Japanese javelin star Haruka Kitaguchi notched up her first victory of the season, winning on home soil at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix &ndash; a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Tokyo on Sunday (18).
The world and Olympic champion was one of several Japanese athletes to produce a winning performance in the stadium that will host the World Athletics Championships four months from now, but it was the Australian contingent that stole the show with six athletes from Down Under winning on Sunday, three of them breaking meeting records.
For most of the fans in the stadium, though, their focus was on Kitaguchi while the javelin was unfolding. She took an early lead with 61.41m then improved to 64.16m in round five to extend her lead. That remained the best of the day with compatriot Momone Ueda taking second place with 60.66m.
Elsewhere on the infield, Kitaguchi&rsquo;s fellow world and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh enjoyed a comfortable win in the high jump, her 1.96m clearance being enough to win by 11 centimetres. The Ukrainian took one attempt at 2.00m then retired from competition, saving herself for her next outing.
Japan&rsquo;s Tomohiro Shinno won the men&rsquo;s event with 2.27m.
In-form Australian Liam Adcock produced a last-round leap of 8.20m to take victory in the men&rsquo;s long jump. Prior to that, Japan&rsquo;s Hibika Tsuha had led the competition with 8.15m.
<h2>Marshall, Griffith and Thomas break meeting records</h2>
USA&rsquo;s Tonea Marshall powered to a 12.54 triumph in the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles, taking down a meeting record (12.62) that had stood for 11 years. Teammate Alia Armstrong was second in 12.68.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/682980732f37dfcdbe2924d0.jpg" alt="Tonea Marshall wins the 100m hurdles in Tokyo" />
Tonea Marshall wins the 100m hurdles in Tokyo (&copy; Norichika Inoue)
</div>
Three other meeting records fell &ndash; all of them broken by Australian athletes, and all of them in endurance events.
Georgia Griffith dominated the women&rsquo;s 1500m, winning by five seconds and taking more than a second off the meeting record with 4:01.10. Japanese record-holder Nozomi Tanaka was runner-up in 4:06.08.
Rose Davies won in Tokyo for the second year in succession. Twelve months on from her 5000m win, this time she took the 3000m in 8:43.38, an improvement on the meeting record, with Kenya&rsquo;s Helen Lobun a distant second in 8:49.28.
Jude Thomas was a surprising winner of the men&rsquo;s 3000m. The 23-year-old Australian produced a PB of 7:39.69 to win over Ethiopia&rsquo;s Ermias Girma (7:40.42), both men finishing comfortably inside the previous meeting record.
Elsewhere in the distance events, Japan&rsquo;s Ryuji Miura lived up to expectations to win the men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase in 8:18.96, beating Ethiopia&rsquo;s Milkesa Fikadu (8:20.10).
<h2>Favourites beaten in sprints</h2>
The Australian success continued in the shorter track events on a day when some of the world&rsquo;s leading sprinters struggled.
Fresh from a strong run at the World Relays, Australia&rsquo;s Reece Holder won the men&rsquo;s 400m in convincing style in 44.76 ahead of Japan&rsquo;s Fuga Sato (45.23).
Holder&rsquo;s fellow Australian Bree Rizzo emerged victorious from a talented women&rsquo;s 100m field to win in 11.38 (-0.9m/s) as USA&rsquo;s Twanisha Terry took second place (11.42) and world champion Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson, making her season debut, placed fourth (11.47).
There was a similarly surprising winner of the men&rsquo;s 100m. Japan&rsquo;s Hiroki Yanagita, running in lane one, managed to edge ahead to take the win in 10.06 (1.1m/s) from USA&rsquo;s Christian Miller (10.08) and 2019 world champion Christian Coleman (10.11).
The men&rsquo;s 200m was similarly close with USA&rsquo;s Robert Gregory getting the better of 2021 Olympic champion Andre de Grasse, 20.24 to 20.29.
The men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles was won by the same margin as 2022 world bronze medallist Trevor Bassitt took the win in 48.50 ahead of Japan&rsquo;s Ken Toyoda (48.55).
The home crowd was happy with the outcome in the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles as Rachid Muratake led a Japanese 1-2, winning in 13.16 (-1.1m/s) from Tatsuki Abe (13.27).

Golden Grand Prix 2025

Japanese javelin star Haruka Kitaguchi notched up her first victory of the season, winning on home soil at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – in Tokyo on Sunday (18).

Kitaguchi delivers while Australians excel in Tokyo

Nigeria&rsquo;s Favour Ofili became the first woman to dip under 16 seconds for 150m with her performance at the adidas Atlanta City Games street meeting, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event, on Saturday (17).
Racing on a straight temporary track, the 22-year-old Olympic 200m finalist clocked 15.85 (2.0m/s) and won clear ahead of USA&rsquo;s Tamari Davis, who with 16.14 was also inside the 16.23 world best achieved by Shaunae Miller-Uibo in Boston in 2018. Kenya&rsquo;s Ferdinand Omanyala won the men&rsquo;s race in 14.70 (-1.1m/s).
The 200m races were also contested on the straight track and Great Britain&rsquo;s Zharnel Hughes won the wind-assisted men&rsquo;s clash ahead of Trinidad and Tobago&rsquo;s Jereem Richards &ndash; 19.55 to 19.63 (2.2m/s). USA&rsquo;s Lynna Irby-Jackson won the women&rsquo;s race in 22.22 (1.7m/s)
Another world best was set in the 200m hurdles, won by Brazil&rsquo;s 2022 world 400m hurdles champion Alison dos Santos in 21.85 (1.5m/s).
In the more traditional events, South Africa&rsquo;s Akani Simbine maintained his win streak in the 100m this season, first leading the heats with a wind-legal 10.13 (1.7m/s) and then dominating the final in a wind-aided 9.86 (2.3m/s). The world indoor 60m bronze medallist travelled to Atlanta after anchoring his men&rsquo;s 4x100m team to victory at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou last weekend.
Jamaica&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor bronze medallist Carey McLeod won the long jump ahead of Italy&rsquo;s world indoor champion Mattia Furlani, soaring 8.33m to triumph by just five centimetres. Guyana&rsquo;s Emanuel Archibald improved his own national record to 8.22m to finish third.
The women&rsquo;s contest was even closer &ndash; USA&rsquo;s world indoor champion Claire Bryant leaping a wind-aided 7.03m (2.4m/s) to win by a single centimetre ahead of her compatriot Jasmine Moore, the double Olympic bronze medallist.
USA&rsquo;s Cambrea Sturgis cliched a close victory in the women&rsquo;s 100m, pipping her compatriot McKenzie Long as they both clocked 10.98 (1.2m/s).
Former world record-holder Kendra Harrison took the 100m hurdles in a wind-aided 12.30 (2.1m/s) ahead of Tia Jones (12.36). Jones had led the heats and then matched her time from the first round in the final. USA&rsquo;s Trey Cunningham topped the 110m hurdles in 13.16 (0.3m/s).

