Yaroslava Mahuchikh, named as the women&rsquo;s field athlete of the year at the World Athletics Awards 2024, has delivered gifts of the highest order to her country of Ukraine as it continues to resist invasion by Russia.
On 7 July in Paris the 23-year-old high jumper from Dnipro broke one of the oldest world records as she cleared 2.10m to better the 2.09m set by Bulgaria&rsquo;s Stefka Kostadinova at the 1987 World Championships.
Two months later, Mahuchikh returned to the French capital and added Olympic gold to the bronze she earned in Tokyo three years prior as she took the Paris 2024 title on countback from Australia&rsquo;s Nicola Olyslagers after both had cleared 2.00m.
&ldquo;It is an incredible honour to be here to receive this award,&rdquo; Mahuchikh said after being named world field event athlete of the year. &ldquo;This year has been full of challenges but I had unforgettable moments with the Olympic title and world record.
&ldquo;I want to thank my team for believing in me in through this time. Ukrainians are inspiring. They are so strong. I tried to show in my way that we are strong and that we will never give up.
&ldquo;I always believed I could break the world record. It was my dream to get it, but I didn&rsquo;t expect to get it before the Olympic Games. I wanted to give the celebration to my country and I did it.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67599ef17d649c7a8611cb07.jpg" alt="Yaroslava Mahuchikh at the World Athletics Awards 2024" />
Yaroslava Mahuchikh at the World Athletics Awards 2024 (&copy; Christel Saneh for World Athletics)
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<h2>Mahuchikh&rsquo;s 2024 in numbers</h2>
You reached two athletics peaks this year &ndash; Olympic gold and a world record of 2.10m. Can you reflect upon those achievements?
&ldquo;It was a fantastic year for me because my two dreams &ndash; winning the Olympic title and breaking the world record &ndash; came true. And the most important thing for me was that I was able to bring that home to my people. I have just spent two months in Ukraine, back home in Dnipro. It was a fantastic two months, despite the rocket attacks.
&ldquo;Coming into 2024 my personal bests were 2.06m indoors and 2.05m outdoors, so I had a four-centimetre improvement in 2024. In high jumping, every centimetre counts. But I was ready; I was in good shape, ready to jump a personal best. My mentality was strong.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
You added one centimetre to the world record set by Stefka Kostadinova at the 1987 World Championships in Rome when you cleared 2.10m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris. How long had you been seriously dreaming of doing this?
&ldquo;The world record was my dream, my goal. I always believed it was possible one day. My manager always said it was possible, everything is possible. But a lot of other people said it was one of the oldest records and the possibility to break it had been exhausted.
&ldquo;Now I have jumped it and proved that women can jump higher than 2.09m &ndash; and I hope higher than 2.10m.
&ldquo;In sport, the mentality is the most important thing that should be good. When you come to the stadium, you should be ready to show the results of your work.
&ldquo;So on the morning of the Paris meeting I was ready, I was in good shape, and I had the feeling that something good should happen &ndash; and it happened.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/668aaf135e7b38f835e73def.JPG" alt="Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump in Paris" />
Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump in Paris (&copy; Christel Saneh for World Athletics)
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&ldquo;I made some mistakes. Then something fantastic happened. First I cleared 2.07m for a Ukrainian record. I was so happy. I felt I should try one attempt at 2.10m and I told my coach Tetyana Stepanova.
&ldquo;I had just recovered from a minor injury and of course the Olympic Games were coming up. But I said I will try one attempt. And she said &lsquo;OK. Let&rsquo;s try. Keep working.&rsquo;
&ldquo;I walked away like, &lsquo;yes, yes I can do it! Yes, I am ready to jump.&rsquo; And then I asked the spectators to clap. And I did it first time! It was an incredible, fantastic feeling.
&ldquo;Sometimes athletes feel their body better. Coaches can see mistakes, but they cannot feel what is in your body.
&ldquo;The realisation only came to me when I was back in Ukraine during the past two months. I was thinking, &lsquo;yes, we made history with my team&rsquo;.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
What is the balance in performance between the mental and physical aspects? Is it 60-40, or 40-60, or 50-50&hellip;?
&ldquo;I think 50-50 &ndash; you can be ready physically 100 per cent but if you are not ready mentally you will not do well. In sport, the mentality is the most important thing that should be good. When you come to the stadium you should be ready to show the results of your work.
&ldquo;I know a lot of people who train and show good results, but when they go to the stadium they see a lot of people, they feel pressure, they cannot run or jump because they are so excited. Mentally you should be really strong and be ready for the results.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
You are 1.82m tall. Is there an ideal height for high jumping &ndash; and is it your height?
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s best for a high jumper to be about 1.75m to 1.80m. There are girls who are 1.90m but they cannot always jump well because they can&rsquo;t figure out how the body works around the bar. You should feel your way over the bar.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
You cleared a best of 2.00m at the Paris 2024 Olympics &ndash; but that was enough to win on countback. How was that experience for you?
&ldquo;The world record gave me more confidence. It was my second Olympics, so I knew how it worked. I remember I said to myself, &lsquo;I am the world record holder now and I should show the best results.&rsquo;
&ldquo;I did 2.00m and Nicola did the same. But my coach always tells me you should try to clear heights on the first attempt because sometimes it can mean a medal.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t feel much pressure. A lot of people expected gold from me but I tried not to think about that, I tried to enjoy it because it was a celebration of sport. I just wanted to jump and give some emotion to people.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66afed2840478bb274a4353b.jpg" alt="Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games" />
Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (&copy; Dan Vernon)
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You made your best ever start to a season this year when you cleared 2.04m indoors in Cottbus on 31 January. Did you sense then that 2024 was going to be special for you?
&ldquo;It was great competition in Cottbus at the start of the season. When I jumped 2.04m I was so happy because I hadn&rsquo;t jumped that high for a long time.
&ldquo;Then before the outdoor season we decided to add two steps to my run-up to make it 11 steps. For five years I had jumped with the same technique, but I had got faster and I had more power and we wanted to improve and show better results because it was Olympic year, and the Olympics is the most important competition.
&ldquo;I wanted to jump higher at the Olympics, I was ready. My coach was a little bit disappointed! But I said we should enjoy the gold medal. At the next Games I would like to break the Olympic record of 2.06m.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
What are your big targets for 2025?
&ldquo;The indoor season, we have the European Indoor Championships and the World Indoors. I&rsquo;m looking forward to it because it was postponed from 2020 and finally it will happen. I know that I have a lot of fans from China &ndash; when I was at the Diamond League in Xiamen a lot of fans came to me and wrote to me. My manager gave me a lot of letters from fans. I am looking forward to going back.
"I just want to enjoy the atmosphere and produce a good result. I already have a gold medal and a silver medal from the World Indoor Championships, so of course I want to win a second gold medal. That is my ambition.&rdquo;
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

