Ethiopia&rsquo;s Sisay Lemma and Kenya&rsquo;s Hellen Obiri were victorious at the Boston Marathon on Monday (15), winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:06:17 and 2:22:37 respectively.
For Lemma, it was a race of redemption, following two previous outings in the US city that ended in disappointment. His winning time is the fourth fastest in Boston history.
Obiri, meanwhile, successfully defended her title, notching up her third victory in a row in a World Marathon Majors race and leading a Kenyan sweep of the podium.
The two races played out in contrasting fashion; Lemma made an early break in the men&rsquo;s race and built up a huge lead, eventually winning by 41 seconds. Conversely, in the women&rsquo;s contest, the real racing began only in the final few miles with Obiri eventually finishing just eight seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi.
Ten men passed through the first 5km in 14:21, but that still wasn&rsquo;t quite swift enough for Lemma, who increased his pace and started to pull away from the pack. He reached 10km in 28:28, by which point he already had a 25-second margin over an eight-man chase pack that included Evans Chebet and Gabriel Geay &ndash; the top two finishers from last year.
Over the course of the next five kilometres, Lemma had added almost a minute to his lead, reaching 15km in 42:43, 81 seconds ahead of his pursuers.
He reached the half way point in 1:00:19 &ndash; the fastest ever half-way split recorded in Boston &ndash; by which point the chase pack was down to five men: Chebet, Albert Korir, Cybrian Kotut, John Korir and Haftu Teklu.
By the time Lemma reached 20 miles (1:33:48), he had increased his lead to two minutes and 49 seconds and was still just about on schedule to break Geoffrey Mutai&rsquo;s course record of 2:03:02 from 2011. But he had some of the toughest parts of the course to contend with.
He slogged his way up Heartbreak Hill in 5:28 but his lead was starting to reduce as Chebet, John Korir, Albert Korir and Mohamed Esa ran together up the steepest section of the race.
From that point onwards, the chasers continued to reduce Lemma&rsquo;s leading margin. With two miles to go, though, Lemma still had a 90-second cushion over Chebet and John Korir, who were running side by side, both looking set to claim the other podium places.
Despite his pace continuing to slip, Lemma&rsquo;s lead proved too much for his opponents and he went on to cross the line in 2:06:17. The was some excitement further back, though, as the strong-finishing Esa went from fifth at 23 miles to second by the finish line, claiming the runner-up spot in 2:06:58.
Chebet, the defending champion, this time finished third in 2:07:22 - his fourth consecutive podium finish in a marathon major.
&ldquo;I previously didn&rsquo;t finish in this race, so I wanted redemption for that, that&rsquo;s why I came,&rdquo; said Lemma, who last year moved to fourth on the world all-time list with his 2:01:48 victory in Valencia. &ldquo;Thankfully I was able to redeem myself, so I&rsquo;m happy. My plan was to break the course record, but the hills at the end made me really tired.
&ldquo;The reason I raced in Boston is because the course is similar to the Olympic one, so hopefully this will be good preparation for the Paris Games.&rdquo;
In stark contrast to the men&rsquo;s race, a pack of about 20 women ran together for most of the first half. They went through 10km in 33:27 and reached the half-way point in 1:12:33 with most of the big contenders all still in contention, all of whom appeared to be running within themselves, saving their energy for the more challenging parts of the race.
Obiri, past winner Edna Kiplagat and 2022 New York winner Sharon Lokedi featured in the sizeable pack, along with 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi, 2022 world silver medallist Judith Korir, world bronze medallist Fatima Gardadi, and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Buze Diriba.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661d5a721816f2da3634bc3c.jpg" alt="Hellen Obiri wins the Boston Marathon" />
Hellen Obiri wins the Boston Marathon (&copy; Getty Images)
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Just before 30km, USA&rsquo;s Emma Bates attempted to make a break. Her time running a few strides ahead of the pack was short lived, though, and by 21 miles she had fallen behind the lead group.
The pace started to ramp up with about seven kilometres remaining. By 35km, reached in 2:00:48, the pack was down to 12 women with Obiri poised ominously near the front.
About six minutes later, Obiri, Lokedi and Kiplagat broke away to form a lead trio, leaving behind Ethiopia&rsquo;s Workenesh Edesa. After another four minutes of running, two-time Boston winner Kiplagat, now aged 44, had been dropped, leaving Obiri and Lokedi out in front.
Soon after passing through 40km together in 2:15:54, Obiri broke away from Lokedi to begin her long drive from home. Lokedi never let Obiri too far out of her sights, but similarly struggled to get back on level terms with the two-time world 5000m champion.
Obiri, displaying the same finishing strength that has carried the 34-year-old to many major victories and medals, charged through the line in 2:22:37, earning her third marathon victory in what was just her fourth career race over the distance.
Lokedi, also a relatively inexperienced marathon runner, claimed second place in 2:22:45, while Kiplagat completed the Kenyan podium sweep in 2:23:21.
&ldquo;I knew that Sharon was very strong so I tried my best at the end,&rdquo; Obiri said after the race. &ldquo;I tried to push, but she was still close behind me. To win here makes me so very happy.
&ldquo;When I won here last year, I was not that familiar with the marathon. This year my training was perfect and I trusted everything we were doing.
&ldquo;Winning is something very precious to me,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;After winning here, I really hope I&rsquo;ll be chosen to compete at the Olympics.&rdquo;
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:22:37 2 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:22:45 3 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:23:21 4 Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:24:04 5 Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:24:04 6 Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) 2:24:24 7 Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:24:47 8 Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:53 9 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:24:58 10 Dera Dida (ETH) 2:25:16
Men 1 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:06:17 2 Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:06:58 3 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:07:22 4 John Korir (KEN) 2:07:40 5 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:07:47 6 Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) 2:08:17 7 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:09:53 8 Yuma Morii (KEN) 2:09:59 9 Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:10:29 10 Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:10:45

Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri were victorious at the Boston Marathon

Lemma gains redemption while Obiri retains title in Boston 

Lithuania&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/lithuania/mykolas-alekna-14841124" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mykolas Alekna</a> broke the longest standing men's world record, throwing an incredible 74.35m* to smash the discus mark at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting in Ramona on Sunday (14).
That throw improves the world record of 74.08m set by Jurgen Schult in 1986 &ndash; 16 years before Alekna was born &ndash; and it formed part of a series of six 70m-plus throws by the 21-year-old.
Competing on a weekend when discus throwers were blessed with perfect conditions, Alekna showed he meant business from the start, opening with 72.21m. That improved on the 71.39m PB that had moved him up to No.10 on the world all-time list on 6 April, but still he looked frustrated.
The two-time world medallist followed that with 70.32m in the gusty conditions, but seemed much happier with his third-round attempt. It measured at 72.89m &ndash; a mark that strengthened his place at fourth all time.
Despite that huge performance, Alekna maintained his composure to throw 70.51m in round four and the best was yet to come.
Returning to the throwing circle for the fifth time, he launched the implement and pointed at it as it flew through the air. It landed at 74.35m &ndash; initially measured as 74.41m but later revised &ndash; and Alekna made history, going on to complete his series with 70.50m from his final attempt.
The Alekna family now has two of the three best men&rsquo;s discus throwers in history, with two-time Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna &ndash; the father of Mykolas &ndash; now placed third on the world all-time list with his 73.88m from 2000.
Mykolas Alekna&rsquo;s performance came the day after&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/report/yaime-perez-discus-73-09m-jacious-sears-10-77-100m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cuba&rsquo;s Yaime Perez threw 73.09m</a> in&nbsp;Ramona for the longest women&rsquo;s discus throw in the world since 1989.
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna broke the longest standing men's world record, throwing an incredible 74.35m* to smash the discus mark at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting in Ramona