Nigeria’s Favour Ofili became the first woman to dip under 16 seconds for 150m with her performance at the adidas Atlanta City Games street meeting

Ofili and Simbine put on a show in Atlanta

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is looking for an intelligence operations manager.
The AIU is responsible for the implementation of World Athletics' anti-doping and integrity programmes globally.
The case manager will be responsible for developing, enhancing and managing the AIU's intelligence operations, with a specific focus on proactive reporting and confidential human source development.
The role is full time and based at the AIU&rsquo;s offices in Monaco.
Job description and details of how to apply:&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=929a0b9c-b8c8-4dac-a4a6-ebb536a5b51e.pdf&amp;urlSlug=intelligence-operations-manager-aiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=2fb1cea6-52da-4ed1-9929-27a1c46aadc4.pdf&amp;urlSlug=manager-des-operations-de-renseignement-aiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
Deadline: 13 June 2025

The Athletics Integrity Unit is looking for an intelligence operations manager

Job vacancy: AIU intelligence operations manager

The javelin&rsquo;s 90-metre club gained two new members at the Jehour Doha Meeting with Neeraj Chopra throwing an Indian record of 90.23m before Julian Weber snatched victory with a last-round throw of 91.06m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting on Friday (16).
Both men had thrown beyond 89 metres on several occasions in recent years, with their PBs &ndash; 89.94m for Chopra and 89.54m for Weber &ndash; dating back to 2022. Tonight in the Qatari capital, though, they finally bettered the hallowed barrier, becoming the 25th and 26th men to throw beyond 90 metres.
Chopra, the world champion, opened with 88.44m to take an early lead, while Weber started with a more conservative 83.82m. Chropa then produced his PB throw in round three, breaking his own Indian record with 90.23m, then Weber responded with 89.06m.
Chopra didn&rsquo;t improve on his third effort and closed out his series with a solid 88.20m, but Weber finished with a flourish, throwing 89.84m in round five then a world-leading 91.06m to take victory in the final round. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters was third with 85.64m.
It was just the seventh time in history that two men have thrown beyond 90 metres in the same javelin competition. Weber now moves to 17th on the world all-time list while Chopra sits at 24th.
"I don't know how that happened," said Weber, the 2022 European champion. "The previous weeks weren't that good for me, but today I just felt great. It also was the winning throw in the last round, so it came out really perfect.
"The conditions here in Doha with the backwind is great for us javelin throwers. If you make the right adjustments and throw a little higher, it just flies great.
"I was really happy for Neeraj because he had been fighting for that 90-metre throw for some time and it was really special to achieve it tonight."
<h2>World leads for Masalela, Clayton and Cherotich</h2>
World and Olympic finalist Tshepiso Masalela from Botswana produced a well-timed run to win the men&rsquo;s 800m. He passed Kenya&rsquo;s Wycliffe Kinyamal in the closing stages and held off USA&rsquo;s Bryce Hoppel to win in a world-leading 1:43.11, just 0.11 shy of the meeting record set by David Rudisha 15 years ago.
Hoppel took second place in 1:43.26, just ahead of Kinyamal (1:43.37).
Another world-leading mark was established soon after, this time by Olympic finalist Tia Clayton in the women&rsquo;s 100m. The 20-year-old Jamaican got a great start and managed to hold her advantage to the line, finishing ahead of her twin sister Tina, 10.92 to 11.02 (2.0m/s). Britain&rsquo;s Amy Hunt was third in a PB of 11.03, just ahead of multiple world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.05).
At the end of the evening, Faith Cherotich produced a thrilling finish to win the women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase in a world-leading 9:05.08. World and Olympic champion Winfred Yavi was in control going into the final lap. Cherotich drew level on the back straight, but Yavi had a slight lead coming off the final bend.
Cherotich, the Olympic bronze medallist, negotiated the final barrier best, though, and charged past Yavi in the closing stages to win by 0.18. Ethiopia&rsquo;s Sembo Almayew was third in 9:09.27.
Olympic champion Thea Lafond produced a world-leading leap in the triple jump, but didn&rsquo;t win. Jamaica&rsquo;s Shanieka Ricketts sailed out to a wind-assisted 14.72m (3.2m/s) in the second round, which remained the best of the day, but Lafond&rsquo;s leap of 14.39 (1.9m/s) for second place is the farthest wind-legal outdoor jump in the world this year.
<h2>Tebogo takes 200 triumph</h2>
Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, contesting his first 200m on the Diamond League circuit this year, emerged with a narrow victory. The versatile sprinter from Botswana coasted into the lead but eased down &ndash; almost too much &ndash; before the end, crossing the line in a season&rsquo;s best of 20.10 (0.7m/s) to win ahead of USA&rsquo;s Courtney Lindsey (20.11).
Earlier in the programme, 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser equalled the meeting record of 49.83 to win the women&rsquo;s 400m ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka (50.92), while Jamaica&rsquo;s Rasheed Broadbell took the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles in 13.14.
<h2>Denny defeats discus stalwarts</h2>
Olympic bronze medallist Matt Denny got the better of Daniel Stahl and Kristjan Ceh, winners of the past two world titles, to win the discus with 68.97m.
Denny, competing for the first time since going to second on the world all-time list with 74.78m in Ramona last month, took an early lead with his opening effort of 67.33m, then improved to his winning effort in the final round. Stahl (67.06m) and Ceh (66.92m), neither of whom have competed in Ramona this year, both set season&rsquo;s bests in second and third.
Molly Caudery, the 2024 world indoor champion, was the standout performer in the women&rsquo;s pole vault. She got over 4.48m, 4.63m and 4.75m on her first attempts to win ahead of world champion Katie Moon and Italy&rsquo;s Roberta Bruni, both at 4.63m.
Elsewhere, there was a Kenyan distance double with Reynold Cheruiyot winning the men&rsquo;s 5000m (13:16.40) and Nelly Chepchirchir taking the women&rsquo;s 1500m (4:05.00). Italy&rsquo;s Alessandro Sibilio produced a late charge to win the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles (49.32) and USA&rsquo;s Shelby McEwen took the men&rsquo;s high jump with 2.26m.

