Falilatou Tchanile-Salifou has been named Woman of the Year as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023.
Tchanile-Salifou receives the honour in recognition of her dedication to advancing women's rights and fostering gender equality in sport. As President of the Togolese athletics federation, Tchanile-Salifou has demonstrated outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment, with a series of transformative initiatives throughout 2023 that have left a lasting impact on Togo's sports landscape.
Campaigns have included &lsquo;Girls Together for Sport and for Life&rsquo;, which promoted women's participation in sport and raised awareness among girls in the most remote areas of Togo. The &lsquo;Programme for the Promotion of Women's Sport in Togo&rsquo; also featured a women's race, which brought together 1500 participants from across Togo.
Another project celebrated the role models who have overcome obstacles, with parents encouraged to register the births of girls and enrol them in school. For the start of the 2023 school year, this resulted in 90% of girls returning to school, compared to 40% in 2022.
Tchanile-Salifou&rsquo;s commitment to challenging stereotypes and promoting women in leadership roles culminated in the &lsquo;Feminisation of Governing Bodies&rsquo; project. This increased the number of club presidents from five to nine and established four women-led commissions within the Togolese athletics federation, fostering greater gender diversity in decision-making bodies.
Recognising the media's role in promoting gender equality, Tchanile-Salifou also organised five awareness-raising sessions, led by Togolese female athletics champions.
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&ldquo;It is a privilege and an honour for me to have been named World Athletics Woman of the Year for 2023,&rdquo; said Tchanile-Salifou.
&ldquo;It is an honour that I would like to share with all my team; together we have worked with young girls and young women to help them reach more autonomy, more leadership opportunities, more equity and more participation opportunities. This has enabled some of them to free themselves from their precarious situations and given them the opportunity to practice sports.
&ldquo;I would like to thank World Athletics and in particular President Sebastian Coe who, by introducing this award, has helped shine a light on the tireless work by women around the world. I would also like to thank my athletics family and my biological family.
&ldquo;I cannot finish without thanking my country, Togo, and its leader, the President of the State, who by his politics of peace and security has supported the development of our projects across the whole country.&rdquo;
The Woman of the Year Award gives recognition to those that have made an outstanding contribution to promoting the advancement of gender equality in athletics.
It is the second honour announced as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023. On Monday (4), Laurent Meuwly was named winner of the Coaching Achievement Award and further announcements will be made in the coming days, ahead of the World Athletes of the Year and Rising Stars being revealed on Monday 11 December.
World Athletics

Falilatou Tchanile-Salifou receives the honour in recognition of her dedication to advancing women's rights and fostering gender equality in sport

Tchanile-Salifou wins Woman of the Year Award

Laurent Meuwly has received the Coaching Achievement Award and becomes the first winner to be announced as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023.
The Swiss coach has dedicated almost three decades to guiding athletes, having started coaching at the age of just 18. He is now head of sprinting, hurdles and relays in the Netherlands, working with athletes including world 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol.
In 2023, not only did Meuwly help to guide Bol to her world title, but their work saw the Dutch star improve her European record to 51.45 &ndash; the third-fastest performance of all time behind the 50.68 and 51.41 performances achieved by world record-holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in 2022.
Bol also became a world record-holder herself in 2023, clocking 49.26 at the Dutch Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn in February to improve the 41-year-old world indoor 400m record. She ran a world indoor 500m best of 1:05.63 in Boston and ended her indoor campaign by gaining double gold at the European Indoor Championships, winning the 400m and forming part of the victorious national record-breaking 4x400m team alongside Lieke Klaver, Eveline Saalberg and Cathelijn Peeters.
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Under Meuwly&rsquo;s tutelage, Klaver also claimed European indoor 400m silver, while the Dutch men&rsquo;s 4x400m team secured bronze in Istanbul.
As well as Bol&rsquo;s world title win, Meuwly guided that same women&rsquo;s 4x400m quartet to gold and another national record at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.
Prior to his role with the Dutch athletics federation, Meuwly was head coach for sprinting, hurdles and relays in Switzerland. He continues to work with Swiss sprinter Ajla Del Ponte, the 2021 European indoor 60m champion, while he was also coach to Swiss 400m and 400m hurdles record-holder Lea Sprunger.
Other coaches and athletes to have been mentored by Meuwly include Bram Peters, Jaroslaw Skrzyszowski, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Nick Smidt, Anna Kielbasinska, Pia Skrzyszowska, Viktoriya Tkachuk, Ayomide Folorunso, Viivi Lehikoinen and Tony van Diepen.
The Coaching Achievement Award recognises coaches who have made outstanding achievements and contributions to develop, encourage and strengthen coaching at all levels in athletics.
As well as his impact guiding some of the world&rsquo;s best athletes, Meuwly has also published multiple articles and has been a keynote speaker in many coaching events, nationally and internationally.
&ldquo;I feel really honoured to receive this special prize and I dedicate it to all the people who along these 30 years have been working with me, assisting me and supporting me, and also, of course, to all the athletes I have had the chance to work with,&rdquo; said Meuwly, who was presented with his award by Bol during a training camp in South Africa. &ldquo;I hope it is still a good sign to receive it just a year before the Olympics in Paris.&rdquo;
The Coaching Achievement Award is the first of the honours celebrated as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023. Further announcements will be made in the coming days, ahead of the World Athletes of the Year and Rising Stars being revealed on Monday 11 December.
World Athletics