A look back over Yaroslava Mahuchikh's 2024 season

World field athlete of the year Yaroslava Mahuchikh’s 2024 – in numbers

Edmund Serem&rsquo;s steeplechase triumph at the World U20 Championships in Lima was very much the result of a family effort.
Not only does he have older brother Amos &ndash; the 2021 world U20 champion &ndash; as a role model, he also has his father to thank for getting him into athletics, and particularly the steeplechase.
&ldquo;It has always been our dad's dream to see us (Amos and Edmund) achieve what he wanted to achieve for himself as a youth, but didn't due to lack of support,&rdquo; said Serem.
During their youth, their father took them to several athletics competitions around Kenya, and went on to provide his sons with everything they needed to establish their running careers.
&ldquo;He would buy training shoes and running apparel and provide transport money for us to attend all the weekend meetings in the region,&rdquo; recalled Serem, adding that their father chose the steeplechase distance for them.
&ldquo;He would show us videos of Ezekiel Kemboi, Brimin Kipruto, Conseslus Kipruto and other steeplechasers competing at major championships. He erected barriers for us to practice jumping over and was so careful in choosing the right surfaces for us to do so as he didn't want us to get injured.&rdquo;
Serem started running at the age of eight. Despite Amos being older than him, Edmund would join his brother on training runs, though would often take a shorter route. &ldquo;My brother would then have to run faster and try to finish his route in the time it took me to complete the shorter one.&rdquo;
When Amos started high school, the brothers trained under different coaches and environments. Edmund would later join St Patrick's Iten High School and trained under the famous Irish coach, Brother Colm O'Connell.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/675866f0ab6fc1c9eb2d0649.jpg" alt="Edmund Serem with his father" />
Edmund Serem with his father
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Edmund missed out on some competitive opportunities during his early high school years due to the Covid pandemic. Amos, meanwhile, went on to train under Patrick Sang in Kaptagat, but fate would bring the two brothers back together again.
They both now train in Kaptagat under coach Sang's programme. Despite being in two separate camps, wearing different brands and under two separate management groups, their training camps are just 600 metres apart and they see one another every morning for their training.
<h2>Sibling rivalry</h2>
Serem speaks fondly of his brother. While he has no desire to outshine his brother, he always enjoys competing alongside him in races. That feeling appears to be mutual, too.
"Every time my brother and I are in the same race, he usually performs very well,&rdquo; says Serem. &ldquo;I don't know if it is because he doesn't want me to beat him or because he feels stronger when I am around him, but I still look forward to racing against him.&rdquo;
Both brothers have earned world U20 steeplechase titles in recent years. Three years after Amos&rsquo;s triumph on home soil in Nairobi, Edmund followed in those footsteps by taking the steeplechase gold medal at this year&rsquo;s World U20 Championships in Lima.
In a race in which 12 of the 16 finalists set PBs, Serem led a Kenyan 1-2 from teammate Mathew Kosgei to win in 8:15.28. Not only is it a world-U20-leading time, it&rsquo;s also the third fastest in history by an U18 athlete.
He eventually won by more than two seconds, but he had struggled with stomach ache in the heats three days prior.
&ldquo;After I rehydrated and recovered from the heats, my body felt good for the final,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I had high hopes of winning the race, and I told myself on the start line that if anyone else wanted to win it, they would have to fight hard for it.&rdquo;
The performance capped a remarkable season for the 16-year-old. Back in March he finished sixth at the African Games, then he narrowly missed making the team for the Paris Games, finishing fourth at Kenya&rsquo;s Olympic Trials. Just eight days later, he earned silver at the senior African Championships before ending his season on an even bigger high with his triumph in Lima.
<h2>Managing expectations</h2>
Having achieved so much at such a young age, and with the steeplechase being one of Kenya&rsquo;s strongest disciplines, Serem knows that all eyes will be on him and his brother in the coming years. He takes it all in his stride, though.
"Most of my friends and relatives now believe more in me and see our dream to restore the steeplechase glory to Kenya becoming a reality,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Many are telling me that my brother and I are the potential runners to dominate the steeplechase in the future.&rdquo;
Apart from two editions of the Games that the country boycotted, Kenya won every Olympic title in the men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase from 1968 to 2016. That streak came to an end in 2021 when Soufiane El Bakkali won gold in Tokyo. The Moroccan has won three more global titles since then, while the world record was broken last year by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Lamecha Girma.
But Kenya is keen to reassert its dominance on the event.
Serem was one of several up-and-coming talents who were recently invited to meet with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Sports and Athletics Kenya senior officials to plan a way forward in ensuring Kenya remains a powerhouse in athletics.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67586749ab6fc1c9eb2d064f.jpg" alt="Edmund Serem in the steeplechase at the World U20 Championships in Lima" />
Edmund Serem in the steeplechase at the World U20 Championships in Lima (&copy; Oscar Munoz Badilla)
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&ldquo;We talked about strategic plans to nurture and work with the young and emerging stars to maintain Kenya's glory in athletics into the future, especially in the steeplechase,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;In recent years the men's steeplechase has been dominated mostly by Morroco's Soufiane El Bakkali, but we plan to end that.&rdquo;
Although he&rsquo;ll be an U20 athlete for two more years, and will be young enough to defend his world U20 title in 2026, Serem already has his eye on competing at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re taking things one step at a time,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The first step will be to make the team at the national trials, and then we will make the plans for the World Championships after that.&rdquo;
Serem and his training group spent the past month working primarily on gym work before gradually moving to some longer and easier runs to build endurance. He may also participate in some local cross-country races as part of his training.
Heading into next year and beyond, perhaps the biggest motivating factor for both Edmund and Amos will be to accomplish the kind of successes that their father was unable to achieve due to the lack of support back then.
"Our father had a great passion for athletics but didn't get enough support at the time. He has provided Amos and me with everything we&rsquo;ve needed, telling us, 'I don't want you to lack anything as I did during my time'.
&ldquo;So I don't care which one of us wins the race,&rdquo; added Serem of the prospect of racing against his brother in the future. &ldquo;Because the success will eventually end up at home.&rdquo;
Justin Lagat for World Athletics

