Andy Diaz Hernandez became an Olympic medallist in Paris last year, leaping 17.64m to claim triple jump bronze behind Spain&rsquo;s Jordan Alejandro Diaz Fortun and Portugal&rsquo;s Pedro Pichardo.
His upward trajectory continued post Paris as he hopped, skipped and jumped his way to 17.71m to win European Indoor Championships gold in Apeldoorn earlier this month.
That performance by Diaz Hernandez comfortably set the benchmark for the rest of the world at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25, his closest rival this year some 28cm further back in the sandpit.
Only once has Diaz Hernandez ever jumped farther &ndash; in Florence with 17.75m in 2023.
He will be intending to show similar form in Nanjing, but hoping to breathe down his neck is Germany&rsquo;s Max Hess, a 17.43m athlete this season who already has 16 national titles to his name.
His breakthrough year came in the senior ranks back in 2016 when he won silver at the World Indoors in Portland and he followed that with European gold the ensuing summer.
His consistency was back to its best last year when he was a contender in the finals of the Olympics, World Indoors and Europeans, finishing in the top 10 of each before clinching silver behind Diaz Hernandez at the European Indoors earlier this month.
A line-up of 16 athletes rich in experience includes the defending champion Hugues Fabrice Zango. No man has ever jumped farther in the history of the sport indoors than his 18.07m and the Burkina Faso athlete is also the world champion outdoors as well as an Olympic medallist.
The one major caveat is that he has been well short of some of his bigger distances so far this season, a best of 16.55m putting him 13th of the 16 entrants for Nanjing.
USA&rsquo;s Will Claye has been a centimetre shy of that mark in 2025 but he has eight global medals in the triple jump to his name and relishes the big occasion.
Cuba&rsquo;s Lazaro Martinez won the world indoor title in 2022 and went on to secure world silver outdoors in Budapest.
Other potential protagonists in Nanjing are Italian Andrea Dallavalle, a 17.36m athlete this season, as well as China&rsquo;s Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Zhu Yaming who has jumped 17.31m this year and will be hoping to impress on home soil.
Following a competition rule change approved by the World Athletics Council at its meeting in December, all 16 athletes will feature in the first three rounds of the final. The top 10 will then advance to compete in round four, which is two more athletes than the previous rules allowed, and the top eight then advance to round five. The top six, rather than the previous top eight, will compete in the sixth and final round.
Matt Majendie&nbsp;for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/triple-jump/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/triple-jump/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/triple-jump/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>
Win probability: 1 Andy Diaz Hernandez (ITA) 50.15%, 2 Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) 23.82%, 3 Lazaro Martinez (CUB) 10.27% (This win probability is powered entirely by data and driven by AI technology. <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/news/news/athletics-ai-track-and-field-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More information</a>)
You can sync this specific event to your calendar with the <a href="https://ql.e-c.al/41HQI0q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new&nbsp;eCalendar feature</a> and receive a mobile notification for each phase, so you won&rsquo;t miss a moment.

World Athletics Indoor Championships

Expected highlights in the men's triple jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's triple jump

