Chinese U20 women have achieved 1-2 finishes at three of the past four editions, so it wouldn&rsquo;t be a huge surprise if history repeated itself at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24.
The race walks powerhouse boast the three fastest entrants for this weekend&rsquo;s 10km race, and all of them are more than a minute quicker than the next-best athlete.
Yang Xizhen tops the entries with the 43:55 she produced to win in Taicang last month in what was just her second ever outing over the distance. In that race, the 18-year-old achieved a narrow victory over compatriots Duo Jiecuo and Chen Meiling, who achieved big PBs of 43:56 and 43:57 respectively.
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Like the Chinese trio, Spain&rsquo;s Aldara Meilan and Sofia Santacreu have competed just once so far this year. Santacreu won the European U18 title over 5000m in 2022, then struck gold again at last year&rsquo;s European U20 Championships, this time over 10,000m, setting national U18 records on both occasions.
Santacreu recently set a 10km PB of 45:25, achieved in a race that she won by more than two minutes. But Meilan will also head to Antalya brimming with confidence, following her victory at the Spanish Championships &ndash; which Santacreu missed through injury &ndash; in a PB of 45:04.
Both athletes are closing in on the Spanish U20 record of 44:48, set in 1987 by Mari Cruz D&iacute;az, winner of the senior European title one year prior at the age of 16. Regardless, both Santacreu and Meilan will be more concerned with medals than times in Antalya.
While Santacreu already has two continental titles to her name, Meilan appears to be the stronger performer on the roads. Combined, they &ndash; along with teammate Griselda Serret, who has a PB of 46:13 &ndash; have strong chances of securing a team medal for Spain.
Mexico should feature in the hunt for a team medal. Valeria Flores finished just ahead of Renata Cortes at the Mexican Championships in San Jeronimo in February with Flores prevailing by nine seconds in 45:58. Cortes then went on to win in Dudince last month in 46:36.
Japan has entered a closely matched trio with their three representatives separated by just eight seconds: Sumika Tani (46:49), Suzu Okuno (46:54) and Suzuka Kuge (46:57). Should any of the favourites falter, the Japanese race walkers could contend for a place on the team podium.
Fifty athletes from 24 countries will compete over the two-kilometre flat circuit in the second event of the programme. Weather forecasters predict temperatures of 16C by the time of the event; taking into account Antalya is placed at sea level conditions seem suitable to record quick times.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships

A look at the leading contenders in the U20 women's 10km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

WRW Antalya 24 preview: Chinese trio take on speedy Spaniards in U20 women’s 10km in Antalya