Edmund Serem’s steeplechase triumph at the World U20 Championships in Lima was very much the result of a family effort

Emerging Kenyan star Serem inspired by family’s steeplechase passion

World Athletics is seeking a highly motivated junior counsel.
The junior counsel will join an efficient close-knit legal team of four members responsible for all legal and business affairs of the sport at a global level.
The role is based at World Athletics&rsquo; headquarters in Monaco, reporting to the senior counsel.
Job description: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/675b19a042753998d8aa91bb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/675b19b842753998d8aa91bc.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
To apply, candidates should send the following in English to <a href="mailto:emploi@worldathletics.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emploi@worldathletics.org</a> before 6 January 2025:
&bull; Letter of application, highlighting your interest in the post and your relevant experience &bull; Up-to-date curriculum vitae &bull; Details of current remuneration &bull; Names and contact details for three referees (referees will not be contacted until final interview stage)

World Athletics is seeking a highly motivated junior counsel.

Job vacancy: junior counsel

Olympic 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti took the senior titles at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya on Sunday (8).
Ingebrigtsen won his seventh individual continental cross-country crown and regained his senior title, having been forced to miss last year&rsquo;s championships through injury, while Battocletti took her first senior European cross-country title, following on from the two European gold medals she won on the track earlier this year.
Britain&rsquo;s Hugo Milner was the early leader in the men&rsquo;s race, setting the pace for the first three laps while Ingebrigtsen and Italy&rsquo;s Yemaneberhan Crippa were positioned close behind. But shortly before the clock ticked over to 16 minutes, Ingebrigtsen hit the front and the lead pack became strung out.
Crippa, defending champion Yann Schrub, Belgium&rsquo;s Isaac Kimeli and Sweden&rsquo;s Andreas Almgren were all within a few strides of Ingebrigtsen on the fourth lap. But with less than a kilometre to go, the two-time world champion and double Olympic gold medallist from Norway had started to open up a lead &ndash; one which continued to grow through the closing stages.
The 24-year-old crossed the line in 22:16, winning by eight seconds from Crippa. Spain&rsquo;s Thierry Ndikumwenayo came through to take bronze in 22:33.
In previous years, Battocletti had won two U20 titles and two U23 gold medals at the European Cross, but last year &ndash; her first in the senior race &ndash; she had to settle for silver. Now a double European champion on the track and an Olympic silver medallist, the Italian was a class apart in Antalya.
France&rsquo;s Manon Trapp led for the first three laps, pacing a lead pack of six women that also included Battocletti, former winner Yasemin Can and Germany&rsquo;s Konstanze Klosterhalfen. A few minutes later, Trapp finally surrendered her lead to Can, while Battocletti positioned herself just on the shoulder of the Turk.
Battocletti, Klosterhalfen and Can were still together for most of the fourth lap, but the Italian started to edge ahead in the final kilometres and eventually opened up a comfortable lead over Klosterhalfen.
Battocletti crossed the line in 25:43, 11 seconds ahead of Klosterhalfen. Can took bronze in 26:01.
British athletes won three of the four age-group events, the only exception being the U20 men&rsquo;s race which was won by Niels Laros of the Netherlands.&nbsp; Laros, who finished second last year, this time ran a well-controlled race and stayed with the lead pack until the final stages before kicking on to win in 14:07, finishing two seconds ahead of Britain&rsquo;s George Couttie.
Innes Fitzgerald successfully defended her title in the U20 women&rsquo;s race, while fellow Brit Will Barnicoat did likewise in the U23 men&rsquo;s event, both of them leading Britain to gold in the team contest. Phoebe Anderson added to Britain&rsquo;s gold medal haul, taking the U23 women&rsquo;s title and contributing to their team triumph.
The mixed relay was the closest race of the day. Pietro Arese anchored Italy to victory in 18:02, closely followed by France and Great Britain, both teams recording the same time as the winners.
<h2>Leading results</h2>
Senior women (7.2km) 1 Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 25:43 2 Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) 25:54 3 Yasemin Can (TUR) 26:01 4 Delvine Meringor (ROU) 26:03 5 Jana van Lent (BEL) 26:04
Senior men (7.2km) 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 22:16 2 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 22:24 3 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 22:31 4 Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 22:33 5 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 22:34
U23 women (6.3km) 1 Phoebe Anderson (GBR) 21:16 2 Maria Forero (ESP) 21:21 3 Ilona Mononen (FIN) 21:24
U23 men (6.3km) 1 Will Barnicoat (GBR) 18:27 2 Nicholas Griggs (IRL) 18:28 3 David Stone (GBR) 18:31
U20 women (4.8km) 1 Innes Fitzgerald (GBR) 15:47 2 Jess Bailey (GBR) 15:58 3 Sofia Thogersen (DEN) 16:03
U20 men (4.8km) 1 Niels Laros (NED) 14:07 2 George Couttie (GBR) 14:09 3 Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen (NOR) 14:16

Olympic 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti took the senior titles at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya

Ingebrigtsen and Battocletti triumph at European Cross Country Championships in Antalya