Just five centimetres separate Cuban triple jumpers Leyanis Perez Hernandez and Liadagmis Povea &ndash; that is the difference between their season&rsquo;s bests as well as their personal bests and they will clash at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Perez Hernandez has jumped a world-leading 14.62m so far this year and has a PB of 14.98m from 2023, while Povea&rsquo;s best so far in 2025 is 14.57m and her PB from 2021 stands at 14.93m.
There is no denying that Perez Hernandez was disappointed by her showing at the Paris Olympics. She had gone into the event undefeated all season, only to finish down the pecking order in fifth place, but she still won her first Diamond League title that year.
The 23-year-old, a world medallist indoors and out, now has her sights set on a first global title of any description.
Not born into a sporting family, her and her twin sister Lidianis both thrived in their sporting choices &ndash; triple jump and handball, respectively.
Leyanis was first discovered while in the third grade at school and transferred to a sports school instead aged 10, trying both high jump and triple jump before finally settling on the latter.
And coach Ricardo Ponce believes the world is her oyster in her chosen sport. &ldquo;She has the rare talent of being tall, fast and well-coordinated,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;She has huge potential and we will guide her through her physical and mental growth.&rdquo;
There was similar agony for her compatriot Povea at the Paris Games when a medal eluded her by just 3cm, with Perez Hernandez only 2cm further back.
At 29, she is the senior of the pair and is breathing down the neck of her teammate heading to China.
A year her senior is Dominica&rsquo;s Thea Lafond who has yet to record a jump in competition this season but is the sport&rsquo;s form athlete in the past year having won gold in Paris. She is also the defending champion having sealed gold in Glasgow 12 months ago.
Since her Olympic success she has understandably become a superstar back in the Caribbean and she will be hoping to carry on her habit of producing a big jump in round two to seal yet another major title.
&ldquo;It is absolutely beyond my wildest dreams,&rdquo; she said in the wake of Paris. &ldquo;We always said it takes one jump. Second jump at the World Indoor Championships was the big one. Second jump outdoors at the Olympics was the big one. What a year, what a life!&rdquo;
On paper, they look likely to be the big three in this particular competition, but there are threats elsewhere.
Ana Peleteiro-Compaore regained the European indoor title in Apeldoorn with a season&rsquo;s best of 14.37m and before that she secured the Spanish indoor title with 14.33m. The 29-year-old also has great experience on the global stage, having claimed world indoor bronze in both 2018 and 2024 as well as Olympic bronze in Tokyo.
Romania&rsquo;s Diana Ana Maria Ion has also gone beyond 14.30m this year.
Following a competition rule change approved by the World Athletics Council at its meeting in December, all 16 athletes will feature in the first three rounds of the final. The top 10 will then advance to compete in round four, which is two more athletes than the previous rules allowed, and the top eight then advance to round five. The top six, rather than the previous top eight, will compete in the sixth and final round.
Matt Majendie&nbsp;for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/triple-jump/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/triple-jump/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/triple-jump/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the women's triple jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's triple jump

The men&rsquo;s long jump final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 promises to be more than just a battle for medals &ndash; it&rsquo;s a stage for rivalries and redemption.
Heading the field is Olympic bronze medallist Mattia Furlani, who will be eager to avenge his narrow defeat at the European Indoor Championships. In a dramatic showdown, Bulgaria&rsquo;s Bozhidar Saraboyukov snatched the gold medal from Furlani in the final round by just 1cm &ndash; 8.13m to 8.12m.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2023 European U20 Championships, where Furlani edged Saraboyukov by the same margin &ndash; 8.23m to 8.22m &ndash; adding another layer of intensity to their upcoming clash in Nanjing. With pride, history and a world title on the line, both athletes will be determined to leave nothing to chance in their pursuit of global dominance.
The winning distance in the men's long jump at the Glasgow 2024 World Indoor Championships was 8.22m, a mark achieved by both two-time Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou and Furlani. However, the Greek athlete claimed gold on countback, while Furlani settled for silver.
With the 2025 World Indoors around the corner, three athletes in the lineup have already surpassed 8.22m this season: Furlani (8.37m), 2019 world champion Tajay Gayle (8.34m) of Jamaica and Australia&rsquo;s Oceanian champion Liam Adcock (8.33m). The question is, can this trio maintain their impressive form on the global stage, or will another contender emerge to challenge for the crown?
It&rsquo;s been a relatively slow start to the season for the most decorated athlete in the field &ndash; world champion and six-time European gold medallist Tentoglou. The 27-year-old holds a season&rsquo;s best of 8.05m, a modest mark by his high standards.
However, competing against a deep and competitive field at the WIC Nanjing 25 may provide the motivation the two-time world indoor champion needs to reignite his dominance and make a serious bid for the title.
Simon Ehammer, the bronze medallist from the 2022 World Championships, will compete in the long jump in Nanjing, bringing a season&rsquo;s best of 8.20m. The Swiss record-holder across multiple events recently claimed silver in the heptathlon at the European Indoor Championships and will aim to deliver a formidable performance on the global stage.
The World Indoor Championships will mark the season opener for Paris Olympics silver medallist Wayne Pinnock. The Jamaican star is expected to use the competition as a benchmark to assess his readiness for the rest of the season.
African champion Cheswill Johnson recorded a season&rsquo;s best of 8.17m in South Africa and will aim to surpass that mark at the World Indoor Championships.
US indoor champion William Williams (8.16m) and runner-up Cameron Crump (8.04m) will aim to make a strong impact at the World Indoor Championships. Others are China&rsquo;s Shu Heng (8.12m), Japan&rsquo;s Hibiki Tsuha (7.98m) and Gerson Balde of Portugal (8.11m).
Following a competition rule change approved by the World Athletics Council at its meeting in December, all 16 athletes will feature in the first three rounds of the final. The top 10 will then advance to compete in round four, which is two more athletes than the previous rules allowed, and the top eight then advance to round five. The top six, rather than the previous top eight, will compete in the sixth and final round.
Yemi Galadima for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/long-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/long-jump/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/long-jump/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/long-jump/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>
Win probability: 1 Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) 31.9%, 2 Wayne Pinnock (JAM) 20.9%, 3 Mattia Furlani (ITA) 16.7% (This win probability is powered entirely by data and driven by AI technology. <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/news/news/athletics-ai-track-and-field-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More information</a>)
You can sync this specific event to your calendar with the&nbsp;<a href="https://ql.e-c.al/41HQI0q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new&nbsp;eCalendar feature</a>&nbsp;and receive a mobile notification for each phase, so you won&rsquo;t miss a moment.

