Three-time world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo returned to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon &ndash; the scene of his record-breaking performance five years ago &ndash; and triumphed in a world record of 57:20* at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (8).
The Ugandan took 10 seconds off Yomif Kejelcha&rsquo;s official world record for the distance. Before Kejelcha produced that mark in Valencia in 2024, Kiplimo had held the previous world record at 57:31, which he achieved in Lisbon in 2021.
In the women&rsquo;s contest, Tsigie Gebreselama successfully defended her title, winning by more than two minutes in 1:04:48.
In a race with no pacemakers, Kiplimo covered the first 5km of the men&rsquo;s race in a swift 13:28. Kenyan duo Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich were tucked close behind the Ugandan for the first half, with the trio passing through 10km in 27:00 as Kiprotich started to fade.
Kiplimo and Kipkorir continued to run side by side and passed through 15km in 40:52. Realising the pace had dropped slightly, Kiplimo picked up the tempo and forged ahead, covering the next 5km section in 13:31.
He maintained that pace until the end and crossed the finish line in 57:20. Kipkorir followed in 58:08 with Kiprotich holding on for third (58:59).
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so happy to break the world record,&rdquo; said Kiplimo. &ldquo;After the first 10km, I thought the world record was possible. I tried to keep pushing the pace in the final two kilometres.&rdquo;
Kiplimo had clocked 56:42 in Barcelona last year, but it could not be ratified as a world record because the race conditions were not fully compliant with World Athletics rules.
For most of the way in the women&rsquo;s race, Gebreselama was ahead of the pace she set last year when setting a course record of 1:04:21. She broke away from her competitors in the early stages, passing through 5km in 14:55 and 10km in 30:05 &ndash; both faster than her official PBs for those distances.
The 2023 world cross-country silver medallist tired slightly in the second half, though, and chances of a course record began to disappear. By that point, however, she&rsquo;d already carved out an insurmountable leading margin and was able to coast home in 1:04:48, the second-best winning time ever recorded in Lisbon.
Kenya&rsquo;s Janeth Chepngetich was second (1:06:50) as her compatriot Regina Wambui placed third (1:07:10).
&ldquo;This is my second win,&rdquo; said Gebreselama, who became the first woman to achieve back-to-back wins in Lisbon since Susan Chepkemei in 2002. &ldquo;The race was good. My plan was to run sub-64, but I&rsquo;m still happy.&rdquo;
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Tsigie Gebreselama (ETH) 1:04:48 2 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 1:06:50 3 Regina Wambui (KEN) 1:07:10 4 Tabitha Njeri Kamau (KEN) 1:07:22 5 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 1:07:30 6 Emeline Imanizabayo (RWA) 1:07:35
Men 1 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 57:20 2 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) 58:08 3 Gilbert Kiprotich (KEN) 58:59 4 Benard Langat (KEN) 59:31 5 Mohamed Ismail (DJI) 59:45 6 Oscar Chelimo (UGA) 1:00:12
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Jacob Kiplimo returned to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon and triumphed in a world record of 57:20

Kiplimo breaks world half marathon record with 57:20 on Lisbon return

Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Chepkirui successfully defended her title at the Nagoya Women&rsquo;s Marathon on Sunday (8), winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:21:54 after a late breakaway from Japan&rsquo;s Sayaka Sato.
Sato claimed the runner-up spot for the second year in a row, though this time Chepkirui&rsquo;s winning margin was a lot smaller as Sato finished just two seconds behind in 2:21:56, while Ethiopia&rsquo;s Aynalem Desta placed third in 2:22:37.
Run in cool but windy conditions, a large lead pack of eight women passed 10km in 33:10. Chepkirui was joined by Desta, Sato and Japan&rsquo;s Rika Kaseda, Natsuki Omori, Rino Goshima, Wakana Kabasawa and Yuka Ando.
The group was reduced to six by halfway, reached in 1:10:51, and after another 10km Goshima lost contact, leaving five women together at 30km (1:41:12): Chepkirui, Sato, Desta, Kaseda and Omori.
Omori was the next to drop back, and with about seven kilometres remaining the race had narrowed to four contenders. Kaseda and Desta then lost touch with Chepkirui and Sato, setting up a head-to-head duel between the top two finishers from last year.
The pair remained stride for stride deep into the closing stages before Chepkirui finally managed to edge clear, opening a small gap in the final kilometres. She crossed the line in 2:21:54 to secure her second successive Nagoya title, with Sato finishing two seconds later. Desta followed for third in 2:22:37.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy to defend my title,&rdquo; said Chepkirui, who has a PB of 2:17:29. &ldquo;The wind was really strong, so I needed to stay mentally strong all the way to the finish.&rdquo;
Sato said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s tough to lose the sprint at the end, but I believe I ran a good race today.&rdquo;
Several Japanese athletes were chasing qualifying marks for the Marathon Grand Championship &ndash; Japan&rsquo;s selection race for the LA 2028 Olympic Games &ndash; with the standard set at 2:23:30, or alternatively a top-six Japanese finish with a time under 2:27:00.
The race was held in clear conditions with a temperature of 9C at the start, though athletes faced steady winds throughout the course. A total of 17,101 runners took part in the event, recognised as the world&rsquo;s largest women-only marathon.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
1 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:21:54 2 Sayaka Sato (JPN) 2:21:56 3 Aynalem Desta (ETH) 2:22:37 4 Rika Kaseda (JPN) 2:22:53 5 Natsuki Omori (JPN) 2:23:45 6 Sora Shinozakura (JPN) 2:24:34 7 Rino Goshima (JPN) 2:24:44 8 Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:25:06

