Jacob Kiplimo and Hawi Feysa will return to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon to defend their titles against deep international fields at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (11).
Kiplimo heads back to Chicago having significantly improved his marathon credentials since winning there 12 months ago, while Feysa faces a women&rsquo;s field that includes former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei and two-time Boston champion Sharon Lokedi.
Kiplimo won in Chicago last year in 2:02:23, finishing more than a minute ahead of Kenya&rsquo;s Amos Kipruto in what was just the Ugandan&rsquo;s second race over the distance.
He has since enjoyed a remarkable 2026. After claiming his third consecutive title at the World Cross Country Championships, he broke the world half marathon record with 57:20 in Lisbon &ndash; a mark that has since been improved &ndash; and then produced another breakthrough over 26.2 miles.
At April&rsquo;s London Marathon, Kiplimo finished third in 2:00:28 as Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha became the first two men to officially break two hours for the distance. Kiplimo&rsquo;s time put him third on the world all-time list and improved his own Ugandan record by almost two minutes.
It is also seven seconds faster than the Chicago course record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
&ldquo;My preparation has given me a lot of confidence, and having raced this course before is a real advantage,&rdquo; said Kiplimo.
He will renew his rivalry with Kipruto, who followed him home in Chicago last year and then finished one place behind him in London in April. The 2022 London champion clocked a PB of 2:01:39 on that occasion, making him the second-fastest man in a field that includes six sub-2:04 performers.
Milkesa Mengesha, the 2024 Berlin Marathon champion, returns to the USA after finishing 10th in Boston in April. The Ethiopian has a best of 2:03:17. His compatriot Tadese Takele retained his Tokyo Marathon title in March in 2:03:37. Kenya&rsquo;s Daniel Mateiko was fourth in that race in a PB of 2:03:44 and will also line up in Chicago.
Another Ethiopian, Asrar Hiyrden, completes the group of sub-2:04 entrants. He ran 2:03:59 in Seville in February.
Several athletes just outside that group will be looking to make another step forward. USA&rsquo;s Charles Hicks ran 2:04:35 to finish seventh at the Boston Marathon in April, while Suguru Osako holds the Japanese record of 2:04:55.
Hicks is part of a strong US contingent that also includes Clayton Young, who ran 2:05:41 in Boston, 2017 Chicago champion Galen Rupp and Vincent Mauri, whose 2:05:54 victory in Toledo earlier this year marked a major breakthrough.
South Africa&rsquo;s Adriaan Wildschutt, Japan&rsquo;s Tomoki Ota and Thailand&rsquo;s Kieran Tuntivate &ndash; all of whom hold national records at other distances &ndash; are among the athletes making their marathon debuts.
While Feysa is the defending women&rsquo;s champion, Kosgei has perhaps the strongest historical connection with the Chicago course.
The Kenyan won there in 2018 before returning the following year to clock 2:14:04, taking 81 seconds off Paula Radcliffe&rsquo;s long-standing world record. She has not raced in Chicago since that performance.
Now 32, Kosgei has returned to some of her best form this year. She won the Tokyo Marathon in March in 2:14:29 &ndash; the second-fastest time of her career and an Asian all-comers&rsquo; record.
Feysa was third in that race in 2:17:39, having enjoyed the biggest victory of her career in Chicago five months earlier. The Ethiopian pulled away from the field to win the 2025 race in 2:14:57, more than two minutes ahead of compatriot Megertu Alemu.
Alemu returns this year, as does Sutume Kebede, whose 2:15:55 PB makes her the third-fastest woman in the field. Both raced in Tokyo earlier this year, where Kebede and Alemu finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Lokedi, meanwhile, will race in Chicago for the first time. The Kenyan has established herself as one of the world&rsquo;s leading championship-style marathon racers, having won the New York Marathon in 2022 before taking back-to-back Boston titles in 2025 and 2026.
She retained her Boston crown in April in 2:18:51, with two more Chicago entrants &ndash; Loice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi-Cooper &ndash; completing the podium. Chicago will provide Lokedi with her first opportunity to race one of the flatter, faster courses on the major marathon circuit.
Brillian Kipkoech is another Kenyan arriving on the back of a victory. She improved her PB to 2:17:05 to win in Hamburg in April and is one of seven women in the field with a best inside 2:18. Degitu Azimeraw, the 2021 London runner-up, is another member of that group. Chemnung, Joan Kilimo, Magdalyne Masai, Fantu Worku and Ngugi-Cooper have all broken 2:20.
Kilimo, just 22, achieved her 2:18:40 best when finishing runner-up in Barcelona in March, while Worku ran 2:19:08 for third in Dubai at the start of February.
The home challenge includes Susanna Sullivan, Natosha Rogers, Sara Hall and Dakotah Popehn. Emma Grace Hurley, meanwhile, is among the intriguing debutantes. She returns to Chicago having set a US 8km record at the Shamrock Shuffle earlier this year, while Mexico&rsquo;s Laura Galvan and Great Britain&rsquo;s Amy-Eloise Neale will also contest their first marathons.
<h3>Leading entrants</h3>
Women Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04 Hawi Feysa (ETH) 2:14:57 Sutume Kebede (ETH) 2:15:55 Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34 Brillian Kipkoech (KEN) 2:17:05 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:17:22 Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 2:17:58 Loice Chemnung (KEN) 2:18:24 Joan Kilimo (KEN) 2:18:40 Magdalyne Masai (KEN) 2:18:58 Fantu Worku (ETH) 2:19:08 Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) 2:19:26 Sara Hall (USA) 2:20:32 Yuka Akasaki (JPN) 2:21:33 Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:21:56 Des Linden (USA) 2:22:38 Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) 2:22:59 Natosha Rogers (USA) 2:23:28 Dakotah Popehn (USA) 2:24:20 Jess Warner-Judd (GBR) 2:24:45 Laura Galvan (MEX) debut Emma Grace Hurley (USA) debut Amy-Eloise Neale (GBR) debut
Men Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 2:00:28 Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:01:39 Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:03:17 Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:23 Daniel Mateiko (KEN) 2:03:44 Asrar Hiyrden (ETH) 2:03:59 Charles Hicks (USA) 2:04:35 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:04:55 Mohamed Reda El Aaraby (MAR) 2:05:18 Clayton Young (USA) 2:05:41 Sondre Moen (NOR) 2:05:48 Vincent Mauri (USA) 2:05:54 Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) 2:06:06 Galen Rupp (USA) 2:06:07 Akira Akasaki (JPN) 2:06:15 Boki Diriba (ETH) 2:06:26 Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:06:34 Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:06:49 Abbabiya Simbassa (USA) 2:06:53 Tomoki Ota (JPN) debut Kieran Tuntivate (THA) debut Adriaan Wildschutt (RSA) debut

Jacob Kiplimo and Hawi Feysa will return to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon to defend their titles

