One week on from his world record-breaking performance at the opening Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season in Xiamen, Mondo Duplantis will be among the athletes in action when competition continues in Suzhou on Saturday (27).
The Yangtze Delta Athletics Diamond Gala is the second Diamond League event of the year and it will see Duplantis joined by fellow global gold medallists such as Gong Lijiao, Mutaz Barshim, Sha'Carri Richardson, Devynne Charlton and Selemon Barega.
In Xiamen last Saturday, world and Olympic champion Duplantis started his Diamond League season in the same way he ended it in Eugene in September: by adding a centimetre to his own world pole vault record.
After clearing 6.23m in Eugene, the Swedish star soared 6.24m in Xiamen for the eighth world record of his career so far. He achieved it on his first attempt, too. Can he go even higher in Suzhou?
Joining him on the runway will be USA&rsquo;s world and Olympic medallist Chris Nilsen and his compatriot Sam Kendricks, the two-time world gold medallist. Kendricks was second in Xiamen, clearing 5.82m, while Nilsen will be looking to rebound after only making it over his opening height of 5.42m.
China&rsquo;s world sixth-place finisher Huang Bokai was third in Xiamen with a 5.72m clearance and will also want to make an impact in Suzhou.
Gong was another of the winners in Xiamen and the Olympic champion will seek more shot put success on home soil when she again competes against two-time world champion Chase Jackson, world indoor champion Sarah Mitton and Maddison-Lee Wesche, the runner-up in Xiamen.
Another rematch comes in the men&rsquo;s high jump, where Olympic and three-time world gold medallist Barshim continues his comeback against world indoor champion Hamish Kerr and world indoor silver medallist Shelby McEwen. Those three athletes took the top three spots in Xiamen and it was McEwen who got the win, pipping Barshim on countback as they both cleared 2.27m.
The Budapest world medallists battle again in the women&rsquo;s javelin, with Japan&rsquo;s champion Kitaguchi &ndash; who went on to win the Diamond League crown &ndash; taking on Colombia&rsquo;s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado and Australia&rsquo;s Mackenzie Little. Kitaguchi opens her season and they will be joined by China&rsquo;s Dai Qianqian, who won the non-Diamond League event in Xiamen.
The men&rsquo;s long jump stars China&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Wang Jianan plus the world indoor silver and bronze medallists from Glasgow, Mattia Furlani and Carey McLeod. In the women&rsquo;s event, another Glasgow medallist, Fatima Diame, goes up against world bronze medallist Alina Rotaru-Kottmann and Olympic bronze medallist Ese Brume.
In the non-Diamond League women&rsquo;s discus, Olympic champion Valarie Allman will look to maintain her momentum after winning in Xiamen ahead of Yaime Perez &ndash; who threw a North American record of 73.09m two weeks ago &ndash; and Feng Bin. The strong field also features world champion Laulauga Tausaga and two-time world fourth-place finisher Jorinde van Klinken.
<h2>Richardson ready to rebound</h2>
USA&rsquo;s world 100m champion Richardson, who claimed 200m bronze in Budapest, was pipped by just 0.03 when making her season debut in the longer event in Xiamen and she&rsquo;ll be back on the track in Suzhou.&nbsp;
Australian teenager Torrie Lewis got the win in Xiamen and while she is not in Diamond League action this weekend, the line-up does star world 4x100m champion Tamara Clark, 2019 world bronze medallist Mujinga Kambundji and Britain's Olympic and world relay medallist Daryll Neita.
In the men&rsquo;s 100m, USA&rsquo;s Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman go head-to-head again. Coleman dipped for the win in Xiamen, clocking 10.13 to Kerley&rsquo;s 10.17, and they race against Jamaica&rsquo;s Ackeem Blake, who was third behind them on Saturday.
The women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles features an array of global gold medallists. World indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record-holder Charlton lines up alongside Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, world champion Danielle Williams and 2022 world champion Tobi Amusan, plus Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper. Just 0.04 separated winner Camacho-Quinn (12.45) from runner-up Charlton in Xiamen.
World bronze medallist Daniel Roberts won the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles in Xiamen and he also continues his season in China as he again goes up against Olympic and Diamond League champion Hansle Parchment and Cordell Tinch.
World 400m champion Marileidy Paulino was another to get her season off to a winning start in Xiamen and her competition again includes Britton Wilson and Sada Williams.
<h2>Olympic champions Barega and Chemutai in action</h2>
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Olympic 10,000m champion Barega ended his indoor season with world indoor 3000m bronze. Now he opens his outdoor campaign in the 5000m, where his competition includes his compatriot Nibret Melak and Kenya&rsquo;s world cross country bronze medallist Benson Kiplangat.
Uganda&rsquo;s Peruth Chemutai is another Olympic champion in action and she goes up against world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech, world bronze medallist Jackline Chepkoech and world U20 silver medallist Sembo Almayew in the 3000m steeplechase.
The men&rsquo;s 800m features two-time Commonwealth Games winner Wyclife Kinyamal and Tshepiso Masalela, who were second and third in Xiamen, plus 2022 world silver medallist Djamel Sedjati.
The women&rsquo;s 5000m is not a Diamond League event this time but it still features a formidable field, with 2022 world 10,000m champion and world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey racing World Athletics Rising Star Faith Cherotich, the world 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

One week on from his world record-breaking performance at the opening Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season in Xiamen, Mondo Duplantis will be among the athletes in action when competition continues in Suzhou

