The leading athletes in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup head the stacked fields for the finale of the season taking place this weekend (12-13) in the Lombardy region of Italy in Chiavenna, a town steeped in mountain running history.
On Saturday (12) athletes will contest the final World Cup short uphill race with the 25th edition of Lagunc KM Verticale and the following day the last long race, Val Bregaglia Trail, will take place.
Both races are point to point. The vertical race starts in Chiavenna and climbs to Lagunc, while the Val Bregaglia Trail starts just over the border in Switzerland and finishes in Chiavenna.
With 100 points on offer for an athlete winning both races, it is a crucial weekend for the World Cup. The <a href="https://www.wmra.info/wp-content/uploads/files/world_cup/2024_WORLD_CUP/2024_WC_Results/World_Cup_Classification_10from12races.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">current rankings</a> show it&rsquo;s possible that any one of six men could emerge World Cup champion, as could any one of three women.
In the women&rsquo;s race the World Cup leader Joyce Muthoni Njeru of Kenya spearheads the competition, following her double win at Broken Arrow as well as Trofeo Nasego and Smarna Gora just last weekend. She has a good buffer between her and Britian&rsquo;s Scout Adkin with 288 points to Adkin&rsquo;s 244, but the latter has also had a consistent season with wins at Montemuro Vertical Run and La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle plus a second place at Sierre Zinal. Similarly, the third placed runner in the women&rsquo;s World Cup, Kenya&rsquo;s Philaries Jeruto Kisang, has also had an extremely strong season, with podiums in four out of six races, and just two points separate her and Adkin. Kisang won both races here last year, which could be important.
But with such a deep field, the race is still wide open. Susanna Saapunki is currently in fifth place after strong performances at Montemuro, Vertical and Trofeo Nasego and Smarna Gora. There&rsquo;s little doubt she will overtake Gloria Chebet, who is currently in fourth and does not appear to be racing here, and she will be one to watch in both races.
Some strong runners are travelling from the US, which will add another dimension to the competition. Lauren Gregory, who was sixth at Vertical Nasego, will be taking on the vertical race, as will Rachel Tomajczyk, who achieved two sixth places at Broken Arrow this year. US-based Australian athlete Lara Hamilton will be taking on both races.
There will also be a formidable Italian contingent. Alice Gaggi, who was second in the Val Bregaglia Trail last year and had a strong run at Smarna Gora, will race both days. Vivien Bonzi will be racing the vertical, and she was second here last year. Camilla Magliano will be doubling up and is always one to watch.
Other women to look out for include Sara Willhoit, who was third at Giir di Mont and is currently seventh in the World Cup standings, and Amairei Ioana Madalina, the winner of Giir di Mont, both of whom take on both races.
The men&rsquo;s line-up is equally strong and it&rsquo;s very close at the top of the World Cup rankings. Kenya&rsquo;s Patrick Kipngeno&nbsp;leads with 235 points, after two wins at Broken Arrow and two at Nasego. His compatriot Philemon Ombogo Kiriago&nbsp;is just eight points behind him after an incredibly consistent season, including that unforgettable duel with Kilian Jornet at Sierre Zinal. Just 11 points behind Kiriago is Josphat Kiprotich, who achieved second places at Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle and Vertical Nasego. All three athletes are entered into both races.
There&rsquo;s also another trio of Kenyan athletes in contention for the World Cup. Michael Selelo Saoli won Giir di Mont and has had a string of strong results. Richard Omaya Atuya has won all but one of the World Cup races he has entered this year &ndash; Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle and Smarna Gora, with just Sierre Zinal eluding him. He is on 151 points, so a long way behind Kipngeno, but two wins this weekend isn&rsquo;t out of the question based on his season. Just behind him is Paul Machoka, who could also be a contender. Again, all three runners are entered in both races.
As with the women&rsquo;s race, there is a strong team of US runners. Joseph Gray, who won the World Championships in 2019, will be in the vertical race. He will be joined by Christian Allen, who won the USA National Running Championship (up and down race) earlier this year, and Liam Meirow, who achieved a number of top 10 places in the World Cup last year, including a third place at Sky Gran Canaria. Tyler McCandless and Andy Wacker will double up.
There will of course be a number of top Italian runners competing on home turf. Henri Aymonod won the vertical race last year, as he has multiple times. He was third at both PizTri Vertical and Vertical Nasego this year, and can never be bet against in a short, uphill only race. Andrea Elia is currently eighth in the World Cup rankings and a strong run here in the vertical race could see him improve on that. Alberto Vender could do well in the vertical race and Luciano Rota is one to watch in both.
Others to keep an eye on include Jacob Adkin, who won the vertical race here in 2022 and was second in the European Championships uphill race earlier this year, and Michael Sutton from New Zealand.
The action starts on Saturday at 9:15am local time with the Lagunc KM Verticale. On Sunday Val Bregaglia Trail starts at 9:30am.
The Lagunc KM Verticale will see runners start at 352m in the historic centre of Chiavenna. This vertical kilometre course is about as pure as they come, with no flat or downhill sections, making the profile a perfect sloping line up to the finish in the small mountain village of Lagunc at 1352m. Along the way the runners will follow ancient, steep and sometimes technical tracks.
Val Bregaglia Trail begins in Promontogno in Switzerland at 856m, then it picks up the Via Bregaglia trail, following it through stunning woodland tracks over the border into Italy at Castasegna. After following the river for a short time, the runners pop out at Lago di Villa di Chiavenna before a long, gradual climb up to Savogna and a final downhill or flat 7km into the finish at Chiavenna.
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics

The leading athletes in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup head the stacked fields for the finale of the season taking place this weekend in Chiavenna