Doha Meeting

The javelin’s 90-metre club gained two new members at the Jehour Doha Meeting

Weber and Chopra throw beyond 90 metres in Doha

The English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association (1925), which was founded in the Victoria Hotel, London on this day a century ago, has been recognised with the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque (category: Competition).
The English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association (ESAA) which was formed to allow school athletes to compete at regional, national and international level, becomes only the third youth-based organisation in the world to be honoured with a plaque. The previous two recipients were the Jamaica Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships (1910), affectionately known as &lsquo;Champs&rsquo;, and the Carifta Games (1972), which were both honoured on 22 April 2019.
The ESAA&rsquo;s plaque will be officially presented by World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon, 1983 intermediate &amp; 1984 senior ESAA sprint hurdles champion, at the association&rsquo;s annual championships in Alexander Stadium, Birmingham on Saturday 12 July. The plaque will be placed on permanent public display at the stadium.
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a> is a location-based recognition, awarded for an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track &amp; field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented: &ldquo;I warmly welcome this award to the English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association which marks the centenary of an entirely volunteer-based organisation which has done so much to foster a lifelong passion for our sport among generations of young athletes.
&ldquo;The ESAA provides aspiring athletes with a crucial championship platform to compete against the best in their age group across the nation in the disciplines of cross country running, combined events, race walking and track and field athletics.
&ldquo;The scale of the ESAA championships is impressive. More than 4000 competitors compete every year, over a quarter of a million athletes since they started.
&ldquo;The ESAA has for a century been the bedrock of athletics success in England helping to discover, nurture and develop athletics talent, who go on to become the sport&rsquo;s senior stars. Long may this incredible athletics success story continue.&rdquo;
<h2>&lsquo;Democratic access to athletics&rsquo;</h2>
Paul Allison, Chairman of the English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association, commented: &ldquo;It gives me immense pleasure in accepting this award on behalf of the English Schools Athletic Association as recognition of the dedication and affiliation of so many volunteers, teachers, athletes, and officials over such a prolonged period.&rdquo;
"Established in 1925, the English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association&rsquo;s primary objective is to foster athletics excellence among school-aged children, providing a platform for competition and nurturing talent from grassroots to elite level. We promote a wide-reaching programme, including school competitions, district and regional championships and national events in the disciplines of cross country, track and field, combined events and race walking.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68270794085982850d5345b4.jpg" alt="Dorothy Odham, 1934 ESAA U16 high jump silver medallist, the first British woman to win an individual Olympic medal" />
Dorothy Odham, 1934 ESAA U16 high jump silver medallist, the first British woman to win an individual Olympic medal (&copy; Mike Fleet)
</div>
&ldquo;The English Schools has made athletics more accessible to students from various backgrounds and schools across the country. This inclusivity, alongside the promotion of a healthy competitive spirit, has helped elevate the importance of athletics as part of the physical education programme in schools. This democratic access to athletics has played a crucial role in uncovering hidden talent and broadening the scope of the sport across the country.
&ldquo;The English Schools has significantly influenced the growth and sustainability of athletics in the UK, creating a legacy of young athletes who have gone on to achieve success in national and international competitions, many athletes often cite their early experience with the English Schools as key to their future success, as it gave them a taste of the high-level competition and chance to hone their skills in a supportive environment.
&ldquo;The English Schools will continue to be the cornerstone of young athletic development and as we celebrate our 100th year, it is our aim to continue to contribute and adapt to the landscape of athletics in this country, so we can continue to inspire the next generation to participate in the sport.&rdquo;
<h2>Walk of Fame</h2>
In 2020, the ESAA curated with The Athletics Museum, which is a joint heritage project managed by the Amateur Athletic Association and England Athletics, a digital exhibition about the history of the ESAA Championships.
<a href="https://theathleticsmuseum.org.uk/esaa-champs-site/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enter the exhibition</a>
The English Schools&rsquo; Athletic Association Walk of Fame celebrates athletes and officials whose journey through the English Schools has led them to great things. The ESAA Walk of Fame was instigated in 2023, with a pop-up exhibition at the ESAA Championships. Each year new names are added.
<a href="https://theathleticsmuseum.org.uk/welcome-to-the-athletics-museum/overallhome/welcome-to-the-english-schools-athletic-association-walk-of-fame/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enter the ESAA Walk of Fame</a>
The history of the association documented by John Mackie &lsquo;ESAA History &ndash; The First 100 Years&rsquo; will be published in 2025 to mark the centenary. Please <a href="https://esaa.org.uk/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact the ESAA</a> for more information.
World Athletics Heritage

The English Schools’ Athletic Association (1925) has been recognised with the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque

Heritage Plaque honours a century of the ESAA ‘discovering, nurturing and developing athletics talent’

Four months ahead of the biggest athletics event of the year, there is no better dress rehearsal than to compete in the stadium that will host the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
The Seiko Golden Grand Prix &ndash; a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting held in Tokyo on Sunday (18) &ndash; will provide the world&rsquo;s best athletes that exact opportunity.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/where-to-watch" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68286493ac6a875d5081e209.jpg" alt="Where to watch Tokyo CTG 2025" /></a></div>
And for the host nation&rsquo;s leading performer in the sport, Japanese javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi, there&rsquo;s no better pre-World Championships test than to line her up alongside the two women who joined her on the podium at the last World Championships in Budapest.
Since earning the world title two years ago, Kitaguchi&rsquo;s profile has continued to rise, due in no small part to her winning the Olympic title in Paris last year. She opened her 2025 campaign earlier this month at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Keqiao, where she placed fourth with 60.88m. The athlete who finished just ahead of her on that occasion, Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane van Dyk of South Africa, will also be competing in Tokyo this weekend, as will Colombia&rsquo;s Flor Ruiz Hurtado and Australia&rsquo;s Mackenzie Little, the world silver and bronze medallists.
Another world and Olympic champion, Ukraine&rsquo;s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, will be in action on the infield. The world record-holder is fresh from jumping a world-leading 2.02m in Doha last week, and will line up against Japanese indoor record-holder Nagisa Takahashi.
Elsewhere in the field events, USA&rsquo;s JuVaughn Harrison turns his attention to the long jump, where he&rsquo;ll take on in-form Australian Liam Adcock as well as leading Japanese duo Shunsuke Izumiya and Yuki Hashioka.
<h2>Richardson and De Grasse headline sprints</h2>
Like Kitaguchi and Mahuchikh, Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson&rsquo;s place at this year&rsquo;s World Championships is already guaranteed thanks to her wild card entry as a defending world champion. The US sprinter will already have one eye on returning to Tokyo later this year, but for now her immediate focus will be on winning the 100m on Sunday.
She&rsquo;ll take on fellow US sprinter Twanisha Terry, who finished just 0.1 behind Richardson in the Olympic final last year.
Canada&rsquo;s 2021 Olympic champion Andre de Grasse, fresh from a third-place finish in the 4x100m at last week&rsquo;s World Relays, will contest his specialist discipline on Sunday, the 200m. His toughest opposition could be 19.89 performer Robert Gregory.
In the men&rsquo;s 100m, 2017 world champion Christian Coleman lines up against teenage talent Christian Miller, who&rsquo;ll be competing outside of the US for the first time. Pjai Austin, Jerome Blake and Hakim Sani Brown are also in the line-up.
After runner-up finishes in both Xiamen and Keqiao on the Diamond League circuit in recent weeks, Japan&rsquo;s Rachid Muratake is hoping the home crowd can cheer him on to victory in the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles. Domestic rival Shunya Takayama and USA&rsquo;s Dylan Beard will provide stiff competition, though.
In the women&rsquo;s sprint hurdles, US duo Tonea Marshall and Alia Armstrong take on Japanese record-holder Mako Fukube, while 2022 world bronze medallist Trevor Bassitt faces Costa Rica&rsquo;s Gerald Drummond and Japan&rsquo;s Ken Toyoda in the men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles. The men&rsquo;s 400m, meanwhile, features Australia&rsquo;s Reece Holder, Nigeria&rsquo;s Emmanuel Bamidele and Japan&rsquo;s Kentaro Sato, winner at this meeting last year.
<h2>Davies and Billings out to repeat</h2>
One year one from securing an Australian double in the women&rsquo;s distance events at this meeting, Rose Davies and Sarah Billings are back in Tokyo looking for a repeat performance.
Davies was a clear winner of the 5000m last year, clocking a national record of 14:41.65, which she recently reduced to 14:40.83 in Xiamen. This weekend she&rsquo;ll line up for the 3000m where she&rsquo;ll take on Kenya&rsquo;s Hellen Lobun, who started her 2025 campaign with a 29:30 run over 10km in Valencia.
Billings, meanwhile, will be looking to win again over 1500m, but she&rsquo;ll be up against fellow Australian Georgia Griffith. Multiple Japanese record-holder Nozomi Tanaka is entered for both the 1500m and 3000m, but will most likely decide nearer the time which distance to contest.
Elsewhere in the distance events, Japan&rsquo;s Ryuji Miura leads the men&rsquo;s steeplechase field, while the men&rsquo;s 3000m line-up includes Ethiopia&rsquo;s Ermias Girma, Ireland&rsquo;s Brian Fay and Kenya&rsquo;s Emmanuel Korir Kiplagat.