Ugandan teenager Loice Chekwemoi and Kenya&rsquo;s Samwel Chebolei Masai were unrivalled at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; held on the outskirts of Eldoret on Saturday (7).
Pre-race favourite Chekwemoi, aged just 17, won the women&rsquo;s race by more than 80 seconds, while 23-year-old Chebolei had a tighter contest in the men&rsquo;s event.
Ethiopian teenager Shimeles Mekides Molla put in an early surge after the first 2km loop of the women&rsquo;s 10km race with Chekwemoi and Abigael Chepkoech trailing close behind.
Molla&rsquo;s lead was short-lived, though, because Chekwemoi moved to the front and opened a gap steadily. It wasn&rsquo;t long before the African steeplechase champion was running alone out in front with just the thousands of spectators for company.
The Ugandan teenager went on to finish in 34:32, while Molla was almost a minute-and-a-half behind, clocking 35:57 for the runner-up spot. Celestine Biwot completed the podium in 36:43.
&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t believe that I could win in the home of champions but I told myself I am also a champion and I have to fight for it,&rdquo; said Chekwemoi. &ldquo;To be a champion is not easy but I see progression and I am working hard to make sure I qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo next year.&rdquo;
By contrast, there were 10 athletes running close together at the end of the first lap in the men&rsquo;s race. That pack was soon reduced to five men, including world U20 cross-country bronze medallist Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto, 2019 African Games 5000m champion Robert Kiprop, and Samwel Chebolei, who was fifth at this year&rsquo;s World Cross, contributing to Kenya&rsquo;s team gold medal.
Heading into the fourth lap, Kipruto led from Kiprop and Chebolei. Kipruto&rsquo;s challenge faded in the closing stages, though, while Chebolei proved to have the stronger finishing kick. He crossed the line in 30:49 to win by nine seconds. Kiprop took second place, improving on his fourth-place finish from last year. Pre-race favourite Kipruto was third in 31:12.
&ldquo;I had to fight because there were a lot of good athletes in this race, it was not easy,&rdquo; said Chebolei. &ldquo;After the third lap, we still felt energetic and the three of us decided to drop the rest and the maths worked for us. I am hoping to build up from here and represent Kenya in Tokyo.&rdquo;
Kevin Kiprop Biwott won the U20 men&rsquo;s race, beating world U20 5000m champion Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi by 17 seconds.
Cynthia Chepkurui, who was ninth at the African Cross Country Championships earlier this year, this time emerged as the winner in the U20 women&rsquo;s 6km race in 21:17.
Several of Kenya&rsquo;s leading athletes, past and present, attended the Great Chepsaita Cross Country, including Eliud Kipchoge, Faith Kipyegon, Benson Kipruto, David Rudisha, Julius Yego and Janeth Jepkosgei.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Senior women (10km) 1 Loice Chekwemoi (UGA) 34:32 2 Shimeles Mekides Molla (ETH) 35:57 3 Celestine Biwot (KEN) 36:43 4 Jerono Daisilah (KEN) 36:53 5 Sylylvia Nyoka Yego (KEN) 37:24
Senior men (10km) 1 Samwel Chebolei Masai (KEN) 30:49 2 Robert Koech Kiprop (KEN) 30:58 3 Mathew Kipkoech Kipruto (KEN) 31:12 4 Naibei Kiplimo (KEN) 31:22 5 Charles Rotich (KEN) 31:23
U20 women (6km) 1 Cynthia Chepkurui (KEN) 21:17 2 Yvonne Jepchirchir Chepkoskei (KEN) 21:43 3 Joyline Chepkemoi (KEN) 21:50 4 Alice Chemtai Loitasia (KEN) 21:59 5 Claire Cheruto (KEN) 22:04
U20 men (8km) 1 Kevin Biwott Kiprop (KEN) 24:37 2 Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (KEN) 24:54 3 Edwin Sanutia (KEN) 25:22 4 Cornelius Kipkosgei (KEN) 25:38 5 Ezekiel Kwemei (KEN) 25:40

Ugandan teenager Loice Chekwemoi and Kenya’s Samwel Chebolei Masai were unrivalled at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country

Chekwemoi and Chebolei claim victories in Chepsaita

Australia&rsquo;s world U20 silver medallist Gout Gout powered to 20.04 clocking over 200m at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane on Saturday (7).
Not only did he break Peter Norman&rsquo;s Oceanian record (20.06) that had stood since 1968, he also bettered Usain Bolt&rsquo;s world age-16 best (20.13), set back in 2003.
One day prior, Gout had won the 100m title in a PB of 10.17 (0.9m/s), having clocked a wind-assisted 10.04 (3.4m/s) in the heats.
&ldquo;These are adult times, and me &ndash; just a kid &ndash; I&rsquo;m running them. It&rsquo;s going to be a great future for sure,&rdquo; said Gout after breaking the longest-standing Australian record on the books.
&ldquo;I have always done what I said I will do,&rdquo; added Gout, whose PBs before this week stood at 10.29 and 20.29. &ldquo;If I said something, it&rsquo;s on my mind and I am pursuing it until I do it.&rdquo;
He now sits second on the world U18 all-time list behind Erriyon Knighton&rsquo;s 19.84. Gout turns 17 at the end of this month, so 2024 will be his final season as an U18 athlete. But he still has two more full years left in the U20 ranks.
Elsewhere in Brisbane, Amaya Mearns won the U17 girls&rsquo; 200m in 23.15, while Mason McGroder took the U17 boys&rsquo; long jump title with a wind-assisted 7.86m.

Australia’s world U20 silver medallist Gout Gout powered to 20.04 clocking over 200m in Brisbane

Gout breaks long-standing Oceanian 200m record and Bolt’s world age-16 best with 20.04