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui successfully defended her title at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in 2:21:54

Chepkirui retains title at Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Emmanouil Karalis and Sondre Guttormsen both cleared 6.06m at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen as a historic season for the men&rsquo;s pole vault continued at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting on Saturday (7).
Karalis won on countback, one week on from his 6.17m clearance at the Greek Indoor Championships, while Guttormsen improved his Norwegian record by six centimetres to move to joint sixth on the world all-time list.
It is the best mark ever achieved for second place, beating the 6.05m cleared by Karalis for silver at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing last year.
A record six athletes have now soared over six metres or more this season.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69ac99eb2d0ed23813ace6be.jpg" alt="Sondre Guttormsen celebrates at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen" />
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Sondre Guttormsen celebrates at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen (&copy; Ga&euml;lle Mobuchon)
Greek star Karalis, who sits second behind Mondo Duplantis on the world all-time list thanks to that 6.17m clearance in Paiania, opened his competition with a first-time clearance of 5.70m. He passed to 5.90m and achieved that on his first try before managing a meeting record of 6.06m, also from his first attempt.
Guttormsen needed two tries at 5.70m, 5.90m and 6.00m &ndash; the latter mark equalling the national record he set when winning his second NCAA indoor title in Albuquerque in 2023.
The bar then moved to 6.06m and he cleared that on his third attempt, deciding to call it a day at that point.
Karalis continued and had three attempts at 6.20m &ndash; the first two very close.
The pair will have the chance to renew their rivalry later this month at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, where they are set to go up against Duplantis, on the hunt for his fourth consecutive world indoor title.
Before that, they are all due to clash for the first time of the season at the Mondo Classic &ndash; also a World Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Uppsala on 12 March.
The women&rsquo;s competition in Rouen was won by Great Britain&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery.
Both she and Slovenia&rsquo;s two-time world indoor medallist Tina &Scaron;utej cleared 4.70m on their first attempts, but Caudery clinched victory on countback.
&nbsp;
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Emmanouil Karalis and Sondre Guttormsen both cleared 6.06m at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen as a historic season for the men’s pole vault continued