Four months ahead of the biggest athletics event of the year, there is no better dress rehearsal than to compete in the stadium that will host the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Kitaguchi, Mahuchikh and Richardson target Tokyo triumphs

All roads lead to Podebrady for the European Race Walking Team Championships &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting &ndash; on Sunday (18).
The spa town in the Czech Republic hosts Europe&rsquo;s finest for the third time in a row. There are races at 20km and 35km, but the outstanding duel of the day could well be the women&rsquo;s race at the longer distance.
Spain&rsquo;s double world champion Maria Perez aims for back-to-back titles after winning two years ago in a world record of 2:37:15. But she faces 2021 Olympic 20km race walk champion Antonella Palmisano, who is making her debut at 35km.
As well as Perez, the Italian lines up against Antigoni Ntrismpioti: double gold medallist at the 2022 European Championships in Munich. The Greek eyes a third successive title after winning the inaugural 35km in 2021 before dropping down to win the 20km in 2023.
Even so, top of the 2025 list so far is Palmisano&rsquo;s teammate Eleonora Giorgi with a PB of 2:41:54, set in Turkiye in February. Second best on 2025 times for this race is a third Italian, Federica Curiazzi with 2:41:54.
Spain&rsquo;s Laura Garcia-Caro won&rsquo;t have to worry about Lyudmila Olyanovska pipping her on the line this time. Last year&rsquo;s European 20km race walk bronze medallist, who overtook a startled Garcia-Caro inches before the finish line in Rome, goes in the 20km. The Ukrainian earned team silver in the women&rsquo;s 20km in 2023 and has already posted 1:28:28 in Dudince this year.
However, she&rsquo;s not the fastest 2025 athlete in this race. That honour belongs to Spain&rsquo;s Antia Chamosa with 1:27:55 at the end of March posted at her country&rsquo;s national championships.
Yet another Italian, Alexandrina Mihai, is third ranked with a PB of 1:28:57, recorded at the Italian Championships at the end of March. At only 21, her country&rsquo;s production line of top race walkers looks set to continue.
In the men&rsquo;s 35km, Massimo Stano is odds-on favourite. The Olympic 20km gold medallist in Sapporo four years ago posted a telling 37:33.03 over 10,000m on home soil last month. It shattered the long-standing European best set by Spain&rsquo;s Francesco Fernandez in 2008.
Before that, Stano clocked a sharp 1:18:28 in March at the Taicang leg of the Race Walking Tour. In December, his 2:24:19 in Ireland for 35km was enough to give him options at September&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo.
That said, Christopher Linke won the 20km here in 2017; and was second in 2023 at 35km while setting a German record of 2:24:40 at Dudince in March.
Spain's Miguel Angel Lopez also lines up. The 2015 world champion is now 36, like Linke, but did record a sprightly 2:27:55 on home soil in March.
European champion Perseus Karlstrom is entered, but the two-time winner at 20km for this competition is keeping options open by also entering the 20km.
Ahead of the Swede on race rankings are Dominik Cerny from the Slovak Republic, who set a 2:26:31 PB in Dudince, and Stano&rsquo;s teammates Matteo Giupponi (2:27:18, likewise from Dudince) and Riccardo Orsoni (2:27:20 at the Italian Championships this year).
Italy comes to the fore in the men&rsquo;s 20km too. Francesco Fortunato plans to defend his title, and following the 1:18:49 PB he set in Taicang earlier this year, few would bet against him making it a double.
Depending on where Karlstrom lines up, chances are Andrea Cosi, with a season&rsquo;s best of 1:20:42, will chase the leader to the line.
European silver medallist Paul McGrath is the Spanish team&rsquo;s main hope. He has yet to post a 2025 time, but a 1:17:55 PB to go with an emphatic silver at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships last year suggests either Karlstom or Fortunato &ndash; or both &ndash; face a challenge.
As one can imagine from their numerous mentions, Spain and Italy, who swept all but one of the titles &ndash; individual and team &ndash; at the 2023 races, are set to dominate yet again.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

All roads lead to Podebrady for the European Race Walking Team Championships – a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting – on Sunday (18).