Laurent Meuwly has received the Coaching Achievement Award and becomes the first winner to be announced as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023

Meuwly receives Coaching Achievement Award

Sisay Lemma set a course record of 2:01:48 to move to fourth on the men&rsquo;s world all-time list, while Worknesh Degefa ran a PB of 2:15:51 to win the women&rsquo;s race and complete an Ethiopian double at the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso &ndash; a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label event &ndash; on Sunday (3).
As scheduled, the men's race kicked off at a brisk rhythm as the pacemakers went through the opening five kilometres in 14:28. They maintained that pace through to 10km (28:56), with Lemma always nearest to the pacemakers and other favourites &ndash; including Uganda's debutant Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele &ndash; in close attendance.
Shortly after reaching the 13th kilometre, the pace of the lead pack picked up and only Lemma, Tanzania's Gabriel Geay and the Kenyan duo of Kibiwott Kandie and Alexander Mutiso managed to maintain it as that quartet clocked 14:08 for that 5km split. But Ethiopia&rsquo;s Dawit Wolde and Chalu Deso plus Cheptegei re-joined them at the helm and seven men blazed through the half marathon checkpoint together in 1:00:35. By then, the experienced Bekele had decided to set his own cadence and travelled alone behind them, clocking 1:00:58 for half way.
With the clock reading 1:08, a quartet of Lemma, Geay, Deso and Wolde broke away from Kandie, Mutiso and Cheptegei. A short while later only Lemma travelled at the shoulder of the remaining pacemaker, with Kandie and Wolde a couple of seconds in arrears and the rest of the contenders some way back as that 10km section was covered in 28:38, the quickest of the race to that point. The leaders passed the 30km mark in 1:26:04, 27 seconds faster than the previous best 30km split.
The last pacemaker dropped out at 30.5km and Kandie, who had caught Lemma, ruled the race for a while with Lemma and Wolde chasing him in crocodile file. The pace dropped slightly without the pacemaker's help and the trio covered the following kilometres in the 2:55/2:57 range, running 14:36 for the 30-35km section. The key moment came some 1:42 into the race, when Lemma made his move to gradually open a sizeable margin on Wolde and Kandie, with the rest of the field far away.
Over the closing stages only Lemma was able to tick off each kilometre well under 3:00 pace to reach 40km in 1:55:12, almost a full minute ahead of Wolde, while Mutiso ran in third another half a minute adrift but ahead of a faltering Kandie.
Lemma reached the finish line unopposed in 2:01:48, just seven seconds shy of Bekele's national record. Mutiso overtook Wolde in the closing stages to take second place in a career best of 2:03:11, with Wolde completing the podium in 2:03:48, also a PB.
Bekele passed Geay and Kandie over the closing kilometres to finish a fine fourth in 2:04:19, improving his own masters record (M40). In a race of great depth, a record 13 athletes ran under 2:06 and a series of national records were set, while world 10,000m record-holder Cheptegei had to settle for 37th place in 2:08:59 on his debut over the classic distance.
&ldquo;It's incredible to win here with such a fast time, I'm over the moon,&rdquo; said Lemma.
<h2>Degefa signs successful return to lead Ethiopian 1-2-3</h2>
The women's event started at an even early pace of 3:12/km as the leaders clocked 16:00 for the opening 5km and 32:02 for 10km. Shortly afterwards, only four women &ndash; Ethiopia&rsquo;s Almaz Ayana, Degefa and Hiwot Gebrekiden, plus Germany's Melat Kejeta&nbsp;&ndash; remained at the helm.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/656c60c3a5063ed759d700d4.jpg" alt="Worknesh Degefa celebrates her Valencia Marathon victory" />
Worknesh Degefa celebrates her Valencia Marathon victory (&copy; Organisers)
</div>
The steady pace continued over the following kilometres and that quartet reached the halfway point in 1:07:29, running with a large group of male athletes and right on schedule to give last year's women's course record of 2:14:58 a scare. By that point, Kenya's Celestine Chepchirchir was a lonesome fifth in 1:08:20.
Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba was one of the pre-race favourites but the 32-year-old former middle-distance star only stayed in the leading group for six kilometres; she reached the halfway point some two minutes behind the leaders (1:09:20) and eventually dropped out of the race at the 27th kilometre.
It was always Ayana who ran closest to the pacemakers, the tempo dropping slightly between 20-30km as the leaders passed 30km in 1:36:22, running 32:24 for the previous 10km. Degefa, returning to the marathon after almost four years following a double maternity leave, moved to the front for the first time around the 33th kilometre and broke away from the 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Ayana.
Ayana initially managed to reel in her compatriot but then she struggled to stay with Degefa as the latter went through 35km in 1:52:34 to open a four-second advantage. Gebrekidan was another 51 seconds in arrears.
Degefa extended her lead over the next few kilometres and became a virtual winner by 40km as her margin had grown to 21 seconds.
She crossed the finish line well inside the 2:16 barrier thanks to a 2:15:51 performance that improved her previous career best of 2:17:41 from 2019 and moved her to seventh on the women's world all-time list.
Ayana, claiming the runner-up spot, also improved her previous PB by almost a minute with her 2:16:22 effort, while Gebrekidan completed an Ethiopian podium sweep in 2:17:59, 1:11 faster than her previous best.
Chepchirchir finished fourth in 2:20:46.
Local fans had plenty to cheer as Tariku Novales (2:05:48) and Majida Maayouf (2:21:27) both set Spanish records, while Turkey's Sultan Haydar (2:21:27) and Italy's Sofiia Yaremchuk (2:23:16) also broke national records.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:15:51 2&nbsp; Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:16:22 3 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:17:59 4 Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:46 5 Majida Maayouf (ESP) 2:21:27 6 Sultan Haydar (TUR) 2:21:27 7 Desi Mokonin (BRN) 2:22:29 8 Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:23:08 9 Sofiia Yaremchuk (ITA) 2:23:16 10 Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) 2:23:27&nbsp;
Men 1 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48 2 Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:03:11 3 Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48 4 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:04:19 5 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:04:33 6 Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 2:04:48 7 Chalu Deso (ETH) 2:05:14 8 Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:05:40 9 Mehdi Frere (FRA) 2:05:43 10 Gashau Ayale (ISR) 2:05:46