Karalis and Guttormsen clear 6.06m in Rouen

There was a double surprise at the Dudinska 50 &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Dudince, Slovakia, on Saturday (7) as Bence Venyercs&aacute;n won the men&rsquo;s marathon and Evelyn Inga upstaged the favourites in the women&rsquo;s half marathon.
In the other senior races, Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m cruised to victory in the men&rsquo;s half marathon, while&nbsp;Sofia Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez won the&nbsp;women&rsquo;s marathon.
The women&rsquo;s half marathon race walk had been billed as a battle between Ecuador&rsquo;s Paula Torres and Peru&rsquo;s Kimberly Garc&iacute;a, both athletes with a lengthy pedigree of global success, but Inga took top spot this time, clocking a South American best of 1:33:49.
Alejandra Ortega looked to be on her way to a major win, but the Mexican race walker saw her 57-second lead at 15km snuffed out in a heartbeat when she was called into the penalty zone after receiving three red cards.
That left the door open for Inga to forge ahead of Garc&iacute;a and finish with a comfortable margin over her compatriot: 1:33:49 to 1:34:17. It was only the third time in 19 races that she had beaten her arch rival and both athletes finished inside&nbsp;Garc&iacute;a&rsquo;s previous South American best of&nbsp;1:35:10 achieved in Lima in November.
To her credit, Ortega refused to throw in the towel after her enforced stop and she surged to move into third ahead of a disappointed and tired Torres, 1:35:57 to 1:36:18.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69ac77ce53489e0163bf87e0.jpg" alt="Evelyn Inga celebrates her win at the Dudinska 50" />
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Evelyn Inga celebrates her win at the Dudinska 50 (&copy; Dudinska 50 <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Milan Duroch)
Earlier, Venyercs&aacute;n achieved the best result of his career when the Hungarian won the men&rsquo;s marathon.
The 30-year-old bided his time and watched the race unravel around him before race walking the last 10km solo. His 3:03:45 finish was a European best as patience proved the watchword.
Behind him, early pacesetter Karl Junghann&szlig; recovered to finish second in 3:04:33 while his German compatriot and pre-race favourite Christopher Linke came third in 3:05:44.
But the surprise was the late entry from Aur&eacute;lien&nbsp;Quinion, who finished fourth in the 20km race walk at the World Championships in Tokyo last year.
The French athlete&rsquo;s job, as it turned out, was to nurture a second late entrant, Martin Madeline-Degy, to a 3:02:00 French qualifying time for the European Championships in Birmingham in August.
Quinion coaches Madeline-Degy and all went well for the pair until 32km, when the prot&eacute;g&eacute; had to serve a time penalty. Quinion waited for him by the roadside, only to suffer the same fate 5km later. Madeline-Degy went on to finish ninth in 3:10:31.
In the men&rsquo;s half marathon race walk, Karlstr&ouml;m strolled to one of the easiest wins of his career.
The four-time world medallist from Sweden showed his intent in the first 100 metres when he shot away and he eventually clocked 1:24:58 &ndash; a European best.
It improved another short-lived PB &ndash; the 1:28:52 Karlstr&ouml;m clocked in Mexico last month.
A long way back, Jerry Jokinen from Finland recorded 1:28:17 for second-place. Like Karlstr&ouml;m, he also race walked solo long before half way.
Behind him, Andres Nunez from Mexico claimed the last spot on the podium in 1:28:47.
The race for fourth was the only close finish in the first five. Mateusz Nowak from Poland clocked 1:29:51 and just got the better of 50-year-old Jo&atilde;o Vieira by three seconds &ndash; a wonderful result for the Portuguese two-time world medallist.
The women&rsquo;s marathon saw another comfortable win, this time for Mexico&rsquo;s Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez.
An early charge from her teammate Nadia Manjarrez quickly faded and Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez was on her own from 6km, going on to win in 3:35:37.&nbsp;
Fast-finishing Laura Monje Martinez from Spain overtook the French pair of Elvina Carr&eacute; and Marine Rottier in the last three kilometres to finish second in 3:39:11.
Carr&eacute; then pulled away from the fading Rottier to decide third and fourth as they respectively clocked 3:40:28 and 3:43:12, all improving their personal bests by considerable margins.&nbsp;
In Martinez&rsquo;s case, it was 6:25 better than her debut at the distance at the Spanish Championships in February.
Bianca Dittrich of Germany finished fourth in 3:43:54.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-tour/calendar-results/7228072/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a> 
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There was a double surprise at the Dudinska 50 as Bence Venyercsán won the men’s marathon and Evelyn Inga upstaged the favourites in the women’s half marathon

Venyercsán, Inga, Karlström and Ramos Rodríguez win in Dudince

Jakub Szymański continued his preparations for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on home soil by clocking a Polish 60m hurdles record of 7.37 at the ISTAF Indoor &ndash; a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting &ndash; in Berlin on Friday (6).
The performance moves the European indoor champion to joint seventh on the world all-time list and extends his 60m hurdles win streak to 11 races this season.
World shot put champion Jessica Schilder&nbsp;also achieved a world lead, throwing 20.69m to match the Dutch record she set when winning the European indoor title on home soil in Apeldoorn last year. That result in Apeldoorn had been the farthest indoor throw in the world since 2013.
The&nbsp;26-year-old&rsquo;s 20.69m in Berlin adds 20 centimetres to her own world lead that had also been set in Apeldoorn, last month. Schilder now owns three of the four farthest winning marks of the season and is unbeaten so far in 2026.
Her first valid mark of the competition was 20.38m from the third round and she followed that with a throw of 20.03m. She closed her campaign in style, throwing 20.69m from her final attempt.
Szymański maintained his own win streak in Berlin and with that&nbsp;7.37 he now sits alongside US indoor champion Dylan Beard and silver medallist Trey Cunningham at the head of the season top list.
Only one European athlete has ever gone quicker &ndash; Great Britain&rsquo;s former world record-holder Colin Jackson with his marks of 7.30 and 7.36 from 1994.
Szymański&rsquo;s previous national record was 7.39, set in Ł&oacute;dź in February last year. The 23-year-old will look to take this impressive form with him to Toruń when the World Indoor Championships take place from 20-22 March.
It was a Polish 1-2 in Berlin, as Damian Czykier was second in the final in 7.55.
In other action in Berlin, Great Britain&rsquo;s Jeremiah Azu ran a PB and meeting record of 6.47 ahead of his world indoor 60m title defence in Kujawy Pomorze. He now sits joint fifth on the season top list. Emmanuel Eseme was second in 6.55.
Dutch 2018 world indoor bronze medallist Nadine Visser pipped Switzerland&rsquo;s world 100m hurdles champion Ditaji Kambundji in the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles &ndash; 7.81 to 7.82. Canada&rsquo;s Sade McCreath won the 60m in 7.12.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results/7229999/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a>

Jakub Szymański continued his preparations for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on home soil by clocking a Polish 60m hurdles record of 7.37

