On the track, Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell are rivals. In training, they&rsquo;re friends, sparring mates, and &ndash; according to their coach Trevor Painter &ndash; &ldquo;quite sassy.&rdquo; Together, they&rsquo;ve turned the M11 Track Club into one of the most formidable training environments in middle-distance running.
Painter, who runs the Manchester-based group alongside wife and 2009 world bronze medallist Jenny Meadows, laughs when asked about coaching the duo. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re both very different, but also the same in other ways,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;They both have this amazing will to win. I&rsquo;m quite often getting scolded by them for different reasons.&rdquo;
That blend of fire and friendship has carried them through a turbulent season leading up to the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. Hodgkinson, the Olympic 800m champion, has fought back from multiple injuries. &ldquo;It was quite difficult at times,&rdquo; Painter says in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ILmt8ah-A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exclusive World Athletics video feature</a>. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of soul searching and a lot of tears when it&rsquo;s not going your way. But that&rsquo;s athletics.&rdquo;
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-ILmt8ah-A" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In mid-August, when Hodgkinson made her season debut at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia, things finally began to click. &ldquo;I was hoping she&rsquo;d be in 1:54 shape by the time she got to the World Championshhips,&rdquo; says Painter. &ldquo;But when she won in Silesia (in 1:54.74), I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Oh, you&rsquo;re in 1:54 shape. Ok, we&rsquo;ve done it early&rsquo;.&rdquo;
She produced another 1:54 clocking in Tokyo, earning the bronze medal just 0.01 behind Hunter Bell as both Brits finished behind surprise winner Lilian Odira of Kenya.
For Hodgkinson, that medal meant more than redemption. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;d told me in June that I&rsquo;d run two 1:54s this season and earn world bronze, I&rsquo;d have taken it,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;At one point I didn&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d even make it back this season. It just shows how strong I am &ndash; and how strong the team around me is.&rdquo;
Hunter Bell&rsquo;s route to global podiums has been anything but conventional. A former tech sales executive, she spent seven years juggling full-time work and self-funded training. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t start with &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going back to go to the Olympics&rsquo;,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;It started small &ndash; parkruns, a local track race. Then it just progressed. It doesn&rsquo;t always have to be the same path everyone else takes.&rdquo;
She&rsquo;s now an Olympic 1500m bronze medallist and a world silver medallist over 800m, just 0.01 ahead of her training partner. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve always taken the approach that the best thing to do is to go into a race and just have fun,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;You never want to be the best in the group &ndash; you need people better than you pulling you forward.&rdquo;
Painter agrees: &ldquo;There are lots of moments in the group where you can take inspiration. Everyone&rsquo;s pushing each other to new limits.&rdquo;
Two medals. Two extraordinary journeys. And one partnership still rewriting the rules of middle-distance running.
Interview and video production by Marta Gorczyńska for World Athletics

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

On the track, Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell are rivals. In training, they’re friends and sparring mates

Camaraderie – Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell

World Athletics is looking for an intern to join the International Relations and Development department.
The internship will involve supporting the International Relations and Development department in project-based tasks (research and consultation) and providing support to the department&rsquo;s teams as needed, as well as providing direct support to the Director in administrative day-to-day activities (diary, administrative tasks, travel, etc).&nbsp;
The duration of the internship is six months.
Position description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=0dcbc222-2947-4c78-9ca0-6d02615d91ad.pdf&amp;urlSlug=department-intern-international-relations-dev" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=03f14a6a-5dc3-46d5-a93a-e2f128daddc5.pdf&amp;urlSlug=stagiaire-au-sein-du-departement-relations-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
To apply, candidates should send the following in English to <a href="mailto:jobs@worldathletics.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jobs@worldathletics.org</a> before 4 December 2025:
&bull; Letter of application highlighting your motivation for the post and relevant experience&nbsp;
&bull; Up to date curriculum vitae&nbsp;

World Athletics is looking for an intern to join the International Relations and Development department