China and Japan lead the way in the U20 men&rsquo;s 10km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on Sunday (21).
One needs to scroll down to sixth before another country features on the entry list, Australia in this case, and it&rsquo;s eighth before the first European, Daniel Monfort from Spain.
The three Chinese athletes &ndash; Li Chenjie, Shi Shengji and Luo Jiawei &ndash; are the only entrants to have bettered 40 minutes for 10km, and those performances came as recently as last month.
Li clocked a world U20 lead of 39:26 at the first Gold Tour race in Taicang on 3 March. Shi, who turned 17 just earlier this year, finished right behind in 39:35 while Luo took third place in 39:42. History is also on their side, as Chinese athletes have won the past four U20 men&rsquo;s titles at these championships.
So, a podium already filled in Antalya? Not necessarily.
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That was on home turf: this is southern Turkey, and a talented Japanese trio will be aiming to upset the red-vested apple cart.
Sotaro Osaka notched a PB of 41:21 in Kobe in February with Taisei Yoshizako claiming second place in 41:34, then they went on to record highly respectable 20km PBs last month (1:22:26 and 1:23:14 respectively). They, along with teammate Yuki Shimoda, will be aiming to become the first Japanese gold medallists &ndash; either individually or as a team &ndash; in an U20 race at these championships.
There&rsquo;s one big contender who is yet to register a 10km mark in 2024.
Frederick Weigel, son of 1983 world champion and double Olympic silver medallist Ronald Weigel, will be aiming to become the first German athlete to make it on to a podium in an U20 event at the World Race Walking Team Championships.
The younger Weigel claimed the European U20 title on the track last year, winning the 10,000m by more than 20 seconds. Aged 18, he recently made his 20km debut in Podebrady, clocking a solid 1:26:24. Weigel&rsquo;s 10km best is 42:44, while his track PB is 41:53.58, but he appears to be capable of bettering both of those marks in Antalya.
Australian 16-year-old Isaac Beacroft clocked a swift 41:39 in Adelaide in February. The former Australian Rules football player recorded the fastest 5000m of all time by an under-17 in December, clocking 19:31.21, falling short of the world U18 best by just 1.07 seconds.
Spanish U20 champion Monfort had a great performance at his national championships, winning in 41:42 at the end of February in Zaragoza.
In terms of times, there is something of a leap to next ranked Riley Coughlan, another talented Australian. His 42:05 PB, also set in Adelaide, is the first of eight other athletes under 43 minutes.
Note, every race walker so far recorded their personal bests at home, and Antalya is anything but.
So, two more promising talents in Emiliano Barba from Mexico and Quentin Chenuet from France can point to great wins on foreign soil. Barba was first home in Dudince last month, clocking a break through 42:06. Meanwhile, Chenuet showed great technique and a cool head on a hot day to go through the gears and break the tape in 42:15 in Podebrady just three weeks ago.
Also keep an eye on Giuseppe Disabato. The Italian has made it on to the podium in every international championships he has contested on the track, taking bronze at last year&rsquo;s European U20 Championships and silver at the European Youth Olympic Festival, plus silver at the European U18 Championships in 2022.
Kazakhstan, making a rare foray into these championships, will be represented by Sherkhan Egizbay &ndash; the youngest in the race at 15 &ndash; and Zharylkasyn Egizbay. Both will be heartened to know their country can boast at least one past winner at these championships: unfancied Sergey Korepanov produced a brilliant race to win the 50km at the 1999 edition of these championships in Mezidon-Canon.
Maybe this race will spring a surprise as well?
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

A look at the leading contenders in the U20 men's 10km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

WRW Antalya 24 preview: Japan and Germany look to break China’s U20 men’s streak in Antalya