World leads for Szymański and Schilder in Berlin

World Athletics is looking for a Financial Controller to ensure accurate financial reporting and oversee the company&rsquo;s accounting operations of the world&rsquo;s most participated sport.
Reporting directly to the Head of Finance, the Financial Controller will join a team of two people and will play a central role in steering the organisation&rsquo;s financial performance. They will be responsible for ensuring reliable budget monitoring, producing relevant financial analyses, and coordinating monthly closings with the accounting team. The role sits within a context of structuring financial processes and deploying a new Finance ERP, requiring rigor, analytical skills and strong communication and training abilities with operational teams. The Financial Controller will ensure that every initiative reflects World Athletics&rsquo; values: integrity, inclusivity, innovation and the advancement of athletics globally.&nbsp;
Job description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=d136be7c-e0ae-4d7d-a88c-d0f314532736.pdf&amp;urlSlug=financial-controller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=d76b9762-9d3e-40de-a977-065cbbe91f3b.pdf&amp;urlSlug=controleureuse-financiere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
Deadline:&nbsp;18 March 2026

World Athletics is looking for a Financial Controller 

Job vacancy: Financial Controller

By the time Christian Plaziat made it back to Barcelona for the 1995 World Athletics Indoor Championships, his quest for a global medal had reached epic proportions.
Hailed as a future golden boy of French track and field after narrowly missing the decathlon podium at the 1987 World Championships in Rome and at the Olympic Games in Seoul a year later, the flamboyant multi-eventer had still yet to find a Midas touch on the global stage &ndash; or a silver or bronze one, for that matter.
He was 31. The litany of heartache stretched back to the rich promise of his early 20s.
Lying second at the halfway stage in Rome in 1987, the 23-year-old Lyonnais faded to fourth. In Seoul in 1988 he was second after eight events but ended up fifth after fluffing the javelin with what he called a &ldquo;shameful&rdquo; 52.18m.
A resounding victory at the 1990 European Championships in Split raised hopes so high for the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo that Plaziat proclaimed the presence of the rising US star Dan O&rsquo;Brien would push him to the decathlon title with a world record score. He finished ninth with 8122 points, 690 behind the victorious O&rsquo;Brien.
Then came the crushing disappointment of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Regarded as one of the leading contenders in the absence of O&rsquo;Brien, who had no-heighted in the pole vault at the US trials, Plaziat dropped out after four events, suffering from knee cartilage damage.
And so &ndash; following a sixth-place finish at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart &ndash; he returned to Barcelona for the World Indoor Championships in 1995.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aad174cd2d39e6099902c4.jpg" alt="Christian Plaziat in action" />
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Christian Plaziat in action (&copy; Getty Images)
For the 31-year-old Plaziat, the road to redemption happened to be a five-minute stroll from Montjuic Stadium, the scene of his 1992 Olympic calamity, to the Palau Sant Jordi.
The d&eacute;j&agrave; vu must have been unsettling. There he was, back on the Barcelona Olympic complex, with O&rsquo;Brien a notable absentee once again &ndash; the decathlon world champion and world record-holder having suffered a hamstring injury &ndash; and with the pressure of expectation again on his shoulders.
Still, the indoor heptathlon was a stronger combined events suit for Plaziat than the outdoor decathlon. Without any of the long throwing events to contest, he had set two world indoor records and one indoor best in the heptathlon and another world indoor record in its predecessor, the octathlon. He had also collected two European indoor crowns.
The team uniform he wore in the Palau Sant Jordi suited him, too. Often dubbed &ldquo;the French Hercules&rdquo; Plaziat looked the part in a natty blue, white and red striped French bodysuit that brought to mind the extravagant blue and white striped pants worn by the Gallic cartoon strongman Obelix.
Like Asterix&rsquo;s muscular sidekick, Plaziat &ndash; or Plazman, as he became known by the French public &ndash; proceeded to summon the strength he needed to see off his opponents, before pulling his uniform down to his waist on a bare-chested lap of honour.
That distinctive bodysuit is now on display in the Museum of World Athletics, thanks to the generosity of the colourful French character who achieved a permanent place in track and field posterity when he finally struck global gold in Barcelona.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aad2068a49d684d3a746e0.jpg" alt="Christian Plaziat's 1995 World Indoor Championships bodysuit" />
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Christian Plaziat's 1995 World Indoor Championships bodysuit (&copy; MOWA)
It was the first time the men&rsquo;s heptathlon was contested as an official medal event at the World Indoor Championships, the event having been held as a demonstration competition in Toronto in 1993, O&rsquo;Brien topping the finishing order.
Plaziat was handily-placed throughout but only hit the front on day two, proving too strong for his rivals to dislodge thereafter.
After opening with 6.96 for 60m and following up with a 7.52m long jump, he settled into second place behind the Estonian Erki Nool, who proceeded to blow his 64-point lead in the shot put. Struggling with an injured hand, the future Olympic champion managed to scrape only a 10.46m final effort and dropped out of contention.
Plaziat threw a steady 14.92m to remain in second, 15 points down on Swede Henrik Dag&aring;rd, and then cleared 2.04m in the high jump. That left him in second spot at the end of day one with 3462 points, just six points behind new leader Sheldon Blockburger of the USA.
Day two, Sunday 12 March, could hardly have gone better for the big French hope. Plaziat flew out of the blocks in the 60m hurdles, clocking 7.85 to secure his first &ndash; and subsequently only &ndash; event &lsquo;win&rsquo; of the competition.
More importantly, he also took the lead for the first time &ndash; his running tally of 4482 points furnishing him with a healthy lead over the emerging Tomas Dvorak of Czechia (4455), Dag&aring;rd (4437) and USA&rsquo;s Ricky Barker (4411).
Plaziat was worried about losing ground, and pole position, to Barker in the pole vault but was guided smoothly through the competition by S&eacute;bastien Levicq. His French teammate topped the order with a 5.30m clearance, while successfully guiding Plaziat through to 5.10m, which Barker matched but was unable to better.
Plaziat started the final event with a 71-point lead over Barker and could afford to cruise through the 1000m, finishing fifth in 2:44.56 &ndash; four places and 5.16 seconds ahead of Barker. The French athlete took the gold with 6246 points, with future decathlon world record-breaker Dvorak coming through for silver (6169) and Dag&aring;rd sneaking the bronze (6142) ahead of Barker (6120).
Serenaded by horn-blaring, tricolour-waving friends, family and supporters, Plaziat savoured the golden moment to the full.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never really performed well without that sense of communication between the crowd and me,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When you saw me take my suit off at the end, it was more about the pleasure of being able to breathe &ndash; those suits are suffocating &ndash; than putting on a show.
&ldquo;My victory is important to me. It&rsquo;s a reward for 20 years&rsquo; work.&rdquo;
Two years later, his multi-events work was over. Sixth at the 1995 World Championships and 11th at the 1996 Olympics, Plaziat hung up his spikes after finishing fifth at the 1997 World Indoor Championships) in Paris.
He retired from track and field, initially to run a pub in Annecy, but his legend lived on.
The French decathlon record of 8574 points he set in 1990 in Split stood for more than a quarter of a century &ndash; until Kevin Mayer notched 8834 as Olympic silver medallist in 2016.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy that it lasted so long,&rdquo; Plaziat reflected. &ldquo;At 52, I&rsquo;ve spent more time living with the French record than without it.&rdquo;
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage
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By the time Christian Plaziat made it back to Barcelona for the 1995 World Athletics Indoor Championships, his quest for a global medal had reached epic proportions