Sisay Lemma set a course record of 2:01:48 to move to fourth on the men’s world all-time list, while Worknesh Degefa ran a PB of 2:15:51 to win the women’s race and complete an Ethiopian double

Lemma breaks course record, Degefa dominates in Valencia

Peru&rsquo;s Kimberly Garcia and Brazil&rsquo;s Caio Bonfim have been confirmed as the overall winners in the 2022-2023 World Athletics Race Walking Tour.
The scoring system combines each athlete&rsquo;s three best world ranking performances from the series. The man and woman with the highest score win US$25,000.
Garcia, the two-time world champion in 2022, started her year with a bang, winning the 35km in Dudince in a world record of 2:37:44. One month later, she was victorious over 20km in Warsaw, then she finished just outside of the podium in Rio Maior a couple of weeks later.
She rebounded in June by winning a high-quality 20km contest in La Coruna in a national record of 1:26:40.
At the World Championships in Budapest, Garcia placed fourth over 20km then claimed silver in the 35km, the latter contributing to her World Race Walking Tour score.
Mexico&rsquo;s Alegna Gonzalez and Australia&rsquo;s Jemima Montag placed second and third overall in the end-of-year standings.
Bonfim&rsquo;s first appearance on this year&rsquo;s tour also came in Dudince, where he placed second over 35km. He followed it with a 20km victory in Warsaw, a runner-up finish in Rio Maior, and a win in La Coruna, clocking a national record of 1:18:29.
He claimed 20km bronze at the World Championships in Budapest, once again improving on his own national record with 1:17:47. Five days later, he placed 10th in the 35km &ndash; the only race this year in which he hasn&rsquo;t finished in the top three.
Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom and Ecuador&rsquo;s Brian Pintado were second and third respectively in the overall standings.
The 2023-2024 World Race Walking Tour kicks off on 17 December in Dublin, where the likes of Karlstrom will be competing. It will also feature the first ever marathon race walking mixed relay held in Europe.
<h3>2022-2023 World Race Walking Tour final standings</h3>
Women 1 Kimberly Garcia (PER) 4092 2 Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) 3881 3 Jemima Montag (AUS) 3864 4 Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) 3847 5 Glenda Morejon (ECU) 3746
Men 1 Caio Bonfim (BRA) 4075 2 Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) 4032 3 Brian Pintado (ECU) 4008 4 Declan Tingay (AUS) 3890 5 Christopher Linke (GER) 3886