Vacancy: International Relations and Development internship

Two World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meetings take place this weekend &ndash; the Cardiff Cross Challenge on Saturday (8) and the Cross Internacional de Italica in Santiponce on the outskirts of Seville on Sunday (9).
The Cardiff event will welcome athletes from Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, Morocco and Spain to Llandaff Fields.
The men&rsquo;s race features world 5000m finalist Mathew Kipsang and his Kenyan compatriot Stephen Kimutai, who returns to the Welsh capital after finishing fifth at the Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon in October in 1:01:32. &nbsp;
Victor Kimosop is another promising young Kenyan athlete in action after he won the Betika Cross Country Series meeting last month.
They will be joined by Morocco&rsquo;s 17-year-old Osama Er Redouani, who was seventh at last year&rsquo;s World U20 Championships over 3000m and competed at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Kadar Omar is a regular racer in South Wales and is a previous winner of the Cardiff Half Marathon, while Jesse Fokkenrood and Nathan Houwaard will be in action for the Netherlands. Fokkenrood finished 13th&nbsp;in Cardiff last year.
Irish cross-country champion Keelan Kilrehill adds further strength to the field, as does Great Britain&rsquo;s Zakariya Mahamed who has twice finished runner-up on the course and scored a notable victory at the Northern Ireland International in 2022.
Welsh 5km record-holder Osian Perrin and Dafydd Jones lead Welsh hopes. &nbsp;
Great Britain&rsquo;s world 10,000m 10th-place finisher Megan Keith is back in Cardiff looking to regain a title she claimed in 2023. She followed that victory by becoming the European U23 cross country champion in Brussels.&nbsp;
Kate Axford was the leading British finisher last year, placing third, and she also returns, as does Kenya&rsquo;s 2024 runner-up Sheila Jebet, this time as a winner of the Cross Cup De Hannut &ndash; another Cross Country Tour Gold event &ndash; in January.
Her 17-year-old compatriot Cynthia Chepkirui hopes to take a step towards January&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 when she races in Cardiff. &nbsp;
Their competition will include Canada&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase record-holder Ceili McCabe, who won the NCAA indoor 3000m title earlier this year, and Denmark&rsquo;s Sofia Thogersen, the multiple European age-group track medallist who competes in Cardiff for the third time.
Maria Urena of Spain and Ireland&rsquo;s Mary Mulhare also form part of the international entry list.
Welsh hopes lie with Cari Hughes, who was fourth last year. Other British entries include Amelia Quirk, Holly Dixon, Poppy Tank, Jess Gibbon and Hannah Irwin.
The mile races return for 2025, incorporating the Great Britain trial for the mixed relay at the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal. Entries include Revee Walcott-Nolan, Sarah Calvert, Abbie Ives, Sarah McDonald, Holly Dixon, Will Barnicoat, Callum Elson, Joe Wigfield, Henry Jonas and Corentin Tixier.
European U20 cross country champion Innes FitzGerald headlines the U20 races, joined by William Rabjohns who was an U20 winner in Cardiff last year.
Alex Donald for World Athletics 
<h2>Yavi and Kwizera in action in Seville</h2>
The Cross Internacional de Italica always attracts a quality line-up and this year&rsquo;s race features the most prominent field so far this season.
Entries for the women&rsquo;s race, contested over 9.2km, are headed by the in-form Ethiopian Likina Amebaw who has improved her PBs over a range of distances this year and kicked off her cross-country campaign with a win at the Amorebieta meeting three weeks ago.
Yet the most decorated woman in contention will be Bahrain&rsquo;s Winfred Yavi. Despite racing cross country sparingly, the Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion should be among the athletes hunting for a podium place.
Maurine Jebor tops Kenya&rsquo;s list of entries, following her win at the recent national trials for the World Cross Country Championships. She will be joined by Celestine Jepkorir who is fresh from a comfortable victory at the San Sebastian Silver Cross Country Tour meeting on Sunday.
Watch out too for Kazakhstan&rsquo;s Daisy Jepkemei, the runner-up in Seville last year who placed sixth at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships.
Mariana Machado will also be in action as she prepares for next month&rsquo;s European Cross Country Championships in her native Portugal. Norway&rsquo;s Kristin Eikrem, fresh from a half marathon PB of 1:10:32 in Valencia a fortnight ago, will also try to get a top-five spot.
The local charge will be led by the promising duo of Marta Serrano and Maria Forero.
The men&rsquo;s event will also be held over 9.2km and promises to be a thrilling clash between training partners Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi and Spain&rsquo;s Thierry Ndikumwenayo. Kwizera is a two-time Cross Country Tour winner and has a proven record at the Italica meeting having placed first (2021), second (2022), third (2023) and runner-up again last year, when he was beaten by Ndikumwenayo, who also succeeded in 2022.
Both athletes live and train in Castellon under the guidance of Lluis Torla. Kwizera finished second at the recent Valencia Half Marathon in national record of 58:39, while world 10,000m ninth-place finisher Ndikumwenayo is still rounding into form as he spent October in his native Burundi where her wife gave birth to their first daughter. He returned to action at the Castellon cross country race last Sunday, pushing Kwizera to the line before settling for second place.
There will be a large Kenyan squad comprising Denis Kipkoech Kemboi, Robert Koech, Edwin Kiplangat, Naibei Kiplimo, Titus Kibet and Andrew Alamisi. Kemboi, Koech and Kiplangat finished third, sixth and seventh respectively at the Kenyan trials for World Cross Country Championships, while Kibet got the win last weekend in San Sebastian where Kiplimo took third and Kiplangat fourth.
Tunisia&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechaser Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui, who was fourth at the Paris Olympics, is also in action along with Burundi&rsquo;s Egide Ntakarutimana and Emile Hafashimana, who opened his cross country season with a victory in Amorebieta last month.
Joining Ndikumwenayo are other Spanish hopes Aaron Las Heras and Dani Arce, plus Olympic and world 800m finalist Mohamed Attaoui who will take advantage of his high mileage at this early stage of the season to make a rare appearance over 9.2km.
Weather forecasters predict a sunny day with temperatures in the 18-20&ordm;C range by the time of the elite races on Sunday.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Two World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meetings take place this weekend