Kenya&rsquo;s Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto and Uganda&rsquo;s Loice Chekwemoi are among the up-and-coming stars set to compete at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country &ndash; the 11th Gold meeting in this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Tour &ndash; in Chepsaita on the outskirts of Eldoret Town on Saturday (7).
Kipruto, the world U20 cross-country bronze medallist, and African steeplechase champion Chekwemoi will both be competing in the senior 10km races.
Kipruto will be seeking his third consecutive win of the current Cross Country Tour, having won at the Cinque Mulini meeting in San Vittore Olona, Italy, and the Festival du Cross-Country in Carhaix, France.
The 19-year-old will renew his rivalry with compatriot Robert Kiprop, the 2019 African Games 5000m champion, who finished second to Kipruto in Carhaix. Kiprop placed fourth in Chepsaita last year, so will be keen to make it on to the podium this time.
Vincent Kimaiyo, who finished fourth behind Kipruto and Kiprop in Carhaix, is also entered for this weekend&rsquo;s race.
It won&rsquo;t be an all-domestic race, though. Djibouti&rsquo;s Ismael Loukman, fourth in the 5000m at the African Championships, is among the leading contenders from overseas, along with Chinese 10,000m champion Kegu Yang, USA&rsquo;s 2021 NACAC 800m champion Jonah Koech, Tanzania&rsquo;s Mathayo Sombi Samhenda and South Africa&rsquo;s Keaton Stansfeld.
Despite being one of the youngest in the field, Loice Chekwemoi will start as one of the favourites in the senior women&rsquo;s 10km race. The 17-year-old contested the senior women&rsquo;s race at this year&rsquo;s World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, placing ninth, then went on to take steeplechase gold at the African Championships and silver in the same discipline at the World U20 Championships in Lima, clocking a PB of 9:18.84.
African 800m silver medallist Naomi Korir is among the leading Kenyan entrants. The 26-year-old was victorious over 2km at last weekend&rsquo;s Bomet Cross Country meeting, but this weekend&rsquo;s 10km event will be a test of her endurance.
Maureen Jepkoech Chebor, who finished second at last month&rsquo;s Festival du Cross-Country in Carhaix, is another athlete to look out for, along with Nelvin Jepkemboi, Beatrice Miningwo and race walk specialist Silvia Jerono Kemboi.
Tanzania&rsquo;s Hamida Nassoro Mussa and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Shimeles Mekides are among the international entrants. Hamida placed eighth in the half marathon and ninth in the 5000m at the African Games, while Shimeles recently finished 11th at Great Ethiopian Run.
World U20 5000m champion Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi headlines the entries for the U20 men&rsquo;s race. The Kenyan teenager recently finished second in the senior men&rsquo;s race at the Cinque Mulini.
Kenyan athletes will face strong opposition from a Ugandan contingent which includes world U20 3000m finalist Titus Musau and his compatriot Samuel Kibet, who placed fifth and 10th respectively in Carhaix last month.
The entries for the U20 women&rsquo;s race include Alice Chemtai, Winny Chepteek, Abigael Chemnagei and Faith Jeptoo, among others. Chemtai and Chemnagei both return to Chepsaita after their podium finishes in three local cross-country races. Refugee athletes will also likely be in contention.
The winding and crocked two-kilometre circuit for the Chepsaita Cross Country is set on natural grassland with seven turns including steep climbs and descends.
&ldquo;There will be additional water spray stations as December tends to be an extremely dry month,&rdquo; said race director Barnaba Korir. &ldquo;However, Kenya is experiencing late rains and it will be interesting to see how that affects the course.
&ldquo;The course itself is an obstacle with natural obstacles,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;It is actually one of the most difficult courses, but it&rsquo;s also smooth to ensure the athletes do not get injured. We even have some small obstacles especially for the elite athletes. It's in essence a beautiful course but it's also difficult.&rdquo;
Apart from the elite senior and U20 races, the competition will promote the spirit of community participation with races for kids aged five upwards, and for senior citizens for those aged 70 and above.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics

Kenya’s Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto and Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi are among the up-and-coming stars set to compete at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country

Talented teen Kipruto targets victory at Chepsaita Cross Country

Norwegian decathlete Sander Skotheim has been named winner of the International Fair Play Award as part of the World Athletics Awards 2024.
Following nominations from fans, members of the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) and World Athletics formed a jury to decide on a shortlist of five fair play moments in athletics from 2024, before Skotheim was declared the winner.
Skotheim&rsquo;s fair play moment occurred at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the 22-year-old had been in contention for a medal. Despite the disappointment of no-heighting in the pole vault &ndash; the eighth of the 10 decathlon disciplines &ndash; meaning that he was no longer in contention for a medal, the world indoor and European silver medallist decided to continue competing. In the process Skotheim supported his compatriot Markus Rooth, helping his teammate in the final discipline &ndash; the 1500m.
Rooth gained gold for Norway with a national record score of 8796 points, winning the Olympic title by 48 points.
&ldquo;I feel honoured to get this award,&rdquo; said Skotheim, whose performance in Paris included his first eight metre-plus long jump &ndash; that 8.03m jump being the longest leap of the competition. Skotheim&rsquo;s year also included a decathlon PB of 8635 that secured him European silver in Rome and a heptathlon national record of 6407 that gained him a world indoor medal.
&ldquo;The Olympics was a very interesting experience for me, since I had a very good competition and then I no-heighted in the pole vault and it ruined my medal chances. At the same time, Markus had a very good pole vault competition that put him in an excellent position to win.
&ldquo;As a multi-eventer I love to compete, so despite my own disappointment I wanted to finish the decathlon, and help Markus on his way to a gold for Norway. In the 1500m we made a plan to ensure that Markus would win the decathlon and my part was to make his race in the 1500m as easy as possible.&rdquo;
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;I am incredibly proud that our sport continues to be such an example when it comes to moments of fair play, integrity and camaraderie among athletes. We are seeing it across all different athletics disciplines &ndash; on the track, field and road.
&ldquo;To rebound after a setback the way Sander did is the mark of a great athlete. The true test of character is in the difficult times, it&rsquo;s not when everything is going well, so I congratulate Sander for his sportsmanship and resilience &ndash; he is a worthy recipient of this award.&rdquo;
CIFP President Jeno Kamuti said: &ldquo;It is wonderful to witness such an unselfish act from an athlete on the most important stage in the sporting world, the Olympic Games. Our relationship with World Athletics is now more than 20 years, and it has been a pleasure collaborating with President Coe and his team. It is particularly pleasing to me that we have expanded the collaboration beyond the World Athletics Championships and we now jointly evaluate proposals from athletics competitions throughout the whole year. Congratulations to Sander Skotheim.&rdquo;
The CIFP was established 60 years ago to promote the principles of fair play in sport: fair competition, respect, friendship, team spirit, equality and sport without doping. It honours those who respect the written and unwritten rules of sport, which include integrity, solidarity, tolerance, care, excellence and joy, and who set an example for others, on and off the field. The CIFP&rsquo;s first collaboration with World Athletics dates back to the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris. Twelve awards have been handed out since then.
World Athletics

Norwegian decathlete Sander Skotheim has been named winner of the International Fair Play Award as part of the World Athletics Awards 2024.