Perez and Stano poised to strike in Podebrady

The origins of athletics are lost in the mists of time, but one milestone serves as a reference point for the foundation of modern athletics meetings: the first Oxford vs Cambridge Athletics Match, held in 1864.
This year, the event celebrates its <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6825dd122d3361d62d0c6608.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">150th edition, along with the 50th anniversary of the Women&rsquo;s Varsity Match</a>, accompanied by a two-day pop-up exhibition from the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) on 16-17 May 2025.
On 5 March 1864, 28 undergraduate men competed in eight events, resulting in a draw between the two teams. This year, nearly 200 athletes from both men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s teams will fight for victory across 60 events in a celebration of sporting tradition.
World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon, a Cambridge University alumnus, commented: &ldquo;World Athletics and the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) are delighted to celebrate the rich athletics history of the Varsity Athletics Match between Oxford &amp; Cambridge Universities, which is marking its 150th edition on 17 May.
&ldquo;Our MOWA pop-up exhibition &ndash; &lsquo;Women in Athletics&rsquo;, which will be situated during the weekend of the match in the Pavilion at the Cambridge University sports ground track &ndash; commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Women&rsquo;s Match, with competition artefacts from some of the greatest British and international stars of our sport.
&ldquo;Our displays include the 1948 London Olympic accreditation card of Fanny Blankers-Koen who won four gold medals at those post-war Games, and the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon singlet and name bib of another Flying Dutchwoman, Sifan Hassan, who won three medals last year.
&ldquo;On Saturday (17), I am especially looking forward to presenting two World Athletics Heritage Plaques which will be placed on permanent display in the Pavilion. These awards salute the illustrious history of the Varsity Match which was first contested in 1864, and that of this year&rsquo;s hosts, the Cambridge University Athletic Club.&rdquo;
<h2>Highlighting Heritage</h2>
Alongside the competition, a MOWA pop-up will present two themed displays concerning the history of timekeeping and women in athletics.
The exhibition will take place on 16 May (private viewing; not open to the public) and 17 May (open to athletes and spectators attending the Varsity Match).
&lsquo;Timing Innovation and the Pursuit of Precision&rsquo; illustrates the Varsity Match&rsquo;s important role in the history of sports. The earliest use of automated timing in our sport took place at the 11th edition of the Oxford vs Cambridge match in 1874 at Lillie Bridge, West Brompton, London.
The timing device was developed by local watchmaker James W Benson, much earlier than one might expect, considering electronically timed records were not officially recognised until exactly a century later.
Despite being the highlight of that edition, this pioneering innovation, which would allow for the reading of the hundredth of a second &ndash; now considered the gold standard in timing &ndash; was met with a mixed reception and, quite surprisingly, soon faded into obscurity, making this exhibition a rare opportunity to rediscover a breakthrough as remarkable as it is forgotten.
It was an important step in the long history of sport timekeeping, from the earliest praised &lsquo;records&rsquo; of running kings and pharaohs measured by the sun&rsquo;s position, to astronomical instruments originally intended for celestial motion but adapted to time human speed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and finally the use of video technology that slices sprint finishes into thousandths of a second. This relentless pursuit of ever-shorter time intervals will be illustrated through graphical timeline roll-ups.
&lsquo;Women in Athletics&rsquo; celebrates the achievements of women in athletics, whose events were officially introduced into the Varsity Match programme in 1975. To honour this anniversary, MOWA will present a curated selection of rare and iconic artefacts.
Among the highlights:
<ul>
<li>1948 Olympic accreditation card of Fanny Blankers-Koen, the only woman to win four Olympic athletics gold medals and the first to win an Olympic title while also being a mother, an accomplishment that challenged gender norms of the era;</li>
<li>The silver-dipped spikes of Diane Leather, who, in 1954, became the first woman to run the mile in under five minutes just days after Roger Bannister&rsquo;s historic sub-four-minute in Oxford, yet received only a fraction of the attention; 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6288aeeb333e6d7b92ee890b.jpg" alt="Diane Leather's silvered sub-five-minute mile spikes" /></div>
</li>
<li>The running shoes worn by Jacqueline Hansen and Grete Waitz, two marathon pioneers who broke the 2:40 and 2:30 barriers respectively;</li>
<li>Irena Szewinska&rsquo;s 400m world record spikes from the 1976 Montreal Olympics, symbolising the peak of a career that remains one of the most celebrated in track and field history;</li>
<li>The spiked shoes of Nawal El Moutawakel, who became the first African woman to win Olympic gold on the track (400m hurdles), and of Allyson Felix during the first of her 14 world titles (200m);</li>
<li>The singlet and bib number worn by Sifan Hassan during her victorious Olympic marathon in Paris 2024 where she also won medals at 5000m and 10000m, emulating Emil Zatopek&rsquo;s legendary feat.</li>
</ul>
<h3>A Commemorative postcard</h3>
A commemorative MOWA postcard is being produced especially for the event. It features a Benson chronometer from 1871, used to time Varsity Match races, with numbers redesigned to honour iconic women in athletics arranged in chronological order, forming a visual timeline around the dial that symbolises the rich hours of the sport.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for World Athletics Heritage
&nbsp;
<hr />
&nbsp;
MOWA Pop-Up Exhibition The Pavilion Cambridge University Athletics Track Wilberforce Road Sports Ground 18 Adams Road Cambridge CB3 9AD
Schedule Friday 16 May &ndash;&nbsp;MOWA Display: Private opening by invitation only Saturday 17 May &ndash; MOWA Display: Open to the public all day. 10.00hrs &ndash; Competition begins 12.30hrs &ndash; World Athletics Heritage Plaques ceremony 17.45hrs &ndash; Prize ceremony

One milestone serves as a reference point for the foundation of modern athletics meetings: the first Oxford vs Cambridge Athletics Match, held in 1864