World Cross Country Tour Gold heads to Cardiff and Seville

As the competition drew to a close on the final day of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, Seiko Group Corporation, the official event timer, gifted the specially produced final lap bell to the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Foundation. This was done as a symbol of passion and emotion to signify the legacy of the championships.&nbsp;
Traditionally used to signal the last lap in athletics for middle and long-distance events (800m and above), the Seiko final lap bell was reimagined for the 2025 World Championships, blending Japanese craft with refined aesthetic sensibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/690b1a8bba0d207b4b77eb4c.jpg" alt="The hand-over of the Seiko legacy bell in Tokyo" />
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The hand-over of the Seiko legacy bell in Tokyo
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The bell, cast in bronze &ndash; a blend of 80% copper and 20% tin &ndash; was created by Oigo Works, a Japanese workshop renowned for generations of fine metal crafts. The Edo-braided cord, in the championships&rsquo; official Edo purple and interwoven with gold and silver threads, is a masterpiece designed by Tokyo-based kumihimo cord maker, Ryuta Fukuda. Both elements stand as a true symbol of the passion and emotion of the World Championships.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Seiko has been a World Athletics partner since 1985 and has served as the official timer for more than 190 World Athletics events. WCH Tokyo 25 also marked Seiko&rsquo;s 19th consecutive appointment since the 1987 World Championships in Rome.&nbsp;
The bell was formally presented by Hiromi Kanagawa, Executive Vice President of Seiko Group Corporation, to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and Mitsugu Ogata, President of the Tokyo 2025 Foundation. With this gesture, Seiko hopes its clear tone will continue to echo in the hearts of the Japanese people and carry the thrill of athletics far beyond the stadium.&nbsp;
<div style="padding: 75% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Hi_Res_WCH_2025_Tokyo___SEIKO_Lap_Bell_Story_mp4" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1126147034?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Seiko gifted the specially produced final lap bell to the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Foundation