Alekna breaks discus world record with 74.35m in Oklahoma

Cuba&rsquo;s Yaime Perez produced the longest discus throw in the world since 1989 to triumph at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting in Ramona with a stunning 73.09m throw on Saturday (13).
On a day when discus throwers were blessed with perfect conditions, most competitors added a few metres to their lifetime bests. Perez, the 2019 world champion, not only smashed through the 70-metre barrier for the first time, she also threw beyond 71, 72 and 73 metres.
After opening with a foul, the Olympic bronze medallist launched her discus out to 71.96m, smashing her previous lifetime best of 69.39m, set back in 2019. She threw even farther in round three, producing her winning mark of 73.09m. The 32-year-old rounded out her series with a 69.13m effort, then 71.50m before finishing with a foul.
With her winning mark, Perez smashed Valarie Allman&rsquo;s North American record of 71.46m and she now climbs to 10th on the world all-time list.
USA&rsquo;s Veronica Fraley was second with 67.17m and Lithuania&rsquo;s Ieva Gumbs was third with 64.98m, both women setting huge PBs.
<h2>Sears sizzles to 10.77 in Gainesville</h2>
Swift sprint times were the order of the day at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, where USA&rsquo;s Jacious Sears sped to a lifetime best of 10.77 (1.6m/s) in the 100m.
The 22-year-old dominated the race to win by more than a quarter of a second from Kaila Jackson (11.10).
In another section, Tamari Davis won in a photo finish from Melissa Jefferson, both women clocking 10.94.
World champion Noah Lyles opened his outdoor campaign with a victory in the 100m, but Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek made his compatriot work for it.
They were almost inseparable as they crossed the finish line, both clocking 10.01 (1.7m/s), but in a photo finish Lyles was given the win by just five thousandths of a second.
There was another close finish in the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles. USA&rsquo;s 2019 world champion Nia Ali pipped Tonea Marshall to the line, 12.44 to 12.45 (-0.8m/s). Christina Clemons was third in 12.51 and world champion Danielle Williams was fifth in 12.57.
In the heats earlier in the day, Ali and Marshal had been involved in another close finish as both women clocked a wind-assisted 12.47 (2.5m/s).
World champion Grant Holloway took the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles in 13.21 (-1.4m/s), having clocked a wind-assisted 13.10 in his heat.
Elsewhere, teenager Kaylyn Brown smashed her PB to win the 400m in 49.95 from Aaliyah Butler (50.05) and Great Britain&rsquo;s Amber Anning (50.08).
Canada&rsquo;s Christopher Morales Williams, the fastest man of all time indoors, won the men&rsquo;s 400m in an outdoor PB of 44.91, finishing 0.07 ahead of Auhmad Robinson.
There was a speedy US 1-2 finish in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m. A quartet comprising Mikiah Brisco, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Aleia Hobbs won in 41.94, finishing just ahead of another US quartet (Tamari Davis, Anavia Battle, Kiara Parker and Melissa Jefferson), who clocked 41.99.
It was just the second time in history that two teams from one nation have finished inside 42 seconds in a 4x100m.
An international &lsquo;Empire Athletics&rsquo; team won the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, thanks in part to an anchor leg from Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo. The Bahamian brought the team home in 3:23.83, finishing ahead of a US quartet (3:24.09).
<h2>Yan throws world U20 record</h2>
At the age of just 15, China&rsquo;s Yan Ziyi threw 64.28m* to break the women&rsquo;s world U20 javelin record at the National Athletics Grand Prix 2 meeting on Sunday (14).
Yan, who has surpassed 60 metres in four of her five competitions so far this year, threw her previous best of 62.23m in Chengdu at the start of this month.
But she added another two metres to that mark on Sunday to improve both the ratified world U20 record of 63.86m set by Cuba&rsquo;s Yulenmis Aguilar in 2015 and the unratified 63.96m achieved by Elina Tzengko of Greece in 2020.