Kiplimo and Feysa return to defend Chicago titles

Zuzana Costin is a former athlete turned official, currently the only active female technical official in the world to hold both World Athletics Gold Level Referee and Gold Level Race Walking Judge qualifications.
The two-time Olympian, who competed in the 20km race walk at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games, most recently served as a race walking judge and referee during the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26. While there, she reflected on her journey in athletics. 
You hold both World Athletics Gold Level Referee and Gold Level Race Walking Judge qualifications &ndash; currently the only active female technical official in the world to do so. What does this achievement mean to you? 
"There are three of us who hold both qualifications but, yes, I am the only female official. It&rsquo;s quite amazing to have achieved this. I always try to do the best that I can, therefore it&rsquo;s nice to see that the work I have put in was recognised, and it paid off." 
When you first began your journey as a technical official, did you ever imagine you would reach this level? 
"No, I didn&rsquo;t. I got involved in athletics at a very young age. My dad (Jozef Malik) was the Vice President of the federation (Slovak Athletic Federation) for several years and was active as an administrator, coach and also as an official, so I grew up in the world of athletics. Any time he organised any competitions, I was helping out. So it has always been a part of my life and I never thought about it too much at that stage. Achieving this level in officiating in athletics after finishing my racing career gives me a strong sense of accomplishment and satisfaction." 
Throughout your career, have there been mentors who helped shape your journey?
"Undeniably, my dad played a big role at the beginning of my journey and he has kept supporting me since.
"After retiring from being an athlete, I started to officiate in Ireland on a regular basis (I had moved there a few years beforehand). I met with support and encouragement to pursue this to an international level. I was very lucky that I was immersed in an environment where people knew what they were doing, not just on a local level but on an international one, too. So, whenever I came across any problems, I had people I could rely on.
"After passing the Silver level exam, I started getting appointments at European competitions and there were always senior technical officials who were happy to share their knowledge and experience with &lsquo;newbies&rsquo;.
"That was also the case during one of my first big international appointments as a member of the Jury of Appeal at the European Championships in Berlin where Anna Riccardi was our chief. She took me under her wing, gave me confidence and guided me through this new experience.
"During the Covid-19 pandemic, European Athletics began organising online webinars for technical officials, focusing heavily on the practical aspects of officiating. Those webinars were primary led by Chris Cohen and Niels van der Aar and they helped me to become a more knowledgeable and effective official.
"Later, I was selected for the European Athletics mentoring programme for technical delegates and was appointed as a mentee technical delegate for the European Championships in Rome. I was fortunate to have Chris and Niels as my mentors; their guidance provided invaluable insights and allowed me to expand my knowledge even further." 
What practical support is most beneficial for upcoming female officials during the early stages of their careers?
"Having someone you can turn to, talk to and learn from is major. Mentorship is something you can&rsquo;t replace, especially when you are trying to excel.
"After World Athletics changed its educational programme for officials to the current one, it really opened the door for younger people. Originally, the educational programme and exams to become an international official were only in English, which could be a bit of a barrier for people who don&rsquo;t have a good standard of English. That is still the case for the Gold level. And this could be something that a mentor could help with &ndash; dismantling the language barrier. However, for the lower levels, World Athletics has gradually introduced more languages in which its certification courses and exams can be taken. This shift definitely benefits new candidates who don&rsquo;t have a sufficient command of English." 
Since you started your career, have you seen an increase in more female judges, applicants or volunteers for athletics?
"Absolutely. I don&rsquo;t remember seeing many female officials in the leading positions when I started, and that has definitely changed now. Also, World Athletics&rsquo; encouragement to member federations to enter an equal number of female and male candidates for exams has started to pay off. Panels of international officials are now nearly gender balanced.
"I have also seen a growth in the numbers of younger officials, with more opportunities and positions available for them. It&rsquo;s more achievable and something that one can work towards now." 
What kind of advice would you give someone, especially a younger woman, who is interested in following your footsteps or becoming a judge in athletics?
"Now is the right time. Ask your federation about upcoming courses and exams. If you get opportunities to take part in them or you get any appointments, don&rsquo;t turn them down because you can always learn something. You might not succeed all the time, but you learn from the experience.
"It is also important to believe in yourself and to have someone, or a group of people, that you can get support from.
"It is nice to see new candidates growing in confidence. When they first get started, it&rsquo;s all very nerve-racking and there&rsquo;s so much going on all at once &ndash; it creates a lot of feelings of fear. But that&rsquo;s a normal thing to experience. Sometimes all they need is someone in their corner telling them that this is normal, to believe in themselves, and that someone else has confidence in them." 
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave &ndash; not only through the competitions you&rsquo;ve officiated, but through the people you&rsquo;ve inspired?
"I just hope that all the younger officials coming in see that they can do this. That this, as well as whatever else they want to strive for, is achievable regardless of whether they are coming from a country with a strong tradition of international officiating or not. And that the journey of being an international official can start at any age."
Ash Wehrly for the World Athletics Media Academy
 Launched in March, the World Athletics pledge initiative forms part of the organisation&rsquo;s contribution to the International Women&rsquo;s Day 2026 global campaign, #GiveToGain, which calls on individuals and organisations to give their time, resources and support to help forge gender equality through abundant giving. By encouraging stakeholders to pledge mentoring hours, World Athletics is turning the #GiveToGain message into practical action across the sport. Learn more on the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/women-in-athletics/news/international-womens-day-2026-mentoring-pledge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women in Athletics website</a>.

Zuzana Costin is a former athlete turned official, currently the only active female technical official in the world to hold both World Athletics Gold Level Referee and Gold Level Race Walking Judge qualifications.