Seiko bell: a legacy for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

When Usain Bolt walked on to the stage at Tokyo&rsquo;s&nbsp;Ultimate Media Party, the crowd erupted as if reliving the thunderclaps of Beijing and London. But this time, the lightning belonged not to his legs, but to a new spark for athletics. Named the sport&rsquo;s first&nbsp;Ultimate Legend, Bolt passed the torch &ndash; symbolically, if not literally &ndash; to a new generation preparing to redefine what it means to be the best.
The&nbsp;inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, taking place in Budapest on 11-13 September 2026, promises to reshape track and field&rsquo;s identity: three days, no heats, no second chances &ndash; just the world&rsquo;s finest athletes competing head-to-head for the title of&nbsp;Ultimate Champion. For Bolt, whose name has long been shorthand for greatness, the innovation feels not like a departure but a long-overdue evolution.
&ldquo;Every other sport has been developing and changing over the years,&rdquo; Bolt said, his trademark grin turning reflective. &ldquo;To see track and field moving in that direction and trying something different &ndash; it&rsquo;s wonderful. This will be a big deal; a title people will respect for years to come.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68c2de765322eadf4370abd2.jpg" alt="Usain Bolt at the Ultimate media party" />
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Usain Bolt at the Ultimate Media Party (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Will Palmer)
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It&rsquo;s an evolution built on boldness, both in design and spirit. World pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis, announced as the first&nbsp;Ultimate Star, has been among the loudest champions of the idea.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m super excited about it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s bold, action-packed, and honestly, it&rsquo;s a much-needed step for athletics. I believe in the product because it gives us a chance to present our sport in a new, exciting way.&rdquo;
For the Swede, who already holds multiple Olympic and world gold medals, Budapest represents more than another title &ndash; it&rsquo;s a chance to carve his name into a new stratum of history.
&ldquo;If I win, I&rsquo;ll have something that even Usain won&rsquo;t have,&rdquo; Duplantis said with a smile. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be the pinnacle of our season. Every athlete will go into it with pride, because it&rsquo;s not just about yourself &ndash; you&rsquo;re representing your country, your sport, and what comes next.&rdquo;
That &ldquo;next&rdquo; might be precisely what the sport has been searching for: a stage built for global audiences with shorter formats, clear narratives and higher stakes. As Bolt put it: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about bringing the best of the best together &ndash; making it easier to watch, more exciting, and showing the world what we really have.&rdquo;
Multiple Olympic and world &nbsp;triple jump champion Christian Taylor agrees. Though retired from competition, his enthusiasm for innovation is undimmed.
&ldquo;As a former athlete, I&rsquo;m jealous,&rdquo; he laughed. &ldquo;For entertainment, fan engagement &ndash; this is fantastic. We can&rsquo;t keep doing the same things. We have to try, and this is a great effort. It&rsquo;s going to be a historic show.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/690a704df555b0faad20aa51.jpg" alt="Christian Taylor and Sally Pearson at the Ultimate Media Party in Tokyo" />
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Christian Taylor and Sally Pearson at the Ultimate Media Party in Tokyo (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Christel Saneh)
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Taylor also sees opportunity in the structure itself &ndash; a season built around a single, dramatic climax. &ldquo;It gives athletes something to be excited for,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;To peak for that moment. Financially, it&rsquo;s huge too. But more than that, the title of&nbsp;Ultimate Champion &ndash; that&rsquo;s powerful.&rdquo;
Among those already assured of a place in Budapest is Dominica&rsquo;s Thea LaFond, who was crowned Olympic triple jump champion in Paris. For her, the Ultimate Championship promises not only competition, but connection.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s the accessibility,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;It allows fans to connect with us more easily &ndash; to see us as people with families, with stories. And I love the one-and-done format. It&rsquo;s pressure, but it&rsquo;s fun &ndash; for us and for the crowd.&rdquo;
LaFond also praised the event&rsquo;s financial structure, calling it &ldquo;priceless.&rdquo; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had times when athletes weren&rsquo;t paid what they&rsquo;re worth,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Knowing that you&rsquo;ll give your all and be guaranteed your reward &ndash; it changes everything.&rdquo;
Sally Pearson, the 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles champion and now coach, echoed that sentiment from a generational perspective. &ldquo;I wish I&rsquo;d had something like this,&rdquo; she admitted. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a sign of respect &ndash; to bring only the very best together. The world is changing fast, and our sport has to keep up. The next generation will be the ones driving it.&rdquo;
And perhaps that&rsquo;s the ultimate message of the Ultimate Party: a celebration not just of nostalgia, but of renewal. Bolt, Duplantis, LaFond, Taylor, Pearson &ndash; legends and stars in the same room, united by a single idea. Track and field is not done evolving.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics Produced as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/media-academy-new-talent-journalism-photography-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Media Academy</a> project

