; record set by Karsten Warholm at the 2019 World Championships.
&ldquo;We prepared well and we started the season fast,&rdquo; said Dos Santos, who last month set a 400m flat PB of 44.54. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m always trying to improve and be better.&rdquo;
Benjamin finished second in a season&rsquo;s best of 47.49 while Ireland&rsquo;s Thomas Barr was a distant third in 49.67.
The strong winds finally died down in time for the women&rsquo;s 200m &ndash; the only sprint event to register a legal wind reading &ndash; and it resulted in Gabby Thomas equalling Allyson Felix&rsquo;s meeting record of 21.98.
The Olympic silver medallist was level with world champion Dina Asher-Smith and Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson for most of the bend, but began to edge ahead as she entered the straight. Jackson didn&rsquo;t give up without a fight, but Thomas proved to be stronger at the end and crossed the line in 21.98 to hold off Jackson (22.07). Asher-Smith, making her seasonal debut at this distance, was third in 22.37.
&ldquo;I was nervous, but I feel great now,&rdquo; said Thomas. &ldquo;It is such a great feeling to interact with the crowd here; it gives me good energy.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s 200m was even closer in a race where three global champions clashed.
Noah Lyles &ndash; like Peters, back in the city where he won world gold in 2019 &ndash; kept US compatriot Fred Kerley at bay, prevailing in 19.72. His time would have broken the meeting record had it not been for the marginally illegal wind reading of 2.1m/s. Kerley finished just 0.03 in arrears, while world indoor 400m champion Jereem Richards took third place in 20.15, just ahead of Olympic champion Andre De Grasse, who clocked the same time in fourth.
&ldquo;I perform better under pressure,&rdquo; said Lyles, &ldquo;and the crowd makes me excited. I feel good and satisfied about where I&rsquo;m at right now.&rdquo;
Strong tailwinds are often more of a hindrance than a help in the sprint hurdles, and it nearly cost Kendra Harrison the victory as she hit the final barrier. But the world record-holder held on to win &ndash; just &ndash; in 12.43 (3.8m/s). 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627e919f312fb860b8ad1812.JPG" alt=" Kendra Harrison on her way to a 100m hurdles win at the Wanda Diamond League in Doha" />
Kendra Harrison on her way to a 100m hurdles win at the Wanda Diamond League in Doha (&copy; Christel Saneh)
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Nigeria&rsquo;s Tobi Amusan and Britany Anderson finished equal second in 12.44.
In their first clash since the Tokyo Games, Olympic silver medallist Marileidy Paulino got the better of two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the 400m.
Miller-Uibo took an early lead, but Paulino gained a slight advantage over the Bahamian at half way. Paulino continued to pull away in the second half and Jamaica&rsquo;s Stephenie Ann McPherson closed on Miller-Uibo. Paulino eventually reached the finish line a clear winner in 51.20 from McPherson (51.69) and Miller-Uibo (51.84).
It was Miller-Uibo&rsquo;s first loss at 400m since her last run in Doha, which was at the 2019 World Championships. 
<h2>World leads for El Bakkali and Niyonsaba</h2>
Olympic steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali opened his 2022 campaign with victory in a world-leading time, though Lamecha Girma ensured the Moroccan had to work hard for it. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627e9e39100a43041b2e315f.JPG" alt="Soufiane El Bakkali and Lamecha Girma battle in the Doha Diamond League 3000m steeplechase" />
Soufiane El Bakkali and Lamecha Girma battle in the Doha Diamond League 3000m steeplechase (&copy; Christel Saneh)
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The field was paced through the first kilometre in 2:43.41 and they reached 2000m just inside 5:30. Kenya&rsquo;s Abraham Kibiwott led for most of the final kilometre with El Bakkali and Girma tucked in close behind. El Bakkali then hit the front on the final lap, but Ethiopia&rsquo;s world and Olympic silver medallist Girma drew level with 200 metres to go. The Moroccan had the edge at the end, though, and won by 0.01 in 8:09.66. Kibiwott was some way behind in third in 8:16.40.
The finish in the women&rsquo;s 3000m &ndash; a meet-in-the-middle clash between Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon and Diamond League 5000m champion Francine Niyonsaba &ndash; was similarly exciting.
In a race with no pacemakers, Niyonsaba dictated the pace for most of the way, the Burundian passing through 1000m in 2:56.1. World 5000m leader Girmawit Gebrzihair took a brief stint at the front, as did Kipyegon, but Niyonsaba hit the lead again with 600 metres to go. Kipyegon pulled level with Niyonsaba again with half a lap left, but Niyonsaba responded and kicked away to win in a world-leading 8:37.70.