After world record-breaking start, stars head to Suzhou

In the latest episode of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662a2005724dc9e57062b505" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662a2005724dc9e57062b505">World Athletics Inside Track Podcast</a>, released today (25), 2013 world 110m hurdles gold medallist David Oliver shares insight into his journey as an athlete and coach.
As well as being the 2013 world champion, USA&rsquo;s Oliver claimed Olympic 110m hurdles bronze in Beijing in 2008 and world indoor 60m hurdles bronze in Doha in 2010. His PB of 12.89 set in 2010 places him sixth on the world 110m hurdles all-time list.
Since his retirement from competition, he has gone on to become the Director of Track &amp; Field at Howard University.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662a2005724dc9e57062b505" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/662a1ede724dc9e57062b502.jpg" alt="DavidOlvier" /></a>
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<h3> On his highlights from when he was competing:</h3>
&ldquo;I feel like my favourite part was the hanging out part. Going to these meets and just hanging out. The camaraderie with the athletes, no matter what their country was. And of course, competing. The only part I miss now is standing on the start line and they say &lsquo;on your marks&rsquo;. You just get that feeling. I love that feeling.&rdquo; 
<h3>On his experience on the circuit as an athlete compared to being a coach:</h3>
&ldquo;Being a team coach is very different and I have even more respect than I had already for our staff with Team USA and USA Track &amp; Field because this is non-stop. When you&rsquo;re competing, you get a sheet saying &lsquo;the bus leaves at this time, the call room is this time&rsquo; and then I&rsquo;d go back to the hotel and do whatever I wanted to do. But for the staff, it&rsquo;s never ending. Now I&rsquo;m a part of that, it&rsquo;s like &lsquo;wow&rsquo;.&rdquo; 
<h3>On his transition from athlete to coach:</h3>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been fun. I never thought I would be doing that at all. We&rsquo;re all medallists and we&rsquo;ve been around the world, so we can impart that knowledge. I always believe the athletes make the coach. Who&rsquo;s the best coach in the world? Who knows. Probably whoever has access to the better talent. Everybody can be great, if you&rsquo;re willing to put your heart into it. I was good as an athlete, I figured I&rsquo;d be good as a coach or whatever I&rsquo;m doing because I&rsquo;m going to put everything I have into it. You get the right athletes &ndash; the ones that listen, that want to. We can always teach people what to do, when to do and how to do something, but the want to do has to come from the athlete.&rdquo; 
This latest series of the Inside Track Podcast launched earlier this year and features a host of track and field&rsquo;s biggest names and much-loved personalities. In this episode, Oliver is in conversation with multiple Olympic and world gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross and two-time Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton.
Episodes are available via all the usual podcast platforms &ndash; including on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/inside-track-the-official-podcast-of-world-athletics/id1733061742" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/inside-track-the-official-podcast-of-world-athletics/id1733061742">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6OGo4XNfgZ3GSiXes6OO8u?si=c976714bf56b4d18" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6OGo4XNfgZ3GSiXes6OO8u?si=c976714bf56b4d18">Spotify</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;the <a href="https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk/">Sport Social Podcast Network</a> &ndash; while fans can also watch the show on the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/videos">World Athletics website</a>.
With an evolving presenter line-up for each event, the podcast will be in attendance when the World Athletics Relays returns to The Bahamas in May. Later in the year, an all-star cast will provide reaction to the events at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Find it all on <a href="https://worldathletics.org/inside-track" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/inside-track">Inside Track</a>.

2013 world 110m hurdles gold medallist David Oliver shares insight into his journey as an athlete and coach

Oliver stars in latest Inside Track podcast

World Athletics Inside Track visits the newly opened ASICS Chojo Camp in Kaptagat, Kenya.&nbsp;
The term &lsquo;Chojo&rsquo; has a long history at ASICS. The word translates from Japanese to &lsquo;striving for the peak&rsquo;, which is reflected in the approach of ASICS to product innovations and services.&nbsp;
With the introduction of the camp, ASICS is supporting its athletes as they strive for their peak performances &ndash; physically, emotionally and mentally.&nbsp;
Here Inside Track meets some of the up-and-coming talent at the camp and during a long run to learn about the benefits of a team environment and how the camp fosters a sound mind in a sound body.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6628f0caa7452950bbb12146" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6628cba9e023c99d1b3792e3.jpg" alt="CHOJO" /></a>
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</div>
&ldquo;The reason why I choose to run is to change life. I came from a humble background, so I choose running just to make my life better,&rdquo; explains Barnaba Kipkoech, a Chojo Camp athlete who won last year&rsquo;s Kobe Marathon.
&ldquo;After running, maybe in the evening, I go through some books, because I need to inspire someone also to change his life through a career, not only in running, but in different things.
&ldquo;If you want to succeed, you need a team,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;We as Chojo team, we really appreciate being in one group. It&rsquo;s very important to work as a team.
&ldquo;The motto for ASICS, &lsquo;sound mind, sound body&rsquo;, it really means a lot to me. It has changed my life, from the lower levels to higher levels.&rdquo;

World Athletics Inside Track visits the newly opened ASICS Chojo Camp in Kaptagat, Kenya

A sound mind: inside the ASICS Chojo Camp

Finishing third at the opening Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season in Xiamen was not quite the start that world indoor high jump champion Hamish Kerr had in mind in the wake of his Glasgow gold medal and world-leading leap of 2.36m.
Nevertheless, the New Zealander is nothing but a realist.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's early in the season and there are a lot of changes being made. There was probably more height there, but I just didn't quite get it,&rdquo; reflected Kerr.
&ldquo;I didn't find my rhythm, that was the hardest part &ndash; that my rhythm wasn't quite there and there was not very much consistency,&rdquo; he added, after clearing a modest 2.24m, albeit in rainy conditions.
Kerr now has a few days to reflect, and he will be looking to recapture rather more of his Glasgow form when the Diamond League moves on to its second Chinese stop in Suzhou on Saturday (27).
Despite his performance in Xiamen, it certainly doesn&rsquo;t diminish what he achieved in his only indoor outing of the year seven weeks ago.
In addition to his winning 2.36m being a world lead, Kerr also equalled the Oceanian record previously jointly held by the Australian duo of Tim Forsyth and Brandon Starc, who cleared that height in 1997 and 2018, respectively.
&ldquo;This is a special medal for me and my country. We had some big goals and big dreams coming here (to Glasgow) but the focus is on the outdoor season. Although you can only compete against who turns up, and I wanted to capitalise on that, some of the top guys like Mutaz Barshim weren&rsquo;t here,&rdquo; said Kerr at the time.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66290bdf73740cc07327e4ad.jpg" alt="Hamish Kerr competes at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow" />
Hamish Kerr competes at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Barshim, the three-time World Athletics Championships gold medallist and Olympic champion, originally had a trip to Glasgow in his diary, and a bid to regain the world indoor title he won in 2014.&nbsp;
Sadly, an ill-timed back injury in mid-February put an end to his plans for a brief indoor campaign.
Fortunately, the charismatic Qatari is now close to being fully recovered &ndash; finishing once place ahead of Kerr in Xiamen with 2.27m with victory going to USA&rsquo;s Shelby McEwen, who also navigated 2.27m but on his first attempt to Barshim&rsquo;s third &ndash; and Kerr is scheduled to face his friendly rival on two more occasions in the coming weeks, including in Suzhou.
After Suzhou, there is a 10-week Diamond League hiatus in the men&rsquo;s high jump before the event returns on the programme of Monaco on 12 July and then London on 20 July.
However, many of the world&rsquo;s top jumpers including Kerr will gather in Qatar on 9 May, the day before the Doha Diamond League, for Barshim&rsquo;s What Gravity Challenge meeting (a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting).
Joining Barshim and Kerr will be world champion Gianmarco Tamberi, world silver medallist JuVaughn Harrison and Kerr&rsquo;s predecessor as world indoor champion Woo Sanghyeok, among others in a star-studded field.
&ldquo;I'll go back to New Zealand after Doha, and I&rsquo;ll also be off to the US to be with (close friend and 2017 world shot put champion) Tom Walsh in Athens, Georgia, where he&rsquo;s based before coming to Monaco,&rdquo; said Kerr, outlining his pre-Olympic schedule.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66290b8873740cc07327e4aa.jpg" alt="Hamish Kerr and Tom Walsh in Glasgow" />
Hamish Kerr and Tom Walsh in Glasgow (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h2>&ldquo;The jump of my life&rdquo;</h2>
&ldquo;I think the thing I was most proud about (in Glasgow) was jumping 2.36m. It was the jump of my life so far,&rdquo; added Kerr, noting that he cleared the bar with daylight to spare before calling it a day and eschewing any attempts at a higher bar.
&ldquo;I wanted to make the most of my peak and the good condition my legs were in. When I had the competition won, that&rsquo;s what I wanted to do, although you can never plan for it. But knowing that I&rsquo;d only jumped 2.31m to win gold, I wanted to jump higher than that because I think that winning at 2.31m is a little bit less than impressive&hellip; and 2.28m was definitely pretty low for a medal.
&ldquo;It crossed my mind to have a jump at 2.38m but with all the adrenalin and motivation I&rsquo;d need to get over 2.36m, as soon as I hit the mat, I also said to myself: &lsquo;I&rsquo;m done&rsquo;.
&ldquo;But jumping so well when the others are not shows that what we are doing back home (in his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand) is working.&rdquo;
<h2>Coaching change</h2>
Kerr made the decision to change his coach at the end of last season, with 2023 seeing him clear an outdoor best of 2.33m when finishing second at the Zurich Diamond League meeting but also crashing out of the World Athletics Championships in the qualifying rounds 11 days earlier when he could go no higher than 2.22m.
He is now working with James Sandilands, a former flatmate of Kerr&rsquo;s and teenage rival who competed for New Zealand as a hurdler at the 2013 World Athletics U18 Championships.&nbsp;
His previous coach Terry Lomax was looking to wind down his coaching commitments prior to retiring but is also still on hand in an advisory role.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66290b2b73740cc07327e4a7.jpg" alt="Hamish Kerr in action in Zurich" />
Hamish Kerr in action in Zurich (&copy; Chiara Montesano / Diamond League AG)
</div>
When Kerr&rsquo;s decision to work with Sandilands was first announced last November, the phrase used by some New Zealand sports media to describe the switch was that it was &ldquo;a bold move&rdquo;.
With just 10 months until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, many were sceptical about the benefits of having a new coaching environment, as a &lsquo;settling in period&rsquo; often occurs with such changes.&nbsp;
However, with Kerr and Sandilands already familiar with each other, and the latter having accompanied Kerr on previous expeditions to Europe as the eyes and ears of Lomax, including his successful 2023 indoor campaign when he jumped what was then an Oceanian indoor record of 2.34m at the famed Banska Bystrica high jump meeting in Slovakia, there has clearly been none of the adaption issues many other technical events exponents have faced in similar circumstances.
<h2>High jump history</h2>
If Kerr continues to rise to the occasion in the coming months and gets on the podium in Paris, he will be the first Kiwi high jumper of either gender ever to get a medal at the Olympics.&nbsp;
After Glasgow, Kerr has certainly elevated himself into Paris medal consideration among athletics pundits.&nbsp;
As he was quick to point out in the Scottish city, none of the Budapest world medallists &ndash; Tamberi, Harrison or Barshim &ndash; competed indoors, so he is taking nothing for granted.
Nevertheless, prompted by Kerr&rsquo;s gold medal-winning feat at the World Indoor Championships, there is anticipation that 2024 could turn out to be a halcyon year for the high jump.&nbsp;
Maybe the world will even see a man &ndash; and who would bet against it being Kerr, judging from the height he had with his final jump in Glasgow &ndash; going over 2.40m or more for the first time in six years.
Phil Minshull for World Athletics