Skotheim wins International Fair Play Award

The <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6753088e00156cf1973360a9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full qualification system</a> and the &lsquo;road to&rsquo; tracking tool have been published for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
As has been the case for recent outdoor global championships, the qualification system is based on a dual pathway, with 50% of athletes expected to qualify through entry standards and the remaining 50% expected to qualify through world rankings.&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7190593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The &lsquo;Road to Tokyo 25&rsquo; online tool</a> is designed to help athletes, media and fans track the qualification process for next year's World Championships, to be held in the Japanese capital from 13-21 September 2025.
Searchable by discipline, country and qualification status, the tool provides a real-time view of each discipline over the course of the WCH Tokyo 25 qualification period.
The tool doesn&rsquo;t, and will not, indicate which athletes have been selected for entry by their member federation. Final entries will be published nearer to the time of the World Championships.
World Athletics

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

The full qualification system and the ‘road to’ tracking tool have been published for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Full qualification system and 'road to' tool launch for World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

<h3>First one-day event to achieve highest level against sustainability standard implemented by World Athletics this year</h3>
&nbsp;
In 2023, the meeting poster of the Oslo Bislett Games featured an illustration of a spear-tipped javelin, with a headline reading: &lsquo;Spearhead within sport and sustainability&rsquo;.
Underscoring that ambition to become a leader in the sport and sustainability space, the Oslo Bislett Games Diamond League fixture became the first one-day athletics competition to earn platinum level recognition against the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard">Athletics for a Better World (ABW) Standard</a>, the evaluation system implemented by World Athletics this year that measures an event&rsquo;s achievements in sustainable delivery.
The event's achievements included:
&bull; Powered by 100% renewable energy &bull; 93% of the products used at the event were sourced within 100km &bull; 81% of spectators used public or active travel options to attend &bull; 100% of the event's 200 tonnes of CO2 emissions were offset by investment in a local carbon capture project and an international reforestation project &bull; Achieving 50-50 gender parity on the organising committee &bull; Strong internal and external sustainability communications &bull; Strong athlete engagement
<div style="padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Oslo 2024 - Sustainability Tour Edit (Master)" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1015577162?h=b242f8ff02&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;For the better part of a decade, sustainability has been a driving force for organisers of the Oslo Bislett Games. They've created a template for excellence that all sports, not just athletics, can follow to find success. Our congratulations to their team.&rdquo;
One of the most noteworthy initiatives was a zero-emission transfer of 120 athletes, personnel and media from Oslo to Stockholm for the Bauhaus-Galan meeting in the Swedish capital. Via a collaboration between organisers of the respective events that was four years in the making, electric buses transported everyone from the meeting hotel to Oslo&rsquo;s central station, where specially booked trains awaited. The five-hour train journey, which passed through serene settings dotted by dense forests and clear Nordic lakes, ended at the central station in Stockholm, just a two-minute walk from the meeting&rsquo;s main hotel. That one-way train journey released 247.46kg of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere, 12 times less than the CO2e that would have been emitted if those 120 people flew, contributing to a substantial reduction in the event&rsquo;s carbon footprint.
The arrangement will be expanded in 2025. After a train journey connects all meeting stakeholders traveling from Oslo (12 June) to Stockholm (15 June), all competitors, personnel and officials participating in the Paavo Nurmi Games (17 June), a Continental Tour Gold event in Turku, will travel by ferry to the southwestern Finnish city.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6750408b084b659c7565bd94.JPEG" alt="Oslo Bislett Games electric buses" />
Oslo Bislett Games electric buses
</div>
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. The standard consists of 55 action areas that address efforts to minimise an event&rsquo;s environmental impact and maximise its social and local economic benefits.
To date, nearly 100 events have either started or completed their ABW Standard reporting.
The Hypo Meeting in Gotzis, Austria, one of the world&rsquo;s premiere combined events competitions, achieved gold level. The Boston Marathon, one of the most famous marathons in the world, achieved silver.
When fully adopted, the ABW standard will be the largest sustainability evaluation system in the sport industry.
In March, the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 became the first World Athletics Series (WAS) event to achieve the platinum level.
World Athletics

First one-day event to achieve highest level against sustainability standard implemented by World Athletics this year