Yan opened with a throw of 60.83m and followed it with 59.53m from her second attempt. She then fouled in the next three rounds but ended the series on a high, launching the implement 64.28m to win the competition, set a world lead and break the U20 record.
With that throw, Yan defeated three-time world medallist Lu Huihui, who threw 61.95m, also in the final round.
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Yaime Perez produces the longest discus throw in the world since 1989

Perez launches discus 73.09m, Sears clocks 10.77 for 100m

Abdi Nageeye improved his own Dutch record to 2:04:45 and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Ashete Bekere clocked 2:19:30 to win the Rotterdam Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday (14).
In the men&rsquo;s race, Olympic silver medallist Nageeye regained the Rotterdam Marathon title he first won in 2022, improving his own national record of 2:04:56 set in that race by 11 seconds. He won by five seconds ahead of Ethiopia&rsquo;s Amedework Walelegn, while Ethiopia&rsquo;s Birhanu Legese was third in 2:05:16.
That trio had formed part of a group that followed the pacemakers through 10km in 29:06 before 15km was reached in 43:48.
A pack of nine athletes forged ahead and reached 20km in 58:31 and the group was seven strong as 30km was passed in 1:28:09.
At 35km, reached in 1:42:54, four athletes remained in contention to battle for the three podium places &ndash; Nageeye, Walelegn and Legese joined by Kenya&rsquo;s Kenneth Kipkemoi. But Kipkemoi was unable to maintain the pace and he dropped back as the leading trio clocked 1:58:12 for 40km.
From that point, Walelegn and Nageeye dropped two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Legese, with Nageeye tracking Walelegn. Nageeye looked to be waiting for the perfect moment to make a final move and as he kicked, Walelegn could not respond &ndash; Nageeye claiming a clear victory in 2:04:45.
In the women&rsquo;s race, 2019 Berlin Marathon winner Bekere was joined by her compatriot Sisay Meseret Gola and Kenya&rsquo;s Selly Chepyego and Viola Kibiwot as 10km was reached in 32:42.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661bd1577b7df117a9c18598.jpg" alt="Ashete Bekere wins the Rotterdam Marathon" />
Ashete Bekere wins the Rotterdam Marathon (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
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They remained on course record pace as they passed 15km in 48:48, 20km in 1:05:11 and 25km in 1:21:23, with Bekere a stride ahead of her rivals.
Bekere forged ahead and she had created an eight-second advantage by 30km, passing that point in 1:37:48.
Maintaining that momentum, she reached 35km in 1:54:25. While she slowed in the latter stages of the race, passing 40km in 2:11:52, she had done more than enough to hold on to victory, winning unchallenged in 2:19:30 ahead of Kibiwot (2:20:57) and Chepyego (2:22:46).
Prior to the race, a minute of silence was held in honour of world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died in February. Kiptum had been due to run in Rotterdam, where he was hoping to become the first man to break two hours for the marathon on a record-eligible course. Bib number 1, which had been assigned to Kiptum, was not used on Sunday and many athletes wore black ribbons in his memory.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1&nbsp;Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:19:30 2&nbsp;Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 2:20:57 3&nbsp;Selly Chepyego (KEN) 2:22:46 4&nbsp;Emily Chebet Kipchumba (KEN) 2:24:49 5 Pascalia Jepkogei (KEN) 2:24:56 6 Thalia Valdivia (PER) 2:25:23
Men 1&nbsp;Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:45 2&nbsp;Amedework Walelegn (ETH)&nbsp;2:04:50 3 Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:05:16 4&nbsp;Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN) 2:05:43 5 Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:06:07 6 Lameck Too (KEN) 2:06:29
-&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/calendar-results/7207612/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotterdam Marathon results</a>