World Athletics referee and race walking judge Costin's steps to success 

From 6 to 10 October 2027, Cape Town will welcome the world's best mountain and trail runners for the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC), a landmark event that will place Africa at the centre of the global off-road running community.
&ldquo;Mountain and trail running is experiencing a real boom, and the fourth staging of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships is another cause for celebration,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. &ldquo;As the first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to be hosted in Africa, this is an important milestone for our sport and one for which excitement continues to build now the event is only one year away. We look forward to another successful edition of this global championships, one that brings together the world&rsquo;s best elite athletes and mass participation runners for a festival of off-road running.&rdquo;
Sarah Rowell, Nadeem Khan and Janet Ng, respective presidents of the World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association, said: &ldquo;With one year to go until the fourth World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, it is clear that the excitement around the event continues to grow. Member Federations are planning their trials and athletes and their coaches their training for what will be stunning and competitive races set against the backdrop of Table Mountain. As event partners, we have been impressed by the professionalism of the local organising committee and we continue to work closely with them to deliver a successful event in October 2027.&rdquo;
WMTRC Cape Town 2027 will be the first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships ever hosted in Africa and the first World Championship in an athletics discipline staged in South Africa since 1993. Hosted by Golazo South Africa, Athletics South Africa and Western Province Athletics, the championship represents a defining moment for South African athletics, African sport and the continued growth of mountain and trail running worldwide.&nbsp;
Individual and team world titles will be contested across all disciplines, bringing together the world's elite mountain and trail runners. The championship programme will feature the sport's premier disciplines:
&bull; Uphill &bull; Classic &bull; Classic U20 &bull; Short Trail&nbsp; &bull; Long Trail&nbsp;
A programme of mass participation events is also being developed, allowing more than 2000 amateur runners from South Africa and around the world to experience the championship atmosphere and compete on selected championship terrain. It will make the championships even more memorable and provide many sports enthusiasts with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Further details on these events will be announced in due course.
"With one year to go, Athletics South Africa is proud to be part of a historic moment as we prepare to welcome the world to the first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships ever hosted in Africa,&rdquo; said Athletics South Africa Acting CEO Terrence Magogodela. &ldquo;Cape Town 2027 provides an extraordinary opportunity to showcase South Africa's athletes, landscapes and hospitality, while creating a lasting legacy for mountain and trail running across our country and continent. Through our national championship and selection pathway, we are committed to ensuring that Team South Africa is ready to compete with the world's best when the championships arrive next October.&rdquo;
Beyond the world titles, WMTRC Cape Town 2027 aims to leave a lasting legacy through athlete development, greater participation and international exposure. Bringing the championship to Africa creates an opportunity to grow the sport across the continent and introduce more runners to its exceptional mountain and trail destinations.
&ldquo;I am so proud that Cape Town will host Africa's first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships,&rdquo; said South African international trail runner Toni McCann. &ldquo;It's incredibly exciting to welcome the world's best athletes to experience the energy of this city: its people, our passionate trail and running community, the diversity of our natural spaces and the magical beauty of our rugged trails. Beyond that, this event has the power to make a lasting impact on a new generation of South African runners who dream of one day wearing the green and gold.&rdquo;
As the countdown enters its final year, WMTRC Cape Town 2027 is poised to become more than a championship. It is an opportunity to showcase Africa to the world, elevate mountain and trail running across the continent and create a lasting legacy for future generations of athletes.&nbsp;
One world stage. A new continent. Mountain and trail running's next chapter.&nbsp;
WMTRC Cape Town 2027

From 6 to 10 October 2027, Cape Town will welcome the world's best mountain and trail runners for the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC), a landmark event that will place Africa at the centre of the global off-road running community.

One year to go: Cape Town begins countdown to 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships

The 20 nominees for the World Athlete of the Year honours have been announced ahead of the World Athletics Awards taking place in Monaco on 29 November.
The nominees &ndash; selected by an international panel of athletics experts &ndash; include 10 for Women&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year and 10 for Men&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year.
In what has been another sensational year for the sport, the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship and World Athletics Series events held throughout the year, as well as during various one-day meeting circuits, Label road races and other events around the world. 
Nominees for 2026 Women&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year (in alphabetical order):
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ethiopia/tigst-assefa-14388506" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia</a> &bull; Won the Berlin Marathon in 2:11:04, the third-fastest time in history &bull; Won the London Marathon in a women-only world record of 2:15:41
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/chase-jackson-14533525" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chase Jackson, USA</a> &bull; Twice improved the North American shot put record, to 21.02m and 21.14m &bull; Won the world indoor title and set a Diamond League record to regain the Diamond Trophy
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/melissa-jefferson-wooden-14756997" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, USA</a> &bull; Won a sprint double at the Ultimate Championship &bull; Set world leads of 10.62 in the 100m and 21.47 in the 200m, the latter putting her third on the world all-time list
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/agnes-jebet-ngetich-14758189" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Agnes Ngetich, Kenya</a> &bull; Won the world half marathon title by 50 seconds in a women-only world record of 1:05:15 and won the world cross-country title by 42 seconds &bull; Ran world leads of 8:08.95 for 3000m and 28:58 for 10km
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/dominican-republic/marileidy-paulino-14749613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marileidy Paulino, Dominican Republic</a> &bull; Won the Ultimate 400m title and regained the Diamond League title &bull; Set a world lead and Diamond League record of 48.48 and remained unbeaten, running under 49 seconds in eight races
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/spain/maria-perez-14470735" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mar&iacute;a P&eacute;rez, Spain</a> &bull; Set an inaugural world half marathon race walk record of 1:30:06 &bull; Won the European title by 58 seconds with that world record performance
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/camryn-rogers-14607142" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Camryn Rogers, Canada</a> &bull; Improved her own North American hammer record with 81.13m, strengthening her place at second on the world all-time list &bull; Achieved the five best performances in the world and retained the Commonwealth Games title
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/masai-russell-14659011" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Masai Russell, USA</a> &bull; Set a world 100m hurdles record of 12.09 and achieved nine of the 10 fastest times of the season &bull; Won Ultimate and Diamond League titles as part of an unbeaten season in the 100m hurdles
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerland/audrey-werro-14856078" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Audrey Werro, Switzerland</a> &bull; Won Ultimate, Diamond League and European 800m titles &bull; Broke the Diamond League record three times, improving to a world lead of 1:53.70 &ndash; putting her third on the world all-time list
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/pr-of-china/ziyi-yan-15144603" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yan Ziyi, China</a> &bull; Threw 71.74m on her season opener, an Asian and world U20 record that puts her second on the world javelin all-time list &bull; Won Diamond League and Asian Games titles 
Nominees for 2026 Men&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year (in alphabetical order):
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/kenneth-bednarek-14715244" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kenneth Bednarek, USA</a> &bull; Achieved a sprint double at the Ultimate Championship, winning the 100m in 9.85 and 200m in a world-leading PB of 19.52 &bull; Won the Diamond League 200m title in 19.62
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/slovenia/kristjan-ceh-14666860" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kristjan Čeh, Slovenia</a> &bull; Won the Diamond League discus title with a Memorial van Damme meeting record of 71.29m &bull; Retained the European title with a championship record of 72.51m
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/italy/andy-diaz-hernandez-14587743" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andy D&iacute;az Hern&aacute;ndez, Italy</a> &bull; Won world indoor, Diamond League and European triple jump titles &bull; Jumped 18.15m to move to fourth on the world all-time list
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/brazil/alison-dos-santos-14755064" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alison dos Santos, Brazil</a> &bull; Set a world 400m hurdles record of 45.80 and won the Ultimate title in 45.98, the third-fastest time in history &bull; Went undefeated in 11 hurdles races, including the Diamond League Final
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/sweden/armand-duplantis-14679502" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mondo Duplantis, Sweden</a> &bull; Improved his world pole vault record to 6.31m &bull; Won Ultimate, world indoor and European titles
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/botswana/busang-collen-kebinatshipi-14935809" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Collen Kebinatshipi, Botswana</a> &bull; Won the Ultimate 400m title in 43.39, putting him fifth on the world all-time list &bull; Won the Diamond League title and improved the Diamond League record three times, to a best of 43.40 &ndash; one of his six sub-44.00 races, a record for a single season
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/great-britain-ni/josh-kerr-14533464" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Josh Kerr, Great Britain &amp; NI</a> &bull; Set a world mile record of 3:42.66, achieving a world lead of 3:27.62 for his 1500m split &bull; Won Ultimate 1500m, world indoor 3000m, and Commonwealth Games mile titles
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/sri-lanka/rumesh-tharanga-pathirage-14886862" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, Sri Lanka</a> &bull; Won Ultimate, Diamond League, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games javelin titles &bull; Set a world-leading national record of 92.62m and won 13 of his 14 competitions
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/sabastian-kimaru-sawe-14833335" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sabastian Sawe, Kenya</a> &bull; Won the London Marathon in a world record of 1:59:30 &bull; Became the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/jakobe-tharp-15129238" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ja&rsquo;Kobe Tharp, USA</a> &bull; Set a world 110m hurdles record of 12.75 at the NCAA Championships &bull; Won Ultimate and Diamond League titles and broke 13 seconds in six races 
An eight-strong panel of statisticians &ndash; two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations &ndash; selected the nominees. A four-way vote, which closes on Saturday 17 October at midnight CEST, will now determine their final ranking, from first to 10th.
Each of the four voting groups will contribute 25% of the final vote:
&bull; World Athletics fans <a href="https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/W9SWJLC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voting by survey</a>
&bull; Athletes who have competed at World Athletics Series events during 2026
&bull; Members of the media including TV and radio commentators, written press journalists and content creators who have been accredited at World Athletics Series events in 2026
&bull; World Athletics Family including Council members; commission members; athlete representatives; World Athletics Series event local organising committee chairs; Diamond League, World Indoor Tour Gold and Continental Tour Gold meeting directors; member federation presidents; official partners; and World Athletics staff
The six finalists &ndash; three for the women&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year award and three for the men&rsquo;s &ndash; will be announced on 10 and 11 November and be invited to Monaco for the World Athletics Awards on 29 November, when each winner will be announced live on stage.
Other awards presented on stage will include the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s Rising Star honours, Coach of the Year, the President&rsquo;s Award and, for the first time, the Moment of the Year award.