Race walking takes a literal step into the unknown with the first marathon mixed relay at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on Sunday (21).
There have been experimental races in various countries as race walkers gear up to its inclusion at the Olympics in Paris, but this will be the first time in a major championship. And it seems there is no lack of enthusiasm for a brave new world.
Three Olympic champions &ndash; Italian duo Antonella Palmisano and Massimo Stano, plus Poland&rsquo;s Dawid Tomala &ndash; along with double world champions Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez of Spain have all put their names down.
Olympic medallists Lorena Arenas of Colombia, Evan Dunfee of Canada, Jonathan Hilbert of Germany, Koki Ikeda of Japan and Liu Hong of China as well as 2023 world medallists Caio Bonfim of Brazil, Masatora Kawano of Japan and Jemima Montag of Australia are also dipping a toe into relay waters.
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The format is two athletes, a man and a woman, cover the distance alternating as follows: 12.195km for the man, 10km for the woman, 10km for the man, and a final 10km for the woman to the finish line.
In short, it&rsquo;s man, woman, man, woman exchanging a wrist band within a 20-metre long takeover zone.
One of the favourites, Spain, has named their entire group of relay race walkers which include Martin, Perez, Laura Garcia-Caro, Alberto Amezcua, Miguel Angel Lopez, and Cristina Montesinos.
Minus Perez, Spain was out in force racing the new concept in Valencia on 3 March. The relay was won by Martin and Garcia-Caro, which was no great shock, but whether Perez becomes Martin&rsquo;s new partner has yet to be decided.
The real purpose of the Valencia race was to find the best way to repeat same in Antalya, and later at the Olympics.
As posted by the Spanish federation: &ldquo;How does a human body deal with stop-and-go? What should athletes do during the approximate 40 minutes they have to stop while their partner walks?&rdquo;
The immediate answer was to collect pin prick blood samples mid race, as well as keeping the likes of Martin readied at race pace using resistance bands to bring him up to speed for a third leg.
The repeating athlete needs to literally hit the ground running, or rather race walking, but can&rsquo;t afford to venture far from the handover zone while doing it. On top of which, they can only build up that readiness towards the end of their partner&rsquo;s leg.
In effect, the balancing act is to keep active for fear of stiffening up without tiring oneself for the racing part. Measuring hydration and glucose levels and how to maintain what&rsquo;s needed without overdoing is apparently just as important.
All data has been analysed at the sports department within the university in Murcia to further Spain&rsquo;s chances of optimum performance.
In terms of current world performances, Spain is headed by Ecuador.
The combination of world 35km silver medallist Brian Pintado and Glenda Morejon, the 35km winner at the last edition of these championships, won in 2:56:49 at the 2023 Pan American Games.
However, both are also down to contest the individual 20km races in Antalya, which take place just before the relay.
The Martin-Garcia-Caro pairing follows in 2:57:04, who in turn head teammates Paul McGrath and Montesinos, L&oacute;pez and Antia Chamosa, plus Amezcua and Mar Juarez &ndash; and less than two minutes between the lot.
China is the first country from Asia to feature on the current relay rankings in sixth place. Wang Kaihua and Yang Jiayu clocked 2:59:09 at the Modugno Race Walk Relay in Italy.
Italy&rsquo;s Olympic champions Stano and Palmisano are one place further back, also one place behind the Chinese in Modugno, finishing in 2:59:30. On paper, this duet should provide the biggest challenge to Spain.
Italy also has the luxury of Francisco Fortunato and Valentina Trapletti &ndash; who have respective PBs of 1:18:59 and 1:29:47 &ndash; as back-up.
Australia and Brazil should also be in contention. Factor in Montag off the back of a 1:27:09 PB in February and one from&nbsp; Rhydian Cowley, Kyle Swan, Will Thompson, or Declan Tingay, and the yellow-and-green vests will mix it with the best.
If Brazil pairs Bonfim with either Viviane Lyra or Erica Sena, enjoying a renaissance two weeks shy of her 39th birthday, they too will be at the sharp end.
The addition of China &ndash; who will be fielding world 20km record-holder Yang &ndash; will make it five very good teams battling for three podium places.
The next ranked countries are Mexico (3:03:18), Portugal (3:10:50), USA (3:13:27), Greece (3:18:38), Croatia (3:34:02), Czech Republic (3:42:04) and hosts T&uuml;rkiye (4:24:44).
A further 27 countries have also declared entries for the first marathon race walk mixed relay at the World Race Walking Team Championships.
Event ambassador Robert Korzeniowski will be one of many very interested spectators. The four-time Olympic champion and world record-breaker is ready to embrace the innovation.
&ldquo;I am very curious how the mixed relays will proceed in terms of qualifying for the Olympics,&rdquo; said the Polish race walks legend. &ldquo;This will be a very exciting and most important pre-Olympic test, and I believe that the marathon distance of the relay and its mixed nature perfectly fit into the new trends in athletics.
&ldquo;I must admit that instead of commentating on the relay, I would like to try my hand at it myself, for example with my sister Sylwia with whom I took part in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.&rdquo;
The final team declarations will be made nearer to the time of the race.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

A look at the leading contenders in the marathon race walk mixed relay at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