Peru’s Kimberly Garcia and Brazil’s Caio Bonfim have been confirmed as the overall winners in the 2022-2023 World Athletics Race Walking Tour.

Garcia and Bonfim confirmed winners of World Athletics Race Walking Tour

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso &ndash; a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label event &ndash; features arguably the year's finest field. Valencia has witnessed a number of world records in recent years, and organisers aim for the Spanish coastal city to be the epicentre of the running world again on Sunday (3).
Olympic 5000m champion Joshua Cheptegei will attract much of the attention on Sunday as the Ugandan will be making his first appearance over the classic distance. The 27-year-old, who is the world record-holder for the 5000m and 10,000m, has fond memories of Valencia as it is where he set a world 10km record of 26:38 in 2019 and the still standing world 10,000m record of 26:11.00 the following year.
&ldquo;The marathon is a new challenge for me,&rdquo; said three-time world 10,000m champion Cheptegei, who has a half marathon PB of 59:21. &ldquo;After 10 years competing at an international level, I'm thrilled to tackle the longest Olympic distance. The marathon is something new for me and I'm fully aware there is a lot to learn.&rdquo;
In one of his final sessions before heading to Valencia, Cheptegei reportedly ran a 28km long run timed at 1:25 &ndash; an average pace of 3:02/km.
If recent form and experience is anything to go by, Kenyan duo Kibiwott Kandie and Alexander Mutiso will start among the favourites.
Kandie displayed impressive form six weeks ago when achieving his third victory at the Valencia Half Marathon, beating a highly competitive field in 57:40, just nine seconds short of his own world record, set three years prior in Valencia.
He has had two prior outings at the marathon distance, but is yet to make his mark; he hopes that Sunday&rsquo;s race will be third time lucky.
Japan-based Mutiso made a remarkable marathon debut in Valencia last year, placing third in 2:03:29. Valencia is where he also set his half marathon PB of 57:59 in 2020. The 27-year-old won the Prague Marathon earlier this year in 2:05:09.
Titus Kipruto, who has a PB of 2:04:54 and finished eighth at the World Championships in Budapest, will join his Kenyan compatriots on the start line.
A strong Ethiopian contingent is led by the legendary Kenenisa Bekele. The 41-year-old still ranks third on the world all-time list with his 2:01:41 clocking from the 2019 Berlin Marathon. The multiple world and Olympic champion failed to finish the London Marathon earlier this year, so will try to bounce back on Sunday in what will be his first ever clash against Cheptegei, the man who broke Bekele&rsquo;s world records on the track.
The former 5000m and 10,000m world record-holder will be joined by his compatriots Leul Gebreselassie, Sisay Lemma, Dawit Wolde and Chalu Deso; the former, winner here in 2018, is the current world bronze medallist and took fourth in London (2:05:45) while Lemma finished runner-up in Prague (2:06:26) but clocked 2:03:36 back in 2019. Wolde is a 2:04:27 athlete with a season's best of 2:05:46 in Rotterdam, while Deso has also broken the 2:05 barrier.
Watch out too for Tanzania&rsquo;s Gabriel Geay and Brazil&rsquo;s Daniel Do Nascimento. Geay was runner-up in Valencia last year with a PB of 2:03:00, then placed second in Boston earlier this year in 2:06:04. The 27-year-old also finished seventh at the 2022 World Championships, just ahead of Do Nascimento, a 2:04:51 performer.
French duo Morhad Amdouni (2:05:22) and Nico Navarro (2:06:45), Germany's European champion Richard Ringer (2:08:08) plus Spain's Tariku Novales (2:07:18) will be aiming to improve on their respective PBs.
A trio of pacemakers comprising Charles Matata, Hillary Kipkoech and Bernard Ngeno will dictate a steady 2:54 pace to go through the half-way point in 1:01 in a bid to challenge the course record of 2:01:53 set last year by world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum.
<h2>Ayana the woman to beat</h2>