Abdi Nageeye improved his own Dutch record to 2:04:45 and Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere clocked 2:19:30 to win the World Athletics Gold Label road race

Nageeye and Bekere win Rotterdam Marathon

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/matthew-denny-14436890" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Denny</a> comes from the small (population 1000) town of Allora, 150km south-west of Brisbane and 60km away from the nearest major city, the regional hub of Toowoomba.
They speak plainly out there, and usually with an economy of words, so when Denny tells you he&rsquo;s &ldquo;no b--- s---&rdquo; about winning an Olympic medal in Paris this year, you take him seriously.
Speaking of economy, Denny maximised his outputs in winning the discus at the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7202429" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Championships in Adelaide</a> (11-14 April) with a national record throw of 69.35m. That performance guaranteed him selection for Paris and he was one of 14 athletes making up the first of three tranches of nominations to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
Denny&rsquo;s efforts were laser focused from his &ldquo;one and done&rdquo; performance in the qualifying round on the first day of the senior titles. He threw 66.68m &ndash; a championship record &ndash; packed up his gear and left.
The 2023 Diamond League winner&rsquo;s final was executed with similar precision. His national and championship record throw came in the fifth round, but there was nothing &lsquo;last ditch&rsquo; about it. Three of his efforts surpassed his qualifying championship record. His first, second, third, fifth and sixth-ditch efforts would all have won the gold medal as would his fourth-round &lsquo;walk out&rsquo; foul.
Denny finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and has finished sixth, sixth and fourth at the past three World Championships. His big wins have been in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and last year&rsquo;s Diamond League final in Eugene.
To say he is hungry for a medal would be an understatement. As Bruce Springsteen put it in Dancing in the Dark, he&rsquo;s just about starving to death. No kidding.
&ldquo;Everyone knows I&rsquo;m no BS when it comes to majors,&rdquo; said Denny about his ambitions for Paris &ndash; and beyond. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m there to compete and to win medals and to try to win championships.&rdquo;
A 69.35m gives him a few more weapons.
<h2>First tranche of Paris 2024 team</h2>
Joining Denny as nominations to the Paris team after the championships were high jump pair Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson, middle-distance runners Peter Bol, Claudia Hollingsworth, Abbey Caldwell (all 800m) and Jessica Hull (1500m), Lauren Ryan (10,000m), Michelle Jenneke (100m hurdles) and Chris Mitrevski (long jump).
In addition, race walkers Jemima Montag, Rebecca Henderson, Rhydian Cowley and Kyle Swan were nominated to the AOC. The 10,000m championships were held at last December&rsquo;s Zatopek meeting and a subsequent national record and selection standard also saw Lauren Ryan included in the tranche.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661bbfbbf763e09fb651caa8.jpg" alt="Jemima Montag on her way to victory in Adelaide" />
Jemima Montag on her way to victory in Adelaide (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Under the nomination criteria, those in the first tranche had to have achieved the automatic qualifying standard and competed at least twice in the Australian domestic season. This clause tripped the winner of the highly competitive men&rsquo;s 1500m &ndash; US college-based Adam Spencer &ndash; who had achieved the standard but competed only at the nationals.
Rising star Hollingsworth turned 19 on the day between the heats and final of the 800m. You would have thought she had been racing for years, however, judged by the manner of her win in the deepest event on the women&rsquo;s roster at the championships. Four women had the standard coming into the championship and the four finished in the top four places. But Hollingsworth never looked anything but the winner as she tracked national record-holder Catriona Bisset through a quick first lap. Hollingsworth took control in the final 200 metres on the way to her first senior title in 1:58.40.
Caldwell was second in 1:59.01, just ahead of the former 400m star who is moving up, Bendere Oboya, whose 1:59.33 saw her catch the tiring Bisset in the final 50 metres. Bisset&rsquo;s 1:59.87 made it four Australian women under two minutes in the same race.
If the 800m was the deepest event on the women&rsquo;s programme, the high jump was the sharpest with 2022 world champion and 2023 world silver medallist Patterson meeting world indoor champion, Olympic silver medallist and world bronze medallist Olyslagers. Olyslagers won the battle this day, clearing 2.01m before failing three times at 2.06m.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661bbd224411eb60c6a78e1f.jpg" alt="Nicola Olyslagers at the Australian Championships" />
Nicola Olyslagers at the Australian Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
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Patterson, who has had an injury-interrupted domestic season, cleared a season&rsquo;s best 1.95m and had a couple of decent attempts at 1.99m.
The men&rsquo;s 800m followed a similar trajectory to the women&rsquo;s with relative newcomer Luke Boyes being passed and re-passed by Bol in the final straight on the way to winning in a personal best 1:44.73. Bol, who had to work his way out of a box in the back-straight, looked the winner but Boyes fought back impressively to win by a couple of metres.
Emphasising the exclusiveness of membership in this first tranche, however, Boyes could not be a confirmed nomination because he has not got the standard, while Bol was confirmed because he has achieved it. Ultimately, both appear certain to be in the French capital later in the year.
Mitrevski produced an 8.32m last-round jump to take the men&rsquo;s long jump title and wrap up a place in the Olympic team. Mitrevski had been leading with 8.07m before his monster final effort.
In the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles, Jenneke clinched a place in her second Olympic team with a victory in 12.88 from Liz Clay.
<h2>Spencer triumphs over super-strong 1500m field but must wait</h2>
The 1500m was the strongest men&rsquo;s event of the championships. Three qualifiers &ndash; Adam Spencer, Stewart McSweyn and teenage star Cameron Myers &ndash; plus several others poised to achieve that mark.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661bbd824411eb60c6a78e22.jpg" alt="Adam Spencer wins the 1500m at the Australian Championships" />
Adam Spencer wins the 1500m at the Australian Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Living up to the build-up, seven men were in a position to win the race at the bell. All of them could still do so as they entered the final straight.
Spencer had the best kick, but his win in 3:37.68 was not enough to get him into the first group of nominations. Ollie Hoare, second in 3:37.83, likewise could not be named because injury last year means he does not have a qualifier. Third placed Jess Hunt has run 3:33.60 this year against the 3:35.50. Close, but again, no cigar. McSweyn and Myers, fourth and fifth likewise, could not be selected as it would block some of those ahead of them from making the final team.
So, the best race lived up to expectations, but no selection as yet. Three will get to Paris, but which three remains in doubt until the final deadline.
There was no such problem for Hull, who just races everything and, domestically at least, wins everything. She ran a 60-second final lap to win the women&rsquo;s 1500m in 4:01.39 ahead of Georgia Griffith and Linden Hall who, like many others, will have to wait another day.
World champion Nina Kennedy won the women&rsquo;s pole vault, while world bronze medallists Mackenzie Little and Kurtis Marschall claimed respective javelin and pole vault titles, but they must also wait on final nomination for the Paris team.
Len Johnson for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7202429" target="_blank" rel="noopener">- Australian Championships results</a>