Hamish Kerr will be looking to recapture his Glasgow form when the Diamond League moves on to its second Chinese stop in Suzhou on Saturday

Kerr: realistic, but records could beckon

For the past seven years, Mondo Duplantis and Renaud Lavillenie have been adversaries on the pole vault runway.
Back when their rivalry started, Lavillenie was the world record-holder and had multiple global medals to his name. Duplantis, meanwhile, was a vaulter on the rise but, at age 17, had limited international experience.
In fact, the young Swede was still so new to the sport, it was just five years prior to his first clash with the great French vaulter that Duplantis recalls watching the Olympic Games for the first time. And his standout memory from those 2012 Games? Lavillenie&rsquo;s pole vault victory.
Having failed at his opening attempt at 5.91m, which Germany&rsquo;s Bjorn Otto and Raphael Holzdeppe cleared first time, Lavillenie passed to an Olympic record height of 5.97m and went over on his second and final attempt for what proved to be the winning jump.
&ldquo;I grew up in the Usain Bolt era, of Beijing 2008 and London 2012,&rdquo; recalled Duplantis. &ldquo;I remember watching the Games in London in 2012 when Renaud took the title. And I think he was at 5.97m on his last attempt, and that lifted him from third place to first, with an Olympic record.
&ldquo;Basically he needed to make it to win, and if he didn&rsquo;t make it, he&rsquo;d get third place.
&ldquo;Seeing that performance was the big one for me. Because in 2012 I was 12, 13 and at the peak of my fandom for Renaud. So I was rooting for him more than I would cheer for anybody. Just to see him close the deal and win the biggest title that you can win &ndash; that was super-inspiring.
&ldquo;It was definitely like an &lsquo;at that moment&rsquo; kind of feeling.&rdquo;
Less than eight years after Lavillenie's 2012 Olympic victory, Duplantis broke the Frenchman's world record with a 6.17m vault in Torun. Last weekend in Xiamen, Duplantis set the eighth world record of his career, vaulting 6.24m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Xiamen.
Asked about any other Olympic memories that stood out, the 24-year-old Olympic champion added: &ldquo;Bolt for sure. And David Rudisha running his 1.41 800m in London. I remember watching that and not having a full grasp of how fast it was until it was like in middle school watching how people ran the 400m and thinking of him doing that two times in a row.
&ldquo;That would be one of the more crazy things that I&rsquo;ve seen. And I remember it being hard for me to wrap my head around that one, because I never really tried any track events when I was younger. I really was just mostly a pole vaulter, because the US doesn&rsquo;t have the same club system that they do in Sweden where you try out a bunch of events.
&ldquo;I pole-vaulted mostly in my back yard until I was around 15 years old before I started jumping at the high school and being on the track and stuff. I would always make sure to watch the pole vault competitions (during televised major championships) because I think pole vaulting is kind of its own thing in a way.&rdquo;
With 100 days to go until athletics starts at the Paris 2024 Games, Duplantis &ndash; and, indeed, 37-year-old Lavillenie, who is aiming to represent the host nation in what will be his fourth Olympics &ndash; hope to create some more Olympic memories of their own. And there&rsquo;s every chance that their performance in the French capital could inspire the next great pole vaulter.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

The XXXIII Olympic Games

Former world record-holder Lavillenie inspired pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis

Duplantis recalls his first Olympic memory, Lavillenie’s 2012 triumph

Entry lists for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 confirm that 893 athletes from 54 countries will descend on Nassau for the global event on 4-5 May.
<a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/662655e2724a353830a20cb2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by event and country</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/662655fa724a353830a20cb5.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by country and event</a>
A total of 32 teams are entered for the men&rsquo;s 4x100m and 30 are entered for the women&rsquo;s 4x100m. There&rsquo;ll also be 32 teams for the men&rsquo;s 4x400m, 27 for the women&rsquo;s 4x400m and 30 in the mixed 4x400m.
Noah Lyles, who anchored the USA to victory at last year&rsquo;s World Championships, features on his country&rsquo;s squad in the 4x100m alongside world 200m leader Courtney Lindsey and Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek.
Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, who featured on Italy&rsquo;s victorious teams at the Tokyo Olympic Games and at the last World Relays earlier in 2021, is also entered for the 4x100m.
In the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, four of the six women who featured on USA&rsquo;s triumphant squad at last year&rsquo;s World Championships &ndash; including world 200m silver medallist Gabby Thomas &ndash; have been named for the World Relays.
Jamaica and Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland &ndash; who joined USA on the podium at the last World Championships and Olympic Games &ndash; have also fielded strong teams for the women&rsquo;s 4x100m.
The same is true of the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, but the Netherlands &ndash; who struck gold in Budapest last year and at the World Indoor Championships last month &ndash; will have the star power of Femke Bol in their squad.
The men&rsquo;s 4x400m could be one of the most open races of the entire event. World and Olympic champions USA have a strong team, but Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner will represent the host nation&rsquo;s team. Belgium, featuring world indoor champion Alexander Doom, will be coming off the back of their victory at the World Indoor Championships, while the likes of France, Netherlands, Botswana and Great Britain could also contend for victory.
The mixed 4x400m is also expected to be highly competitive. Gardiner and his fellow Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo feature on the host nation squad, but world record-holders USA and Olympic champions Poland both have formidable teams, as do the Netherlands, Olympic silver medallists Dominican Republic and world silver medallists Great Britain.
Olympic qualifying places will be up for grabs on both days of action in The Bahamas. On the first day, the top two teams in each heat will advance to the final on day two, while also securing their qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In the finals on day two, teams will compete for prize money and obtain Olympic lane seeding positions.
All other teams will compete on day two in the additional round where the top two teams in each heat will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Start lists will be published on Friday 3 May, while team line-ups will be confirmed nearer to the time of each race.
World Athletics

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

893 athletes from 54 countries will descend on Nassau from 4-5 May

Entry lists for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 published

<h3>&bull; Pioneering initiatives to be integrated to Glasgow's wider event portfolio</h3>
<h3>&bull; ABW Standard a core pillar of World Athletics&rsquo; Sustainability Strategy &ndash; second progress report released today</h3>
<h3>&bull; When fully adopted, World Athletics Standard will have widest reach of any sustainability evaluation system in the sport industry</h3>
&nbsp;
The World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 became the first event to be awarded platinum level recognition against the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard, the evaluation system implemented by World Athletics this year that measures an event&rsquo;s achievements in sustainable delivery.
The recognition, announced to mark Earth Day, came after a comprehensive evaluation by a team of international sustainability experts of the local organising committee&rsquo;s approach to the event&rsquo;s environmental and social impacts. The announcement comes alongside the release of the <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/662598b30013bfc99b9ca555.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Sustainability Report 2022-23</a>, which details the development and implementation of the Athletics for a Better World Standard, initiatives from World Championship and one-day events, the empowerment and views of athletes and progress against the six pillars of the World Athletics Sustainability Strategy.
Efforts to include social impact and environmental sustainability into the delivery and legacy of the championships was a strong focus for event organisers who delivered several pioneering initiatives.
<ul>
<li>More than 800 staff and volunteers received mental health training to help them deliver a mentally healthy event for themselves, athletes, officials and spectators. The project, developed by the event's partner Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), was a first of its kind for an event in Scotland.</li>
<li>Organisers also partnered with a food bank in the city&rsquo;s east end to redistribute all excess food from the event &ndash; more than 1000 meals &ndash; to forge a positive partnership that has set the path for future events at the Glasgow Arena.</li>
<li>Efforts to reduce the event&rsquo;s carbon emissions included public transport partnerships, a catering menu with an extensive selection of plant-based options and awareness-raising events, panel discussions and activations in the months leading into and during the championships.</li>
<li>And, adding to the event&rsquo;s legacy, a dedicated social impact project manager, hired for the local organising committee, will stay on to continue this work with the Glasgow Life events team with plans already underway to integrate positive social impacts into Glasgow's wider event portfolio.</li>
</ul>
&ldquo;From the outset, the local organising committee made a strong commitment to maximising the social impact and reducing the environmental impact of this event,&rdquo; World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said. &ldquo;They did so by having a strong vision and investing efficiently in resources to provide a textbook example of what sustainable athletics event looks like. The Glasgow team has set the highest bar.&rdquo;
Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: &ldquo;Glasgow is extremely proud to have been recognised by World Athletics for its approach to social responsibility when hosting the World Athletics Indoor Championships last month.
&ldquo;To achieve platinum level against the Athletics for a Better World Standard, the highest level ever awarded to an event host city, is a huge accolade. It&rsquo;s testament to the vision, commitment and ambition of the Local Organising Committee led by Glasgow Life and UK Athletics.
&ldquo;The team was committed to embedding sustainability into Glasgow&rsquo;s plans to deliver a successful world-class event, without compromising the needs of our planet. Glasgow is increasingly recognised as a global leader on sustainability and this award gives us strong foundations for hosting future events.&rdquo;
<h2>Second Sustainability Report released</h2>
The ABW Standard consists of 55 action areas that address all levels of event delivery, measured in terms of how they align with the six pillars of the World Athletics Sustainability Strategy, which was released in 2020. Those areas include procurement, waste management, energy, food and water management, travel and accommodation planning. Diversity, accessibility and inclusion of staff and volunteers is also addressed, as is ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all participants.
The World Athletics Sustainability Report 2022-23, also released today, highlights the progress made on the ABW Standard since its unveiling in December 2021. Organisers of more than 300 one-day athletics competition series events and label road races have been introduced to the ABW Standard. Several dozen events piloted the Standard system in 2022 and more than 100 piloted elements of it in 2023, providing valuable input prior to its implementation on 1 January 2024 when sustainability reporting became a mandatory component of World Athletics&rsquo; broader event evaluation process.
When fully adopted, the ABW Standard will have the widest reach of any sustainability evaluation system in the sport industry.
While reporting against the ABW Standard was not mandatory for the Glasgow competition, all World Athletics Series (WAS) events whose bids opened in the latter half of 2023 will be contractually obligated to commit to a high level of delivery. The 2027 World Championships in Beijing will be the first WAS event that will be required to deliver to a gold level achievement. Glasgow scored 108 of the 120 available points in the tiered ABW Standard to meet the platinum level threshold.
World Athletics will <a href="https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/61a3cb99-d332-4b5f-82c6-9be160761299@e6fb2503-977b-4cb1-9c88-0fbeb9175db9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">host a webinar on 14 May</a> from 11-12am (CEST/GMT+2) to discuss the roll out and implementation of the standard, with Glasgow 24 organisers outlining their strategy and roadmap to their platinum level achievement. Registration is free.
Scottish Culture, Europe and International Development Minister Kaukab Stewart said: &ldquo;Following on from the success of hosting the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, news the event has achieved platinum level recognition in the Athletics for a Better World Standard for sustainability is a feat everyone can be proud of.
&ldquo;Moving forward, sustainability will play an increasingly important role in the organisation of major events and awards like this can help drive the continued effort towards achieving net zero targets and supporting the local economy.&rdquo;
Ian Beattie, Chair of UK Athletics and Co-chair of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 Steering Group, said: &ldquo;After staging an unforgettable World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24, it is fantastic news to hear the Championships has achieved platinum level against the Athletics for a Better World Standard with regards to sustainability. It is a credit to all the team working on the championships that they have achieved the highest standard possible and shown they are world-leading in this area.
&ldquo;Not only was it a superb event on the track and in the field in Glasgow, but this outstanding event has shown how it can be delivered sustainably and be used as a model for future championships. Congratulations to all involved in achieving this incredible feat.&rdquo;
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: &ldquo;Glasgow and Scotland provided the perfect stage for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, delivering a truly memorable event. The recognition by World Athletics for the event&rsquo;s work to deliver environmental and social impacts from the championships, awarding it platinum level against the Athletics for a Better World Standard, is an amazing outcome.
&ldquo;Events play an important role in our communities, giving us all the opportunity to come together and share memorable experiences. They are also a chance to leave a lasting positive impact and it is clear to see the championships has done this for Glasgow.&rdquo;
Esther Britten, Head of Major Events at UK Sport, said: &ldquo;We are delighted to have supported our event hosting partners to build and implement a robust sustainability plan which has led to this platinum accreditation. We are committed to ensuring all major events hosted in the UK are delivered with environmental sustainability at their heart.&rdquo;