Expected highlights in the men's long jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's long jump

The absence of the Olympic medallists from the women&rsquo;s long jump at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 adds an element of unpredictability, creating a perfect stage for emerging talents to shine.&nbsp;
With several rising stars already making waves this season, the competition promises to deliver breakthrough performances as athletes aim to seize the moment and establish themselves on the global stage.&nbsp;
Topping this list is Anthaya Charlton, the 21-year-old younger sister of world 60m hurdles record-holder Devynne Charlton. The Bahamian national champion, who represents the University of Florida, delivered a breakout performance at the Razorback Invitational in January, leaping to an outright national record of 6.98m.&nbsp;
The distance also placed her second on the US collegiate indoor all-time list, surpassing the 6.93m achieved by Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall in 2021, and putting her behind only Olympic bronze medallist Jasmine Moore with her 7.03m from 2023.&nbsp;
Charlton&rsquo;s 6.98m also stood as the world lead until Malaika Mihambo, the Olympic silver medallist in Paris, surpassed it with a 7.07m effort. As Charlton prepares to make her World Indoors debut, she is expected to be a serious contender for the gold medal and will aim to carry her impressive form on to the global stage.
Swiss athlete Annik Kalin is another strong contender. Her season&rsquo;s best of 6.90m is just 8cm shy of Charlton&rsquo;s leading mark, positioning her as a serious threat for a podium finish.
A versatile athlete, Kalin finished fourth in the heptathlon at the Paris Olympic Games and she arrives in Nanjing fresh off claiming the European indoor silver medal in the long jump, where she was narrowly beaten by Larissa Iapichino.&nbsp;
USA&rsquo;s Monae' Nichols and Spain&rsquo;s Fatima Diame, the silver and bronze medallists from the Glasgow World Indoor Championships last year, will aim to replicate or improve on their performances when they compete in Nanjing.
Both athletes arrive with identical season&rsquo;s bests of 6.73m. With the competition heating up, both jumpers will need to dig deep to maintain their elite status against a rising generation of talent.
Serbian athlete Milica Gardasevic will be eager to claim a medal at the WIC Nanjing 25 following near misses at major events. After finishing sixth at last year&rsquo;s World Indoors and fourth at the European Indoors, she will aim to break on to the podium this time around. With a season&rsquo;s best of 6.75m, Gardasevic has shown she is in form and capable of challenging the leading contenders.&nbsp;
Alina Rotaru-Kottmann, the Budapest world bronze medallist and Paris Olympics finalist, will need to elevate her performance if she hopes to contend for a medal. With a season&rsquo;s best of 6.41m, the Romanian athlete could pose a significant threat in a competitive field if she can recapture the form that earned her a World Championships medal.
Other athletes who will fancy their chances are USA&rsquo;s Claire Bryant 6.72m), Anna Matuszewicz of Poland (6.71m), Bulgarian Plamena Mitkova (6.70m), Great Britain&rsquo;s Funminiyi Olajide (6.67m) and African Games bronze medallist from Nigeria, Prestina Ochonogor (6.64m).
Following a competition rule change approved by the World Athletics Council at its meeting in December, all 16 athletes will feature in the first three rounds of the final. The top 10 will then advance to compete in round four, which is two more athletes than the previous rules allowed, and the top eight then advance to round five. The top six, rather than the previous top eight, will compete in the sixth and final round.
Yemi Galadima for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/long-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/long-jump/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/long-jump/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/long-jump/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the women's long jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's long jump