World Athletics

The 20 nominees for the World Athlete of the Year honours have been announced ahead of the World Athletics Awards taking place in Monaco on 29 November.

Nominees announced for World Athlete of the Year 2026

The 2026 TCS London Marathon earned platinum-level recognition under the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/organisation/better-world/sustainability-initiatives/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard</a>, World Athletics&rsquo; tiered evaluation system for measuring an event&rsquo;s sustainable delivery.
The annual Abbott World Marathon Majors fixture is only the third one-day athletics event &ndash; and the first mass participation road running event &ndash; to reach the standard&rsquo;s highest level since its launch in 2024.
The recognition followed a comprehensive assessment and on-site audit by international sustainability experts of the organising team&rsquo;s efforts to reduce the marathon&rsquo;s environmental impact and maximise its social and local economic benefits.
&ldquo;The TCS London Marathon's efforts to reduce their environmental impacts and increase the event&rsquo;s social benefits illustrate clearly that they take their responsibility as one of the world's biggest marathons very seriously,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. &ldquo;With strong leadership and clear vision, they have created a sustainability model that all sports can follow. Congratulations to the entire London Marathon team."
The ABW Standard covers 55 action areas across six pillars spanning every aspect of event delivery, from transport, waste and energy management to procurement, community engagement and social impact. The marathon performed strongly across all six, integrating sustainability into nearly every stage of planning and delivery.
Group CFO and COO of London Marathon Events Jeanette Wong said: &ldquo;To become the first mass participation event of its kind to receive platinum-level recognition for sustainability delivery reflects our commitment to embedding sustainability across every aspect of the TCS London Marathon.
&ldquo;From helping participants make greener choices to the decisions we take on energy supply and procurement; positive social and environmental change is at the heart of what we do. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and recognise that sustainability is a continuous journey. We remain committed to learning, improving and finding new ways to drive meaningful change.&rdquo;
<h2>A strong focus on biofuels, public transport and air quality awareness</h2>
Organisers procured biofuels to power the temporary generators used at the event, resulting in a 92.8% renewable share of the event's energy sources. Excel London, venue for the five-day TCS London Marathon Running Show, which welcomed more than 220,000 visitors, was powered by 100% renewable energy.
Through a partnership with Transport for London, all 59,830 participants, staff and volunteers received free travel on the London Underground, as well as selected Overground services and buses. Participants and spectators were also encouraged to use the event&rsquo;s Green Travel Planner to help them find low carbon travel routes throughout Marathon Week.
The event&rsquo;s carbon compensation strategy includes a &pound;31 (EUR 36 / USD 41) levy paid by each international entrant. The fee helps finance high-quality carbon-removal credits or projects that directly reduce emissions.
Addressing the ABW Standard&rsquo;s Local Environment &amp; Air Quality pillar, this year&rsquo;s event introduced an air-quality monitoring plan. Air quality was measured and modelled across the course, with live data shared during the event and displayed on large screens at the start. In addition, 6000 trees were planted through a forest-restoration partnership with Trees not Tees, which allows participants to opt-out of a finisher T-shirt and have a tree planted instead.
<h2>Procurement, catering and waste</h2>
A robust procurement policy strengthened local sourcing: more than 65% of products and services were procured within 100km of Greater London, and much of the hospitality food &ndash; including a wide range of plant-based options &ndash; was sourced locally. To reduce the environmental impact of catering, the event prohibited beef, while its main food supplier used a fully electric, carbon-neutral delivery service. Where possible, non-perishable surplus food is either used at other events organised by London Marathon Events later in the year, or donated to The Felix Project, a charity that addresses food poverty.
Nearly 60% of event waste was diverted from landfill and incineration. Hospitality and media areas used compostable plates and cutlery alongside reusable glassware, and all food vendors were required to provide compostable or recyclable serveware. Water refill stations along the course increased from three to five, while elite athletes were offered reusable water bottles at their accommodation for the first time.
<h2>Strong community engagement</h2>
Building on its long-standing charitable commitment, the 2026 edition raised a record &pound;87.5 million (EUR 103 million / USD 116 million). More than 17.5 tonnes of clothing were donated to the Salvation Army, and 545 pairs of shoes were collected, including 295 distributed to community groups in need. Through partnerships with local organisations and universities, the event also delivered training and skills-development programmes to recruit volunteers, create employment opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and autism, and launch a new course for the next generation of sports and event professionals.
<h2>About the Athletics for a Better World Standard</h2>
In January 2024, sustainability reporting through the Athletics for a Better World Standard became a requirement for most global elite competitions managed or awarded by World Athletics.
In 2024, 104 events submitted sustainability reports, rising to 121 in 2025. More than 100 events are expected to report in 2026, most for the first time. Once fully adopted, the ABW Standard will be the largest sustainability evaluation system in the sports industry.
The London Marathon is the fifth event to earn platinum recognition against the ABW Standard, and the first road race. The Oslo Bislett Games reached the top tier in 2024 and 2025 and the Weltklasse Zurich in 2025. The World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 and World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 also achieved platinum.
Among road races, three events have achieved gold: the TCS Sydney Marathon and BMW Berlin Marathon in 2025, and the C&amp;D Xiamen Marathon in 2026. Six others have achieved silver.
The complete list of ABW Standard certified events is <a href="https://worldathletics.org/organisation/better-world/sustainability-initiatives/abw-standard-certified-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The 2026 TCS London Marathon earned platinum-level recognition under the Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard, World Athletics’ tiered evaluation system for measuring an event’s sustainable delivery.