World Athletics Indoor Championships

The recognition came after a comprehensive evaluation by a team of international sustainability experts

World Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 earns platinum level recognition for sustainable delivery

Teams from Italy, Japan and Spain are among the 22 to have secured automatic qualification for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games following their performances at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on Sunday (21).
The marathon race walk mixed relay makes its Olympic debut in Paris in August, with WRW Antalya 24 the main qualifying event for the new discipline.
The relay involves teams of one man and one woman who complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in four legs of approximately equal distance. Each athlete races two legs, alternating man, woman, man, woman.
A total of 22 teams in Antalya secured spots for Paris. Up to five of the first 22 teams could be a second team from the same country, and Japan, Spain, Australia, China and Colombia each qualified two teams.
Teams that missed out in Antalya still have the chance to qualify for Paris via their placing in the marathon race walk mixed relay top performance list. Three additional teams on the top performance list during the qualification period (31 December 2022 to 30 June 2024) &ndash; from events that comply with the race walking competition requirements &ndash; can qualify. These three additional teams cannot be from a country already qualified from the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24.
Teams qualified in Antalya: 1 Italy 2 Japan* 3 Spain* 4 Mexico 5 Brazil 6 Australia* 7 Spain 8 Ukraine 9 France 10 China* 11 China 12 Colombia* 13 Germany 14 Colombia 15 Australia 16 Japan 17 India 18 Turkiye 19 Slovak Republic 20 Poland 21 Canada 22 Hungary *qualified two teams
As well as the marathon race walk mixed relay, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/report/antalya-24-marathon-race-walk-mixed-relay-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won by Italy's Francisco Fortunato and Valentina Trapletti</a>, there were senior 20km and U20 10km titles up for grabs at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24.
Australia&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/report/antalya-24-u20-men-10km-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaac Beacroft became the first winner of the day</a>, using superb closing speed to overpower his rivals in a thrilling finish to the U20 men's 10km. At the age of 16, he is the youngest ever winner of an U20 title at these championships.
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/report/antalya-24-u20-women-10km-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s U20 10km race was won by China&rsquo;s Yang Xizhen</a> as she strode to victory ahead of the Spanish duo of Aldara Meilan and Sofia Santacreu.
Peru&rsquo;s double 2022 world champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/report/antalya-24-senior-women-20km-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kimberly Garcia secured a dominant win in the senior women&rsquo;s 20km</a>, clocking 1:27:12 to prevail ahead of defending champion Ma Zhenxia of China.
Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom was another winner from the last edition of these championships in Muscat in 2022. On that occasion he won the 35km race <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/report/antalya-24-senior-men-20km-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and in Antalya he claimed victory again</a>, this time winning the 20km in 1:18:49.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/timetable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
At the Olympic Games in Paris, the marathon race walk mixed relay will be held on Wednesday 7 August, six days after the individual 20km race walking events launch the athletics programme on Thursday 1 August.
<h3>WRW Antalya 24 in numbers</h3>
RECORDS
1 championship record: Italy 2:56:45 in marathon race walk mixed relay. 1 area U20 record: Isaac Beacroft (AUS) 39:56 in U20 men&rsquo;s 10km race walk for Oceania. 2 national records: Misgana Wakuma Fekansa (ETH) 1:20:51 and Gabriel Alvarado (NCA) 1:27:29 in men&rsquo;s 20km race walk. 2 national U20 records: Isaac Beacroft (AUS) 39:56 and Seyhmus Capat (TUR) 40:42 in U20 men&rsquo;s 10km race walk. 105 personal bests (in individual events)
MEDALS
6 countries won gold medals 4 countries won silver medals 5 countries won bronze medals 8 countries won medals
Countries from four areas won gold medals: Asia &ndash; 3 golds from 1 country (China) Europe &ndash; 4 golds from 3 countries (Spain, Italy and Sweden) South America &ndash; 1 gold (Peru) Oceania &ndash; 1 gold (Australia)
World Athletics
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662529dcb32a75aa7c8b1e9d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66239dd4b047247b5cdfc923.jpg" alt="WRW Antalya 24 highlights" /></a>
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</div>

World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships

Teams from Italy, Japan and Spain are among the 22 to have secured automatic qualification for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Teams book places for Paris at WRW Antalya 24