World's top mountain runners assemble in Chiavenna for World Cup showdown

At around 3am on the night she became the Olympic discus champion in Tokyo, Valarie Allman processed the biggest moment of her career by eating pizza, alone, in the athletes&rsquo; village of the spectator-free Games.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I don't even know if you can call that a celebration,&rdquo; Allman said. &ldquo;I mean, I love pizza. It was what it was.&rdquo;
Three years later, after retaining her Olympic title in Paris in front of a sold-out Stade de France crowd, she left to celebrate, for real, surrounded by family.
&ldquo;We got burgers at 2am,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It's being able to lean into the moment that has felt like the ultimate celebration.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67067625973fdb46525fb9b0.jpg" alt="Valarie Allman celebrates her win at the Paris Olympics" />
Valarie Allman celebrates her win at the Paris Olympics (&copy; Getty Images)
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Two golds marked by two, quite different, celebrations.&nbsp;
And to think, neither would have happened had Allman taken a job offer at Microsoft.
As track and field looks ahead to 2025, Allman remains as accomplished as anyone in her discipline. The US athlete&rsquo;s personal best of 71.46m places her 16th on the world all-time list and is the second-farthest mark of the past 32 years.&nbsp;
It is a remarkable career &ndash; one that almost never began.&nbsp;
&bull; The singlet and shoes worn by Valarie Allman when she won gold at the Tokyo Olympics are on display in the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/heritage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Museum of World Athletics (MOWA)</a>
That Allman began throwing discus at all came almost by accident. As a high school freshman in Colorado, she picked up the implement only because she wanted to attend her team's annual spaghetti dinner that was open to throwers. She was such a quick study in the event that by 2016, she ended her junior year at Stanford with collegiate All-American honours. That summer, she began an internship at Microsoft, where she had access to the software giant&rsquo;s &ldquo;product realisation lab,&rdquo; a shop where engineers and designers could bring designs to life. For Allman, who was studying to work in hardware engineering and product design, the experience felt like a dream.&nbsp;
But the reality that working on huge projects would often require taking on one, narrow role &ldquo;made me realise that maybe within tech, or within hardware, my passion would actually look a little bit different,&rdquo; she said.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6706763d973fdb46525fb9b3.JPG" alt="Valarie Allman in Paris" />
Valarie Allman in Paris (&copy; Christel Saneh for World Athletics)
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Allman felt equally unsure about the viability of a professional career as she returned to Stanford for her final year of eligibility. That year, a new throws coach arrived at Stanford named Zebulon Sion who was convinced she possessed world-class potential. Qualifying for the 2017 World Championships in London after their first season working together confirmed her coach&rsquo;s instincts had been correct, she said, and boosted her confidence that she could hold her own against pros.
&ldquo;I realised in that moment that I wanted to bridge that gap and be able to compete with them,&rdquo; she said.
That desire was soon put to the test when Microsoft offered her a full-time position to return to the company.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I came to a &lsquo;Y&rsquo; in the road of, do I go to Microsoft? Or do I pursue this crazy dream of trying to become a professional athlete and make the Olympics?&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I realised there&rsquo;s only one time in your life that you can go after these athletic things.&rdquo;
Had she accepted the job offer, &ldquo;that would one million percent have been the end of my throwing career,&rdquo; Allman said. &ldquo;One million percent.&rdquo;
The rest is track and field history. By 2018, she was a US champion. In 2020, she broke Gia Lewis-Smallwood&rsquo;s six-year-old US record. By following her golden triumph in Tokyo with another gold medal in Paris, Allman became only the third woman to win the discus in consecutive Olympics.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61080f8dbf4f52b8b5bb648e.jpg" alt="Valarie Allman celebrates her discus win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games" />
Valarie Allman celebrates her discus win at the Tokyo Olympic Games (&copy; Getty Images)
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On her most frustrating training days, Allman still thinks about the career crossroads she faced when choosing between discus and tech; it puts in perspective whatever issue she is working through, reminding her of the privilege of her current career.
Later in life, Allman still wants to find an opportunity to use her Stanford degree in product design. Until then, she will continue to extend a golden career in the ring she once never thought was possible.
&ldquo;The biggest thing I feel grateful for is just finding the right people at the right time that believed in me,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;that saw potential in me and kept this journey going way longer, way farther than I ever expected I would.&rdquo;
Andrew Greif for World Athletics

Two Olympic discus wins marked by two different celebrations, and neither would have happened had Valarie Allman taken a job offer at Microsoft

How Allman's career crossroads led to golden discus glory

With a 100m PB of 9.82, he's the second fastest African sprinter in history, but what defines Akani Simbine on the international circuit is his consistency.&nbsp;
The South African sprint star has run faster than 10 seconds for 100m in each of the past 10 years and he won the first global major medal of his career at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, anchoring the men&rsquo;s 4x100m quartet to silver.
It was his first Olympic medal after two fourth-place finishes in the 100m, in Tokyo and Paris, plus a fifth place in Rio.
And the quiet force in the world of sprinting still has plenty more he hopes to achieve.
<div>Click the thumbnail to watch:<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/66c8b96b2c0bd1465ed4d362" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66c8b5b4b854cdd5168f54d0.jpg" alt="AkaniThumbnail" /></a></div>
&ldquo;I got into this game pretty late in my life as a late teenager, 19, and since then it&rsquo;s been like stepping stones and learning about athletics, learning about how things are done and being thrown in the circuit saying &lsquo;okay, swim&rsquo;. I think that&rsquo;s why I don&rsquo;t feel so old in the game,&rdquo; says the 31-year-old.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t talk much; I am very self-kept. I have a lot of respect for everyone that lines up, a tonne of respect, because I know what you put in, to be here. I think my performances and my actual work that I put in speaks louder than what I would do on social media.
&ldquo;Being part of a small group of athletes that are taking sprinting to the world &ndash; where Africa&rsquo;s not known for sprinting, Africa&rsquo;s known for the distance &ndash; I&rsquo;m just proud of the fact that I could spearhead this generation and I can motivate the next generation to do well and to do better. To want to come and sprint, to want to come and run in different countries in the world and show how fast you are.
&ldquo;What I&rsquo;ve done for my country is amazing, what I&rsquo;ve done for myself in athletics is really amazing. I never dreamt of this. I never dreamt of running all over different countries, running sub-10 &ndash; this was not even part of my plan as a teenager. I&rsquo;m not going to leave the game any time soon. I&rsquo;ll still be around until I feel that I&rsquo;ve had enough of the game and I&rsquo;m ready to move on.&rdquo;

With a 100m PB of 9.82, he's the second fastest African sprinter in history, but what defines Akani Simbine on the international circuit is his consistency