London Marathon earns platinum recognition for sustainable delivery – first road race to gain ABW Standard's top level

&ldquo;Trust me,&rdquo; says Collen Kebinatshipi. &ldquo;This was just the start of an era of Collen. My plan is just to dominate for the longest period possible.&rdquo;
Whatever about the future, the 22-year-old Motswana, who blazed to the world 400m title in Tokyo last year in 43.53, has been utterly dominant this year &ndash; going six for six at Diamond League meetings and setting a national record of 43.40 at the Diamond League Final in Brussels.
Which brought him to the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest high on confidence, where Kebinatshipi was the overwhelming favourite for the men&rsquo;s 400m. In many races this year, he had saved his energy for the latter half of the one-lap race but, this time, he changed things up.
&ldquo;I just decided I should go all out and see where it would end,&rdquo; he says.
He left the blocks in explosive fashion, ripping through the first 100m in 10.61, reaching 200m in 20.67 and 300m in a blazing 31.37, leaving a slew of global medallists trailing far behind.
How fast would he go?
43.39, another national record, which handed him the Ultimate trophy and $150,000 in prize money.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6aa57d05334a20d335b3726d.jpg" alt="Collen Kebinatshipi at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26" />
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Collen Kebinatshipi at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 (&copy; Getty Images)
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Kebinatshipi blacked out not long after the race and had to spend several minutes recuperating in a wheelchair. The 400m can do that, especially when you run it as he did.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s normal,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I know every time I push my body, it&rsquo;s like that. The plan was to give everything, leave everything on the track.&rdquo;
He did just that, crowning a season of consistent excellence. There were his two 9.89-second 100m clockings on home turf in Gaborone back in April, his three national 400m records, and Kebinatshipi also helped Botswana to victory in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, clocking an African record of 2:54.47.
&ldquo;I need to go home and recover,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t want to mess up because this is my last race, I didn&rsquo;t want to leave anything in the tank and now I have nothing in the tank.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a special thing to keep the [winning] streak alive until the end of the season. It was such an amazing season and it&rsquo;s a big boost heading towards next year. I just want to make sure I stay healthy until the World Championships.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69d037160447b91f4c6c764c.JPG" alt="Collen Kebinatshipi" />
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Collen Kebinatshipi (&copy; Monirul Bhuiyan)
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It&rsquo;s been a steep ascent in recent years, but Kebinatshipi&rsquo;s talent has been clear for a long time. He took up athletics in primary school. &ldquo;I was just doing it for fun,&rdquo; he says.
In 2019, he met his current coach, Chilume &lsquo;Chippa&rsquo; Ntshwarang, at a competition and they started working together. It&rsquo;s proven a hugely successful relationship. He trains alongside Lee Eppie, a 44.40 athlete who joined Kebinatshipi on the team that won the men&rsquo;s 4x400m world title in Tokyo last year.
In 2020, he and his coach decided to focus more on the 400m. &ldquo;Even though I was scared of it,&rdquo; says Kebinatshipi, &ldquo;but coach maybe saw something I didn&rsquo;t see.&rdquo;
In 2022, he lowered his PB to 45.40 at the age of 18 and reached the world U20 400m final. In 2023, he won gold at the African U20 Championships in 44.91 and reached the world semi-final in Budapest. In 2024, he became an Olympian in Paris, narrowly missing the 400m final and helping Botswana to Olympic silver in the 4x400m.
But things truly clicked in 2025.
Kebinatshipi overcame a scare in his 400m heat at the World Championships in Tokyo, where he finished only fourth in 44.48, but he blazed to victory in his semi-final in a national record of 43.61. In the final, he ran 43.53 to claim his first global gold.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68cc07f31c12d795c3531c66.jpg" alt="Collen Kebinatshipi wins the 400m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Collen Kebinatshipi wins the 400m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; Getty Images)
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&ldquo;Last year&rsquo;s win opened a lot of doors for me but that was just the beginning, because this year was about putting my name up there and showing people who I am and what I&rsquo;m capable of,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;My coach told me to come here and try a new race plan.&rdquo;
It might have been a very different approach in Budapest, but it worked as well as ever, Kebinatshipi finishing a whopping 0.76 seconds ahead of runner-up Rai Benjamin. He said the world record was not in his mind at the Ultimate Championship, given the fatigue of the previous day&rsquo;s semi-final was still in his legs.
&ldquo;The championship itself deserves such challenges,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Because it&rsquo;s big money, and big challenges.&rdquo;
However, Wayde van Niekerk&rsquo;s mark of 43.03 is certainly a long-term goal.
&ldquo;I would be lying if I say no &ndash; the world record is obviously always running in my mind. The world record talk will be on the table maybe in LA (at the 2028 Olympics).
&ldquo;The calculations based on training, we&rsquo;re always (doing), like if I go 20.9 in the first 200m and then go 22.0 or 22.1, it&rsquo;s going to give us a 42.9. But it&rsquo;s not easy. I&rsquo;m still a bit lighter, I&rsquo;m not doing a lot of gym but as time goes, when I start engaging the body in more constant work I think I will manage (the world record), but for now, no pressure.&rdquo;
With his season complete, Kebinatshipi plans to take a long break, which he will spend at home in Botswana, where he breeds boerboel dogs on a 10-acre farm.
&ldquo;I have eight of them at the moment and I have been missing them since May,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I am going to go back home, spend all my prize money on them. Unfortunately, they are not as fast as I am &ndash; they have big muscles and cannot keep up with me.&rdquo;
Still only 22, Kebinatshipi believes he has &ldquo;10, 11 years in this track life&rdquo; left and all options are on the table about his specialist events.
&ldquo;If we achieve what we want, maybe run under 43 before the next five years, it&rsquo;d give us another window to try another event,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Once I accomplish it, in less than five years, I&rsquo;m going to move to the 200m and after achieving what I want, I can skip again, go to the 800m.&rdquo;
Whatever way he goes, the era of Collen Kebinatshipi looks built to last.
Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

“Trust me,” says Collen Kebinatshipi. “This was just the start of an era of Collen."