MOWA exhibition and two Heritage Plaques celebrate 150th Varsity Match

While the focus will be on winning medals, it is inevitable that during an event that pits the world&rsquo;s greatest athletes against each other, records will be under threat.
One world record, seven championship records, 11 area records and 73 national records were set at the last edition of the World Athletics Championships, held in Budapest in 2023.
So which events will be contested at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, taking place from 13-21 September, and what will athletes need to do to set a record in Japan&rsquo;s capital city later this year?
Here&rsquo;s a rundown of the World Athletics Championships records and events, plus athletics world records.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/100-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 9.58 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 10.49 (Florence Griffith Joyner, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 9.58 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 10.65 (Sha'Carri Richardson, 2023)
Jamaican sprint great <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/jamaica/usain-bolt-14201847" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Usain Bolt</a> set world records in both the 100m and 200m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The closest any other athlete has got since is 9.69 achieved by two athletes: Tyson Gay later that same year and Yohan Blake in 2012.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/200-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">200 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 19.19 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 21.34 (Florence Griffith Joyner, 1988) Championship record: 19.19 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 21.41 (Shericka Jackson, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/400-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 43.03 (Wayde van Niekerk, 2016), women &ndash; 47.60 (Marita Koch, 1985) Championship record: men &ndash; 43.18 (Michael Johnson, 1999), women &ndash; 47.99 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/800-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">800 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 1:40.91 (David Rudisha, 2012), women &ndash; 1:53.28 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983) Championship record: men &ndash; 1:42.34 (Donavan Brazier, 2019), women &ndash; 1:54.68 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/1500-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1500 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 3:26.00 (Hicham El Guerrouj, 1998), women &ndash; 3:49.04 (Faith Kipyegon, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 3:27.65 (Hicham El Guerrouj, 1999), women &ndash; 3:51.95 (Sifan Hassan, 2019)
Kenya&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/faith-kipyegon-14413305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Faith Kipyegon</a> has already won three world 1500m titles (and one world 5000m gold). She could have her eye on the championship record if she decides to defend her title again in Tokyo.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/5000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5000 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 12:35.36 (Joshua Cheptegei, 2020), women &ndash; 14:00.21 (Gudaf Tsegay, 2023) Championship record: men &ndash; 12:52.79 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2003), women &ndash; 14:26.72 (Hellen Obiri, 2019)
Kenya&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/eliud-kipchoge-14208194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eliud Kipchoge</a> might now be known as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, but back in 2003 the then 18-year-old became famous for a <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/kipchoge-bekele-el-guerrouj-paris-2003-5000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Championships race for the ages</a> in which he beat <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/morocco/hicham-el-guerrouj-14212038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hicham El Guerrouj</a> and <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ethiopia/kenenisa-bekele-14181357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenenisa Bekele</a> in 12:52.79, a time that remains the championship record.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/64f0ac49df683070ac7684c5.jpg" alt="Eliud Kipchoge beats Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to the 2003 world 5000m title in Paris" />
Eliud Kipchoge beats Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to the 2003 world 5000m title in Paris (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10,000 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 26:11.00 (Joshua Cheptegei, 2020), women &ndash; 28:54.14 (Beatrice Chebet, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 26:46.31 (Kenenisa Bekele, 2009), women &ndash; 30:04.18 (Berhane Adere, 2003)
Kenya&rsquo;s Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/beatrice-chebet-14749924" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beatrice Chebet</a> could be among the world record-holders on the hunt for another global gold in Tokyo.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/road-running/marathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marathon</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023), women &ndash; 2:15:50* women-only (Tigist Assefa, 2025) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:05:36 (Tamirat Tola, 2022), women &ndash; 2:18:11 (Gotytom Gebreslase, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/3000-metres-steeplechase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3000 metres steeplechase</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 7:52.11 (Lamecha Girma, 2023), women &ndash; 8:44.32 (Beatrice Chepkoech, 2018) Championship record: men &ndash; 8:00.43 (Ezekiel Kemboi, 2009), women &ndash; 8:53.02 (Norah Jeruto, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: women &ndash; 12.12 (Tobi Amusan, 2022) Championship record: women &ndash; 12.12 (Tobi Amusan, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/110-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 12.80 (Aries Merritt, 2012) Championship record: men &ndash; 12.91 (Colin Jackson, 1993)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/400-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 45.94 (Karsten Warholm, 2021), women &ndash; 50.37 (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 46.29 (Alison dos Santos, 2022), women &ndash; 50.68 (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 2022)
USA&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-14624749" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone</a> set the fourth world record of her career when winning the world title in 2022. She has since improved that mark by another three tenths of a second.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62db64230438b364fd120b8a.jpg" alt="Sydney McLaughlin wins the 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22" />
Sydney McLaughlin wins the 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/heptathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heptathlon</a></h3>
World record: women &ndash; 7291 points (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1988) Championship record: women &ndash; 7128 points (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1987)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/decathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decathlon</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 9126 points (Kevin Mayer, 2018) Championship record: men &ndash; 9045 points (Ashton Eaton, 2015)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2.45m (Javier Sotomayor, 1993), women &ndash; 2.10m (Yaroslava Mahuchikh, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 2.41m (Bohdan Bondarenko, 2013), women &ndash; 2.09m (Stefka Kostadinova, 1987)
When clearing 2.10m in Paris last year, Ukraine&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ukraine/yaroslava-mahuchikh-14739628" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yaroslava Mahuchikh</a> added a centimetre to the world record that had been set by Stefka Kostadinova at the World Championships in 1987.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/pole-vault">Pole vault</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 6.27m (Mondo Duplantis, 2025), women &ndash; 5.06m (Yelena Isinbaeva, 2009) Championship record: men &ndash; 6.21m (Mondo Duplantis, 2022), women &ndash; 5.01m (Yelena Isinbaeva, 2005)
Sweden&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/sweden/armand-duplantis-14679502" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mondo Duplantis</a> has proven that he can deliver on the biggest stages, setting three of his 11 world records in global championship finals. Can he achieve another pole vault world record in Tokyo?
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/long-jump">Long jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 8.95m (Mike Powell, 1991), women &ndash; 7.52m (Galina Chistyakova, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 8.95m (Mike Powell, 1991), women &ndash; 7.36m (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1987)
Tokyo last hosted the World Athletics Championships in 1991, when <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/mike-powell-14248761" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Powell</a> soared a long jump world record of 8.95m in what went down as one of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/mike-powell-long-jump-world-record-tokyo-1991-carl-lewis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greatest duels in athletics history</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CFj6RzlWNtM?si=ssjThaJOd2ghVjGM" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triple jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 18.29m (Jonathan Edwards, 1995), women &ndash; 15.74m (Yulimar Rojas, 2022) Championship record: men &ndash; 18.29m (Jonathan Edwards, 1995), women &ndash; 15.50m (Inessa Kravets, 1995)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/shot-put" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shot put</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 23.56m (Ryan Crouser, 2023), women &ndash; 22.63m (Natalya Lisovskaya, 1987) Championship record: men &ndash; 23.51m (Ryan Crouser, 2023), women &ndash; 21.24m (Valerie Adams, 2011, and Natalya Lisovskaya, 1987)
USA&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/ryan-crouser-14369211" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Crouser</a> is the titan of the men&rsquo;s shot put and he will be seeking another big throw as he hunts for his third consecutive world title outdoors.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/discus-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discus throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 75.56m* (Mykolas Alekna, 2025), women &ndash; 76.80m (Gabriele Reinsch, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 71.46m (Daniel Stahl, 2023), women &ndash; 71.62m (Martina Hellmann, 1987)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/hammer-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hammer throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 86.74m (Yuriy Sedykh, 1986), women &ndash; 82.98m (Anita Wlodarczyk, 2016) Championship record: men &ndash; 83.63m (Ivan Tikhon, 2007), women &ndash; 80.85m (Anita Wlodarczyk, 2015)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/javelin-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Javelin throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 98.48m (Jan Zelezny, 1996), women &ndash; 72.28m (Barbora Spotakova, 2008) Championship record: men &ndash; 92.80m (Jan Zelezny, 2001), women &ndash; 71.70m (Olisdeilys Menendez, 2005)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/20-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 1:16:10 (Toshikazu Yamanishi, 2025), women &ndash; 1:23:49 (Yang Jiayu, 2021) Championship record: men &ndash; 1:17:21 (Jefferson Perez, 2003), women &ndash; 1:25:41 (Olimpiada Ivanova, 2005)
Fresh from a world record earlier this year, Japan&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/japan/toshikazu-yamanishi-14573292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toshikazu Yamanishi</a> will want to take that form with him to Tokyo, to clinch a third world crown on home soil.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/35-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">35 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:21:47 (Masatora Kawano, 2024), women &ndash; 2:37:15 (Maria Perez, 2023) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:23:14 (Massimo Stano, 2022), women &ndash; 2:38:40 (Maria Perez, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100 metres relay</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 36.84 (Jamaica, 2012), women &ndash; 40.82 (United States, 2012) Championship record: men &ndash; 37.04 (Jamaica, 2011), women &ndash; 41.03 (United States, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400 metres relay</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:54.29 (United States, 1993), women &ndash; 3:15.17 (Soviet Union, 1988), mixed &ndash; 3:07.41 (United States, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:54.29 (United States, 1993), women &ndash; 3:16.71 (United States, 1993), mixed &ndash; 3:08.80 (United States, 2023)
Although record-holders will be in action in many events, a big part of the excitement at global championships is seeing which breakthrough performers will secure the spotlight. Like&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/world-athletics-indoor-championships-7136586/news/report/nanjing-25-women-long-jump-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claire Bryant</a>&nbsp;in the long jump and&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/world-athletics-indoor-championships-7136586/news/report/nanjing-25-women-pole-vault-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marie-Julie Bonnin</a>&nbsp;in the pole vault at the recent World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, sometimes rising stars time their peaks to perfection.
*pending ratification
&nbsp;
Records correct as of 14 May 2025. Full up-to-date <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world</a>, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-championships-in-athletics-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">championship</a> and <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/african-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">area</a> records lists can be found in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stats section of the World Athletics website</a>
&nbsp;

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

A rundown of World Athletics Championships events, World Athletics Championships records and athletics world records