There was a dramatic finish to the inaugural&nbsp;marathon race walk mixed relay at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on Sunday (21).
The final race of the day came with a surprise win for Valentina Trapletti and Francisco Fortunato - nominated as the second team from Italy.
It looked as if Caio Bonfim and Viviane Lyra had race walked Brazil to a first team victory on a global level, but it was not to be.
As she heard the bell with 2km left, Lyra also heard the voice of the match referee calling her into the penalty zone. Brazil were forced to sit a three-minute penalty and seemingly hand Japan the title.
However, 38-year-old Trapletti had other ideas.
She betrayed taut neck muscles and gasped for air but passed Kumiko Okada over the final kilometre to make Italy stand proud at the top of the podium in 2:56:44 - four seconds inside the world lead.
Okada and Koki Ikeda played it safe to come home second. They were also on the limit with two red cards, but made sure of silver rather than lose all with a risky last sprint.
Spain finished third, with Alvaro Martin and Laura Garcia-Caro taking bronze.
Their country had effectively mixed and matched their best race walkers. On paper, the strongest pairing was Martin and his fellow double world gold medallist Maria Perez. But the latter also suffered a penalty in tandem with Miguel Angel Lopez.
The latter did finish 10th, but as the third team for their country, one of those pairings will not be at the Olympics.
The rules allow for the qualification of 22 teams, and up to five of those 22 teams can be a second team from the same country.
The other major surprise was a foot injury to Massimo Stano barely 4km into the first leg.
Although he struggled on and Olympic gold medallist teammate Antonella Palmisano took over, the changeover zone was empty when it came to leg three for Italy&rsquo;s first team.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9J0afMRg5A?si=9wPMcnWE56cbExDD" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Sixty-seven teams lined up for the start in the hottest part of the day and 60 of those passed the first 1km barely five seconds apart.&nbsp;
Sensible was the watchword as hosts Turkiye made an early bid for two of the coveted Olympic spots with a pair of teams in the top four, but these were early days.
The pace was levelling at close to four minutes for each kilometre, which for athletes of this calibre, was close to strolling.
Even so, that five-second gap at 5km for the first leg (20:04) had been pruned to 29 teams. That got whittled down further, and by 10km in 39:45 it was an elite throng of 14 with a last kilometre in a telling 3:52.
It included two teams each from Australia and Spain, with China, Brazil, Canada, Japan and surprisingly Poland in the mix.
Act two was heralded by a sprint to the changeover by Ikeda.
He was followed by two others from his nation, and getting to the front made for a clean handover, something of a relief to officials marshalling the 20-metre zone.
Japan may have finished one and two on the first leg, but that wasn&rsquo;t to last. Lyra, on the back of a 1:28:25 PB from 6 April, and Yang Jiayu, the 2017 world champion and world record-holder, easily made up the distance to take over at the sharp end.
Okada recovered quickly to put one of the two Japanese teams back in the frame, after all she walked a 42:46 PB in January, but the rest were slipping behind.
Australia had moved into fourth, which was no surprise considering world silver medallist Jemima Montag was on second leg duties.
The second China team, however, with 2012 Olympic champion Qieyang Shijie, was hot on her heels. Making rapid inroads was a second Olympic champion, Palmisano, only to discover her fate at the end of her one and only stint.&nbsp;
In fact, Qieyang handed over barely four seconds behind Yang. Little did she know, but the fomer's sprint proved costly with three red cards and three minutes in the penalty zone.
The third sequel saw Bonfim pushing on, but not as quickly as Ikeda. After all, he walked a world lead of 1:16:51 in February. The Japanese athlete made up 21 seconds to not only take the lead but create a significant gap to Brazil and China.
It was 12 seconds at 25km and getting bigger.
Bonfim dug deep to remain in touch and with the handover came fireworks with not just one, but three winning bids.
The final effort saw Trapletti gain a first global honour.
Mexico, with Ever Jair and Alegna Gonzalez, walked a solid race for fourth behind Japan and Spain.
Bonfim and Lyra were rewarded with fifth, despite the time penalty. Australia&rsquo;s Montag and Rhydian Cowley claimed sixth.
Paul Warburton for World&nbsp;Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MARATHON RACE WALK MIXED RELAY RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Italy 2 (Francesco Fortunato and Valentina Trapletti)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">2:56:45</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Japan (Koki Ikeda and Kumiko Okada)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">2:57:04</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Spain (Alvaro Martin and Laura Garcia-Caro)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">2:57:47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Mexico (Ever Jair Palma Olivares and Alegna Gonzalez)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">2:59:21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Brazil (Caio Bonfim and Viviane Lyra)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">2:59:55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">6</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Australia (Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:00:13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">7</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Spain 2 (Alberto Amezcua and Cristina Montesinos)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:00:37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Ukraine 3 (Ivan Banzeruk and Olena Sobchuk)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:01:03</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/results/mixed/marathon-race-walk-mixed-relay/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662529dcb32a75aa7c8b1e9d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66239dd4b047247b5cdfc923.jpg" alt="WRW Antalya 24 highlights" /></a>
&nbsp;
</div>

There was a dramatic finish to the inaugural marathon race walk mixed relay at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Trapletti and Fortunato win inaugural marathon mixed relay for Italy in Antalya

Two years after his 35km success in Muscat, Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom emerged as the 20km champion at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24, prevailing over the Spanish duo of Paul McGrath and Diego Garcia on Sunday (21).
Italy&rsquo;s Riccardo Orsoni was the early leader, going through the opening kilometre at a comfortable 4:10 cadence closely followed by the Chinese trio of Asian Games silver medallist Wang Zhaozhao, Wen Yongjie and Lu Ning.
The Italian continued to dictate the pace at 4:00 kilometre cadence to go through the fourth kilometre in 16:16. At that stage, 30 athletes remained in the lead pack.&nbsp;
The fifth kilometre became the first under the 4:00 barrier, courtesy of world silver medallist Karlstrom&rsquo;s change of speed, with Spain&rsquo;s European bronze medallist Garcia and Italy&rsquo;s Gianluca Picchiottino closest to the tall Swede.
The sixth kilometre also saw an exact 4:00 on the clock with new race walkers moving to the front. They included Ecuadorians Brian Pintado and David Hurtado plus Japan&rsquo;s Satoshi Maruo, while surprisingly Ethiopia&rsquo;s Misgana Wakuma Fekansa also race walked at the helm.&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ePfhTzEPq8w?si=06i51u60RfXhSKsg" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Just before the halfway point the sun appeared on the scene and the temperature began to rise but that was not a barrier for the front race walkers who maintained their 4:00 rhythm for an overall 40:17 time. By then, 20 athletes remained in contention led by Karlstrom, Japan&rsquo;s Ryo Hamanishi and the Spanish duo of Garcia and European U23 champion McGrath. The heading group began to progressively lose units and by the 11th kilometre the pack had whittled down to eight race walkers.
The first serious movement came during the following kilometre when Karlstrom and McGrath ramped up their speed &ndash; 3:54 for the 12th kilometre &ndash; taking turns at the helm. Only three rivals managed to live with their pace: Japan&rsquo;s Yuta Koga, Hurtado and the surprise Rasulbek Dilmurodov of Uzbekistan. McGrath then decided to inject an even swifter rhythm and the rest of that quintet was forced to race walk in crocodile file following a 3:52km split for the 22-year-old rising Spaniard. McGrath seemed to have killed the race thanks to a 3:49 14th kilometre as he built a three-second margin on Karlstrom and Hurtado, while Koga travelled a lonesome fourth another 16 seconds behind. Surprisingly, the top Chinese athlete Lu ranked only 15th by then.
The 15th kilometre was even faster, McGrath clocking 3:46, but he had been reeled in by Karlstrom after a stunning 3:43 split for the Swede while Hurtado was disqualified as he tried to follow in McGrath and Karlstrom&rsquo;s footsteps. The leading pair slowed down a bit over the 16th kilometre, clocking 3:52, but Karlstrom put in a 3:48 kilometre to open a three-second advantage on the Spaniard.&nbsp;
At the bell the Swede had covered another kilometre in 3:48 and it became clear that he was not going to be caught by McGrath, who had already lost 13 seconds with one loop left.
Over the final lap, Karlstrom easily maintained his solid lead before slowing down in the closing 100m to celebrate his first World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships podium at 20km. His previous best performance was a 42nd spot back in 2010.
This time, 1:18:49 was his winning performance.&nbsp;
While McGrath confirmed his role as a rising star at the senior level courtesy of his silver medal in 1:19:14 &ndash; his second ever quickest time and the first individual medal for Spain at the distance since 2016 &ndash; the battle for bronze was thrilling. Koga led from Garcia and Germany&rsquo;s Christopher Linke at the bell but a charging Pintado overtook all of them to edge into third place inside the closing kilometre. Garcia then managed to get rid of Linke and pass Koga, and the 28-year-old witnessed how Pintado was disqualified just 300m before the finish line, taking advantage of that circumstance to secure his first individual medal at a global senior championships with a 1:19:51 performance.
In the team contest, Spain became a commanding winner thanks to a 13 point score to Japan&rsquo;s 26 and Italy&rsquo;s 33. That secured the nation its second team gold medal in this discipline at the championships, following the country&rsquo;s 2006 success.
&ldquo;Conditions were not as hot as I wanted, to take advantage of having spent two weeks here in Antalya, as last week we had 30 degrees,&rdquo; said Karlstrom. &ldquo;It was a very comfortable win today. I felt so strong.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I really smashed many of the top 10 list athletes from last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Budapest and the closest was 25 seconds behind; that&rsquo;s a big confidence booster. I did a couple of specific 20km training sessions before this race after my win in Podebrady.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It was also great to see Mondo (Duplantis) jump a new world record yesterday. Sweden has a lot to show, competing with the best in the world.&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">SENIOR MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Perseus Karlstrom (SWE)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">1:18:49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Paul McGrath (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">1:19:14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Diego Garcia Carrera (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">1:19:51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Yuta Koga (JPN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:19:54</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Christopher Linke (GER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:19:57</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">6</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Jordy Rafael Jimenez Arrobo (ECU)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:20:04 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">7</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Riccardo Orsoni (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:20:11 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Alvaro Lopez (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:20:20 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Satoshi Maruo (JPN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:20:23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">10</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Misgana Wakuma Fekansa (ETH)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:20:51 NR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/results/men/20-kilometres-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid; height: 110px;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; height: 22px;" colspan="3">SENIOR MEN'S TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">Spain</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">13</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">Japan</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">26</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">Italy</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">33</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left; height: 22px;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/results/men/20-kilometres-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662529dcb32a75aa7c8b1e9d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66239dd4b047247b5cdfc923.jpg" alt="WRW Antalya 24 highlights" /></a>
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Two years after his 35km success in Muscat, Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom emerged as the 20km champion at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Karlstrom reigns again, taking 20km title in Antalya