Oslo Bislett Games earns platinum recognition for sustainable delivery

<h3>&bull; Competition decisions continue to drive innovation agenda</h3>
 The World Athletics Council committed to taking action against gender-based violence and made a series of other decisions ranging from competition updates to further driving the organisation&rsquo;s innovation agenda during the 236th World Athletics Council Meeting in Monaco on 3-4 December.
<h2>Safeguarding and action against gender-based violence</h2>
Building on the extensive work done by World Athletics to expand safeguarding measures in the sport, the World Athletics Council &ndash; working alongside the Athletes' Commission and Gender Leadership Taskforce &ndash; has identified campaigning against gender-based violence as a priority.
One in three women worldwide face violence in their lifetime, with recent high-profile cases in Africa sending shockwaves through the sport. Gender-based violence is a global issue, with all 18 members of the Athletes' Commission &ndash; from 18 different countries across all six areas &ndash; highlighting the impact and extent of gender-based violence in their regions.
While the Athletes' Commission recognises that the sport may not have the power to implement policy due to lack of jurisdiction outside of the sporting landscape, World Athletics can use the space in which it does have jurisdiction to drive change through three main areas: raising awareness, education, and lobbying for change.
Commenting on this clear mandate, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;I am particularly encouraged by our athletes' commitment to address the subject of gender-based violence as a priority and the discussions on the role that World Athletics can play to address it.
&ldquo;The fact that both our Athletes&rsquo; Commission and our Gender Leadership Taskforce have put the critical item on their agendas this weekend fills me with confidence in our stakeholders' understanding that we have a responsibility that goes far beyond what is happening on the field of play and I look forward to working together with them on supporting our female athletes and to enshrine the results of this work in our safeguarding policies.&rdquo;
The Athletes&rsquo; Commission would like World Athletics to take a leadership role, for practical ideas that can help across the globe, and recommends that World Athletics explores partnerships with relevant organisations to combine forces and push for change.
World Athletics Athletes&rsquo; Commission Chair Valerie Adams said: &ldquo;In a sport as diverse and universal as athletics, it is rare to see athletes from different countries, disciplines and socio-economic backgrounds agree on something as unanimously as the topic of gender-based violence.
&ldquo;We as athletes are in a unique position to leverage our profiles and social influence in our communities to lobby for change. It will take a concerted effort from all of us to be leaders in the space to influence and drive the change we need.&rdquo;
<h2>Focus on innovation</h2>
In his summary of the year to the Council, Coe highlighted the innovations introduced in 2024 and the need to continue to embrace change.
&ldquo;It has been a fantastic year for our sport with some jaw-dropping performances, strong fan growth and engagement, exceptional broadcast and media coverage, and, of course, the Netflix series which thrust athletics into the centre of mainstream entertainment,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We hit the No.1 Olympic sport spot again, with the biggest broadcast reach of any Olympic sport.
&ldquo;I believe our sport is stronger than it has ever been, and we need to capitalise on this. At the start of this year, the first year of our new four-year strategic plan Pioneering Change, we added a fifth pillar: innovation. We made it a key priority in 2024 and we have had some significant success, but more needs to be done with a sense of urgency. We need to keep up the momentum.
&ldquo;Change is hard, but we know how to do it. By working in close collaboration with our athletes and stakeholders, and only implementing the most popular and thoroughly tested new concepts, we have an extraordinary opportunity, right now, to make a strong and growing sport stronger and even more popular.&rdquo;
As part of its innovation agenda, World Athletics this year launched the World Athletics Ultimate Championship and reconfigured the season to always end on a global championship. Building on this, a series of other innovations have now been approved by the World Athletics Council.
<h2>Competition updates</h2>
With the introduction and rescheduling of certain World Athletics Series events, the global calendar has become much more crowded in certain years. To address this, the World Athletics Council has approved the Competition Commission&rsquo;s recommendation to move the World Athletics Cross Country Championships from &lsquo;even&rsquo; to &lsquo;odd&rsquo; years, to be introduced after the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in 2026.
The World Athletics Council also approved the introduction of new official senior road distances for race walking events, in order to help put the remarkable achievements by athletes into context, make the events more relatable for fans, and encourage mass participation. The standard senior distances for race walking will therefore change from:
&bull; 20km race walk to half marathon race walk (21.0975km) &bull; 35km race walk to marathon race walk (42.195km)
These changes will be implemented starting 1 January 2026 in senior World Athletics Series events.
At U20 level, the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 10,000m race walk at the World Athletics U20 Championships will be replaced by a 5000m race walk event, starting at the 2026 edition of the championships in Eugene.
In addition, the mixed 4x100m has been added to the programme for the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, taking place on 10-11 May.
<h3>Timetables approved</h3>
The timetables for three World Athletics Series events have been approved and published.
&bull; <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67507449fa771a82a0d48cd6.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67507449fa771a82a0d48cd6.jpg">World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25</a> &bull; <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6750748efa771a82a0d48cd9.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6750748efa771a82a0d48cd9.jpg">World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25</a> &bull; <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/675074c0fa771a82a0d48cdc.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/675074c0fa771a82a0d48cdc.jpg">World Athletics Road Running Championships San Diego 25</a>
The World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25, taking place 21-23 March, will feature finals in each of the six sessions. The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, held 10-11 May, will include a mixed 4x100m for the first time. The World Athletics Road Running Championships San Diego 25 will have three days of action, on 26-28 September, kicking off with the mile events on Friday 26 September and closing with the half marathon races on Sunday 28 September.
In addition, the following dates have been protected from all international competitions to enable national championships to take place:
Outdoors: 2-3 August 2025 23-24 August 2025 20-21 June 2026 25-26 July 2026 31 July - 1 August 2027 17-18 June 2028
Indoors: 22-23 February 2025 28 February - 1 March 2026 20-21 February 2027 26-27 February 2028
<h3>Competition Manipulation Watch List</h3>
The World Athletics Council approved the introduction of a Competition Manipulation Watch List in 2022 in response to an Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) investigation prompted by reports of suspicious competition results. Following the 2024 annual review, and the progress made in enhancing officiating standards and processes, the following Member Federations will be removed from the list: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, T&uuml;rkiye and Uzbekistan, subject to conditions set by the Competition Commission.
<h2>Progress on priority projects</h2>
Innovating the athletics product was one of five priority projects for World Athletics in 2024 and significant advances have been made in this area, with a focus on season reconfiguration, timetable principles, discipline reform, and strategy for out of stadium and mass running events.
The sport delivered five World Athletics Series events in a busy year that also featured the Paris 2024 Olympic Games plus the launch of a groundbreaking new global championship event, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Beijing was announced as host of the 2027 World Athletics Championships, while the number of known fans who actively choose to connect and engage with World Athletics and the sport surpassed one million.
For 2025, priority projects include the continued development of the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship, sport innovation that includes out of stadium events, the World Athletics Series championships in Nanjing and Tokyo, along with digital transformation including development of the web experience.
&ldquo;The strength and increased popularity and profile of athletics is clear from the new investment that we are seeing others pour into our sport through new events and new formats,&rdquo; added Coe in his remarks to the World Athletics Council. &ldquo;I welcome this. But it is important that we are not sitting on the sidelines.
&ldquo;We have an extraordinary opportunity to make a strong and growing sport stronger and even more popular. And we have a responsibility to the sport and those who voted for us to be around this table to evolve the sport and keep it relevant.&rdquo;
World Athletics

The World Athletics Council committed to taking action against gender-based violence and made a series of other decisions ranging from competition updates to further driving the organisation’s innovation agenda during the 236th World Athletics Council Meeting in Monaco