How Plaziat's world indoor title win rewarded 20 years of work

Five new athlete designs have been added to the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) Collectors&rsquo; Cards series and will debut at the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 in Toruń, Poland.
The exhibition, located at Toruń Plaza in the city centre, was <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/news/mowa-officially-opened-at-torun-plaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officially opened on 20 February</a> and forms part of the activations surrounding the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, which will take place from 20-22 March.
The latest additions to the Collectors&rsquo; Cards series highlight athletes whose careers are represented in the World Athletics Heritage Collection through artefacts generously donated to the MOWA.
All five athletes selected for the new cards have enjoyed notable success in indoor competition, reflecting the theme of the Toruń exhibition and the upcoming World Indoor Championships.
The five new cards feature:
&bull; No. 71 Nelli Cooman (NED) 60m &ndash; spikes worn when setting the 60m world indoor record in 1986 &bull; No.72 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 1500m &ndash; bodysuit and bib from the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22 &bull; No. 73 Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) high jump &ndash; notebook featuring the two-time world indoor champion&rsquo;s own artwork &bull; No. 74 Marcus O&rsquo;Sullivan (IRL) 1500m &ndash; singlet from the World Indoor Championships Indianapolis 1987 &bull; No. 75 Frank O&rsquo;Mara (IRL) 3000m &ndash; singlet and bib from the World Indoor Championships Seville 1991
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aac2465c0dfb6b5b903af3.jpg" alt="MOWA Collectors' Card for Frank O&rsquo;Mara" />
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MOWA Collectors' Card for Frank O&rsquo;Mara (&copy; MOWA)
Visitors to the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 will be able to obtain the new cards from Thursday 19 March, while stocks last. From the same day, the cards will also be available via the <a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/visitMOWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online MOWA platform</a>.
With the addition of these five new designs, the series now comprises 75 cards in total. A list of the first 70 cards in the collection can be viewed <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/68b2e159810e64ae5a8d19da.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. The full set can be explored through the online MOWA platform, where individual cards can be requested free of charge
<h2>MOWA Donation Ceremony</h2>
A highlight of the exhibition&rsquo;s programme will be the MOWA Donation Ceremony, which will take place at the exhibition venue at 3:00pm on Saturday 21 March, between the morning and evening sessions of the World Indoor Championships.
The ceremony will be hosted by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe together with Michael H. Burke, Founding Patron of MOWA, and will feature a group of distinguished athletes who will contribute items from their careers to the World Athletics Heritage Collection.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69aac22b5c0dfb6b5b903af0.jpg" alt="MOWA Collectors' Card for Nelli Cooman" />
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MOWA Collectors' Card for Nelli Cooman (&copy; MOWA)
The athletes who will make donations during the ceremony are:
&bull; Nelli Cooman (NED), two-time world indoor 60m champion &bull; Sebastian Chmara (POL), first Pole to win a world indoor gold medal (heptathlon in 1999) &bull; Daniel Komen (KEN), set 3000m and 5000m world indoor records in 1998 &bull; Adam Kszczot (POL), 800m world indoor champion in 2018 &bull; Noureddine Morceli (ALG), 1500m world indoor champion and record-holder in 1991 &bull; Pawel Wojciechowski (POL), pole vault world champion in 2011 and WIC Kujawy Pomorze 26 ambassador
The MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26 presents a selection of artefacts, images and stories from the World Athletics Heritage Collection highlighting the history of indoor athletics since 1970, alongside displays celebrating the history of the Polish Athletic Association since its foundation in 1919.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for World Athletics Heritage 
<h3>MOWA exhibition details</h3>
Date: Friday 20 February &ndash; Sunday 22 March 2026 Location: Toruń PLAZA, Centrum Handlowo&ndash;Rozrywkowe, ul. Broniewskiego 90, 87-100 Toruń Opening hours: 9:00am &ndash; 9:00pm daily Admission: free
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Five new athlete designs have been added to the Museum of World Athletics Collectors’ Cards series and will debut at the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Kujawy Pomorze 26