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

Even with some of the event&rsquo;s top exponents focusing on the marathon race walk mixed relay, the men&rsquo;s 20km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 features an array of highly talented contenders.
One thing is certain: a new champion is guaranteed to emerge and none of the 20km winners from past editions of these championships are entered for the discipline in Antalya.
Little more than 20 seconds separate the six leading entrants on season&rsquo;s bests, the fastest of whom is the relatively unheralded Ryo Hamanishi of Japan. The 23-year-old has made a major breakthrough this year, lowering his PB by more than four minutes to clock 1:17:42 at the Japanese Championships in Kobe.
In that race, Hamanishi finished just ahead of Yuta Koga, who improved his PB to 1:17:47. While Koga is more experienced than Hamanishi, having finished 12th at last year&rsquo;s World Championships, this will be his first appearance at a World Race Walking Team Championships.
Satoshi Maruo, Kento Yoshikawa, and Tomohiro Noda &ndash; all of whom have bettered 1:20 this year &ndash; complete the team.
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Caio Bonfim is sandwiched between Hamanishi and Koga on the entry list. The Brazilian has shown tremendous consistency over the past decade, having earned bronze medals at the 2017 and 2023 World Championships. The 33-year-old has already had a busy season; Sunday&rsquo;s race will be his fourth 20km outing of the year.
He opened the year with a third-place finish in Taicang on 3 March, reducing his own national record to 1:17:44, before taking a comfortable win at the South American Championships in Recife where 1:22:49 proved to be enough to take gold. Earlier this month, he finished third in Podebrady with 1:18:50, his fifth fastest ever time.
Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom is another highly experienced and consistent performer. The world silver medallist, who turns 34 next month, showed great fitness in Podebrady earlier this month, where he achieved a convincing victory ahead of Canada&rsquo;s Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee and Bonfim.
Karlstrom, who also has three world bronze medals to his name, was a convincing winner over 35km at the last edition of these championships in Muscat two years ago, and he will be looking to maintain his supremacy in Antalya over the shorter distance.
All six members of the high-quality Chinese squad have bettered 1:19 this season. Asian Games silver medallist Wang Zhaozhao is China&rsquo;s fastest entrant for Antalya, following his 1:17:48 PB in Taicang last month. Cui Lihong, who finished one place behind Zhaozhao in Taicang in 1:18:03, will be looking to improve upon his 30th-place finish from Muscat two years ago.
Ning Lu and Xiangfei Zhao, who have respective season&rsquo;s bests of 1:18:08 and 1:18:15, bolster China&rsquo;s team.
The big surprise, though, could come from Spain&rsquo;s Paul McGrath. The European U23 champion excelled at the Spanish Championships earlier this year in Zaragoza where he took an emphatic win in 1:17:55, finishing 40 seconds clear of double world champion Alvaro Martin.
With Martin focusing on the relay in Antalya, McGrath will lead a strong Spanish squad for the men&rsquo;s 20km which also includes European bronze medallist Diego Garcia Carrera and Marc Tur, the fourth-place finisher in the 50km at the Tokyo Olympics.
Ecuador won the team title in Muscat two years ago, and their leading three race walkers from that event will be in contention again in Antalya. World 35km silver medallist Brian Pintado was second over 20km in Dudince last month in 1:19:44, while Pan-American Games champion David Hurtado has a season&rsquo;s best of 1:21:55, a few minutes shy of his PB. National champion Jordy Rafael Jim&eacute;nez set his lifetime best of 1:20:08 at last year&rsquo;s World Championships.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

A look at the leading contenders in the men's 20km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

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

There is so much star quality at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 that despite the double world champion and the Olympic champion focusing on the marathon mixed relay, the senior women&rsquo;s 20km still features multiple global medallists, all on the hunt for further success.
Another double world gold medallist &ndash; Kimberly Garcia &ndash; and two champions from the last edition of this event in Muscat in 2022 &ndash; Ma Zhenxia and Glenda Morejon &ndash; will be among the leading contenders when athletes take to the 2km loop course in the Turkish coastal city on Sunday (21).
Ma led China to a comfortable team victory in Muscat two years ago and she looks in form to repeat the feat, having clocked a PB of 1:26:07 at the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix in Taicang on 3 March. That was an improvement of more than half a minute on her previous best set one year prior.
After winning world U18 and U20 titles, Ma&rsquo;s performance in Muscat was a senior breakthrough and she went on to finish 10th at the World Championships in Oregon and seventh at the global event in Budapest.
She leads the entries when it comes to season&rsquo;s bests and will form part of another strong Chinese squad. The last three senior women&rsquo;s 20km team titles have all been won by China and although the entry list includes reserves, each of the seven athletes named have dipped under 1:29:00 already this year.
Joining Ma near the top of the list are Ji Haiying and Peng Li, who respectively clocked 1:27:19 and 1:27:26 in Taicang but do not have the benefit of as much experience as their teammate. Yin Lamei, who finished 10th in the 35km event at the 2022 World Championships, also set a lifetime best in the shorter event in Taicang - 1:27:36.
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When it comes to experience, Morejon and Garcia both have plenty.
Ecuador&rsquo;s Morejon has the quickest PB of those entered thanks to the 1:25:29 she achieved as a 19-year-old in La Coruna in 2019. In Muscat she won the 35km on her debut at the distance, leading Ecuador to team victory. One of her teammates on that occasion &ndash; Magaly Bonilla &ndash; joins her on the team again, along with Paula Milena Torres.
Morejon finished sixth in the 20km at the World Championships in Budapest and most recently clocked 1:27:21 &ndash; the second-fastest time of her career &ndash; to finish second at the World Race Walking Tour Gold meeting in Podebrady on 6 April.
It was Peru&rsquo;s Garcia, the double world champion in 2022, who beat Morejon to the title in Podebrady and the pair will clash again in Antalya.
As well as her world 20km and 35km gold medals in Oregon, Garcia secured world 35km silver in Budapest and finished fourth in the 20km there. She also won Peru&rsquo;s first ever medal at the World Race Walking Team Championships when she claimed bronze in the 20km in Muscat.
Illness forced her to drop out during the 20km in Dudince in March but she was back to winning ways in Podebrady, where she set a race record of 1:27:08 &ndash; her third fastest ever time.
The race in Dudince was won by her compatriot Evelyn Inga in 1:27:42, just 10 seconds off her PB, and they form part of a powerful team in Antalya, joined by Mary Luz Andia.
The host nation will also have high hopes, with multiple world age group medallist Meryem Bekmez and 2019 European U23 champion Ayse Tekdal on the team.
Others to watch out for include Italy&rsquo;s Eleonora Giorgi and Valentina Trapletti, each competing at their sixth World Race Walking Team Championships, plus Spain&rsquo;s Raquel Gonzalez and Brazil&rsquo;s Viviane Lyra, who secured two top eight places in Budapest.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