Kebinatshipi: ‘This was just the start’

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Pat Clohessy, the coach who guided Robert de Castella to the marathon title at the first World Championships in Helsinki in 1983, died in Brisbane on Monday (28 September). Clohessy, an early recruit to the professional staff at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, was 93.
Before he became an influential coach, Clohessy was a champion distance runner in his own right. He won consecutive NCAA three-mile titles for the University of Houston in 1961 and 1962, claimed the AAU three-mile title in 1963, and finished third at the World Games in Helsinki that same year.
He represented Australia over one mile and three miles at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, finishing seventh over the longer distance.
He retired as an athlete and became a teacher at Xavier College in Melbourne, where he was soon coaching the athletics team.
Some years later, a promising young runner named de Castella attended the school. &ldquo;Deek&rdquo; was 14 when he first began working with Clohessy and they went on to become one of the most famous athlete-coach partnerships in Australian athletics history. Their successes included the 1983 world marathon title, the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games titles, a world marathon record of 2:08:18 at the 1981 Fukuoka Marathon, victory at the 1986 Boston Marathon, and wins at the Rotterdam Marathon in 1983 and 1991.
Reflecting on their remarkable relationship this week, de Castella said Clohessy was &ldquo;like a second father&rdquo; to him, writing on Instagram that he was &ldquo;blessed to have had this great man mentor, guide and inspire me with his generosity, care, &amp; wisdom&rdquo;.
&ldquo;To me, he exemplified what we want from all our coaches in all sports,&rdquo; de Castella said. &ldquo;He had a wealth of personal knowledge and wisdom from his own athletics background, and his caring nature, self-sacrifice and positivity uplifted everyone around him.
&ldquo;The technical side was important, but it was the character and values and approach that made him stand out. He always said he preferred to coach someone with a little bit of talent and a lot of commitment, than someone with a lot of talent and a little commitment. As a coach, he was artistic and a craftsman. He could tell just from looking at someone how they were running.&rdquo;
Clohessy was Australia&rsquo;s distance running coach at the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was a national team coach at the 1983 and 1987 World Athletics Championships.
He worked as a national high-performance coach at the AIS from 1982 to 1994, where his coaching group included Simon Doyle, who was ranked world No.2 in the 1500m in 1990 and 1991, 1990 Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Andrew Lloyd, and Australian representatives Krishna Wood, Shaun Creighton, Susan Hobson and Pat Carroll.
During his five-decade coaching career, &ldquo;Clo&rdquo; became a cherished figure in Australian distance running, mentoring generations of athletes and coaches, including Dick Telford, coach of Australian middle-distance star Cameron Myers, who won this year&rsquo;s Wanda Diamond League 1500m title.
As an AIS sports scientist in the 1980s, Telford came into Clohessy&rsquo;s orbit when he began providing physiology support to the distance running group.
&ldquo;Pat had a huge influence on me in his general approach to his athletes, which was &lsquo;first do no harm&rsquo;,&rdquo; Telford recalls. &ldquo;He had a very caring approach. It was how do we get the best out of an athlete with the least amount of risk and Pat epitomised the coaching art of how to do that.
&ldquo;He was the only professional distance coach in the country at the time and he became the father figure of Australian distance running. He was a steadying influence and he had incredible success with a really simple plan.
&ldquo;When I set a training programme now there are a few things that I include automatically that trace back to what Pat was doing. Franz Stampfl, Arthur Lydiard, Percy Cerutty and Pat Clohessy &ndash; they are the coaches who have influenced me.&rdquo;
Clohessy&rsquo;s sayings &ndash; &ldquo;Clo-isms&rdquo; &ndash; became legendary among the Australian distance running community. Anyone who asked about an athlete would invariably be told that they were &ldquo;looking good&rdquo; or &ldquo;on the rise&rdquo;.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1988 for his service to sport as a track and field coach, and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1997.
In &ldquo;retirement&rdquo;, Clohessy returned to grassroots coaching in Brisbane, notably with the University of Queensland, continuing to pursue his passion for the sport until failing health intervened.
He is being remembered with admiration, affection and gratitude by the Australian athletics community this week, and his influence lives on.
Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics

Pat Clohessy, 1933-2026

Australian athletics coach Clohessy dies

The co-ingestion of sodium bicarbonate and carbohydrate could help athletes sustain high-intensity efforts later in a race while fatigued, according to a new study conducted by Bernardo R. Norte at the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University, in collaboration with the World Athletics Health and Science Department.
In sport, the smallest detail can make the difference between victory and defeat. Winning a race can depend on the ability to deliver another intense effort when the body is already exhausted. With this in mind, the research led by Norte, a PhD student in exercise metabolism &amp; nutrition, examined a novel energy gel combining sodium bicarbonate and carbohydrate during three hours of moderate-intensity exercise, followed by a series of high-intensity efforts, to assess performance in a fatigued state. It found that compared with carbohydrate ingestion alone, adding sodium bicarbonate improved performance after prolonged exercise and induced only mild gastrointestinal discomfort.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6abf8b0c114f5f44ddfdc6e3.jpg" alt="Research at the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University" />
Research at the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University
&ldquo;A central finding of this study is that this new energy gel format may offer endurance athletes a practical nutritional strategy to achieve blood alkalosis and improve performance,&rdquo; said Dr. Julien B. Louis, Reader in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and the supervisor of the project.
Indeed, high-intensity exercise can temporarily cause metabolic acidosis, characterised by increased hydrogen-ion concentration and a reduction in blood pH. Fingertip blood samples were collected and analysed at regular intervals using a blood gas analyser (EPOC, Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany). The results indicated that sodium bicarbonate ingestion during exercise helped limit acidosis thanks to its buffering capacity.
These findings suggest that the ergogenic potential of sodium bicarbonate may extend beyond isolated high-intensity exercise performed in a rested state and offer practical guidance for coaches and athletes, supporting more informed decision-making in both training and competition.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6abf8b34755ad341bea3ef26.JPG" alt="Researchers from the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University" />
Researchers from the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University
The full article is <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=0c44621f-4301-423c-bb37-61202dfb6ddb.pdf&amp;urlslug=Can%20Sodium%20Bicarbonate%20ingestion%20improve%20exercise%20performance%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">available for download</a> from the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/health-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health &amp; Science section of the World Athletics Library</a>, under &lsquo;nutrition in athletics&rsquo;.
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The co-ingestion of sodium bicarbonate and carbohydrate could help athletes sustain high-intensity efforts later in a race while fatigued, according to a new study

Nutrition study highlights performance benefit of sodium bicarbonate and carbohydrate co-ingestion