Five new MOWA Collectors' Cards to debut at World Indoor Championships

<h3 style="text-align: center;">Mentorship a key driver in helping women grow into leadership positions in sport</h3>
Make your pledge&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/pledge-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>
World Athletics is calling on its Member Federations, Area Associations, coaches, technical officials, administrators, athletes and partners worldwide to pledge their time and expertise to mentor women and girls across all areas of the sport, as a commitment to closing the gender gap in athletics.
This pledge forms part of World Athletics&rsquo; contribution to the International Women&rsquo;s Day 2026 global campaign, #GiveToGain, which calls on individuals and organisations to give their time, resources and support to&nbsp;help forge gender equality through abundant giving. By encouraging stakeholders to pledge mentoring hours, World Athletics is turning the #GiveToGain message into practical action across the sport.
Stakeholders are encouraged to register their mentoring pledges via&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/pledge-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this form</a>&nbsp;where they can formally commit the number of mentoring hours they will dedicate over the next 12 months and beyond. They will be able to log their hours, indicate the area of support &ndash; such as coaching, officiating, administration, governance or media &ndash; and outline the type of mentorship they are pledging to provide, whether one-to-one guidance, group sessions, shadowing opportunities or structured development programmes. Pledges made should reflect what stakeholders are currently providing within their local athletics communities, or new support they are willing to offer to help women and girls progress in the sport.
&ldquo;Mentorship is one of the most powerful tools we have to accelerate change. Throughout my career, both on and off the track, I have seen how guidance, support and the willingness to open doors can change the trajectory of someone&rsquo;s life,&rdquo; said&nbsp;World Athletics President&nbsp;Sebastian Coe.
&ldquo;If we are serious about achieving gender equality in athletics, we must be equally serious about investing our time in the next generation of women leaders &ndash; in coaching, officiating, administration and governance. When we give our experience and expertise, we strengthen not only individuals, but the entire sport.&rdquo;
World Athletics already has a number of mentorship programmes aimed at creating pathways for the next generation of talent including the World Athletics Media Academy, Content Creator Programme and Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops.
<h3>World Athletics Media Academy and Content Creator Programme</h3>
With the aim of nurturing the next generation of media talent in the sport, World Athletics has established the Media Academy and Content Creator Programme. By addressing critical gaps in talent, diversity and expertise, the Media Academy is designed to ensure a bright future for the storytelling of athletics &ndash; in journalism, photography and broadcast commentary. Running alongside this is the Content Creator Programme, which was established in 2023 and has become a launch pad for content creators within the sport &ndash; providing a platform for talented creatives on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-media-academy-content-creator-programme-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more about the Media Academy and Content Creator programmes.</a>
<h3>Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops</h3>
Kids&rsquo; Athletics Train the Trainer workshops are designed to upskill Kids&rsquo; Athletics Leads with skills to deliver the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme, and to grow and build a strong network of coaches and teachers within the Member Federations. These Leads play a central role in rolling out the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme in their country, supporting and guiding coaches and teachers in their development. By strengthening these leaders, World Athletics is helping to create sustainable structures that expand opportunities at grassroots and community level.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/kids-athletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more about the Kids' Athletics programme.</a>
"We are calling on&nbsp;organisations and individuals to commit to mentoring women and girls in our sport, whether through formal programmes or one-on-one shadowing opportunities,&rdquo; said World Athletics Gender Leadership Taskforce Chair&nbsp;Stephanie Hightower. &ldquo;Together, by committing our time, expertise and leadership, the athletics community can bridge the gender gap and ensure women have equal opportunities to lead, officiate, coach and shape the future of the sport.&rdquo;
As part of this initiative, stakeholders are also encouraged to share stories of the work they are already doing to support women&rsquo;s advancement. These stories will be highlighted across World Athletics platforms throughout the year to celebrate these efforts and inspire further action and collaboration. The stories can be sent to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:genderleadership@worldathletics.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">genderleadership@worldathletics.org</a>
World Athletics will collect the pledges and connect mentors with aspiring future leaders looking for mentorship opportunities in our sport. The hours pledged and delivered will be tracked and reported to measure impact, ensure accountability and help strengthen development pathways for women across the sport.
World Athletics