Akani Simbine: a quiet force

World Athletics was named Elite Organisation of the Year at the BBC Green Sport Awards in London on Monday (7), in recognition of its ambitious initiatives to encourage and demonstrate action on environmental and climate change issues over the past year.
Launched in 2022, the annual awards celebrate individuals and organisations from across the globe who are actively contributing to a more sustainable future through their sporting profile and practises.
World Athletics was credited for several initiatives, including the implementation of its <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/sustainability/athletics-for-a-better-world-standard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athletics for a Better World Standard</a>, a system that evaluates an event's environmental, social and local economic impacts and benefits that has been incorporated into the event bidding and licencing process.
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/champions-better-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Champions for a Better World</a> programme, which provides platforms for athletes to speak out on their environmental and social concerns, was also noted for its impact since it was established in 2022. World Athletics' consistent spotlighting of climate issues and their impact on sport was also cited by the Awards&rsquo; panel of judges.
<h2>&lsquo;Sport as an amplifying voice&rsquo;</h2>
Speaking on the impact of the Athletics for a Better World Standard, which now requires events to consider environmental and social impacts in their planning and delivery, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;Inclusion of sustainability metrics into our bidding criteria helps as a catalyst for change. In order to successfully bid for our events, it might actually demand greater focus on an event's environmental impact."
Collaboration, Coe said, is also a core component of the Standard.
"Let us use sport as an amplifying voice. I will go to my grave fundamentally believing that sport is a key vehicle for change. It doesn't always happen quickly. It doesn't happen overnight. But I've rarely seen a sport go into any political, cultural or national environment that hasn't actually flicked the dial socially or politically."
Coe thanked World Athletics Vice President and Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei, who was in London to participate in the annual General Assembly of signatories to the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework on Monday, for accepting the award on his behalf.
&ldquo;Jackson has quickly become one of our sport&rsquo;s greatest sustainability champions. No athletics competitions take place in Kenya without sustainability initiatives playing a strong role.&rdquo;
Athletics Kenya was the first World Athletics member federation to become a signatory to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. World Athletics signed on to the framework in 2021.
Through its Green Sport Awards, BBC Sport aims to celebrate the good news - the athletes, former athletes and organisations working hard to enact and inspire change.
The other nominees for &lsquo;Elite Organisation of the Year&rsquo; include the motorsport series Extreme E, organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and World Rugby.
<h2>Cowley recognised for climate advocacy</h2>
Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley, a bronze medallist in the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was named the Green &lsquo;World Athlete of the Year', in recognition of his climate advocacy and promotion of environmental sustainability at both local and global levels.
Cowley, who is a member of the World Athletics Champions for a Better World programme, said: &ldquo;Taking action on climate change is the best way to respond to its impacts, which are already affecting our lives and our sports - impacts that I have experienced first hand in competition and training.
&ldquo;Winning this Green Sports award helps me to feel like the route I've taken is making a valuable contribution and supports me to continue my own climate action journey,&rdquo; Cowley continued. &ldquo;In particular I'd like to note World Athletics and its Champions for a Better World programme for the way it has empowered voices within the sport of athletics since its creation. This has supported the Athletics for a Better World platform that has justifiably helped earn World Athletics the 2024 Elite Organisation Award.&rdquo;
Cowley is also active in <a href="https://www.ecoathletes.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EcoAthletes</a>, the <a href="https://www.sportsenvironmentalliance.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sports Environment Alliance</a>, <a href="https://championsforearth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Champions For Earth</a>, <a href="https://www.highimpactathletes.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High Impact Athletes</a>, and <a href="https://frontrunners.org/EN/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FrontRunners</a>, all largely athlete-led groups working to promote and foster environmental awareness and action in their communities.
World Athletics

World Athletics was named Elite Organisation of the Year at the BBC Green Sport Awards in London on Monday (7), in recognition of its ambitious initiatives to encourage and demonstrate action on environmental and climate change issues over the past year