With its catchy Eurobeat backing track, Mondo Duplantis announced his musical talents to the world with his single Bop at the end of February.
It charted at 31 in the Swedish single heights and, while he&rsquo;s unlikely to hit the musical heights of his compatriots Abba, there seems to be no end to how high he can go in the world of pole vault and at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 he targets a third consecutive world indoor title.
When he announced his debut single, there were a few quick enough to quip in response on social media that he was bored of records so was now instead making them.
But he quickly put that to bed as he further eclipsed his own mind-bending world pole vault record with a clearance of 6.27m in Clermont-Ferrand. It was the 11th world record of his remarkable career, and all the more impressively he pulled it off at the first time of asking.
He quipped after returning to the day job: &ldquo;Hopped out of the studio for a sec,&rdquo; perhaps in response to those questioning his commitment to athletics with his new musical ventures. He was a quarter of a metre clear of his closest rival to highlight just how much of a league of his own one of the greatest athletes of all time finds himself in.
Another record seems imminently attainable for an athlete who loves to break such marks on the biggest of stages having missed an attempt at world record No.12 and a 6.28m clearance at the recent Mondo Classic.
Unless something goes seriously awry, it feels like rest of the field will be squabbling for second, a reality they have clearly grown accustomed to even if they might not necessarily like it.
It is to their great credit that they should holler and hoop at every Duplantis success on the pole vault runaway, perhaps hoping some of that greatness will rub off on them.
The closest to Duplantis this season has been Emmanouil Karalis, who improved his Greek record to 6.02m in Clermont-Ferrand, with one other person over six metres in 2025: US athlete Christopher Nilsen.
Nilsen, though, is absent from the 56-strong US team for the championships, instead the sole US spot has been snapped up by Sam Kendricks.
Kendricks is a two-time world champion outdoors and was the silver medallist behind Duplantis in Paris. Should his close friend have an off day he would love to win a global indoor title having three times had to make do with silver.
Others looking to rise to the occasion include home favourite Li Chenyang, who cleared a Chinese record of 5.85m last month, and Australia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall.
Matt Majendie&nbsp;for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/pole-vault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/pole-vault/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/pole-vault/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/pole-vault/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the men's pole vault

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's pole vault

When Molly Caudery casts her mind back on last season, it will be a recollection of the agony and ecstasy of the pole vault.
First, she announced herself on the biggest stage at the World Indoor Championships by winning gold, leading to high hopes of a potential golden summer in Paris. But the wished-for cheers turned to tears as the British athlete stuttered under the pressure of qualifying and failed to make the final.
The heartbreak seems only to have acted as a catalyst to pick up where she left off in her last indoor season, and she recently topped the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold standings, earning her a wild card to form part of a relatively small contingent of British athletes travelling to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Casting her mind back to Paris, she said: &ldquo;I felt great, the best shape of my life. I didn&rsquo;t feel too nervous. I love a big crowd. I don&rsquo;t know why but it wasn&rsquo;t my day. I wish I would have done better but I am going to try learn from this and I will take everything I can from it.&rdquo;
She cleared 4.80m to win her world indoor title in Glasgow, a height she has eclipsed already in 2025 with victory in Madrid with a 4.85m vault.
Despite clearing 4.85m, she is not No.1 on the season top list, that position instead held by USA&rsquo;s Amanda Moll with 4.91m in Indianapolis, where she finished 10cm ahead of her sister Hana. Neither of the siblings will make the trip across to China.
Instead, the US berths are filled by Gabriela Leon and Emily Grove who have clearances of 4.66m and 4.65m respectively this year. That means that Katie Moon, who got bronze behind Caudery and Eliza McCartney in Glasgow last year, will also not be in Nanjing.
But there are all manner of European threats. Continental champion Angelica Moser of Switzerland has cleared 4.80m this year, while Slovenia&rsquo;s Tina Sutej, French vaulter Marie-Julie Bonnin, Italian Roberta Bruni and Finn Elina Lampela have all cleared 4.70m or higher already this season.
Sutej claimed world indoor bronze in 2022 and recently secured silver behind&nbsp;Moser at the European Indoor Championships, where bronze went to Bonnin.
Matt Majendie&nbsp;for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/pole-vault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/pole-vault/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/pole-vault/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/pole-vault/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>
Win probability: 1 Molly Caudery (GBR) 53.87%, 2 Angelica Moser (SUI) 27.87%, 3 Tina Sutej (SLO) 6.76% (This win probability is powered entirely by data and driven by AI technology.&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/news/news/athletics-ai-track-and-field-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More information</a>)
You can sync this specific event to your calendar with the&nbsp;<a href="https://ql.e-c.al/41HQI0q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new&nbsp;eCalendar feature</a> and receive a mobile notification for each phase, so you won&rsquo;t miss a moment.