Record watch at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

There was a question many fans were asking during the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, particularly in the women&rsquo;s events, as the yellow and orange vests were to the fore in various races: when did Spain get so good at relays?
First, there was their victory in qualification round one of the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, their quartet of Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue, Paula Sevilla and Maria Isabel Perez setting a national record of 42.18 to defeat a formidable Jamaican line-up of Tina Clayton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tia Clayton and Shericka Jackson.&nbsp;
A day later, they proved it was no fluke. Finishing ahead of Jamaica, and USA, Spain claimed the runner-up spot behind Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland in the final, clocking 42.28.&nbsp;
Then, in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m final, Sevilla, Eva Santidrian, Daniela Fra and Blanca Hervas teamed up to take victory, clocking a national record of 3:24.13 to beat USA (3:24.72) and South Africa (3:24.84).&nbsp;
Before last weekend, Spain had never made the podium at the World Relays. They have only one relay medal in the history of the World Athletics Indoor Championships &ndash; a silver in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m from 2022 &ndash; and no relay medals on the track at the World Athletics Championships or at the Olympics.&nbsp;
But here they were, mixing it with the sprint superpowers, with another national record falling in the mixed 4x400m as David Garcia, Carmen Aviles, Samuel Garcia and Blanca Hervas clocked 3:12.55 to win the second qualification round and book a place at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 later this year.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820c115d4224faec7754d35.jpg" alt="The Spanish mixed 4x400m team celebrates at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
The Spanish mixed 4x400m team celebrates at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; Getty Images for World Athletics)
</div>
So, how did Spain get so good at relays?
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a good question,&rdquo; said Bestue, who was part of the mixed and women&rsquo;s 4x100m teams in Guangzhou. &ldquo;We do a lot of relay camps to improve our relay team because we think it&rsquo;s a big opportunity for us in international championships. We work on the changes and work so hard on the confidence &ndash; to trust in our teammates.&rdquo;
Bestue faced disappointment in the mixed 4x100m in Guangzhou, her handoff to a male teammate, Adria Alfonso, going wrong and seeing them break the zone, but there were no such issues in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m an hour later &ndash; the Spaniards&rsquo; slick exchanges on show as they powered to victory in a national record.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have a plan, we follow the plan,&rdquo; said Bestue. &ldquo;We do the training camps, we train together, we push each other. We are a good team. We do a lot of activities together; we are like sisters.&rdquo;
Hervas, who anchored Spain to victory and a national record in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, believes team spirit is key to their rise, with the relay squads coming together several times each year for training camps, working on exchanges but also sharing ideas and feeding off each other.
&ldquo;Obviously, 99% of our work is at home with our coaches, but then getting together and having that really good relationship &ndash; we&rsquo;re in touch the whole year,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;That helps us share our goals.&rdquo;
Santidrian ran the second leg for the women&rsquo;s 4x400m team, splitting their fastest leg of 50.58, and she believes there&rsquo;s more to success than a collection of strong individuals.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The best thing we have is that we&rsquo;re really close friends and I feel like that makes us run all together so if one of us gets better, all of us get better.&rdquo; She said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re young and we&rsquo;re growing together. Also, our national coaches are helping with a lot of training camps.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824a8b37036f914f175558a.jpg" alt="Blanca Hervas anchors Spain to women's 4x400m victory in Guangzhou" />
Blanca Hervas anchors Spain to women's 4x400m victory in Guangzhou (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
</div>
Spain had only ever reached one global championships final in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m &ndash; in 1991 &ndash; and their time of 3:27.57 from that race stood as the national record until last year, when it was broken at the World Relays. They hadn&rsquo;t sent a women&rsquo;s 4x400m team to the Olympics between 1996 and 2021, or the World Championships between 2003 and 2019. But their current success owes much to a seed that was planted a long time ago, then nurtured with investment and a focus on strengthening relay teams.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Basically, it&rsquo;s a lot of work that we started eight, nine years ago,&rdquo; said Jose Peiro Guixot, the national coach with the Spanish athletics federation (RFEA). &ldquo;Thanks to that (investment), we can improve everything and we hope to still have this investment in the relays to continue improving. We created a national relay plan and started to work with all the teams and, slowly, we started to revive things. We&rsquo;re not at the finish line. Despite the success today, we don&rsquo;t want to stop. We want to continue working.&rdquo;
He said the team &ldquo;dreamt of two gold medals&rdquo; in Guangzhou but added that the return of one first place and one second place &ndash; leaving them third overall behind South Africa and USA &ndash; was a &ldquo;very good result&rdquo;.
Andoni Calbano was part of a youthful Spanish quartet that competed in an additional mixed 4x100m race on Sunday and he said the performances of the women in Guangzhou were &ldquo;very inspiring&rdquo; for the entire team.&nbsp;
&ldquo;How they work, how their attitude is for the competition, everything they say,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;Individually, we are not the best (nation) so the changes must be good, and you can see that in the women&rsquo;s 4x1 &ndash; they did it perfectly.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820ddd9d204d2dd6391ad08.jpg" alt="Great Britain wins the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou" />
Great Britain wins the 4x100m final from Spain and Jamaica at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Perez took the baton in front in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m final and while she was passed by British anchor Success Eduan, she held off the formidable challenge of Jamaica&rsquo;s Jackson and USA&rsquo;s Twanisha Terry to claim a memorable second place.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I felt very nervous when I could see the other team is so close,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I was very stressed, and I just told myself to run faster and faster.&rdquo;
Even better was to come in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m final, where the team nicknamed the &lsquo;Golden Bubbles&rsquo; in Spain powered to victory, anchored by a superb 50.59 second leg from Hervas.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Myself and all of them never felt like this before,&rdquo; said Hervas. &ldquo;We are crazy excited: gold medal, World Relays champion, national record, everything. It&rsquo;s my biggest dream. To our coaches, to our families, thank you for everything. This is their medal, too.&rdquo;
It marked a magnificent end to an unforgettable weekend for Spain, and in terms of their rise in relays, it might only be the beginning.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our mind is always thinking about the Olympics, so our first goal is to get as many teams as possible at the Olympics,&rdquo; said Peiro, the national coach. &ldquo;After that, (it&rsquo;s to) have as many teams as possible in the Olympic finals. After that, after what we have seen today, why not dream of medals?&rdquo;
Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

World Athletics Relays

Spain mixed it with the superpowers at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Spain's rise in the relays on show in Guangzhou