Ahead of World Mental Health Day, ASICS is drawing attention to a decline in everyday movement, with new research finding that people surveyed spend an average of 86% of their waking day not moving.
To highlight the issue, ASICS has released <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTuMUWlVFZI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Human Nature</a>, a short nature documentary narrated by Sigourney Weaver. The film explores how modern conveniences are changing the way people move, and encourages viewers to build more movement into daily life.
The research, involving 34,000 people across 31 countries, found that 53% of adults surveyed do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines. ASICS worked with experts to develop a Movement Conservation Status, inspired by nature conservation and based on recognised physical activity guidelines. It classifies weekly movement levels as Active, At Risk or Endangered.
Almost one in four respondents (23%) were classified as Endangered, reporting less than 30 minutes of exercise each week. ASICS projects that the proportion of adults classified as At Risk or Endangered across the countries studied could rise from 53% to 56% by 2035, equivalent to an estimated 2.3 billion adults.
<h3>Movement levels and reported state of mind</h3>
The survey found an association between reported movement levels and state of mind. Respondents classified as Endangered had an average State of Mind score of 60 out of 100, compared with 71 for those classified as Active. They also reported feeling less energised, less composed and less focused, and more stressed.
Young adults were among those most likely to report low activity levels. More than half of respondents aged 18&ndash;24 said they did not meet recommended activity levels; 92% of that group reported experiencing negative consequences, including low mood, increased stress or poor sleep.
The research also points to the role of modern routines. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) said convenience makes it easy to spend a whole day barely moving. More than four in 10 said they could comfortably go three or more days without leaving home.
Those who said they very often went a full day without leaving home had lower average State of Mind scores than those who said they never did so. They were also twice as likely to be classified as Endangered.
<h3>Small amounts of movement can help</h3>
ASICS says its research found that 15 minutes of movement can produce a measurable uplift in mental state.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve built a world that makes movement optional,&rdquo; said David Raichlen, professor of biology and anthropology at the University of Southern California. He said regular movement remains important for physical and mental health, and that small, achievable bouts of activity can help people bring more movement into their everyday lives.
<h3>A new nature documentary</h3>
Human Nature takes a playful look at people in increasingly comfortable and convenient surroundings. With Weaver&rsquo;s narration echoing a traditional nature documentary, the film shows how sofas, screens and other conveniences can replace everyday movement, and reminds viewers that movement is part of human nature.
‣ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTuMUWlVFZI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch Human Nature</a>
&ldquo;For more than 75 years, ASICS has been guided by the belief that movement transforms not just the body, but also the mind,&rdquo; said Gary Raucher, ASICS global head of marketing. He said the company hopes to encourage people to move for 15 minutes, highlighting the potential benefits of even small amounts of activity.
For World Mental Health Day, ASICS is inviting people to take part in its &ldquo;15 Minutes to Thrive&rdquo; initiative and join its Movement Conservationist community.
&bull; Find out more: <a href="https://asics.com/movementconservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asics.com/movementconservation</a>

Ahead of World Mental Health Day, ASICS is drawing attention to a decline in everyday movement

ASICS calls for more movement as research highlights links to mental wellbeing

When Naoko Takahashi crossed the finish line at the 2001 Berlin Marathon, her expression turned from agony to ecstasy.
The digits on the giant clock above her clicked from 2:19:45 to 2:19:46 but, after straining for so long to chase time and history, the Japanese runner glanced first at her wristwatch and then at the face of her coach before fully realising what she had done.
With an official finishing time of 2:19:46, Takahashi had become the first woman to run the marathon in less than 2:20, breaking a barrier that Ingrid Kristiansen and Joan Benoit had pushed towards in the 1980s.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not anyone special,&rdquo; the 29-year-old insisted that day, 30 September 2001, 25 years ago now. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just a normal person. I just prepared well for today. It was a great challenge.&rdquo;
It was a challenge for which Takahashi prepared with characteristic thoroughness under the guidance of her long-time coach Yoshio Koide, a former marathon runner who described his &ldquo;earnest&rdquo; charge as &ldquo;a glutton for training, who never cuts corners&rdquo;.
The pair followed the same formula that had brought Takahashi Olympic success in Sydney in 2000, when she prevailed ahead of Romania&rsquo;s Lidia Simon in a Games record of 2:23:14.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60f86f7ca11486ae3f363dc0.jpg" alt="Naoko Takahashi's Sydney 2000 competition number" />
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Naoko Takahashi's Sydney 2000 competition number (&copy; World Athletics Heritage)
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They spent a punishing four months at altitude in Boulder, Colorado, where Takahashi built her endurance with occasional runs of 70-80km.
Her regime also reportedly included a drink derived from the secretions of Japanese giant hornets, which was claimed by its developers to help endurance runners metabolise fat and reduce the build-up of lactic acid.
Takahashi arrived in Berlin with her own chef and masseur. Her entourage of a dozen also included the journalist who penned her weekly manga story Kazekko, The Daughter of the Wind &ndash; a comic strip with a readership of some 700,000.
A second cousin of Hideki Shirakawa, the Japanese chemist who was awarded a Nobel Prize for discovering conductive polymers, Takahashi had enjoyed a solid rather than spectacular track career, placing 13th in the 5000m final at the 1997 World Athletics Championships in Athens.
She made her marathon breakthrough in 1998, winning the Nagoya Women&rsquo;s Marathon in 2:25:48, a Japanese record, before making light of the oppressive heat and humidity of Bangkok to win the Asian Games title in 2:21:47, then the fastest time ever in a women-only race.
That remained Takahashi&rsquo;s PB when she lined up for her first mixed-gender marathon in Berlin in 2001 &ndash; in a field that included Tegla Loroupe, the Kenyan who had set the existing world best of 2:20:43 in the German capital in 1999.
Accompanied by a group of male pacemakers to halfway, Takahashi reached that marker in 1:09:50. &ldquo;I looked at my watch at that point and knew I would just have to run the same time again,&rdquo; she later recalled.
Only in the final two kilometres did her pace slow. &ldquo;I was getting tired,&rdquo; she confessed, &ldquo;but knew I could still manage sub-2:20.&rdquo;
The Daughter of the Wind finished with 14 seconds to spare, 57 seconds inside Loroupe&rsquo;s world best, with the Kenyan a distant runner-up in 2:28:03.
&ldquo;I have always had two goals,&rdquo; Takahashi said. &ldquo;One was to become an Olympic champion. The other was to break the world record.
&ldquo;Both achievements are roughly on the same level for me.&rdquo;
Takahashi was rewarded with a bonus of $100,000. When Jim Peters became the first man to break 2:20, clocking 2:18:40.4 in the 1953 Polytechnic Marathon from Windsor to Chiswick in west London, he finished in debt.
&ldquo;It cost me 10 shillings [50 pence] to enter,&rdquo; he recalled. &ldquo;I got nothing for winning.&rdquo;
The 2:17:39.4 mark that Peters clocked in the 1954 edition of the 'Poly' race stood as a global mark for four years. Takahashi&rsquo;s landmark sub-2:20 time in Berlin lasted all of seven days.
Running in the 2001 Chicago Marathon, Catherine Ndereba reclaimed the world best for Kenya, breaking Takahashi&rsquo;s time by 59 seconds with 2:18:47.
Koide later confessed the target for Takahashi in Berlin had been 2:18:32.
&ldquo;Because of the headwind in the first 5km, she lost 20 seconds,&rdquo; he lamented. &ldquo;If she trains for the final 2km, she can run a further one minute faster.&rdquo;
Sadly for Takahashi and her coach, it was not to be.
She won again in Berlin in 2002, clocking 2:21:49, but was troubled by injury thereafter. She announced her retirement after failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage
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When Naoko Takahashi crossed the finish line at the 2001 Berlin Marathon, her expression turned from agony to ecstasy.