The XXXIII Olympic Games

First tranche of Paris 2024 team decided

Denny throws Australian record to top list of 14 named for Paris

Kenya&rsquo;s Hellen Obiri and Evans Chebet will defend their Boston Marathon titles against formidable fields at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Monday (15).
Obiri &ndash; the only woman in history to have won senior world titles indoors, outdoors and at cross country &ndash; made her marathon debut in New York in 2022, clocking 2:25:49, a time that remains her official PB (as performances in Boston are not record-eligible)
Five months later, she won on Boston&rsquo;s downhill course in 2:21:38, then triumphed in a tactical race in New York at the end of 2023 in 2:27:23.
Her only race so far this year came in January at the Houston Half Marathon, where she finished second in 1:06:07. Having won her past two marathons, the two-time world 5000m champion will be keen to make it three in a row on Monday.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tadu Teshome and Hiwot Gebrekidan are the fastest women in the field, having both set sub-2:18 PBs in Valencia in recent years.
Teshome&rsquo;s last race was at the Shanghai Marathon in November, where she finished sixth in 2:25:05 &ndash; some way down on her 2:17:36 PB from Valencia one year prior. Gebrekidan was eighth in Boston last year, then went on to finish third in Valencia in a PB of 2:17:59.
Other Ethiopian women in the line-up include 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi and former world half marathon record-holder Ababel Yeshaneh, a previous podium finisher in Boston, New York and Chicago.
Obiri is one of four past Boston winners who&rsquo;ll take to the startline in the women&rsquo;s race, alongside two-time champion Edna Kiplagat, 2015 winner Caroline Rotich and 2018 victor Desiree Linden.
Kiplagat, the 2017 and 2021 champion, will be making her seventh appearance at the Boston Marathon. The 44-year-old, who has a PB of 2:19:50, finished seventh at last year&rsquo;s New York Marathon.
Other leading Kenyans in the field include 2022 world marathon silver medallist Judith Korir, 2022 New York champion Sharon Lokedi, 2015 world silver medallist Helah Kiprop, and 2014 world half marathon silver medallist Mary Ngugi-Cooper.
Surprise world bronze medallist Fatima Gardadi will be making her first ever appearance in a World Marathon Majors race. Before finishing third in Budapest last year, the Moroccan had won in Marrakech in 2022 and Rabat in 2023. She set a PB of 2:24:12 to finish second in Xiamen earlier this year.
Linden and Rotich feature in a US contingent that also includes Sara Hall, Emma Bates &ndash; who finished fifth last year &ndash; and Jenny Simpson. Simpson, the 2011 world 1500m champion, made her marathon debut at the US Olympic Trials in February but did not finish, so she was keen to put her newfound endurance fitness towards another race.
Evans Chebet heads to Boston looking to become the first man to win three back-to-back Boston Marathon titles since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot in 2008.
In fact, only four men in total have achieved that feat, with Clarence DeMar (1922-1924), Bill Rodgers (1978-1980) and Cosmas Ndeti (1993-1995) preceding Cheruiyot&rsquo;s triple.
Chebet won in Boston in 2022 in 2:06:51, then successfully defended his title last year in 2:05:54 &ndash; his sixth victory from his past seven marathons.
But Sisay Lemma will take to the start line as the fastest man in the field. The Ethiopian won in Valencia in December in 2:01:48, making him the fourth-fastest man in history.
It was Lemma&rsquo;s first marathon victory since his triumph in London in 2021, but his record in Boston is not quite so strong. He didn&rsquo;t finish in 2017, then placed 30th in 2019. He&rsquo;ll be hoping that Monday&rsquo;s race will be third time lucky.
Tanzania&rsquo;s Gabriel Geay, who was runner-up in Boston last year, also returns to the US city. He has an identical PB to Chebet &ndash; 2:03:00 &ndash; and, like the Kenyan, it was also set in Valencia.
Other men in the field with sub-2:05 PBs are Kenya&rsquo;s 2016 Paris Marathon winner Cyprian Kotut (2:04:34), Ethiopia&rsquo;s Haftu Teklu (2:04:43) and Shura Kitata (2:04:49), the runner-up in London and New York in 2018.
Albert Korir won the 2021 New York Marathon and 2019 Houston Marathon, so he&rsquo;ll be keen to notch up a marathon victory in a third US city on Monday. He has competed in Boston twice before, finishing sixth in 2022 and fourth last year.
Former Japanese record-holder Suguru Osako and Norwegian record-holder Sondre Moen are also in the field, as is Morocco&rsquo;s Zouhair Talbi, winner of this year&rsquo;s Houston Marathon in a course record 2:06:39. Talbi was fifth in Boston last year, finishing one place ahead of Eliud Kipchoge.
<h3>Elite fields</h3>
Women Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:17:36 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:17:59 Judith Korir (KEN) 2:18:20 Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:18:47 Worknesh Edesa (ETH) 2:18:51 Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21 Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50 Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) 2:20:22 Sara Hall (USA) 2:20:32 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:51 Vibian Chepkirui (KEN) 2:20:59 Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:08 Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:21:27 Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:23:11 Emma Bates (USA) 2:23:18 Caroline Rotich (USA) 2:23:22 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:23 Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12 Angie Orjuela (COL) 2:25:35 Fabienne Konigstein (GER) 2:25:48 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:25:49 Desiree Linden (USA) 2:25:55 Dominique Scott (RSA) 2:27:31 Jenny Simpson (USA) n/a
Men Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00 Cyprian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34 Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:43 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:04:49 John Korir (KEN) 2:05:01 Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:05:05 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:29 Sondre Moen (NOR) 2:05:48 Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:06:39 Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) 2:06:48 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57 Kento Otsu (JPN) 2:08:15 Ryoma Takeuchi (JPN) 2:08:40 Sam Chelanga (USA) 2:08:50 Segundo Jami (ECU) 2:09:05 Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) 2:09:07 Matt McDonald (USA) 2:09:49 Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:10:02 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:10:04 David Nilsson (SWE) 2:10:09 Tristan Woodfine (CAN) 2:10:39 Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) debut

Hellen Obiri and Evans Chebet will defend their Boston Marathon titles against formidable fields

Defending champions Obiri and Chebet take on strong opposition in Boston

Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland will send 32 athletes to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 on 4-5 May.
Great Britain secured medals in four of the five relay disciplines at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Budapest, so they will be hopeful of another successful outing in Nassau as they aim to earn qualifying places for the Paris Olympic Games.
&ldquo;The performances in Budapest last summer were fantastic but we know each year the other nations are working harder and harder on their relay programmes,&rdquo; said UKA Olympic Head Coach Paula Dunn. &ldquo;We cannot take anything for granted and we are going there with a clear aim to put us on the road to Paris.&rdquo;
<h3>British team for Bahamas</h3>
Women 4x100m: Kristal Ama-Awuah, Alyson Bell, Amy Hunt, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Asha Philip, Aleeya Sibbons, Annie Tagoe, Bianca Williams 4x400m: Hannah Kelly, Victoria Ohuruogu, Emily Newnham, Lina Nielsen, Laviai Nielsen, Ama Pipi, Nicole Yeargin, Jodie Williams
Men 4x100m: Eugene Amo-Dadzie, Jona Efoloko, Romell Glave, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Reece Prescod, Chijindu Ujah 4x400m: Joe Brier, Lewis Davey, Charlie Dobson, Toby Harries, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Matthew Hudson Smith, Lee Thompson, Brodie Young
Mixed 4x400m: athletes chosen from men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 4x400m squads