World Athletics Ultimate Championships

When Usain Bolt walked on to the stage at Tokyo’s Ultimate Media Party, the crowd erupted as if reliving the thunderclaps of Beijing and London

Bolt, Duplantis and a new era: athletics looks to its Ultimate future

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Algeria&rsquo;s former World Athletics Council Member Jamel Simohamed died on 13 October at the age of 85.
Simohamed held senior positions within both the IAAF (now World Athletics) and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). He was a lifelong contributor to athletics and youth development at international, continental and national levels, and held the position of Chair of the IAAF School and Youth Commission from 2005 to 2014.
Simohamed was born on 15 January 1940 and became a multiple national champion in the 800m and 1500m, as well as a 1500m finalist at the inaugural African Games in 1965, during his own athletics career.&nbsp;
He also studied sport and physical education teaching in Strasbourg during that time, and went on to become a teacher, trainer and coach who devoted his life to developing Algerian and international sport.
At a national level, Simohamed was technical director in athletics before becoming president of the Algerian Athletics Federation and the Algerian Federation of School Sport.
He was a member of the Confederation of African Athletics and was technical delegate at numerous continental and international events, including the World Championships and Olympic Games. He was also a member of the Cross Country and Road Running Committee from 1984 to 1991.
But his biggest impact came in sports development, particularly in the field of youth participation and coach education. The programmes he helped to build, such as Kids&rsquo; Athletics, continue to grow today.
Under Simohamed&rsquo;s guidance, the School and Youth Commission became a cornerstone of the IAAF&rsquo;s development strategy. He helped to take the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme to more than 50 Member Federations through partnerships with national education ministries.
He believed in education as the foundation of athletic excellence, ensuring that coach and lecturer certification programmes reached every continent, and was deeply engaged in making sure that athletics remained a sport for life.
World Athletics

Jamel Simohamed, 1940-2025

Former World Athletics Council Member Simohamed dies

The 12 Athlete of the Year finalists have been confirmed, as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2025 continues.
The top two athletes in each category &ndash; track, field and out of stadium &ndash; have been chosen from the first round of voting, which comprised votes from the World Athletics Council, World Athletics Family and a public vote on social media. One of the two athletes will take the crown in their category.
A final round of voting &ndash; cast by fans of the sport &ndash; will now take place between 4-9 November to help select the overall women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year.
<h2><a href="https://eu.research.net/r/Z6JL535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vote now</a></h2>
<h3> Finalists</h3>
Women&rsquo;s track athlete of the year Femke Bol (NED) &ndash; world 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) &ndash; world 400m champion
Men&rsquo;s track athlete of the year Noah Lyles (USA) &ndash; world 200m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) &ndash; world 800m champion
Women&rsquo;s field athlete of the year Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA) &ndash; world long jump champion Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) &ndash; world high jump champion
Men&rsquo;s field athlete of the year Mondo Duplantis (SWE) &ndash; world pole vault champion Mattia Furlani (ITA) &ndash; world long jump champion
Women&rsquo;s out of stadium athlete of the year Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) &ndash; world marathon champion Maria Perez (ESP) &ndash; world 20km and 35km race walk champion
Men&rsquo;s out of stadium athlete of the year Sabastian Sawe (KEN) &ndash; London Marathon and Berlin Marathon champion Alphonce Simbu (TAN) &ndash; world marathon champion
The Athletes of the Year in each category, as well as the overall winners, will be revealed at a ceremony in Monaco on Sunday 30 November as part of the World Athletics Awards 2025.
World Athletics

The 12 Athlete of the Year finalists have been confirmed, as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2025 continues