Ethiopia's 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana made her marathon debut in Amsterdam last year with 2:17:20, what was then the fastest debut in history.
This year, the 32-year-old placed seventh in London in 2:20:44, but had won the Lisbon Half Marathon one month earlier in a PB of 1:05:30. On Sunday she&rsquo;ll line up alongside compatriots Genzebe Dibaba, Worknesh Degefa, Hiwot Gebrekidan and Bosena Mulatie.
Dibaba, the former 1500m star, also made a promising marathon debut in Amsterdam last year, clocking 2:18:05, but she failed to finish in London this year before placing sixth (2:21:47) in Chicago at the start of October.
Degefa, a 2:17:41 performer, didn't compete in 2021 and 2022 as she became a mother twice but she made a strong return in October with a 1:07:48 win at the Trento Half Marathon. Gebrekidan set her PB of 2:19:10 at the Tokyo Marathon last year, and placed eighth in Boston earlier this year, while 22-year-old Mulatie will be tackling the distance for the first time, having set a half marathon PB of 1:05:46.
Celestine Chepchirchir, who ran 2:20:10 in Seoul last year, and Seville Marathon winner Jackline Chelal, who has a PB of 2:20:29, are the leading Kenyan entrants for this year&rsquo;s race.
Poland's European champion Aleksandra Lisowska, Spain's Majida Maayouf (2:21:01) Croatia's Bojana Bjeljac (2:23:39), Italy's Sofiia Yaremchuk (2:24:02) and Ireland's Fiounnala Mc Cormack are among the other leading international entrants.
Ethiopia's Abebe Garedew, Kenya's Titus Kemboi and Spain's Alejandro Jim&eacute;nez have been enlisted as pacemakers and will try to reach the halfway point in 1:07:30, putting the leading women on schedule to threaten Amane Beriso's course record of 2:14:58, set last year.
A total of 33,000 runners are set to take part in the event, 57% of them travelling from abroad and represent a record 134 countries. The weather forecast predicts a windless day, with the thermometer reaching 10-12C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading entries</h3>
Women Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:17:20 Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:17:41 Joan Chelimo Melly (ROM) 2:18:04 Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2:18:05 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:19:10 Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:10 Jackline Chelal (KEN) 2:20:29 Dolshi Tesfu (ERI) 2:20:40 Desi Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:47 Majida Maayouf (ESP) 2:21:01 Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:23:15 Bojana Bjeljac (CRO) 2:23:39 Melat Kejeta (GER) 2:23:57 Fionnuala McCormack (IRL) 2:23:58 Sofiia Yaremchuk (ITA) 2:24:02 Sultan Haydar (TUR) 2:24:44 Eloise Wellings (AUS) 2:25:10 Gerda Steyn (RSA) 2:25:28 Aleksandra Lisowska (POL) 2:26:08 Irvette van Zyl (RSA) 2:26:11 Marta Galimany (ESP) 2:26:14 Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) 2:26:14 Carolina Wikstrom (SWE) 2:26:14 Mekdes Woldu (FRA) 2:26:34 Fatima Azaharaa Ouhaddou (ESP) 2:26:44 Risper Gesabwa (MEX) 2:26:55 Bosena Mulatie (ETH) debut
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00 Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:03:29 Getaneh Molla (ETH) 2:03:34 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:03:36 Leul Gebreselassie (ETH) 2:04:02 Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:04:27 Daniel do Nascimento (BRA) 2:04:51 Chalu Deso (ETH) 2:04:53 Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:54 Mohamed Esa Huseydin (KEN) 2:05:05 Morhad Amdouni (FRA) 2:05:22 Goitom Kifle (ERI) 2:05:28 Gashau Ayale (ISR) 2:05:33 Abdisa Tola (ETH) 2:05:42 Oqbe Kibrom (ERI) 2:05:51 Nico Navarro (FRA) 2:06:45 Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) 2:06:48 Tariku Novales (ESP) 2:07:18 Girmaw Amare (ISR) 2:07:28 Haimro Alame (ISR) 2:07:45 Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:54 Richard Ringer (GER) 2:08:08 Daniel Mateo (ESP) 2:08:22 Derseh Kindie (ETH) 2:08:23 Khalid Choukoud (NED) 2:08:36 Mehdi Frere (FRA) 2:08:55 Yago Rojo (ESP) 2:08:56 Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 2:13:43 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) debut Stephen Kiprop (KEN) debut Stanley Kurgat (KEN) debut