World Athletics Council commits to action against gender-based violence

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/netherlands/sifan-hassan-14489606" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sifan Hassan</a>&rsquo;s extraordinary performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she claimed 5000m and 10,000m bronze before winning the marathon in an Olympic record, was honoured at the World Athletics Awards 2024 in Monaco on Sunday (1).
The 31-year-old won the women&rsquo;s out of stadium category before being named as women&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year.
The Dutch star earned the final athletics gold of the Paris Olympics in gruelling conditions on a course reckoned to be one of the most challenging ever seen at the Games.
Her marathon victory was confirmed in dramatic fashion as she clashed with Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tigist Assefa on the run-in before moving away over the final 100 metres to finish three seconds clear &ndash; the narrowest margin in any women&rsquo;s Olympic marathon.
&ldquo;I am so honoured,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Being named World Athlete of the Year among such incredible athletes, and on such a year, means the world to me. Since I was young, I watched marathon runners with admiration. They made me wonder if I could run like them, or if I could even finish a marathon. I used to wonder if I could even race a 10km.
&ldquo;This year, my curiosity pushed me to take a risk and compete in three distances at the Paris Olympics. It was terrifying, and that made each finish line more meaningful. It wasn&rsquo;t perfect, but sometimes happiness comes from embracing imperfections.
&ldquo;This award isn&rsquo;t just for me, my team, or my family. It&rsquo;s for every young girl out there, watching, dreaming, and believing she can achieve greatness through sport. To all of you, I want to say: keep exercising, keep training, keep pushing, keep believing, and always remember that no dream is too big.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pMpF5w_hSl0?si=4BiDxn7GJKazj3o_" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> 
<h2>Hassan&rsquo;s 2024 in numbers</h2>
 At the Paris Olympics you became the first woman to win medals in the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon at the same Games, and the first athlete since Emil Zatopek, who won all three men&rsquo;s titles in Helsinki in 1952. Does this kind of historic statistic resonate with you?
&ldquo;To me, it&rsquo;s not about history, it&rsquo;s about what I can do. Everybody is different. I focus on what I can do, how I can show my strength. How am I going to improve, even my weaknesses? So, I am always excited, curious to see what I can do.&rdquo;
 The Paris 2024 marathon course has gone down as one of the toughest and most challenging in Olympic history, taking place in gruelling conditions and featuring one long, sustained climb and a second almost vertiginous climb around the 29km marker before a long, steep, giddy downhill stretch heading back into the city centre. What are your memories of this unique challenge?
&ldquo;After I ran the Tokyo marathon, I looked at the Paris course. I started really practising to run 600 metres up, then 800 metres down. I did it so often that I couldn&rsquo;t sit down, I couldn&rsquo;t run. I almost injured myself.
&ldquo;My coach said to me: &lsquo;Why are you only focusing on this?&rsquo; And I said: &lsquo;You didn&rsquo;t see what I saw!&rsquo; Really, before Paris, I overtrained. I felt like I was done.
&ldquo;When it came to the hill &ndash; here we go! &ndash; I was almost walking. Everybody was running, but I thought: 'I&rsquo;m going to catch you because this downhill will be crazy'. I knew how hard it would be. And because of the practice, it made it less hard. It was a crazy course &ndash; but it was beautiful.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/674f0eebaf5869093fddd2a2.jpg" alt="Sifan Hassan during the marathon in Paris" />
Sifan Hassan during the marathon in Paris (&copy; Mattia Ozbot)
</div>
Your marathon win in an Olympic record of 2:22:55 came just 37 hours after you had won 10,000m bronze, and six days after your 5000m bronze. What did you do to prepare in that short time?
&ldquo;After the 10,000m I had an ice bath and there was doping control, so I got back late to the village. When I race, really, I talk too much. I can&rsquo;t stop talking. I stayed awake until 6am and had maybe one or two hours&rsquo; sleep. Then the next day there was the medal ceremony.
&ldquo;The night before the marathon I remember cursing myself, hating myself, saying: &lsquo;Why have you done the track, you&rsquo;ve got the marathon tomorrow!&rsquo;
&ldquo;I woke up at 4am and I was telling myself: 'This is the wrong thing I have done'. Then before the race, I looked at everybody and how fresh they were. And I looked terrible! I was so scared of myself. I tried talking to myself then, getting ready to use my brain to run.
&ldquo;After I won, I got to sleep at 3am. The night had been crazy with media and supporters. I heard my name a lot, and saw a lot of orange! After a couple more days, I felt the pain.&rdquo;
 In the marathon, you finished three seconds clear after outsprinting Ethiopia&rsquo;s then world record-holder Tigist Assefa. It was the smallest ever winning margin in the women&rsquo;s marathon at the Games. Were you always confident you could beat her? How well do you remember your collision on the run-in?
&ldquo;You know, when I run there is always some kind of big drama. And that marathon I told myself I will do everything. At one point, I thought I was going to fall down. I didn&rsquo;t want to fall down &ndash; it would look bad. So it was crazy. You know, I don&rsquo;t really like drama, but drama follows me.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/674f0fadaf5869093fddd2a5.jpg" alt="Sifan Hassan at the World Athletics Awards 2024" />
Sifan Hassan at the World Athletics Awards 2024 (&copy; Christel Saneh for World Athletics)
</div>
You have now run four marathons &ndash; London and Chicago in 2023, Tokyo and Paris this year. How many marathons do you think you will run in 2025?
&ldquo;My first three marathons were all different and for the Olympic marathon, I was really fighting myself. One side of me said: 'concentrate on the marathon', the other side said: 'better that you do the track'. I was really struggling with myself. I didn&rsquo;t have confidence I was going to win after the track.
&ldquo;But I think I&rsquo;m going to do the track and road again, because I just want to do those things, a combination of track and road close to each other. Because I am very curious. I really like it because I don&rsquo;t know for sure if it is going to happen. I like the excitement.
&ldquo;One time, I want to do four marathons in a year &ndash; from February to February. I want to see if it is possible.&rdquo;
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

Sifan Hassan’s extraordinary performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she claimed 5000m and 10,000m bronze before winning the marathon in an Olympic record, was honoured at the World Athletics Awards 2024

New winners to be crowned in Venta de Banos

Paris 2024 medallists Mahuchikh, LaFond and Chopra head up annual MOWA induction

Olympic gold "even if it took blowing my knee apart" – LaFond's addition to MOWA

May's bright blue Azzurri tracksuit enters the Museum of World Athletics

Ratified: world records for Chebet, Duplantis, McLaughlin-Levrone, Chepngetich and Kawano