Finalists announced for 2025 Athlete of the Year awards

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that legendary US sprints coach Clyde Hart died on Saturday (1) at the age of 91 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Best known for guiding Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards-Ross to multiple world and Olympic titles, Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest 400m coaches in history.
Hart&rsquo;s journey in the sport began as a sprinter in Arkansas, where he tied the 100 yards state record in high school. He went on to study at Baylor University, and he returned there in 1963 as head coach of the track and field programme, a role he held until he stepped away from head coaching in 2005 and then later from his director role in 2019.
Throughout his career, Hart coached nine Olympians who amassed more than a dozen gold medals. He also produced 29 NCAA champions.
His outstanding contribution to the sport was recognised by World Athletics in 2009 when Hart was awarded the Coach of the Year award. Prior to that, in 2004 and 2006, he was named coach of the year by USATF.
Johnson has previously described Hart as &ldquo;one of the greatest coaches ever&rdquo;. The multiple world and Olympic champion said: &ldquo;Teacher, mentor, friend, father figure &ndash; he&rsquo;s been each of those for me since 1986.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The selflessness, love, dedication and passion he poured into me and countless others is unparalleled,&rdquo; Richards-Ross said in an Instagram post. &ldquo;We journeyed together for 13 years, attempting each year to be the best in the world. We achieved that and so much more. His unwavering support and love for me beyond my track prowess made us more like family than colleagues and it&rsquo;s that love and friendship I&rsquo;ll always cherish most.&rdquo;
Hart is survived by his wife Maxine and their family.
World Athletics

Clyde Hart, 1934-2025

US sprints coach Hart dies

The biggest stars of global athletics can begin to plot their route to glory in the 2026 Wanda Diamond League with the publication of disciplines for all 15 meetings this Monday.
A host of world and Olympic champions will return to action in the Diamond League next year, testing themselves week in, week out at the highest level of track and field.
As the sport&rsquo;s premier one-day meeting series, the Diamond League offers fans and athletes the chance to experience elite-level competition on a regular basis throughout the outdoor season.
Athletes in 32 different disciplines compete for points at 14 series meetings as they bid to qualify for the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on 4-5 September.
Each discipline is hosted between four and eight times on the road to the Final, providing multiple chances for the sport&rsquo;s biggest superstars to go head to head in some of the world&rsquo;s most iconic stadiums.
The breakdown of which disciplines will be staged at which meetings in 2026 <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/results-standings/disciplines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has now been published and can be viewed on the Diamond League website</a>.
The 2026 Diamond League series begins in Doha on 8 May and continues through 13 countries and four different continents before the series final in Brussels.
The <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/calendar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full 2026 calendar</a> was published last week.
With no Olympic Games or World Championships in 2026, the iconic Diamond Trophy will be one of the biggest prizes on offer next season.
Reigning series champions who are hoping to defend their Diamond League title in 2026 include US sprinter Noah Lyles, pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis and Dutch 400m hurdles star Femke Bol.
In 2025, the Diamond League enjoyed another record-breaking year both on and off the track.
The series increased its prize money pool to a record US$9.24million, split equally between men and women.
The 2025 season saw three world records, two world bests and 43 world leads as the biggest names continued to rewrite the athletics history books on the Diamond League stage.

The biggest stars of global athletics can begin to plot their route to glory in the 2026 Wanda Diamond League with the publication of disciplines for all 15 meetings this Monday.

Discipline allocation confirmed for 2026 Wanda Diamond League 

The World Athletics Indoor Tour will return in 2026, featuring a packed calendar of almost 80 meetings across all levels.
With less than three months to go until the first Gold-level action of the season, meetings spread across 24 countries in Asia, Europe and North America have been announced and the scoring disciplines confirmed.
The tour has grown from seven meetings in 2020 to 77 competitions so far for the 2025-26 season. The upcoming World Indoor Tour begins on 13 December in Bucharest, Romania (Challenger), and ends on 12 March in Uppsala, Sweden (Silver).
The series features eight Gold-level meetings, kicking off in Boston, USA, on 24 January. The series culminates in Torun in Poland on 22 February, as athletes prepare for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 taking place in the same venue &ndash; Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Torun &ndash; on 20-22 March.
<h3>2026 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold calendar</h3>
24 Jan: New Balance Indoor Grand Prix &ndash; Boston, USA 1 Feb: Millrose Games &ndash; New York, USA 3 Feb: Czech Indoor Gala &ndash; Ostrava, Czechia 6 Feb: World Indoor Tour Gold Madrid 2026 &ndash; Madrid, Spain 8 Feb: INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe &ndash; Karlsruhe, Germany 11 Feb: Belgrade Indoor Meeting &ndash; Belgrade, Serbia 19 Feb: Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophee EDF &ndash; Lievin, France 22 Feb: ORLEN Copernicus Cup &ndash; Torun, Poland
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results?season=2025%2F26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025-26 World Indoor Tour calendar</a>
<h3>Scoring</h3>
The scoring disciplines on the World Athletics Indoor Tour rotate each year. For 2026 the Gold-level scoring disciplines will be:
Women: 400m, 1500m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump Men: 60m, 800m, 3000m/5000m, pole vault, triple jump, shot put
Scoring is as follows: First place = 10pts Second place = 7pts Third place = 5pts Fourth place = 3pts
Each athlete&rsquo;s best three results will count towards their overall point score. The athlete with the most points in each scoring discipline at the end of the tour will be declared the winner and will be awarded a US$10,000 bonus. They will also be offered a wild card entry for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26.
Each Gold meeting will offer at least US$7000 in prize money for each individual discipline on the programme.
&nbsp;
World Athletics