World Athletics wins Organisation of the Year at BBC Green Sport Awards

Italy's Antonella Palmisano and Japan's Toshikazu Yamanishi lived up to their billing as favourites at the III GP Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbo Telecom, a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event, held over 10km in the Spanish capital on a cloudy morning on Sunday (6).
Both athletes enjoyed commanding wins, Palmisano winning by an overwhelming margin of 1:01 ahead of Ukraine&rsquo;s Mariia Sakharuk and Yamanishi crossing the finish line 18 seconds ahead of Italy&rsquo;s defending champion Francesco Fortunato.
The women&rsquo;s event opened at a moderate pace, the clock reading 4:25 for the first one-kilometre circuit with five athletes at the helm &ndash; Palmisano joined by Sakharuk, Costa Rica&rsquo;s Noelia Vargas and the Spanish pair of Raquel Gonzalez and Laura Garcia-Caro. The 33-year-old Italian soon picked up her pace and a couple of laps covered in 4:18 proved to be enough to leave Vargas and the Spaniards behind, but Sakharuk, a 1:28:47 20km specialist, remained on Palmisano&rsquo;s shoulder. By the third kilometre, that duo led in 13:00, some 10 seconds clear of Vargas, herself another 12 seconds ahead of Gonzalez and 14 over Garcia-Caro.
Sakharuk&rsquo;s resistance came to an end midway through the fourth lap, as the 29-year-old just could not maintain the Tokyo Olympic champion&rsquo;s pace. By halfway, Palmisano comfortably led with a 21:45 time to the Ukrainian&rsquo;s 22:08, with Vargas another four seconds adrift.
That trio looked to have secured their podium places, as Gonzalez and Garcia-Caro travelled some way back, the latter &ndash; who secured seventh place at the Paris Olympics &ndash; was then forced to drop out shortly after covering the sixth kilometre due to a tough fall.
With victory on the way, European champion Palmisano slowed her pace over the following laps, which she covered in the 4:25-4:28 range, but even so she extended her lead on Sakharuk who had been caught by Vargas shortly after halfway. Both race walked together for two circuits before Sakharuk managed to get rid of her rival inside the eighth circuit.
At the tape, Palmisano had built an impressive advantage of more than a minute over the runner-up Sakharuk, as they respectively finished in 44:02 and 45:03, while Vargas comfortably secured third place in 45:17. Surprisingly, Colombia&rsquo;s Sandra Lorena Arenas, a fine fourth at the Paris Olympics, was never a factor and had to settle for fifth, also behind Gonzalez, timed at 47:03.
&ldquo;This is my last competition of the year and I&rsquo;m happy to finish with a win after my setback at the Paris Olympics where I had Covid a few days prior to the race,&rdquo; said a smiling Palmisano.
&ldquo;My primary goal next season will be the Tokyo World Championships,&rdquo; added the Italian star, who has the opportunity to complete a hat trick of major titles there, having already claimed Olympic and European gold.
<h2>Yamanishi proves strongest</h2>
Held alongside the women&rsquo;s event, the men&rsquo;s competition also started at a slow rhythm of 4:07 for the opening kilometre. Despite that, two of the big names &ndash; Spain&rsquo;s Paul McGrath and Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom &ndash; dropped out at that early stage. While McGrath is just not yet in his best form, Karlstrom suffered discomfort in his left quadriceps the day before while warming up and preferred not to take any risks. The pace was maintained over the next few laps with six men at the head. Yamanishi, Fortunato, his fellow Italians Gianluca Picchiottino and Davide Finochetti, Spain&rsquo;s Diego Garcia and Brazil&rsquo;s Matheus Correa were in that group, Yamanishi and Fortunato making the most of the early pace which increased to 4:00 and 4:02 over the subsequent laps. As a consequence, first Finochetti and then Correa and finally Picchiottino lost ground and by halfway the podium spots seemed to be decided in favour of Yamanishi, Fortunato and Garcia, the trio clocking 20:21.
Once in the second half, the 2019 and 2022 world champion Yamanishi began to pick up his pace to cover the next laps in 3:55 and a lethal 3:51 to destroy any opposition, while Fortunato race walked comfortably in second and Garcia travelled in third just a couple of seconds clear of a threatening Picchiottino.
The 28-year-old leader slowed his rhythm slightly over the remaining laps but was always under the 4:00 barrier and he won unopposed in 40:00 with a lonesome Fortunato in second (40:18). To the delight of the 10,000-strong crowd assembled, Garcia managed to keep his Italian pursuer at bay to get third place in 40:44 to Picchiottino&rsquo;s 40:49.
&ldquo;The circuit is tough as it&rsquo;s always uphill or downhill and it was a windy day, but I&rsquo;m in fine form and managed to win,&rdquo; said Yamanishi. &ldquo;This has been a difficult season for me as I couldn&rsquo;t defend my Olympic medal in Paris, but I was training at altitude this summer in the company of Massimo Stano and that was key to being in good shape now.
&ldquo;Obviously I only have eyes for the Tokyo World Championships next September, where I would like to complete a hat trick of world titles.&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Antonella Palmisano (ITA) 44:02 2 Mariia Sakharuk (UKR) 45:03 3 Noelia Vargas (CRC) 45:17 4 Raquel Gonzalez (ESP) 46:35 5 Sandra Lorena Arenas (COL) 47:03 6 Antia Chamosa (ESP) 47:08 7 Jekaterina Mirotvortseva (EST) 47:34 8 Tiziana Spiller (HUN) 48:40 9 Lucia Redondo (ESP) 48:45 10 Eva Rico (ESP) 50:50
Men 1 Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) 40:00 2 Francesco Fortunato (ITA) 40:18 3 Diego Garcia (ESP) 40:44 4 Gianluca Picchiottino (ITA) 40:49 5 Matheus Correa (BRA) 41:15 6 Daniel Chamosa (ESP) 41:47 7 Marc Tur (ESP) 42:18 8 Alvaro Lopez (ESP) 42:26 9 Jose Manuel Perez (ESP) 42:33 10 Ivan Lopez (ESP) 42:33

Italy's Antonella Palmisano and Japan's Toshikazu Yamanishi lived up to their billing as favourites at the III GP Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbo Telecom

Palmisano and Yamanishi reign in Madrid

Richard Omaya Atuya and Joyce Muthoni Njeru achieved a Kenyan double at the Smarna Gora Race, the 10th race in this season&rsquo;s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, on Saturday (5).
Cool, drizzly and misty conditions greeted the runners for the race on the outskirts of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, making it a good temperature for running, but muddy in places with low visibility. The damp conditions also made the technical sections of rock tricky.&nbsp;
Taking on the 10km course that featured 710m of ascent, it was Omaya Atuya, the winner at Grossglocker and La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle, who led in the opening stages of the men&rsquo;s race. Josphat Kiprotich was a few seconds behind, ahead of Paul Machoka, with Michael Selelo Saoli 10 seconds further back.&nbsp;
By the second timing point it was all change. Kiprotich had taken the lead but it was incredibly close, with Omaya Atuya five seconds behind. There was another five seconds to Selelo Saoli, with Machoka right behind him. Former winner Timotej Becan lay in fifth place at that point, with just a minute separating the top five.&nbsp;
A trio of Italian runners &ndash; Andrea Elia, Alberto Vender and Tiziano Moia &ndash; sat just behind and the battle for places among the Italian runners was an interesting race in itself.&nbsp;
Omaya Atuya did catch Kiprotich in the final stages and he took the win in a race record of 41:30. Machoka secured second in 42:05 and Seleo Saoli third in 42:31. Kiprotich faded to fourth place (43:02), though this will still gain him valuable World Cup points, while Elia won the battle for fifth in 42:07.
In the women&rsquo;s race it was initially Scout Adkin who took the lead on approach to the first timing point, though Muthoni Njeru was right on her heels with one second separating them.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6701608c9776dadb328a473a.jpg" alt="Joyce Muthoni Njeru celebrates her Smarna Gora Race win" />
Joyce Muthoni Njeru celebrates her Smarna Gora Race win (&copy; WMRA / Marco Gulberti)
</div>
It was no surprise to see Philaries Jeruto Kisang and last year&rsquo;s winner Susanna Saapunki just behind them. Nusa Mali, who was third last year, was 10 seconds behind, while Alice Gaggi was also still in contention with the leading group.&nbsp;
By the second timing point Muthoni Njeru had overtaken Adkin and opened up a 40-second lead. Jeruto Kisang was a minute further back, with Mali in fourth, Gaggi in fifth and Saapunki dropped back to sixth.&nbsp;
Ultimately Muthoni Njeru could not be caught and she held off Adkin to win in 49:43. Adkin took second in 50:13, then there was a gap to Jeruto Kisang in third in 52:52. Saapunki fought her way back to take fourth in 53:21, with Mali just behind for fifth in 53:27.
Adkin was racing the morning after winning the&nbsp;Smarna Gora Record, a short blast uphill (1.85km with 360m of ascent). Luka Kovacic won the men's event.
With just two races to go, excitement is building in the World Cup competition. With today&rsquo;s point, Adkin has overtaken Jeruto Kisang to move into second place in the rankings. Muthoni Njeru has strengthened her position as leader with 288 points, but it is still possible for Adkin and Jeruto Kisang to catch her next weekend.&nbsp;
In the men&rsquo;s World Cup standings, the top four remain the same, but Omaya Atuya has overtaken Machoka to move into fifth place. It&rsquo;s all very close at the top, with Patrick Kipngeno on 235 points, Philemon Ombogo Kiriago on 227 and Kiprotich now on 216. It&rsquo;s all to play for in Chiavenna.&nbsp;
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics

Richard Omaya Atuya and Joyce Muthoni Njeru achieved a Kenyan double at the Smarna Gora Race

Omaya Atuya sets Smarna Gora Race record, Muthoni Njeru extends World Cup lead

Actor Yuji Oda has been appointed as the special ambassador for the Local Organising Committee of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (WCH Tokyo 25), joining an impressive roster of athlete ambassadors including Haruka Kitaguchi, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, Nozomi Tanaka, Asuka Terada and Yuki Hashioka.
Oda served as the main sportscaster for Japanese broadcaster TBS for 13 consecutive World Athletics Championships from 1997 to 2022. His deep passion for track and field, combined with his impactful storytelling, has made him a beloved figure among diverse audiences. As the special ambassador for the Local Organising Committee of WCH Tokyo 25, he will draw on his extensive experience, sharing the event's unique appeal and significance with a global audience.
Commenting on his appointment, Oda said: &ldquo;I am thrilled to be named as the special ambassador for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo &ndash; the world&rsquo;s biggest sporting event of 2025 and the first to be held in the city in 34 years. I look forward to sharing all the excitement and spirit of this incredible event with fans in the national stadium, across Japan and around the world.&rdquo;
The athlete ambassadors for the Local Organising Committee of WCH Tokyo 25 represent the shining stars of Japan&rsquo;s track and field scene, several of whom are fresh off participating at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with fans both at home and abroad eagerly anticipating their performances on home soil.
Haruka Kitaguchi, the reigning world champion in javelin, secured a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and has successfully defended her title at the Diamond League Finals for two consecutive years.
Abdul Hakim Sani Brown has established himself as a finalist in the men&rsquo;s 100m at two consecutive World Athletics Championships in Oregon and Budapest.
Nozomi Tanaka, the Japanese record-holder in both the women&rsquo;s 1500m and 5000m, is determined to make a strong showing in both events at the next championships in Tokyo.
Last year, Asuka Terada showcased her talent by winning the women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles at the JAAF Athletics Championships.
Yuki Hashioka, who finished sixth in the long jump at the Tokyo Olympics, continues to make significant strides in his athletics journey.
Moving forward, both Oda and the athlete ambassadors will play an active role in engaging with fans and promoting the championships. From official events to media appearances and social media, they will share the excitement, rich history, and personal stories that make this event so special. Through their efforts, they will help spread the word about the WCH Tokyo 25 and build anticipation for what promises to be an unforgettable competition, ultimately aiming to fill the stadium with spectators and unite the world.
Taking place from Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 September 2025, the WCH Tokyo 25 will feature more than 2000 athletes from around 200 countries competing for medals across 49 disciplines.
&nbsp;
<h3>　 Special ambassador for the Local Organising Committee of WCH Tokyo 25</h3>
<h3>Yuji Oda</h3>
<h3><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6700971ece1172cb8634c7c6.jpg" alt="Yuji Oda" width="210" height="210" /></h3>
Japanese actor
Oda served as the main sportscaster for Japanese broadcaster TBS for 13 consecutive World Athletics Championships from 1997 to 2022. His deep passion for track and field, combined with his impactful storytelling, has made him a beloved figure among diverse audiences. As an ambassador for the Local Organising Committee of WCH Tokyo 25, he will draw on his extensive experience, sharing the event's unique appeal and significance with a global audience.
&nbsp;
<h3>　 Athlete ambassadors for the Local Organising Committee of WCH Tokyo 25</h3>
<h3>Haruka Kitaguchi</h3>
<img style="float: left;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6700989b833b38a16bd3d630.jpg" alt="Haruka Kitaguchi" width="210" height="197" />
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Javelin
・World Athletics Championships appearances: 3 ・Personal best: 67.38m (Diamond League Brussels, September 2023) national record ・World Athletics Championships: Budapest 23 (gold), Oregon 22 (bronze), Doha 19 ・Olympic Games: Paris 2024 (gold), Tokyo 2020
&nbsp;
<h3>Abdul Hakim Sani Brown</h3>
<img style="float: left;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/670098e69f299b95f94d5b22.jpg" alt="Abdul Hakim Sani Brown" width="210" height="210" />
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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100m, 200m, 4x100m
・World Athletics Championships appearances: 5 ・Personal bests: 　100m: 9.96 (Paris 2024 Olympic Games, August 2024) 　200m: 20.08 (NCAA Division I Championships, USA, June 2019) ・World Athletics Championships: Budapest 23 (6th in 100m / 5th in 4x100m), Oregon 22 (7th in 100m), Doha 19 (bronze in 4x100m) ・Olympic Games: Paris 2024 (5th in 4x100m), Tokyo 2020
&nbsp;
<h3>Nozomi Tanaka</h3>
<img style="float: left;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6700991b9f299b95f94d5b23.jpg" alt="Nozomi Tanaka" width="210" height="210" />
&nbsp;
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1500m, 5000m
・World Athletics Championships appearances: 3 ・Personal bests: 　1500m: 3:59.19 (Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Aug 2021) national record 　5000m: 14:29.18 (Diamond League Brussels, Sep 2023) national record ・World Athletics Championships: Budapest 23 (8th in 5000m), Oregon 22, Doha 19 ・Olympic Games: Paris 2024, Tokyo 2020 (8th in 1500m)
&nbsp;
<h3>Asuka Terada</h3>
<img style="float: left;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/670099e1ab4375762035689a.jpg" alt="Asuka Terada" width="200" height="200" />
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100m hurdles
・World Athletics Championships appearances: 3 ・Personal best:12.86 (KIMANI Michitaka Memorial Athletics Meet, May 2023) ・World Athletics Championships: Budapest 23, Doha 19 ・Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020
&nbsp;
<h3>Yuki Hashioka</h3>
<img style="float: left;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/67009a02ab4375762035689b.jpg" alt="Yuki Hashioka" width="200" height="200" />
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Long jump
・World Championships appearances: 3 ・Personal best: 8.36m (JAAF Athletics Championships, June 2021) ・World Athletics Championships: Budapest 23, Oregon 22, Doha 19 (8th place) ・Olympic Games: Paris 2024, Tokyo 2020 (6th place)