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir smashed the women-only world record by 45 seconds at the TCS London Marathon, winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:16:16* on Sunday (21).
In what was widely regarded as one of the deepest and highest-quality women&rsquo;s fields ever assembled, the three-time world half marathon champion sprinted away from world record-holder Tigist Assefa, 2021 London winner Joyciline Jepkosgei and last year&rsquo;s runner-up Megertu Alemu &ndash; all of whom finished inside 2:17 &ndash; to notch up her third victory in a World Marathon Majors race.
Jepchirchir&rsquo;s compatriot Alexander Mutiso Munyao made it a Kenyan double, winning the men&rsquo;s race in 2:04:01 to defeat Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele by 14 seconds.
No secret had been made of the fact that breaking Mary Keitany&rsquo;s women-only world record of 2:17:01 was the big target for the women&rsquo;s race. With that at the forefront of their minds, a lead pack comprising all the big contenders soon detached themselves from the rest of the field and blazed through the first 5km in 15:44 &ndash; comfortably inside 2:13 pace.
They maintained that tempo through 10km, covered in 31:26, and at this point they were 67 seconds ahead of Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tsige Haileslase, the closest challenger to the lead pack.
The front group &ndash; which included Assefa alongside past London winners Jepkosgei, Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Brigid Kosgei &ndash; got to 15km in 47:37. Soon after, Sheila Chepkirui &ndash; the runner-up in Berlin last year &ndash; started to drift off the pack.
Not long after passing the drinks station at the 20km point, 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich lost contact with the leaders. It meant that just seven women remained in the pack as they reached the half-way point in 1:07:04 &ndash; the second-fastest half-way split ever recorded in London, and putting them on schedule to smash the women-only world record by almost three minutes.
Kosgei was the next to drift back, and with the pacemakers having done their job, it left six women out in front: Jepchirchir, Assefa, training partner and Dubai marathon champion Tigist Ketema, 2022 London winner Yehualaw, 2021 London champion Jepkosgei, and 2023 London runner-up Megertu Alemu.
The sextet ran together through 25km (1:19:38) and 17 miles, but Ketema and Yehualaw were unable to hold on for much further and started to lose contact, leaving four women &ndash; Assefa, Jepchirchir, Jepkosgei and Alemu &ndash; to battle it out for the three podium places.
The difference between 25km and 30km, 16:18, was the slowest 5km section of the race. The lead quartet was either starting to feel the effects of their early efforts, or they were starting to bide their team for an anticipated surge in the closing stages.
With 1:44 on the clock, the four leading women managed to navigate their way around the two lead vehicles that had been forced to stop due to a wheelchair racer who was experiencing some technical difficulties.
Assefa and Jepchirchir both took turns testing the waters by making subtle surges to see how their opponents would respond, but their overall pace continued to drop and they reached 35km in 1:52:48, putting them on course for a 2:16 finish.
They passed 40km in 2:09:13, still running side by side. It was clear that no one else other than these four would be claiming places on the podium, but predicting a winner &ndash; and, indeed, the athlete who&rsquo;d miss out on the podium &ndash; was still impossible with less than two kilometres to go.
As the clock ticked to 2:15, with little more than a minute of running left, Alemu was finally dropped. Seconds later, Jepchirchir unleashed her trademark finish to leave behind Jepkosgei and Assefa.
The diminutive Kenyan charged through the finish line in 2:16:16, finishing seven seconds ahead of Assefa. Jepkosgei (2:16:24) and Alemu (2:16:34) followed soon after, making this the first marathon in which four women have finished inside 2:17.
Jepchirchir will now turn her attention to defending her Olympic title in Paris in less than four months&rsquo; time where she&rsquo;ll aim to become the first ever back-to-back women&rsquo;s marathon gold medallist in the history of the Games.
The men&rsquo;s race played out in similar fashion with a surprisingly large group remaining together into the second half before the final few contenders were left to battle it out in the closing stages.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6624fb7d6e4435d843122bdd.jpg" alt="Alexander Mutiso Munyao wins the London Marathon" />
Alexander Mutiso Munyao wins the London Marathon (&copy; Getty Images)
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The late Kelvin Kiptum&rsquo;s world (2:00:35) and course (2:01:25) records were not being targeted by the elite men, but a lead pack of 12 nevertheless set off as a respectable pace, going through 5km in 14:35 and 10km in 29:03.
They remained together through 15km (58:20) with the likes of Munyao, Bekele, 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola and 2021 Chicago winner Seifu Tura all in the lead pack.
They reached half way in 1:01:29 with 10 men still running together, more than 80 seconds ahead of Britain&rsquo;s Emile Cairess, who was running alone in 13th place. France&rsquo;s Hassan Chahdi soon drifted off the lead pack, and eight men were in the pack at the 30km point (1:27:20).
With 1:30 on the clock, big changes started to happen. The lead pack was down to five men: Munyao, Bekele, Tola, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Dawit Wolde and compatriot Milkesa Mengesha. &nbsp;Less than 10 minutes later, Tola and Wolde had dropped back, leaving Bekele, Munyao and Mengesha as the lead trio. Mengesha lasted five more minutes before he, too, succumbed to the pace, unable to stick with Munyao and the 41-year-old Bekele.
Just before the clock ticked over to 1:55, Munyao finally dropped multiple world and Olympic gold medallist Bekele, who was visibly struggling to match the Kenyan&rsquo;s pace.
Munyao maintained his lead to the finish, eventually winning in 2:04:01 to Bekele&rsquo;s 2:04:15, the fastest time ever by an athlete over the age of 40.
With several of the leading contenders dropping out in the closing stages, Cairess came through to take third place in 2:06:46 ahead of fellow Briton Mahamed Mahamed, who clocked 2:07:05, both setting huge PBs.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:16:16 2 Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:16:23 3 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:16:24 4 Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34 5 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:19:02 6 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:19:31 7 Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:23:21 8 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:23:26 9 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:24:36 10 Tsige Haileslase (ETH) 2:25:03
Men 1 Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:04:01 2 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:04:15 3 Emile Cairess (GBR) 2:06:46 4 Mahamed Mahamed (GBR) 2:07:05 5 Hassan Chahdi (FRA) 2:07:30 6 Henok Tesfay (ERI) 2:09:22 7 Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:10:00 8 Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:10:03 9 Johannes Motschmann (GER) 2:10:39 10 Brian Schrader (USA) 2:10:50
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir smashed the women-only world record by 45 seconds