Mentorship a key driver in helping women grow into leadership positions in sport

World Athletics calls on global stakeholders to pledge mentoring hours to accelerate gender equality in athletics

World Athletics is looking for a Senior Marketing Manager &ndash; Products &amp; Campaigns to elevate the global visibility of our events, digital products and fan experiences. They will shape and lead integrated marketing strategies that connect athletes, fans, partners and member federations worldwide.
The role will include product and event marketing, campaign strategy and global activation, commercial and stakeholder collaboration, and performance, insights and optimisation.
Job description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=bdebfb8b-6ea4-4d03-a0b0-50d349015018.pdf&amp;urlSlug=senior-marketing-manager-products-campaigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=9f66801e-f18b-4b7d-ba5d-2f23229918b8.pdf&amp;urlSlug=senior-manager-marketing-produits-campagnes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
Deadline:&nbsp;18 March 2026

World Athletics is looking for a Senior Marketing Manager – Products & Campaigns to elevate the global visibility of our
events, digital products and fan experiences

Job vacancy: Senior Marketing Manager – Products & Campaigns

Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Chepkirui will be seeking back-to-back Nagoya Women&rsquo;s Marathon titles when she lines up for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (8).
The event, which this year falls on International Women&rsquo;s Day, is widely recognised as the world&rsquo;s largest women-only marathon and Chepkirui will face some strong competition when she returns to the roads of the Japanese city.
The 35-year-old, who won the New York City Marathon in 2024 and was second in Berlin in 2023, is one of 10 sub-2:22 athletes in the field. The PB of 2:17:29 she set on her debut in Valencia in 2022 puts her at the top of the entry list, but Ethiopia&rsquo;s Aynalem Desta came close to that mark with 2:17:37 in October. The field also features Asian record-holder Honami Maeda, who ran 2:18:59 when finishing second in Osaka in 2024.
"My goal for Sunday is to defend my title," said Chepkirui. "By working together with the other athletes, I aim to run under 2:20."
Chepkirui won last year&rsquo;s Nagoya Women&rsquo;s Marathon in 2:20:40 ahead of Japan&rsquo;s Sayaka Sato and Bahrain&rsquo;s Eunice Chumba. They all return this year to battle again.
Sato went on to finish 13th at the World Championships in Tokyo, three places ahead of Chumba, while Chepkirui followed her win in Nagoya with a third-place finish on her return to the New York City Marathon in November.
For 22-year-old Desta, the race offers an opportunity for her to build on the 2:17:37 PB she ran when winning the Amsterdam Marathon in October &ndash; her third marathon. Maeda&rsquo;s last marathon was a 2:24:36 ninth-place finish in Berlin in September, while she ran 1:10:07 at the Houston Half Marathon in January.
"I have prepared carefully over a long period for this race," said&nbsp;Desta. "My goal is to win, and to do so with the best possible time."
They will line up alongside Kenya&rsquo;s Selly Chepyego Kaptich, who ran 2:20:03 in Barcelona in 2023, plus Spanish record-holder Majida Maayouf and Australia&rsquo;s Oceanian 3000m steeplechase record-holder Genevieve Gregson.
The home contenders will also be racing for qualification for the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya and the Marathon Grand Championship, Japan&rsquo;s selection race for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Among those joining Maeda and Sato will be Japan&rsquo;s 2024 Nagoya champion Yuka Ando, Tokyo Olympian Ayuko Suzuki and 2023 World Championships representative Rika Kaseda.
<h3>Elite field</h3>
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29 Aynalem Desta (ETH) 2:17:37 Honami Maeda&nbsp;(JPN) 2:18:59 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:02 Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN) 2:20:03 Sayaka Sato (JPN) 2:20:59 Majida Maayouf (ESP) 2:21:01 Yuka Ando (JPN) 2:21:18 Ayuko Suzuki (JPN) 2:21:33 Rika Kaseda (JPN) 2:21:55 Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:23:08 Hayat Benhenia (MAR) 2:24:48 Soukaina Atanane (MAR) 2:24:57 Natsuki Omori (JPN) 2:25:36 Rino Goshima (JPN) 2:26:08 Sakiho Tsutsui (JPN) 2:26:51 Honoka Tanaike (JPN) 2:27:30 Yuri Mitsune (JPN) 2:29:04 Kaena Takeyama (JPN) 2:29:20&nbsp;