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

Actor Yuji Oda and athletes Haruka Kitaguchi, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, Nozomi Tanaka, Asuka Terada and Yuki Hashioka are ambassadors for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Ambassadors for WCH Tokyo 25 announced

One of the most iconic streets of Madrid, Gran V&iacute;a, will be the venue for the Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha Silb&ouml; Telecom &ndash; the last Gold event of this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Race Walking Tour &ndash; on Sunday (6).
Before the races get under way, Spain&rsquo;s world and Olympic champion &Aacute;lvaro Mart&iacute;n will receive a warm tribute shortly after announcing his retirement. Two-time European medallist Diego Garcia, Martin&rsquo;s long-time domestic rival, will again be the driving force behind Sunday' competition as the elite athlete coordinator.
The men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 10km races, which will be held at the same time over a one-kilometre circuit, feature race walkers from 15 different countries.
Two-time world champion Toshikazu Yamanishi is among the leading contenders in the men&rsquo;s race. The 28-year-old from Japan is fresh from a commanding 38:27:34 victory over 10,000m two weeks ago in Yamaguchi. The 2021 Olympic bronze medallist missed out on earning selection for the Paris Games at the highly competitive Japanese Trials, but he rebounded in La Coruna in May when he won in 1:17:47, beating the three men who went on to earn the medals in Paris.
Yamanishi&rsquo;s toughest opposition will come from the three podium finishers at this year&rsquo;s European Championships: Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m, Spain&rsquo;s Paul Mc Grath and Italy&rsquo;s Francesco Fortunato.
Karlstrom took the individual 20km title at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya in April but then finished 21st in Paris.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy with the season overall, and despite the complications at the Olympics, I would still rate this season my best one to date,&rdquo; said Karlstrom, who holds the course record in Madrid at 38:42. &ldquo;I have never had this high level of competitiveness before and managed to win most of my races. I competed in Rome after catching Covid and fortunately it only blew up after the race. But then I also suffered first a viral infection and then a sinus infection just a few days before the Olympics, that&rsquo;s the reason I could not compete well there.
&ldquo;Madrid is a great race, I really love it as It showcases my discipline in the centre of a big city and makes the race easily accessible for the audience, which is key to gather big crowds,&rdquo; added the world silver medallist. &ldquo;Obviously I&rsquo;m not still at my peak at this early stage of the season but 10km makes it doable and very exciting and intense.&rdquo;
Fortunato, the winner in Madrid last year, competed over 10,000m in Modena two weeks ago with a 39:46.88 winning performance. He will be joined by his compatriot Gianluca Picchiottino, a 1:20:46 performer who placed 12th in Antalya.
Also watch out for Diego Garc&iacute;a, runner-up here in 2022 and the third-place finisher in Antalya, who&rsquo;ll be combining roles as organiser and athlete. His training mate &Aacute;lvaro L&oacute;pez, who set a 20km lifetime best of 1:20.20 in Antalya, should also contend for a top-five berth.
The women&rsquo;s event features European champion Antonella Palmisano and Colombia&rsquo;s Sandra Lorena Arenas.
The 33-year-old Italian will be eager to improve on her 13th place from last year when she resumed competition after a string of injuries in 2022. The world bronze medallist enjoyed an emphatic win in front of her home crowd at the European Championships in Rome in July but was forced to drop out of the 20km at the Paris Olympics with just seven kilometres to go.
Arenas will be competing in Madrid for the first time. The 2021 Olympic silver medallist finished fourth at this year&rsquo;s Games in Paris, but was rewarded with a PB of 1:27:03. She and Palmisano could have their eye on Qieyang Shenjie&rsquo;s course record of 43:07.
Spanish hopes rest with Laura Garc&iacute;a-Caro. The 29-year-old was seventh at the Paris Olympics and fourth at the European Championships, having been overtaken just inches before the finish line. She will be joined by compatriots Ant&iacute;a Chamosa and 2022 European 35km silver medallist Raquel Gonz&aacute;lez.
Weather forecasters predict a partially cloudy day, with the temperature about 22&deg;C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

One of the most iconic streets of Madrid, Gran Vía, will be the venue for the Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbö Telecom – the last Gold event of this season’s World Athletics Race Walking Tour