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

Great Britain will send 32 athletes to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

British team named for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

Multiple global medallists &ndash; including double world champions Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez &ndash; will be among the athletes in action at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on 21 April.
The programme features five races (times stated are local time): 7:00 U20 men&rsquo;s 10km race walk 8:00 U20 women&rsquo;s 10km race walk 9:10 senior women&rsquo;s 20km race walk 11:05 senior men&rsquo;s 20km race walk 12:55 marathon race walk mixed relay
The competition holds extra significance this year, as it is a qualifying event for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris Olympic Games.
All races will be contested on a 2km loop course located close to the Antalya Expo Centre in Antalya, Turkiye.
It is a wide, flat course with large turning points at both ends. The start and finish area is in front of the Expo 2016 Botanical Park.
<h3>Scoring</h3>
In the senior 20km races, each team can feature up to five athletes, with the top three athletes on each team to score. In the U20 10km races, teams can include up to three athletes, with the top two athletes on each team to score.
Each race will be scored separately and the team with the lowest aggregate of points will be judged the winner. If a team fails to finish with a complete scoring team, the athletes will be counted as individuals in the race result and be eligible for the corresponding individual medals.
In the event of a tie, it shall be resolved in favour of the team whose last scoring member finishes nearer to first place.
Prize money will be awarded as follows for the senior team events:
Team 1st US$15,000 2nd US$12,000 3rd US$9000 4th US$7500 5th US$6000 6th US$3000
If a world record is broken in the senior women&rsquo;s or men&rsquo;s 20km races, a prize of US$50,000 will be awarded, subject to ratification.
<h3>Marathon race walk mixed relay and Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification</h3>
The marathon race walk mixed relay makes its World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships debut in Antalya. The event involves teams of one man and one woman who will complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in legs of 12.195km (man), 10km (woman), 10km (man) and 10km (woman). Athletes must carry a wristband that will be transferred to the next athlete within the 20m long takeover zone. Scoring for the relay will be according to the finishing order.
Each nation can have up to three teams competing in the marathon race walk mixed relay in Antalya. The first 22 teams to finish will automatically qualify for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Olympics in Paris. Up to five of those first 22 teams can be a second team from the same country.
In Antalya, the composition of each team and the competing order will be declared on the day of competition.
Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 were published on Thursday (11) and are available <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/press-releases/entry-lists-wrw-antalya-24-published" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships

Useful details ahead of the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Key info for WRW Antalya 24

Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 confirm that 431 athletes from 52 countries will descend on Turkiye for the global event on Sunday 21 April.
The entry lists can be downloaded here: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8e56c070960987c7029.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8e56c070960987c7029.pdf">Entries by event and season&rsquo;s best</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8fa6c070960987c702c.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8fa6c070960987c702c.pdf">Entries by country</a>
A total of 198 athletes (108 men, 90 women) are entered for the senior 20km races, while 106 athletes (56 men, 50 women) are set to compete in the U20 races.
The marathon race walk mixed relay makes its World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships debut in Antalya, with Paris 2024 Olympic Games places up for grabs. While the entries by country list features the names of athletes entered by each nation for the relay, athletes entered for other events in Antalya can also be included in the final composition of mixed relay teams.
China topped the medal table at the last edition of the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat, Oman, in 2022, with a total of six gold medals.
Ma Zhenxia was among the winners two years ago and she is entered to defend her senior women&rsquo;s 20km title fresh from setting a PB of 1:26:07 at the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix in Taicang on 3 March. Peru&rsquo;s double 2022 world champion Kimberly Garcia, who was third in Muscat, and Ecuador&rsquo;s Glenda Morejon, who won the 35km race in Muscat, are expected to provide tough opposition.
The fields are stacked and listed for the mixed relay alone are all three reigning Olympic race walk champions &ndash; Italy&rsquo;s Antonella Palmisano, Italy&rsquo;s Massimo Stano and Poland&rsquo;s Dawid Tomala &ndash; plus Spain&rsquo;s Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez, who both achieved a 20km and 35km race walk double at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Budapest.
Tokyo Olympic medallists Lorena Arenas of Colombia, Evan Dunfee of Canada, Jonathan Hilbert of Germany, Koki Ikeda of Japan and Liu Hong of China are also among those listed, as are 2023 world medallists Caio Bonfim of Brazil, Masatora Kawano of Japan and Jemima Montag of Australia.
Sweden&rsquo;s four-time world medallist Perseus Karlstrom is entered for the senior men&rsquo;s 20km, two years on from winning the 35km title in Muscat. Bonfim is also listed for this event, along with Ecuador&rsquo;s world 35km silver medallist Brian Pintado, Germany&rsquo;s Christopher Linke, Japan&rsquo;s Ryo Hamanishi and Spain&rsquo;s Paul McGrath.
The host nation&rsquo;s squad features multiple world age group medallist Meryem Bekmez and world U20 champion Mazlum Demir.
China&rsquo;s Li Chenjie and Yang Xizhen lead the lists of entries for the U20 events.
The final start lists will be available on Saturday 20 April.
World Athletics

Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 confirm that 431 athletes from 52 countries will descend on Turkiye for the global event on Sunday 21 April

Entry lists for WRW Antalya 24 published

Benson Kipruto has won multiple major marathons, but despite being one of Kenya&rsquo;s most consistent and accomplished road runners, competing at the Olympic Games has so far eluded him.
After winning the Boston Marathon in 2021, the Chicago Marathon in 2022 and the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, the 33-year-old has been named on Kenya&rsquo;s provisional marathon squad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. To wear the Kenyan vest on the biggest stage would mean everything to him.
Sharing insight into his lifestyle, ambitions and inspiration, Kipruto takes <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6617b26eb6179ffbd2fe7dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Inside Track</a> on a run at dusk through the tea plantations in Nandi County, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the beautiful environment in which he hones his craft:
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6617b26eb6179ffbd2fe7dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6617ae14b6179ffbd2fe7dbb.jpg" alt="Benson Kipruto: the love of a country" /></a>
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</div>
&ldquo;We feel at home here,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really nice to stay together &ndash; the big athletes, as you say. But here, we are equal because we stay humble. Everyone stays humble here. We all train together, we all eat together, so we are like a family.
&ldquo;Whenever I am in a race or whenever I am training, I get motivated by other athletes, even the young ones. We train together and we encourage each other.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m inspired by the likes of Eliud Kipchoge. When he might retire &ndash; I hope not soon &ndash; I would like to follow his footsteps.
&ldquo;Competing in the Olympics will mean a lot. If I qualify, I will do my best to represent my country. I would be privileged to represent my country for the first time. I love my country.&rdquo;

Sharing insight into his lifestyle, ambitions and inspiration, Kipruto takes World Athletics Inside Track on a run at dusk through the tea plantations in Nandi County, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the beautiful environment in which he hones his craft

Benson Kipruto: the love of a country

Athing Mu, Mary Moraa and Keely Hodgkinson &ndash; the three women who&rsquo;ve claimed the 800m medals at the past two World Championships &ndash; will clash at the Prefontaine Classic when the Wanda Diamond League reaches Eugene on 25 May.
Mu won in Eugene last year when Hayward Field hosted the Wanda Diamond League Final. Having finished third at the World Championships three months prior, the Olympic champion gained revenge on home soil and kicked to victory in a US record of 1:54.97.
Hodgkinson &ndash; as she had done at the Olympics in 2021, as well as at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships &ndash; finished second on that occasion in a British record of 1:55.19.
Moraa wound up fourth in that race, but the Kenyan had won the biggest prize of the year in Budapest, taking the world title in a PB of 1:56.03.
The trio have clashed just three times in the past, with Mu coming out on top in two of those encounters.
It&rsquo;s the second big middle-distance clash announced by the Prefontaine Classic, following the news last month that Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will take on world champion Josh Kerr and North American record-holder Yared Nuguse in the Bowerman mile.

World 800m medallist will clash at the Prefontaine Classic on 25 May

Mu, Moraa and Hodgkinson confirmed for 800m clash in Eugene

In a landmark decision, World Athletics has today (10 April) announced it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games, financially rewarding athletes for achieving the pinnacle of sporting success, starting at this summer&rsquo;s Olympic Games in Paris.
A total prize pot of US$2.4 million has been ring fenced from the International Olympic Committee&rsquo;s revenue share allocation, which is received by World Athletics every four years. This will be used to reward athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in Paris with US$50,000.
This initiative by World Athletics also includes a firm commitment to extend the prize money at a tiered level, to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
When sharing details of the decision, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented: "The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games.
&ldquo;This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport.
&ldquo;We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra US$5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.
&ldquo;While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.&rdquo;
The payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures. Each individual Olympic champion will receive US$50,000. Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team. The format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time.
World Athletics

World Athletics will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games

WRW Antalya 24 preview: global champions prepare to collide in inaugural marathon mixed relay

WRW Antalya 24 preview: new men’s 20km champion set to emerge in Antalya

WRW Antalya 24 preview: Garcia, Morejon and Ma lead 20km clash in Antalya

Medals revealed for WRW Antalya 24

Chopra, Dehning and Weber in Turku javelin clash