Kipyegon was second in 8:38.05 and Australia&rsquo;s Jessica Hull placed third in 8:40.97.
Kenya&rsquo;s world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, competing with strapping on the back of his legs, was beaten by younger compatriot Asbel Kipsang in the men&rsquo;s 1500m.
The breezy conditions meant that fast times were out of the question, but it also possibly resulted in a more competitive outcome. Once the last of the pacemakers stepped off the track, Kipsang led from Cheruiyot in the closing stages. At one point on the home straight it appeared as though Cheruiyot would kick back, but Kipsang dug in and held on for victory in 3:35.70. Cheruiyot was second in 3:36.16.
In other middle-distance events, young Kenyan Noah Kibet, the world indoor silver medallist, upstaged an experienced and high-quality 800m field to prevail in 1:49.08 from Australia&rsquo;s Peter Bol (1:49.35). 
<h2>Woo secures first Diamond League win</h2>
On his Wanda Diamond League debut, world indoor champion Woo Sanghyeok overcame a mid-competition scare to win the high jump, beating both Olympic champions in the process.
The Korean jumper needed three attempts to get over 2.24m, but then went on to scale 2.27m on his second try and 2.30m on his first. World and Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim also cleared 2.30m on his first attempt, giving him the lead at that point. But Woo went on to scale 2.33m &ndash; which ended up being the best mark of the night.
Canada&rsquo;s Django Lovett was third with 2.27m and world indoor bronze medallist Hamish Kerr fourth with 2.24m.
World indoor silver medallist Chase Ealey led a US 1-2-3 in the women&rsquo;s shot put. She opened with 18.84m but was overtaken by compatriot Maggie Ewen, who threw 19.32m in round two. Ealey responded with 19.51m, the eventual winning mark. Jessica Ramsey was third with 18.99m. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/627e8cc0bf13efcaa3d66f94.JPG" alt="Triple jump winner Shanieka Ricketts in action at the Doha Diamond League" />
Triple jump winner Shanieka Ricketts in action at the Doha Diamond League (&copy; Christel Saneh)
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In a triple jump competition with strong tailwinds, Jamaica&rsquo;s world silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts dealt best with the conditions and won with a wind-assisted 14.82m (6.5m/s). World indoor silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was second with 14.73m (6.3m/s). 
<h2>Duplantis soars 6.02m</h2>
The men&rsquo;s pole vault might have taken place a day later than planned, but for Mondo Duplantis it was worth waiting for.
In his first competition since improving his own world record to 6.20m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade on 20 March, Sweden&rsquo;s Olympic champion set a Qatari all-comers&rsquo; record in Doha with a first-time clearance of 6.02m to get his season off to a winning start.
Although the wind might have won on Friday, in Saturday&rsquo;s competition indoors at the Aspire Academy it was Duplantis who dominated. He cleared his opening height of 5.61m on his first attempt and went on to pass at 5.71m before clearing 5.81m, also on his first go.
The 22-year-old had the competition won at that point as USA&rsquo;s KC Lightfoot and Chris Nilsen, Belgium&rsquo;s Ben Broeders and Valentin Lavillenie of France also cleared 5.71m but could go no higher.
Duplantis then had the bar moved to 6.02m and his first-time clearance broke the Qatari all-comers&rsquo; record.
He then had three attempts at 6.12m but it wasn't to be and he ended his competition with a best of 6.02m - the 32nd competition in which he has cleared six metres or higher.
Lightfoot finished second on countback thanks to his first-time clearances of 5.41m, 5.61m and 5.71m, while Broeders was third.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

On an evening where strong winds hampered proceedings, some athletes at the Ooredoo Doha Meeting excelled on their Wanda Diamond League debut.

Peters prevails in javelin thriller at windy Diamond League debut in Doha

World record-holder and Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser threw a world-leading 22.75m at the Puerto Rico International Athletics Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting, at the Francisco Montaner Stadium in Ponce on Thursday (12).
And although local star Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the Olympic champion, was surprisingly beaten in the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles, the crowd was treated to several world-class performances in a meet that assembled 37 global medallists from more than 20 countries.
Crouser unleashed his shot out to 22.75m in the first round and added two more throws beyond 22 metres to cement his lead in what was his second outdoor appearance since earning silver at the World Indoor Championships.