Yamanishi and Palmisano poised to strike in Madrid

Susanna Saapunki defends her title and takes on event record-holder Andrea Mayr and Valsir Mountain Running World Cup leader Joyce Muthoni Njeru at the Smarna Gora Race on the outskirts of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana on Saturday (5).
Two strong fields have been announced for the event, with the men&rsquo;s race featuring Josphat Kiprotich and Michael Selelo Saoli, who sit third and fourth respectively on the World Cup standings.
Unlike some other races in the World Cup, Smarna Gora doesn&rsquo;t take runners into the high mountains. The highest summit, Grmada, stands at just 676m above sea level and less than 400m above the city below, but the area boasts some incredible running routes and stunning scenery. In 2020 the race was voted the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/news/smarna-gora-named-greatest-mountain-race-wmra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greatest mountain race of all time</a>&nbsp;in a World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) poll and it has been included as a World Cup race more than 20 times.
The race is 10km, with 710m of ascent and 350m of descent, and the course blends tough climbs, fast running and technical trails. The summit of Grmada is reached first, just after the 4km mark, before a 2km descent brings runners back down to begin the final climb, spiralling anti-clockwise around the mountain to finish outside the Gostilna Ledinek Inn at the summit.
The women&rsquo;s race has an exceptionally strong field again this year and five of the current top six athletes in this year&rsquo;s World Cup standings will be on the start line. With just three races to go, Muthoni Njeru sits at the top of the <a href="https://www.wmra.info/wp-content/uploads/World_Cup_2024/World_Cup_Classification_9from12races.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rankings</a> with 238 points, Jeruto Kisang lies just behind on 207 and Scout Adkin is in third place on 202. So, a win here for Muthoni Njeru could consolidate her lead, or a victory for Jeruto Kisang or Adkin could bring them back into contention for the title.
Muthoni Njeru has been incredibly consistent this season, and her wins at both Broken Arrow races back in June, and Trofeo Nasego at the start of September, are what put her at the top of the women&rsquo;s World Cup rankings. Jeruto Kisang may not have stood on the top step of any World Cup podiums yet this year, but she has stood on the other steps on many of them after some very close races and that includes second places at Grossglockner and Vertical Nasego. Adkin has also achieved some great victories this year at both Montemuro and La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle and she also had that incredible run at Sierre Zinal to finish second.
Saapunki took the win here last year in an authoritative fashion, and with recent third places at Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego she is clearly in form. And Mayr remains a force to be reckoned with on any start line. The seven-time world champion won Vertical Nasego and was second in Trofeo Nasego earlier this year.
Other women to watch include Alice Gaggi, who had a strong run at Giir di Mont; Nusa Mali, who was third here last year; and Charlotte Cotton, another consistent performer in the World Cup.
The men&rsquo;s race also looks very competitive. As with the women&rsquo;s race, several of the runners riding high in this year&rsquo;s World Cup will be on the start line. Four of the six top points scorers will be in action and while that doesn&rsquo;t include the leaders &ndash; Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Ombogo Kiriago &ndash; the race will feature the current third placed athlete, Kiprotich, who is currently on 186 points, just 49 points behind Kipngeno. So, a win for Kiprotich could see him take the lead in the men&rsquo;s World Cup, with just two races remaining. Selelo Saoli is currently in fourth place with 148 points, so a win for him, and a failure of Kiprotich to make the top 10 here, could see him tie with or overtake him into third.
Kiprotich has been consistent this season, with his performances including second places at Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle and Vertical Nasego. Selelo Saoli won Giir di Mont and also finished third at Grossglockner and La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle. Paul Machoka has also had a strong season, including a third at Trofeo Nasego and promising runs at both Grossglockner and Sierre Zinal. Richard Omaya Atuya had two impressive victories at Grossglockner and La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle and could well be the runner to watch here.
But there will be no shortage of runners challenging for the win. Slovenian Timotej Becan is always an athlete to keep an eye on here. He has won or finished on the podium consistently and was fourth here last year. He has achieved several top 10 finishes in mountain races this year, including Grossglockner, and knows this course as well as anybody. There are some strong Italian runners who could do well, including Michael Galassi, who was fifth here last year; Andrea Elia, who was third at Montemuro; Tiziano Moia, fourth at Vertical Nasego; Luca Merli and Luciano Rota. Alric Petit will also be one to watch.
The Smarna Gora Race starts at 10:10am local time on Saturday.
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics

Susanna Saapunki defends her title and takes on event record-holder Andrea Mayr and Valsir Mountain Running World Cup leader Joyce Muthoni Njeru at the Smarna Gora Race

Strong fields set for Smarna Gora Race

<h3>Senior world records:</h3>
Women&rsquo;s 2000m 5:19.70 Jessica Hull (AUS) Monaco, 12 July 2024
Men&rsquo;s 3000m 7:17.55 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) Chorzow, 25 August 2024
Men&rsquo;s pole vault 6.26m Mondo Duplantis (SWE) Chorzow, 25 August 2024 
<h3>U20 world records:</h3>
Men&rsquo;s indoor 1500m 3:34.83 Biniam Mehary (ETH) Torun, 6 February 2024
Women&rsquo;s indoor 200m 22.34 JaMeesia Ford (USA) Boston, 9 March 2024
Women&rsquo;s javelin 64.28m Yan Ziyi (CHN) Hangzhou, 14 April 2024
Men&rsquo;s long jump 8.38m Mattia Furlani (ITA) Rome, 8 June 2024
Men&rsquo;s 1000m 2:14.37 Niels Laros (NED) Hengelo, 7 July 2024
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World records set in recent months by Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Mondo Duplantis and Jessica Hull have now been ratified by World Athletics.
Five world U20 records &ndash; set by Biniam Mehary, Mattia Furlani, JaMeesia Ford, Yan Ziyi and Niels Laros &ndash; have also been ratified.
Olympic champions Ingebrigtsen and Duplantis broke world records within moments of each other at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Silesia. Ingebrigtsen shattered the mark for 3000m with 7:17.55, taking more than three seconds off the previous world record of 7:20.67 that Kenya&rsquo;s Daniel Komen set in Rieti on 1 September 1996.
About an hour later, Duplantis took to the pole vault runway and cleared 6.26m, adding a centimetre to the world record he set when winning the Olympic title in Paris on 5 August.
Prior to the Olympic Games, Hull entered the record books with her run over 2000m at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco. The Australian distance runner won by more than six seconds in 5:19.70, breaking the world record of 5:21.56 set by Burundi&rsquo;s Francine Niyonsaba on 14 September 2021.
Back in February, Ethiopian distance runner Biniam Mehary made a name for himself by breaking the world U20 indoor 1500m record in Torun. His 3:34.83 clocking was an improvement on the previous mark of 3:36.02 set by Ingebrigtsen in Dusseldorf on 20 February 2019.
Another world U20 indoor record fell a few weeks later when US sprinter JaMeesia Ford sped to a 22.34 clocking over 200m in Boston, shaving 0.06 off the mark set by USA&rsquo;s Bianca Knight in Fayetteville on 14 March 2008. Ford had twice clocked 22.36 earlier in the season, but neither performance could be ratified as a world U20 indoor record.
The world U20 records continued to fall outdoors, starting in April when China&rsquo;s Yan Ziyi sent her javelin flying out to 64.28m in Hangzhou. Not only did the 16-year-old break the previous world U20 record of 63.86m set by Cuba&rsquo;s Yulenmis Aguilar in Edmonton on 2 August 2015, she also set a world U18 best. At the end of the season, Yan went on to improve her best to 64.41m, which is pending ratification.
For the home crowd at the European Championships in Rome, one of the standout moments came from Italian teenager Mattia Furlani, who sailed out to a world U20 long jump record of 8.38m to earn silver. His jump was a three-centimetre improvement on the mark set by Russia&rsquo;s Sergey Morgunov in Cheboksary on 20 June 2012.
Niels Laros is another teenager who set a world U20 on home soil. The Dutch middle-distance runner clocked 2:14.37 to win the 1000m at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Hengelo in July, breaking the mark of 2:15.00 set by Kenya&rsquo;s Benjamin Kipkurui in Nice on 17 July 1999.
World Athletics

World records set in recent months by Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Mondo Duplantis and Jessica Hull have now been ratified by World Athletics.