Takahashi and the marathon’s sub-2:20 breakthrough

Switzerland&rsquo;s Simon Ehammer and Annik K&auml;lin have been confirmed as the winners of the 2026 World Athletics Combined Events Tour, completing a historic Swiss double.
Both athletes had finished runner-up in the 2022 tour, but no Swiss athlete had previously topped either the men&rsquo;s or women&rsquo;s standings in the tour or its forerunner, the Combined Events Challenge, which dates back to 1998. This year, Ehammer and K&auml;lin each won with the second-highest winning score ever recorded in their respective standings.
The Combined Events Tour counts each athlete&rsquo;s best three performances across the series and at major championships, converting them into result scores using World Athletics&rsquo; scoring tables. Indoor and outdoor performances can count. Ehammer and K&auml;lin each receive a US$30,000 prize as tour winners.
The top eight at the end of the season are:
Decathlon 1 Simon Ehammer (SUI) 3703 2 Leo Neugebauer (GER) 3676 3 Hakim McMorris (USA) 3597 4 Heath Baldwin (USA) 3572 5 Makenson Gletty (FRA) 3550 6 Harrison Williams (USA) 3542 7 Jeff Tesselaar (NED) 3529 8 Karel Tilga (EST) 3517 <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-combined-events-tour/standings/2026/men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full standings</a>
Heptathlon 1 Annik K&auml;lin (SUI) 3653 2 Adrianna Sułek-Schubert (POL) 3458 3 Noor Vidts (BEL) 3407 4 Sveva Gerevini (ITA) 3392 5 Beatričė Ju&scaron;kevičiūtė (LTU) 3392 6 Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers (GER) 3378 7 Vanessa Grimm (GER) 3373 8 Szabina Szűcs (HUN) 3362 <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-combined-events-tour/standings/2026/women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full standings</a>
Ehammer opened his year by winning the world indoor heptathlon title in Toruń with a world record of 6670. He then won the decathlon at the Hypo Meeting in G&ouml;tzis with 8778, setting another Swiss record and producing the best first-day score in decathlon history.
Neugebauer finished second in G&ouml;tzis with 8730, then won in Ratingen with 8573. He capped his season by claiming his first European title in Birmingham, scoring 8611 to hold off fellow German Niklas Kaul.
McMorris set a personal best of 8420 to win at the Mt SAC Relays. He increased that PB to 8599 in Talence, elevating him to third in the overall standings.
K&auml;lin won the heptathlon in G&ouml;tzis with a Swiss record of 6726, then improved that mark to 6819 when winning in Ratingen. Her end-of-season total of 3653 is the second-highest winning score in the women&rsquo;s standings, behind Anna Hall-Slayton&rsquo;s 3781 in 2025.
Sułek-Schubert won her fourth heptathlon title at the Wiesław Czapiewski Memorial, setting a meeting record of 6449. The Polish record-holder showed some of her best form since returning to competition after giving birth in 2024.
Two-time world indoor champion Vidts placed third in the standings after a consistent season that included scores of 6310 in G&ouml;tzis and 6329 in Talence.

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Zhang Jiale produced the standout performance on the final day of athletics action at the Asian Games in Nagoya, winning the women&rsquo;s hammer with a Games record of 78.27m.
The Chinese thrower entered the competition having twice bettered the official Asian record in recent weeks, with marks of 78.64m and 79.62m awaiting ratification, while compatriot Zhao Jie held the ratified continental record of 78.22m set earlier this year.
Their rivalry once again took centre stage on a rain-affected evening at Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
Zhao held a commanding advantage in their overall head-to-head record, but Zhang had enjoyed the upper hand more recently, beating her compatriot seven times this season. She did so again when it mattered most.
Zhang took command of the competition before improving to 78.27m in the fourth round, breaking the Games record and securing gold. Zhao managed 74.83m for silver, while Japan&rsquo;s Joy McArthur delighted the home crowd with 68.42m for bronze.
Winfred Yavi, meanwhile, ended the Games as one of its most successful athletes after completing a remarkable distance treble.
Having already won the 10,000m and 3000m steeplechase, the Bahraini added the women&rsquo;s 5000m title in 15:10.18.
She had to work hard for her third gold, with Japan&rsquo;s Nozomi Tanaka challenging all the way to the line before finishing second in 15:11.65.
Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Rumesh Pathirage also ended his season on a high by adding the Asian Games javelin title to an impressive list of victories in 2026.
Apart from a second-place finish in Rabat, Pathirage won every competition he contested this year, including the Commonwealth Games, Diamond League Final and the Ultimate Championship.
His preparations for Nagoya had been disrupted when his specialist javelins were damaged during air travel following the competition in Budapest. Using a new javelin, he took time to find his rhythm in the final before throwing 88.33m in the fourth round and then improving to 88.55m with his final attempt.
With Neeraj Chopra absent through injury, India&rsquo;s Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav took silver and bronze with 85.72m and 84.35m respectively. Pakistan&rsquo;s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem finished fourth with 80.29m.
Another of the standout performances came from Mariam Kareem in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles. The 18-year-old from the United Arab Emirates, who won the Asian U18 title last year and the Asian U20 crown earlier this season, completed her campaign with a Games record of 54.31.
Her performance also improved the Asian U20 record and moved her to second on the world U20 all-time list behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
Kazakhstan&rsquo;s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58, while India&rsquo;s Vithya Ramraj earned bronze in 54.75, breaking a 42-year-old national record.
The men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles also produced a high-quality contest. Qatar&rsquo;s Bassem Al Hemeida upgraded his Hangzhou silver to gold with 47.82, while Japan&rsquo;s 17-year-old Taiju Goto clocked a personal best of 47.93 for silver. Goto&rsquo;s performance improved his own Asian U20 record and is also a world U18 best.
Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines successfully defended his pole vault title, improving his own Games record by one centimetre to 5.91m. China&rsquo;s Yao Jie and Li Chenyang both cleared 5.70m to take the other two places on the podium.
Bahrain&rsquo;s Birhanu Balew also successfully defended his 5000m title, winning in 13:30.79 ahead of Japan&rsquo;s Tomonori Yamaguchi, who clocked 13:31.43, and India&rsquo;s Gulveer Singh in 13:32.75.
Balew had already retained his 10,000m title earlier in the Games. Singh, meanwhile, ended his campaign with three individual medals, having also taken silver in the 1500m and 10,000m.
Japan enjoyed further success in the men&rsquo;s middle-distance and steeplechase events. World Championships finalist Ryuji Miura won the 3000m steeplechase in a Games record of 8:17.36, narrowly beating compatriot Ryoma Aoki in 8:17.60.
Kazuto Iizawa had earlier won the 1500m in another Games record, clocking 3:36.35 to edge Singh, who ran 3:36.72. Ko Ochiai then added the 800m title on the final day, front-running to victory in 1:44.48, also a Games record.
China&rsquo;s Shi Yuhao won the men&rsquo;s long jump with 8.17m. India&rsquo;s Murali Sreeshankar was forced to stop competing because of an ankle injury but his second-round leap of 8.07m was enough for a second successive Asian Games silver. Uzbekistan&rsquo;s Anvar Anvarov took bronze with 8.06m.
China also secured victories through Feng Bin in the women&rsquo;s discus with 63.83m and Wu Hongjiao in the women&rsquo;s 800m in 2:04.49.
India claimed its only gold medal of the athletics programme in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m relay (3:29.69), giving India a seventh Asian Games title in the event. Japan took the men&rsquo;s title in 3:00.75. The result brought the athletics programme at the 20th Asian Games to a close.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for World Athletics

Zhang Jiale produced the standout performance on the final day of athletics action at the Asian Games in Nagoya

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