High expectations were centred on Camacho-Quinn&rsquo;s Puerto Rican debut over her specialty event, in the last race of the evening. But after getting off to a shaky start, the world leader played catch-up and tried her best to overtake early leader Alaysha Johnson, who prevailed at the end in a big PB 12.50, 0.02 ahead of Camacho-Quinn. Jamaica&rsquo;s 2015 world champion Danielle Williams finished third in 12.67.
Composed after the upset, Camacho-Quinn smiled and thanked the crowd for their support and promised to make them proud as she carried two Puerto Rican flags.
Four other individual gold medallists from Tokyo lived up to their billing. Like Crouser and Johnson, three of them set Puerto Rican all-comers&rsquo; records.
Elaine Thompson-Herah delighted the crowd with the first ever sub-11-second 100m clocking in Puerto Rico. The Jamaican crossed the finish line in 10.93 and held off the challenge of Trinidad &amp; Tobago&rsquo;s Michelle-Lee Ahye (11.06), USA&rsquo;s Shania Collins (11.08) and Tamari Davis (11.08).
Back to Puerto Rico for the second time this season, Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas tried the 300m and moved into the top 10 on the all-time world list with his 31.52-second run, followed by USA&rsquo;s Vernon Norwood (31.81) and Jamaica&rsquo;s Nathon Allen (32.04).
USA&rsquo;s Athing Mu, the 800m winner in Tokyo, opted for the one-lap race and produced a season&rsquo;s best and Puerto Rican all-comers&rsquo; record of 50.42. She waved to the crowd with runner-up Gabby Scott (51.42), who came within 0.03 of the Puerto Rican record.
The men&rsquo;s event was dominated easily by another Olympic champion, 2012 winner Kirani James of Grenada, who won in 44.70.
Jamaica&rsquo;s Hansle Parchment was in control from the start and did not relinquish his lead to take the 110m hurdles in a season&rsquo;s best of 13.15, closely challenged by USA&rsquo;s two-time Olympic finalist Devon Allen. &ldquo;I love competing in the Caribbean, the atmosphere and the fact that is warm,&rdquo; said Parchment.
Mu&rsquo;s US compatriot and 800m specialist, 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Clayton Murphy, denied a home win for 2019 Pan American Games bronze medallist Ryan Sanchez. Pushed by the pacers, Sanchez hit the bell in just over 50 seconds and held the lead with 100 metres to go, but Murphy&rsquo;s late charge found no answer and crossed the finish line in 1:45.54. Sanchez, tiring towards the end, was also overtaken by Kenya&rsquo;s Michael Saruni (1:46.14) on the home stretch and had to settle for third in 1:46.42.
After a slightly wind-aided season&rsquo;s debut of 9.75, 2016 world indoor champion Trayvon Bromell confirmed his fine form and pleased the crowd with a comfortable 9.92-second win, the first sub-10-second time ever produced in Puerto Rico.
His fellow US sprinters Brandon Carnes (10.02) and Kyree King (10.11) followed him home. World indoor bronze medallist Marvin Bracy, who ran 10.11 in the heats, did not run the final.
The Puerto Rican Classic also marked the return to competition for USA&rsquo;s four-time and two-time Olympic medallist Christian Taylor, who missed 2021 due to an achilles surgery. &ldquo;I love what I do, and I am back for the love of the sport,&rdquo; said Taylor, who had a best leap of 15.91m. &ldquo;I am healthy and ready to do a full campaign. As defending (world) champion, I can better prepare for Eugene.&rdquo;
US compatriot Donald Scott, the world indoor bronze medallist, won with 16.88m.
Elsewhere, two-time Olympic finalist Janieve Russell led a Jamaican sweep in the women's 400m hurdles with 54.09, the second-fastest time in the world this year.
Nigeria&rsquo;s world and Olympic medallist Ese Brume dominated the long jump with 6.90m (3.5m/s). Adelle Tracey of Great Britain ran a smart race to take the 1500m in 4:05.96. USA&rsquo;s two-time world indoor champion Sandi Morris took the pole vault in a jump off at 4.72m with Greece&rsquo;s 2016 Olympic winner Katerina Stefanidi, second with 4.62m.
The event, which drew athletes form 21 countries, paid tribute to Javier Culson, Puerto Rico&rsquo;s first Olympic medallist in athletics, thanks to his bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2012 Games in London.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for World Athletics

Olympic champion throws 22.75m, one of several Puerto Rican all-comers' records