Expected highlights in the women's pole vault

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's pole vault

Ukrainian high jumper Oleh Doroshchuk has shown remarkable progress this year, steadily raising the bar with each competition. He first set a lifetime best of 2.32m to win the Ukrainian Indoor Championships in Kyiv before soaring 2.34m to claim gold at the European Indoor Championships. With this upward trajectory, all eyes will be on the 23-year-old to see how high he can go as he chases his first global medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Doroshchuk&rsquo;s career has been marked by consistent success across all age categories, earning medals at the European U18, U20, U23 and senior levels. Now, the World Indoors presents the perfect opportunity to signal his arrival on the global stage.
Although he finished just off the podium in fourth place at the 2024 World Indoors in Glasgow and sixth at the Olympics with a best jump of 2.31m, Doroshchuk enters Nanjing as the world leader &ndash; a position that undoubtedly boosts his confidence as he aims to capture his biggest career milestone yet.
However, posing a significant challenge to Doroshchuk&rsquo;s quest for gold is Hamish Kerr, the defending champion and Olympic gold medallist from New Zealand. Kerr enters WIC Nanjing 25 with a season&rsquo;s best of 2.30m, a mark matched by two other competitors &ndash; Jan Stefela of Czechia and Raymond Richards of Jamaica.
As the Oceanian record-holder (2.36m) and Commonwealth Games champion, Kerr boasts an impressive resume. With 10 national titles to his name, the 27-year-old will be eager to add another world indoor gold to his collection and sharpen his form as he eyes the one global accolade missing from his trophy cabinet: World Championships (outdoor) gold.
Meanwhile, Stefela, who finished fifth at the World Indoors last year, has shown steady improvement this season, taking the silver medal at the European Indoor Championships. He will aim to make a breakthrough on the global stage.&nbsp;
Korea's Woo Sanghyeok, renowned for his consistency and ability to deliver on the biggest stages, will be a major contender in Nanjing. The 27-year-old has an impressive track record, having claimed gold at the Belgrade 2022 World Indoors and bronze in Glasgow in 2024, and he will be eager to secure a third consecutive medal.
Adding to the excitement is Jonathan Kapitolnik of Israel, one of the rising stars in the men&rsquo;s high jump. In February the 23-year-old leapt to a lifetime best of 2.31m to win the Israeli Winter Cup Championship, signalling his readiness to compete again on the global stage. In 2021 he won the world U20 title.
The Jamaican duo of Richards and Romaine Beckford are set to elevate the competition at WIC Nanjing 25. Richards, the national indoor champion, enters the championships with a season&rsquo;s best of 2.30m, while Beckford, the 2023 NCAA outdoor champion, brings a wealth of collegiate experience and will be eager to make his mark on the global stage.
Also aiming to leave a lasting impression are several emerging talents. Dmytro Nikitin of Ukraine, a consistent performer on the European circuit, will be motivated to continue his upward trajectory. Manuel Lando of Italy and USA&rsquo;s Elijah Kosibah will both seek to break through and establish themselves among the world&rsquo;s best high jumpers.
Yemi Galadima for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/high-jump/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/high-jump/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/high-jump/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>
Win probability: 1 Woo Sanghyeok (KOR) 34.04%, 2 Hamish Kerr (NZL) 30.69%, 3 Oleh Doroshchuk (UKR) 15.88% (This win probability is powered entirely by data and driven by AI technology.&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/news/news/athletics-ai-track-and-field-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More information</a>)
You can sync this specific event to your calendar with the&nbsp;<a href="https://ql.e-c.al/41HQI0q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new&nbsp;eCalendar feature</a>&nbsp;and receive a mobile notification for each phase, so you won&rsquo;t miss a moment.