Jepchirchir breaks women-only world marathon record in London

Kimberly Garcia strode imperiously to the 20km title at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on Sunday (21).
It was only March when the Peruvian double 2022 World Championships gold medallist stepped off the road in Dudince, barely 2km into World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event, but the 30-year-old bounced back in style with a win at Podebrady at the beginning of the month, and now here thanks to her 1:27:12 performance.
The middle of the race saw the temperature rise both figuratively and literally.
Garcia and her teammate Evelyn Inga ramped up the pace to walk as a duo for just under half the remainder.
It looked as if gold and silver was decided, but disaster struck for Inga when on the last lap of 10 she suffered a two-minute penalty following three red cards.
Such was her lead, there was still a moment of drama when released out of the zone as she chased third place only to finish a desperate four seconds behind Brazil&rsquo;s Erica Sena, enjoying a splendid renaissance at the age of 38.
In front of both and claiming second was defending champion Ma Zhenxia.
The Chinese athlete had walked solo since 10km, but was rewarded for her effort when Inga got stalled.
The improving Paula Torres from Ecuador stepped out of the shadow of her more illustrious teammate Glenda Morejon to claim fifth in 1:29:47, only 15 seconds outside her PB, and on hot day on a shade-less course they were the only race walkers under 1:30:00.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jvlyfKLyPfM?si=Fw3TfiVQU3of5yuE" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Early on, the field was stretched with a phalanx of leaders headed by Garcia going through the first kilometre in a modest 4:37.
By the end of the first 2km circuit, the group had been whittled down to a more realistic 14, including unknown Ethiopian Sintayehu Masire.
The trimmed bunch was no surprise considering the second kilometre was 14 seconds quicker than the first.&nbsp;
By another 2km lap, Garcia&rsquo;s pace had halved the group to seven including the defending champion, Morejon, Masire, Ji Haiying and Shi Yuxia from China, and Inga followed by another seven around 30 metres in arrears.
Just after 5km in 22:04, Garcia and Ma put the hammer down to distance themselves for a few seconds before Morejon and Inga got back on.
The last kilometre had been covered in 4:19, and as the pace like the weather got hotter, Morejon started to struggle.
The front three went even faster for a 4:18 lap to pass 8km in 35:00 exactly.
It was now a trio with the isolated Morejon and Shi also walking solo, with Torres giving chase to the Chinese.
Garcia swapped cooling towels for her neck approaching halfway as the clock showed 43:39.
Morejon notched 44:01 and was out of the medals, with Torres alongside Shi in 44:20.
Whatever is in those towels, the rest of the field could have done with one, because Peru to the power of two went through the gears to ease away from Ma, whose painful grimace was a giveaway.
The Chinese style was also becoming less smooth as she struggled to hold on to a 4:16 pace.&nbsp;
The 12km split was 52:15 for the leading pair, and although Ma was isolated, she was only nine seconds back and just about causing doubt to Garcia and Inga.
That doubt soon dissipated at three-quarter distance in 65:16; it was now 22 seconds back to third, and race done for gold and silver, or so it seemed.
Taking the next turn, Garcia decided now was the time to sort out top spot on the podium.&nbsp;
She put in yet another surge for a four-second advantage over the next kilometre.
In fact, with Torres now a lone fourth and Sena making ground and also walking without company, the first five places appeared settled.
However, fate dealt a cruel hand to Inga, and she was all but on a starting block as she raced out of the penalty zone to just miss out on a medal.
For all that, she too has had a good 2024 so far, winning in Podebrady when Garcia was a DNF.
Inga&rsquo;s game effort also produced a team silver medal to deny Peru first place by the slimmest of margins.
China triumphed with 15 points, the same as Peru, but only on count back.
Spain, packing well in eighth, ninth and 13th, claimed a distant third.
Paul Warburton&nbsp;for World Athletics 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
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<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">SENIOR WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
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<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Kimberly Garcia Leon (PER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">1:27:12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Ma Zhenxia (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">1:27:55</td>
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<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Erica Sena (BRA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">1:29:22</td>
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<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Evelyn Inga (PER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:29:26</td>
</tr>
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<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Paula Milena Torres (ECU)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:29:47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">6</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Ji Haiying (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:30:08</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">7</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Shi Yuxia (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:30:21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Lidia Sanchez-Puebla (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:30:24 PB</td>
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<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Antia Chamosa (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:30:32 PB</td>
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<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">10</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Mary Luz Andia (PER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:31:05</td>
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<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/results/women/20-kilometres-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
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<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">SENIOR WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">China</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Peru</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Spain</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/results/women/20-kilometres-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
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<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/662529dcb32a75aa7c8b1e9d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66239dd4b047247b5cdfc923.jpg" alt="WRW Antalya 24 highlights" /></a>
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Kimberly Garcia strode imperiously to the 20km title at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

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