Ratified: world records for Ingebrigtsen, Duplantis and Hull

The calendar and the allocation of disciplines for the 2025 Wanda Diamond League season have now been published.
&bull; <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/calendar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 Wanda Diamond League calendar</a>
&bull; <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/wanda-diamond-league/qualification-and-schedule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 Wanda Diamond League allocation of disciplines</a>
As in previous years, the 2025 Wanda Diamond League will see the world&rsquo;s biggest stars compete across four different continents at 14 of the sport&rsquo;s most prestigious one-day meetings, with the most successful qualifying for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich.
The road to the final will begin in Xiamen on 26 April and will remain in China for the second meeting of the season in Shanghai/Suzhou on 3 May.
The series will then head to Doha and Rabat before the first European meeting of the year in Rome on 6 June.
Following stops in Oslo, Stockholm and Paris, the series will then hit Eugene, Monaco and London in July before entering the home straight in August.
After meetings in Silesia, Lausanne and Brussels, the Wanda Diamond League Final will return to Zurich for the first time since 2022 on 27-28 August.
Each discipline will be staged between four and seven times on the road to the final, giving athletes from across the world and the full diversity of track and field the chance to qualify.
All 32 Wanda Diamond League champions will then be crowned at the series final at Weltklasse Zurich, with both the iconic Diamond Trophy and record levels of prize money at stake.
With the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 taking place in September, the Wanda Diamond League will also provide the perfect preparation ground for the year&rsquo;s major global championships.

The calendar and the allocation of disciplines for the 2025 Wanda Diamond League season have now been published.

Wanda Diamond League publishes 2025 calendar and disciplines

Echo Summit (1968) in California, USA, has been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in two categories &ndash; Competition and Landmark &ndash; celebrating a unique competition and one of the most extraordinary temporary venues in track and field history.
In 1968, Echo Summit, located in the Eldorado National Forest above Lake Tahoe, served as the high-altitude training centre and site of the US Olympic Men&rsquo;s Track &amp; Field Trials. The team that was selected there to represent USA went on to win 12 gold medals and set six world records at the Mexico City Olympic Games, one of the most dominant performances in Olympic history.
This announcement of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque comes ahead of a dedication ceremony which will be held on Wednesday (2) at the Adventure Mountain Lodge, South Lake Tahoe. The event will be attended by a number of 1968 Olympians including John Carlos, Bill Toomey, Norm Tate and Ron Whitney. The plaque will be permanently displayed at Echo Summit.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66fc19f34a1d1ce78b963a2c.jpg" alt="John Carlos wins the 200m at Echo Summit" />
John Carlos wins the 200m at Echo Summit (&copy; Rich Clarkson)
</div>
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a> is a location-based recognition, awarded for "an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track &amp; field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking."
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;There has never been an athletics meeting before or since like the 1968 US Trials at Echo Summit. As historic events go, the story of Echo Summit is extraordinary and compelling. A unique competition in a landmark setting like nowhere else.
&ldquo;Hines, Smith, Carlos, Evans, Davenport, Fosbury, Seagren, Beamon, Matson, Oerter and Toomey are but a few of the legendary US team which emerged from the depths of the Eldorado National Forest in the September of 1968 to shine in the Mexico City Olympics.
&ldquo;World Athletics wishes to thank Bob Burns for his drive and commitment in illuminating a remarkable moment in time in our sport&rsquo;s history, which we are delighted to recognise with the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66fc19d14a1d1ce78b963a29.jpg" alt="Tommie Smith on the Echo Summit track" />
Tommie Smith on the Echo Summit track (&copy; Rich Clarkson)
</div>
Burns, the author of The Track in the Forest*, the 248-page history of Echo Summit published in 2018, and the inspirational organiser of the dedication ceremony, commented: &ldquo;To receive this prestigious heritage award from World Athletics, the governing body for the sport of track and field athletics, is an important moment in the global recognition of a unique sporting event in a unique setting. &ldquo;To acclimate US athletes for the 7300-foot elevation of Mexico City, the US Olympic Committee held a two-month training camp and final Olympic selection meet for the ages at Echo Summit. On a track in which hundreds of trees were left standing on the infield to minimise the environmental impact, four world records fell.
&ldquo;I wish to thank the United States Forest Service for their support and cooperation in making the siting of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque at Echo Summit possible.&rdquo; Four world records were broken at the Echo Summit Trials, in the men&rsquo;s 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and pole vault, and of those, the following three performances were ratified as official world records - Larry James (400m, 44.1), Geoff Vanderstock (400m hurdles, 48.8) and Bob Seagren (pole vault, 5.41m).** Chris Turner for World Athletics Heritage
*<a href="https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/the-track-in-the-forest-products-9780897339377.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Track in the Forest</a>
**John Carlos&rsquo; 19.7 in the 200m and Lee Evans&rsquo; 44.0 in the 400m, which beat Larry James&rsquo; 44.1 into second place, were not ratified as world records as the two athletes were wearing illegal &lsquo;brush spikes&rsquo;

Echo Summit in California has been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque, celebrating a unique competition and one of the most extraordinary temporary venues in track and field history

Kipngeno and Muthoni Njeru win at Val Bregaglia Trail as WMRA World Cup champions crowned

Regis generously gifts his Rome 1987 bronze medal to the MOWA

Chepngetich smashes world marathon record in Chicago with 2:09:56

Adkin and Elia win penultimate World Cup race, Lagunc KM Verticale

Chepngetich and Legese lead Chicago Marathon fields