Expected highlights in the men's high jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's high jump

The last time Yaroslava Mahuchikh tasted defeat in the women&rsquo;s high jump was at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, where she surrendered her title to Australia&rsquo;s Nicola Olyslagers. However, a repeat upset seems unlikely at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25, as the Ukrainian world record-holder appears poised to reaffirm her status as the world&rsquo;s best when competition begins.
The Olympic champion stands out as the only athlete in the field to have cleared 2.00m or higher this season. She enters the competition with a season&rsquo;s best of 2.01m, achieved in her second competition of the year at the Banskobystricka latka in Slovakia.
She is fresh from her impressive performance at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, where she required just one jump to advance to the final. The 23-year-old then extended her reign by securing her third consecutive European indoor title and fifth senior continental crown with a 1.99m clearance.
Ironically, 1.99m was the winning height at the World Indoors in Glasgow, where Mahuchikh could only clear 1.97m, falling short of successfully defending her title. As she sets her sights on a higher mark to complete the double by adding the world indoor crown to her outdoor gold, her biggest challenge may come from defending champion Olyslagers.
The Australian will make her season debut at the World Indoor Championships, and all eyes will be on her to see if she can replicate her Glasgow heroics. With both athletes bringing impressive credentials to the competition, their showdown promises to be one of the event&rsquo;s most anticipated clashes.
Adding further depth to the medal hunt is Olyslagers' teammate Eleanor Patterson, the 2022 world champion, who arrives in Nanjing with a season&rsquo;s best of 1.99m. The five-time Australian champion, who secured silver at the 2022 World Indoors, will be eager to return to the top of the podium.
Serbia&rsquo;s Angelina Topic, the world U20 champion who won silver behind the Ukrainian in Apeldoorn with a clearance of 1.95m, is coming of age and will want to claim her first global medal at senior level.&nbsp;
Joint NCAA indoor champions for 2025, Elena Kulichenko of Cyprus and Nigeria&rsquo;s Temitope Adeshina, will bring their rivalry to the global stage. Both athletes, making their World Indoors debuts, will be aiming to translate their collegiate success into a podium finish against a stacked field. The pair cleared 1.94m respectively to tie for gold.
USA&rsquo;s Vashti Cunningham, the 2016 world indoor champion and a finalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, will aim to prove she remains a force to be reckoned with.
Germany&rsquo;s Imke Onnen, who placed sixth at the European Indoors, will also be in the mix, hoping to improve on her continental performance and contend for a medal. Rounding out the lineup are USA&rsquo;s Charity Hufnagel, Ukrainian Kateryna Tabashnyk and Italy&rsquo;s Idea Pieroni.
Yemi Galadima for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/jumps/high-jump/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/jumps/high-jump/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/high-jump/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>
Win probability: 1 Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 75.8%, 2 Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) 16.6%, 3 Eleanor Patterson (AUS) 4.7% (This win probability is powered entirely by data and driven by AI technology. <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/news/news/athletics-ai-track-and-field-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More information</a>)
You can sync this specific event to your calendar with the&nbsp;<a href="https://ql.e-c.al/41HQI0q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new&nbsp;eCalendar feature</a>&nbsp;and receive a mobile notification for each phase, so you won&rsquo;t miss a moment.