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui will be seeking back-to-back Nagoya Women’s Marathon titles when she lines up for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday

Defending champion Chepkirui faces Desta and Maeda in Nagoya

Battle will recommence between Paula Torres and Kimberly Garcia at the Dudinska 50 &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Dudince, Slovakia on Saturday (7).
The two go head-to-head for the seventh time in 12 months, with results in that time frame currently standing at 5-1 for Torres.
Before 2025 there was no contest as Peru&rsquo;s Garcia, the double world champion in 2022, had the advantage. But since their clash in Dudince a year ago when Torres triumphed over 35km, the Ecuadorian has held the upper hand.
Torres then won over 20km in Rio Maior and Warsaw, beating her Peruvian rival on both occasions, before Garcia gained revenge in La Coruna, placing fifth as Torres faded to 19th.
Torres then placed fourth over 20km at the World Championships in Tokyo, with Garcia just four seconds behind: 1:26:18 to 1:26:22. Needless to say, both were national records.
Torres then achieved the best result of her life by earning 35km bronze one week later in 2:42:44, with Garcia out of gas &ndash; and out of luck &ndash; in 10th in 2:50:37.
But, as the song goes: it&rsquo;s a new dawn; a new day &ndash; and, in this case, a new distance. The half marathon and marathon are now the official senior road distances for race walking events.
Both race walkers have already had a tentative go at the half. Garcia clocked 1:35:10 in Lima in November, while Torres recorded 1:42:50 back home in Ecuador last month.
If the race is fast, and the weather favourable, an inaugural world record could be on the cards. World Athletics Council determined that any performance of 1:30:30 or better would be eligible to be submitted for world record ratification. The fastest performance recorded to date is Jiang Yunyan&rsquo;s 1:31:39 in Taicang earlier this month.
The supporting cast includes Vit&oacute;ria Oliveira. The Portuguese race walker has a 20km PB of 1:32:22, set in La Coruna last year. Ecuador&rsquo;s Johana Ordonez recorded 3:38:13 for the marathon distance last month; she goes in the shorter race this time.
Rachelle De Orbeta holds the Puerto Rican 20km record at 1:31:09, while up-and-coming 21-year-old Ema Klimentova of Czechia has a half marathon PB of 1:38:31 from Dublin in November.
Mexico&rsquo;s Sof&iacute;a Ramos Rodr&iacute;guez, the 2021 world U20 champion over 10,000m, features among the entrants for the marathon race walk. She attempted a debut at the longer distance last month but was a non-finisher.
She is up against French duo Marine Rottier and Elvina Carre, who have PBs of 3:44:42 and 3:45:55 respectively, and Spain&rsquo;s Laura Martinez, who clocked 3:45:30 at the Spanish Championships last month.
Christopher Linke will start as the favourite in the men&rsquo;s marathon race walk. The German record-holder at 20km and 35km has flitted up and down the distance scale, and usually with success.
The 37-year-old, who took silver over 35km at the 2022 European Championships, will be making his debut at the distance.
Compatriots Jonathan Hilbert, Johannes Frenzl, Abu El Wafa Jassam and Karl Junghann&szlig; will be keeping Linke company. In fact, Junghann&szlig; is no stranger to the marathon &ndash; he ran 2:17:54 for the distance six years ago, and race walked 3:04:51 on home soil in October.
France&rsquo;s Matteo Duc clocked 3:10:12 in November back home and should be likewise competitive. 2022 world U20 bronze medallist Hayrettin Yildiz flies the flag for Turkey.
Perseus Karlstrom, who opened his season with a 3:04:50 marathon clocking, has elected to contest the half marathon in Dudince. The four-time world medallist from Sweden clocked 1:28:52 for the half marathon in Mexico last month.
Brazil&rsquo;s Max Batista Goncalves Dos Santos has a 20km PB of 1:20:24 and should be competitive here. And, despite turning 50 last month, Portugal&rsquo;s Joao Vieira continues to defy the odds. The 2019 world silver medallist set his 20km PB of 1:20:09 in 2006 &ndash; that&rsquo;s before five of the 22-strong field were even born.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

Battle will recommence between Paula Torres and Kimberly Garcia at the Dudinska 50

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Steel-hearted – a shot put story

World Athletics launches Ultimate Fan Challenge

Layla Almasri and Noora Kuran: two lives united by athletics and a desire to inspire Middle Eastern youth

Beyond the finish line: women who changed the sport – and the world