A look at the leading contenders in the senior women's 20km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

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

In the final countdown to the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24, the medal design has been unveiled.
Termed &lsquo;the medal of triumph shining under the sunlight&rsquo;, the patterns on the medal &ndash; which have been inspired by traditional Turkish motifs &ndash; symbolise balance and perfection.
The striking lines on the medal evoke the sun&rsquo;s rays, a reflection of Antalya&rsquo;s warm climate. The beams, which were inspired by the &lsquo;Century of Turkiye&rsquo; emblem, represent the light and energy of an athlete on the road to victory.
The medal will not only be an award for the top performers, but also a fitting memory of what will be a memorable competition in Antalya.
The World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 takes place on Sunday 21 April. More than 400 athletes from about 50 countries will descend on the Turkish city, competing not only for medals but &ndash; as is the case for the marathon race walk mixed relay &ndash; for qualifying places at the Paris Olympic Games.
All races will be contested on a 2km loop course located close to the Antalya Expo Centre in Antalya. The first race starts at 7:00 local time, and the programme ends with the marathon race walk mixed relay at 12:55.
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In the final countdown to the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24, the medal design has been unveiled

Medals revealed for WRW Antalya 24

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will go up against world leader Max Dehning and European champion Julian Weber in a javelin clash at the Paavo Nurmi Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, in Turku on 18 June.
The event forms part of Chopra&rsquo;s preparations ahead of his Olympic title defence in Paris in August, as he returns to a meeting at which he placed second in 2022.
In that competition two years ago, India&rsquo;s Chopra threw 89.30m in a contest won by Finland&rsquo;s Oliver Helander with a PB of 89.83m. Chopra&rsquo;s lifetime best is 89.94m, achieved in Stockholm in 2022.
Chopra also won the world title in Budapest last year with a throw of 88.17m.
According to his coach Klaus Bartonietz, Chopra threw 90.40m last year at a training camp in Belek. &ldquo;Breaking 90 metres is just a matter of time,&rdquo; Bartonietz said at the World Javelin Conference in Kuortane last year. &ldquo;However, we say that it's just a number.&rdquo;
Helander also returns to compete in Turku and joining them at the Paavo Nurmi Stadium will be Germany&rsquo;s Dehning and Weber, who finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and the past two editions of the World Championships, plus Finland&rsquo;s Lassi Etelatalo.
The 19-year-old Dehning threw 90.20m in Halle in February &ndash; an improvement of more than 11 metres on his previous best. That mark by the world U20 silver medallist remains the world lead.
These five athletes are the first to be announced for this year&rsquo;s Paavo Nurmi Games, the seventh Continental Tour Gold event of the season.
Organisers for World Athletics

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will go up against world leader Max Dehning and European champion Julian Weber in a javelin clash at the Paavo Nurmi Games

Chopra, Dehning and Weber in Turku javelin clash

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)
</div>
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)
</div>
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>

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