Expected highlights in the women's high jump

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's high jump

The incredible domestic rivalry between Norwegian duo Markus Rooth and Sander Skotheim has been one of the key storylines in the men&rsquo;s combined events in recent years.
Last year, Rooth was unable to finish at both the World Indoors and the European Championships and could only look on as his teammate Skotheim claimed silver medals in both competitions, setting national records of 6407 in the heptathlon in Glasgow and 8635 in the decathlon in Rome.
Their fortune was reversed at the Olympic Games, though, as Skotheim failed to register a mark in the pole vault while Rooth went on to claim gold with 8796, improving on his teammate&rsquo;s national record.
Fast forward to 2025, and this season has been all about Skotheim &ndash; partly because Rooth is skipping the indoor season entirely, but also because Skotheim has been in sensational form.
In Tallinn last month, he broke Kevin Mayer&rsquo;s European indoor heptathlon record with 6484. He went on to add 74 points to that mark when taking gold at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn with 6558, moving him to third on the world indoor all-time list.
He has set PBs in almost every discipline this year, including a national indoor long jump record of 8.19m. With weapons like that in his artillery, he&rsquo;ll be tough to beat.
But as every combined eventer knows &ndash; especially Norwegian ones &ndash; competitions don&rsquo;t always go to plan. And if Skotheim has any slip-ups in Nanjing, there&rsquo;ll be plenty of opponents poised to capitalise.
Germany&rsquo;s Till Steinforth has added almost 200 points to his PB this year, scoring 6388 to take European indoor bronze earlier this month.
European champion Johannes Erm finished just shy of the medals at the European Indoors, despite setting a PB of 6380, so he&rsquo;ll be motivated to make it on to the podium in Nanjing and at least match his bronze medal from Glasgow last year. He&rsquo;s joined on the Estonian team by Risto Lillemets, the 2023 European indoor bronze medallist.
World University Games champion Vilem Strasky of the Czech Republic is fresh from a 6162 PB at the European Indoors, making him the fourth-best entrant on season&rsquo;s bests.
Heath Baldwin and Harrison Williams, the US decathlon champions in 2024 and 2023 respectively, haven&rsquo;t contested an indoor heptathlon this year, but both are capable of scoring in excess of 8600 for the decathlon so cannot be discounted.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/heptathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/combined-events/heptathlon-short-track/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/combined-events/heptathlon-short-track/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/decathlon/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the men's heptathlon

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's heptathlon

History beckons in more ways than one in the women&rsquo;s pentathlon at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Saga Vanninen, the silver medallist in Glasgow last year, is bidding to become the first Finnish woman to win a senior global combined events title. Meanwhile, leading opponent Kate O&rsquo;Connor will be hoping to become the first Irish woman to win a global combined events medal.
The duo have already locked horns twice this year, both times resulting in the two women setting national records with Vanninen coming out on top.
She won in Tallinn in February with 4843 as O&rsquo;Connor placed second with 4683. Five weeks later at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Vanninen improved the Finnish record to a world-leading 4922 to take gold, while O&rsquo;Connor claimed bronze with 4781. During that competition in the Dutch city, Vanninen set PBs in three disciplines while O&rsquo;Connor did likewise in four of the five.
Given the momentum they&rsquo;re taking into Nanjing, it&rsquo;s not inconceivable that they&rsquo;ll improve again on the global stage. But, given this is the combined events, medals aren&rsquo;t a guarantee either.
Hungary&rsquo;s Xenia Krizsan came close to earning her first global medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, placing fourth in the heptathlon. The 2021 European indoor bronze medallist could make the podium in Nanjing if she matches or exceeds her 4644 PB from four years ago.
Paulina Ligarska won the Polish indoor title last month with a PB of 4615, then went on to place fifth at the European Indoor Championships.
USA&rsquo;s Taliyah Brooks hasn&rsquo;t contested a pentathlon since 2018, but she has produced several PBs this indoor season which suggests she&rsquo;s on course to break her PB of 4580 and perhaps even challenge for a place on the podium. She&rsquo;s joined on the US team by national indoor champion Timara Chapman.
Also keep an eye out for Croatia&rsquo;s Jana Koscak, the world U20 champion. She competed at last year&rsquo;s World Indoors, aged just 17 at the time, but was only able to complete the first discipline. Her real time to shine on the senior stage will likely come in a few years&rsquo; time, but Nanjing should provide useful experience.
The indoor pentathlon for women comprises five events undertaken on one day: 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800m. In Nanjing, the competition takes place on the opening day, on Friday 21 March. The 60m hurdles, high jump and shot put form part of the morning session, while the long jump and 800m are contested during the evening session.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/pentathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/combined-events/pentathlon-short-track/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/combined-events/pentathlon-short-track/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/heptathlon/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the women's pentathlon