Sprint stars Letsile Tebogo and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are among the 45 reigning world and Olympic medallists who will compete at the Jetour Doha Meeting &ndash; the third leg of this year&rsquo;s Wanda Diamond League series &ndash; on Friday (16).
After racing the 100m at the Diamond League meetings in Xiamen and Shanghai/Keqiao, Botswana&rsquo;s Tebogo will step back up to his favoured distance in Doha. The world athlete of the year won Olympic 200m gold and 4x400m silver in Paris last year and dipped under 20 seconds in nine 200m races in 2024. He will be looking to break that barrier for the first time this year when he makes his Doha Diamond League debut.
&ldquo;Last year was tough both emotionally and physically but I&rsquo;m excited to compete and to see how the season develops,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be a very long season, but I&rsquo;m more experienced and mature and I&rsquo;m ready to push my body to its limits and make every moment count.&rdquo;
Challenging him in Doha will be Canada&rsquo;s Aaron Brown and US athletes Courtney Lindsey and Kyree King, who all competed at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou last weekend, plus South Africa&rsquo;s Olympic relay silver medallist Shaun Maswanganyi.
The Jamaican quartet of Fraser-Pryce, Natasha Morrison, Tia Clayton and Tina Clayton also ran at the World Relays and return to individual action in the 100m in Doha. Multiple Olympic and world gold medallist Fraser-Pryce is among the stars making their Diamond League season debuts at the Qatar Sports Club, in what is set to be her final year of competition. They will line up alongside two-time world indoor 60m champion Mujinga Kambundji.
The 400m will pit two-time world medallist Sada Williams against Natalia Bukowiecka, Lieke Klaver and Salwa Eid Naser, while the 400m hurdles features Carl Bengtstrom, who was third in Shanghai/Keqiao, plus CJ Allen and Malik James-King. The 110m hurdles includes a clash of Olympic medallists, as Daniel Roberts and Rasheed Broadbell renew their rivalry.
In the high jump, New Zealand&rsquo;s Hamish Kerr and Jamaica&rsquo;s Raymond Richards will compete again after respectively claiming silver and bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March. The entry list also includes home favourite Mutaz Barshim &ndash; Kerr's predecessor as Olympic champion &ndash; although Barshim did not compete at his own What Gravity Challenge meeting in Doha last week and he may also miss this Diamond League event as he continues to work towards a return later this season. Contenders also include Japan&rsquo;s Ryoichi Akamatsu, who like Richards cleared 2.26m at the What Gravity Challenge.
Doha has hosted many thrilling javelin contests in recent years and the 2025 meeting looks set to offer another. Czechia&rsquo;s Jakub Vadlejch had been the runner-up in Doha the previous two years but in 2024 he beat defending champion Neeraj Chopra by just two centimetres to clinch victory and they both return this year. Vadlejch is a multiple world and Olympic medallist, while India&rsquo;s Chopra is the world and Tokyo Olympic champion, and in Doha they will take on Olympic bronze medallist Anderson Peters, Keshorn Walcott, Julian Weber and Julius Yego.
Big clashes are also on the cards in the discus and pole vault. In the discus, Australia&rsquo;s Olympic bronze medallist Matt Denny &ndash; who moved to second on the world all-time list with his 74.78m throw in Ramona in April &ndash; will compete against Sweden&rsquo;s two-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Daniel Stahl plus Slovenia&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh, who won in Doha in both 2023 and 2024.
Two Paris Olympic medallists go head-to-head in the pole vault, too, as USA&rsquo;s Katie Moon and Canada&rsquo;s Alysha Newman compete again, joined by Great Britain&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery &ndash; the 2024 winner in Doha &ndash; and USA&rsquo;s Sandi Morris.
Olympic champion Thea LaFond and Olympic silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts will clash in a triple jump field that also features world long jump champion Ivana Spanovic, testing herself in the triple jump for the first time since 2022.
The full Paris Olympic podium will meet in the 3000m steeplechase &ndash; Bahrain&rsquo;s gold medallist Winfred Yavi taking on Uganda&rsquo;s Peruth Chemutai and Kenya&rsquo;s Faith Cherotich in a contest that also includes World Athletics Rising Star award winner Sembo Almayew, who finished fifth in Paris.
The top two from Shanghai/Keqiao &ndash; Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi and Kuma Girma &ndash; go in the 5000m against Dominic Lobalu, who finished fourth at the Olympics. The 800m stars another Olympic fourth-place finisher in Bryce Hoppel, as he races Tshepiso Masalela, Slimane Moula and Andreas Kramer. Olympic and world indoor finalist Susan Ejore races her Kenyan compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir plus Adelle Tracey and Jemma Reekie in the 1500m.

Sprint stars Letsile Tebogo and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are among the 45 reigning world and Olympic medallists who will compete in the Diamond League meeting on Friday

Tebogo and Fraser-Pryce among the many major medallists ready to descend on Doha

A total of 49 titles will be won at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 over nine thrilling days of competition from 13-21 September 2025.
For many athletes, the journey in Japan&rsquo;s capital will begin with qualification rounds and heats &ndash; but when will the leading athletes be going for gold?
Here&rsquo;s a breakdown of when the finals for every event will take place.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/100-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 100m final: Sunday 14 September, 10:13pm JST Men&rsquo;s 100m final: Sunday 14 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/200-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">200 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 200m final: Friday 19 September, 10:22pm JST Men&rsquo;s 200m final: Friday 19 September, 10:06pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/400-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 400m final: Thursday 18 September, 10:24pm JST Men&rsquo;s 400m final: Thursday 18 September, 10:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/800-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">800 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 800m final: Sunday 21 September, 7:35pm JST Men&rsquo;s 800m final: Saturday 20 September, 9:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/1500-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1500 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 1500m final: Tuesday 16 September, 10:05pm JST Men&rsquo;s 1500m final: Wednesday 17 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/5000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5000 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 5000m final: Saturday 20 September, 10:05pm JST Men&rsquo;s 5000m final: Sunday 21 September, 7:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10,000 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 10,000m final: Saturday 13 September, 9:30pm JST Men&rsquo;s 10,000m final: Sunday 14 September, 9:30pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/road-running/marathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marathon</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s marathon: Sunday 14 September, 8:00am JST Men&rsquo;s marathon: Monday 15 September, 8:00am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/3000-metres-steeplechase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3000 metres steeplechase</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase final: Wednesday 17 September, 9:57pm JST Men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase final: Monday 15 September, 9:55pm JST
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824bc8c0f338cb6e9bb5cb2.jpg" alt="Men's steeplechase action at the World Athletics Championships" />
Men's steeplechase action at the World Athletics Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles final: Monday 15 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/110-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles final: Tuesday 16 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/400-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles final: Friday 19 September, 9:27pm JST Men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles final: Friday 19 September, 9:15pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/heptathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heptathlon</a></h3>
Final discipline of the women&rsquo;s heptathlon: 800m &ndash; Saturday 20 September, 9:06pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/decathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decathlon</a></h3>
Final discipline of the men&rsquo;s decathlon: 1500m &ndash; Sunday 21 September, 8:55pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s high jump final: Sunday 21 September, 7:30pm JST Men&rsquo;s high jump final: Tuesday 16 September, 8:35pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/pole-vault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pole vault</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s pole vault final: Wednesday 17 September, 8:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s pole vault final: Monday 15 September, 8:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/long-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Long jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s long jump final: Sunday 14 September, 8:40pm JST Men&rsquo;s long jump final: Wednesday 17 September, 8:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triple jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s triple jump final: Thursday 18 September, 8:55pm JST Men&rsquo;s triple jump final: Friday 19 September, 8:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/shot-put" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shot put</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s shot put final: Saturday 20 September, 7:56pm JST Men&rsquo;s shot put final: Saturday 13 September, 9:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/discus-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discus throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s discus final: Sunday 14 September, 7:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s discus final: Sunday 21 September, 8:00pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/hammer-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hammer throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s hammer final: Monday 15 September, 9:00pm JST Men&rsquo;s hammer final: Tuesday 16 September, 9:00pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/javelin-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Javelin throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s javelin final: Saturday 20 September, 9:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s javelin final: Thursday 18 September, 7:23pm JST
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824bb0a246043b53db03e89.JPG" alt="Haruka Kitaguchi at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23" />
Haruka Kitaguchi at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (&copy; Giorgos Foteinakis for World Athletics)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/20-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 20km race walk: Saturday 20 September, 7:30am JST Men&rsquo;s 20km race walk: Saturday 20 September, 9:45am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/35-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">35 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 35km race walk: Saturday 13 September, 8:00am JST Men&rsquo;s 35km race walk: Saturday 13 September, 8:00am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100 metres relay</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x100m final: Sunday 21 September, 9:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s 4x100m final: Sunday 21 September, 9:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400 metres relay</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x400m final: Sunday 21 September, 8:40pm JST Men&rsquo;s 4x400m final: Sunday 21 September, 8:25pm JST Mixed 4x400m final: Saturday 13 September, 10:20pm JST
&nbsp;
Times stated are local time, JST (Japan Standard Time), and are subject to change. The latest timetable information is available on the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/timetable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WCH Tokyo 25 website</a>
&nbsp;

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