The World Athletics Indoor Tour will return in 2026, featuring a packed calendar of almost 80 meetings across all levels

World Indoor Tour calendar expands to record size for 2026

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge has unveiled an ambitious new project &ndash; the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour &ndash; which will see him compete in seven marathons across seven continents over the next two years.
The initiative marks a new chapter in the two-time Olympic champion&rsquo;s storied career, combining elite racing with a mission to &ldquo;unite the world through running.&rdquo; Each stop on the tour will also raise funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which supports education and environmental projects around the globe.
&ldquo;Running is the most universal sport &ndash; it connects us all,&rdquo; said the former world record-holder, who last weekend made his New York City Marathon debut, placing 17th. &ldquo;With this project, I want to compete not only for records, but for the people. I hope to inspire, give back, and remind everyone that no human is limited.&rdquo;
The Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, launched in 2020, focuses on providing access to education and promoting environmental sustainability. Local projects in each host country will benefit from the events, supporting initiatives such as school libraries, learning programmes, and environmental restoration.
The tour is the first major venture under Eliud&rsquo;s Running World, a long-term platform through which Kipchoge plans to inspire participation in running and raise awareness for global causes.
The first destination on the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour will be announced soon. Fans can follow updates at <a href="http://www.eliudsrunningworld.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eliudsrunningworld.com</a>

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge has unveiled an ambitious new project – the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour – which will see him compete in seven marathons across seven continents over the next two years.

Kipchoge to run marathons on all seven continents in new ‘World Tour’