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's pentathlon

He already holds world and Olympic gold medals, along with countless European titles, plus a handful of world records indoors and out. But the one thing missing from Jakob Ingebrigtsen&rsquo;s collection is a world indoor title.
But the Norwegian isn&rsquo;t targeting just one gold medal in Nanjing; he&rsquo;s going after the 1500m and 3000m crowns.
He&rsquo;s no stranger to doubling up on the continental stage, having achieved the 1500m/3000m double at the past three editions of the European Indoor Championships, along with the 1500m/5000m double at the past three outdoor European Championships. But this will be the first time he has attempted to double up at the World Indoors.
In fact, the 24-year-old has only competed at one previous edition of the World Indoors, and on that occasion he was made to settle for the 1500m silver medal in Belgrade in 2022. And each time he has attempted a double on the global stage outdoors, he has fallen slightly short of accomplishing it.
His fourth-place finish in the 1500m at last year&rsquo;s Olympics clearly stung. It no doubt played a big part in him claiming gold over 5000m just a few days later. It also likely provided inspiration behind Ingebrigtsen smashing the world 3000m record in late August last year.
He carried that momentum into 2025, breaking the world indoor records for 1500m and the mile in the same race in Lievin before going on to achieve his latest European indoor double.
If Ingebrigtsen achieves his target in Nanjing, he&rsquo;ll become just the second man in World Indoor Championships history to take two individual gold medals in one edition, following Haile Gebrselassie&rsquo;s distance double in 1999.
The 3000m will be the first final Ingebrigtsen contests in Nanjing, though he&rsquo;ll have a heat of the 1500m in his legs by the time he takes to the 3000m startline on Saturday. He&rsquo;ll be hoping to have sufficient sharpness to hold off a three-pronged Ethiopian challenge in the form of Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi, world U20 indoor record-holder Biniam Mehary, and steeplechase specialist Getnet Wale, all of whom have bettered 7:30 indoors.
Kenya&rsquo;s Cornelius Kemboi has never competed indoors before, but the African Games bronze medallist has the potential to be in contention.
So too do Australia&rsquo;s Ky Robinson, USA&rsquo;s Dylan Jacobs and Ireland&rsquo;s Andrew Coscoran, all of whom have broken 7:31 this year in fast-paced races on the World Indoor Tour.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/3000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middlelong/3000-metres-short-track/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/3000-metres-short-track/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/5000m/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Expected highlights in the men's 3000m

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's 3000m

One year on from taking gold over 1500m in Glasgow, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Freweyni Hailu has her sights set on taking the title over twice the distance in Nanjing.
The 24-year-old enjoyed an undefeated indoor season last year, which culminated with her world indoor 1500m triumph. So far, her 2025 campaign is shaping up in similar fashion, albeit over 3000m, a relatively new distance for her.
She won that event in Ostrava at the start of February with a world-leading PB of 8:24.17, then went even faster nine days later in Lievin with 8:19.98, beating three-time global champion Gudaf Tsegay and moving to third on the world indoor all-time list.
With Tsegay focusing on the 1500m in Nanjing, Hailu will be joined in the 3000m by compatriot Birke Haylom, who finished third in Lievin in a world U20 record of 8:25.37.
But while Ethiopia has dominated this event at the World Indoors, winning nine of the past 11 titles on offer, last year&rsquo;s edition showed that nothing is a certainty.
USA&rsquo;s Elle St Pierre, the surprise winner on that occasion, won&rsquo;t defend her title in Nanjing, but the US still has strong representation in the form of Whittni Morgan and Shelby Houlihan.
Ireland&rsquo;s Sarah Healy, meanwhile, is fresh from winning the European indoor title in Apeldoorn. Olympic 1500m silver medallist Jessica Hull also has no fear on the global stage and will likely be in the medal hunt. Australian teammate Linden Hall should also be in the mix, and the same is always true for Japan&rsquo;s Nozomi Tanaka.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/nanjing25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/3000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middlelong/3000-metres-short-track/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/3000-metres-short-track/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/5000m/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world rankings</a>

Five things to look forward to on day three in Nanjing

Five things to look forward to on day two in Nanjing

Five things to look forward to on day one in Nanjing

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: men's shot put

WIC Nanjing 25 preview: women's shot put