Hellen Obiri regained her title at the TCS New York City Marathon, taking almost three minutes off the course record to win the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:19:51 on Sunday (2).
She was joined on the podium by compatriots and former winners Sharon Lokedi (2:20:07) and Sheila Chepkirui (2:20:24), the defending champion, both of whom finished inside the previous course record (2:22:31), which had been held by Margaret Okayo since 2003.
While Obiri&rsquo;s victory was a decisive one, the men&rsquo;s race was incredibly close as just 16 hundredths of a second separated eventual winner Benson Kipruto from runner-up Alexander Mutiso, both men clocking 2:08:09.
For the first time in the history of the prestigious event, Kenya achieved podium sweeps of both the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s races.
From the outset, the women&rsquo;s race promised fireworks with several women in contention, all operating at course record pace. A large lead pack of 13 runners, including the past three champions &ndash; Chepkirui, Obiri and Lokedi &ndash; as well as Sifan Hassan and US duo Emily Sisson and Fiona O&rsquo;Keeffe, went through 10km in 33:53. Hassan, the Olympic champion, sat near the back of the group, content to bide her time.
By 15km (50:52), the leading trio of Chepkirui, Lokedi and Obiri had taken charge, gradually thinning the pack to nine. Hassan continued to shadow the group, while 2016 Olympic 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot was also in the pack.
Six women &ndash; Chepkirui, Lokedi, Obiri, Sisson, O&rsquo;Keeffe and Annie Frisbie &ndash; opened a small gap on Hassan and Cheruiyot, reaching 20km in 1:07:24, well inside course record pace. By halfway (1:11:01), just four remained at the front: the three Kenyan champions and O&rsquo;Keeffe, with Hassan trailing by six seconds.
Hassan briefly bridged the gap at about the 14-mile mark, but the move was short-lived. As the tempo increased, she once again slipped off the back, followed soon after by O&rsquo;Keeffe, leaving Obiri, Lokedi and Chepkirui to battle for supremacy.
There were further shifts at 17 miles, as O&rsquo;Keeffe managed to rejoin the leaders, and Hassan remained within striking distance. The quartet reached 30km in 1:40:11, still on track for a finishing time comfortably under 2:21. But the relentless pace soon began to take its toll. Both O&rsquo;Keeffe and Hassan lost contact once again, and by 35km (1:56:48), the Kenyan trio had built a commanding lead &ndash; 39 seconds clear of O&rsquo;Keeffe and more than a minute ahead of Hassan.
Chepkirui was the first of the three to falter, slipping behind with 2:10 on the clock. Obiri and Lokedi pressed on together until Obiri, looking composed and powerful, made her decisive move with about three miles remaining. Her long surge to the finish proved irresistible.
The two-time world 5000m champion crossed the line in 2:19:51, smashing the PB of 2:23:10 she had set when earning Olympic bronze last year. She clocked 2:17:41 when finishing second in Boston earlier this year, though that course isn&rsquo;t eligible for PBs or records.
Lokedi, the 2022 winner, followed 16 seconds later, while Chepkirui held firm for third in 2:20:24, ensuring a Kenyan sweep of the podium for the second year in a row.
O&rsquo;Keeffe took fourth in 2:22:49, comfortably ahead of US compatriot Frisbie (2:24:12), while Hassan &ndash; running just two months after winning the Sydney Marathon in course record time &ndash; finished sixth in 2:24:43.
In the men&rsquo;s race, a large group of 21 runners passed 10km in a cautious 30:22, content to keep the pace steady on the rolling New York course. Distance-running legends Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele were part of that pack, along with Albert Korir, Alexander Mutiso and Benson Kipruto. The same group remained intact through 15km (46:01) and halfway (1:05:18), as no one seemed eager to make an early move.
With 75 minutes on the clock, marathon debutant and former steeplechaser Hillary Bor injected a burst of pace, surging clear of the field. His solo effort didn&rsquo;t last long, but it served its purpose, stringing out the pack and setting the stage for the decisive moves to come.
By 30km (1:32:21), the lead group had been reduced to eight: Bor, Korir, Kipruto, Abel Kipchumba, Tsegay Weldibanos, Abbabiya Simbassa, Mutiso and Britain&rsquo;s Patrick Dever. They were still together at 35km (1:47:37), but the cohesion was short-lived. As the pace quickened once more, the group splintered, leaving Kipruto &ndash; the Olympic bronze medallist &ndash; and Mutiso, the 2024 London Marathon champion, to battle for victory over the final kilometres.
Kipruto appeared to have made a decisive move in the closing stages, but Mutiso mounted a late challenge, surging back to within striking distance. Kipruto held firm, though, crossing the line in 2:08:09 to claim his first New York title, adding it to his Boston (2021) and Chicago (2022) victories.
Korir followed in 2:08:57 for third place, just one second ahead of marathon debutant Dever. Kipchoge, contesting the New York Marathon for the first time, finished 17th in 2:14:36.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:19:51 2 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:20:07 3 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:20:24 4 Fiona O&rsquo;Keeffe (USA) 2:22:49 5 Annie Frisbie (USA) 2:24:12 6 Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:24:43 7 Jessica Warner-Judd (GBR) 2:24:45 8 Emily Sisson (USA) 2:25:05 9 Amanda Vestri (USA) 2:25:40 10 Fionnuala McCormack (IRL) 2:27:00
Men 1 Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:08:09 2 Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:08:09 3 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:57 4 Patrick Dever (GBR) 2:08:58 5 Matthias Kyburz (SUI) 2:09:55 6 Joel Reichow (USA) 2:09:56 7 Charles Hicks (USA) 2:09:59 8 Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR) 2:10:15 9 Tsegay Weldibanos (ERI) 2:10:36 10 Joe Klecker (USA) 2:10:37

Hellen Obiri regained her title at the TCS New York City Marathon, taking almost three minutes off the course record to win the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:19:51

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