Kenenisa Bekele and Joshua Cheptegei will clash for the first time

Debutant Cheptegei takes on Bekele and Kandie, Ayana faces Dibaba in Valencia

Finding the perfect gift for friends and family can be tricky.
It helps, of course, if they have a hobby or pastime, but even that can bring its own challenges &ndash; especially if it seems your loved ones already have all they need.
Worry not &ndash; If you still don't know what to buy, here&rsquo;s a selection of ideas across a range of categories that suit all budgets.
And whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this list can offer some inspiration for any gifts you may need to purchase in the near future. Or you could even order some of these items for yourself &ndash; we all deserve a little treat from time to time!
&nbsp;
<h2>Books and publications </h2>
<h3>Good For A Girl</h3>
<img style="width: 160px; height: 245px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91AQZUHT5XL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="book" align="right" />Lauren Fleshman
Lauren Fleshman was of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time and a national champion as a pro, before becoming a coach for elite young female runners. Every step of the way, she has seen how our sports systems fail young women and girls as much as empower them.
Part memoir, part manifesto, Good for a Girl is Fleshman's story of falling in love with running as a girl, battling devastating injuries and self-doubt, and daring to fight for a better way for female athletes.
This book was also winner of the 2023 William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.
<a href="https://www.virago.co.uk/titles/lauren-fleshman/good-for-a-girl/9780349014425/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available via Virago</a> 
<h3> We Share The Sun</h3>
<img style="width: 160px; height: 235px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pUu2s767L._SL1500_.jpg" alt="book" align="right" />Sarah Gearhart
At a secluded training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya, a small town about 2500m above sea level in the Great Rift Valley, three-dozen world-class runners, including Olympic champions, world record-holders and the fastest marathoner of all time, share simple dormitory-style rooms and endure grueling workouts six days a week.
These determined, devoted, and selfless runners are who they are because of a man named Patrick Sang. One of the greatest - and least-heralded coaches in the sport - Sang is described by his athletes as a &ldquo;life coach.&rdquo;
In We Share the Sun, Sarah Gearhart takes the reader inside this high-octane world of elite athletes of which few are even aware of and even fewer have ever seen. It tells Sang&rsquo;s remarkable story, from his college days in the US to winning an Olympic medal in the steeplechase, and his journey to become a man who redefines what coaching means. There is no singular secret to sporting success, but Sang&rsquo;s holistic philosophy is like no other approach in the world. It is rooted in developing athletes who can navigate the pressures of elite competition - and life itself.
<a href="http://pegasusbooks.com/books/we-share-the-sun-9781639363551-hardcover" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Pegasus Books</a> 
<h3> Jesse Owens</h3>
<img style="width: 160px; height: 196px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DQbzxrNQL._SL1395_.jpg" alt="book" align="right" />Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Meet Jesse Owens, the historic and barrier-breaking track and field star.
The youngest of ten children, Jesse grew up working in the cotton fields of Alabama. Discovered by his high school track and field coach, Jesse quickly rose to fame as an athlete. He went on the challenge racism on the world stage at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and made new world records. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the athlete and activist's life.
This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers.
<a href="https://littlepeoplebigdreams.com/book/jesse-owens/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Little People Big Dreams</a>
<h3> How She Did It</h3>
<img style="width: 160px; height: 198px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81IFb5jmDPL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="book" align="right" />Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery
How She Did It begins with the kind of prescriptive information that any athlete needs to be healthy and successful in the world of competitive running, with advice and findings from the nation's top bone health experts, sports endocrinologists, nutritionists, sports psychologists, and more.
The book then moves into the payload: unflinching and intimate interviews with 50 well-known female runners who reveal their deepest fears, their worst choices, and their greatest achievements.
<a href="https://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/673032/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available via Random House</a> 
<h3> Puddings To Podiums: From Fast Food Fat Man To Ultra Marathon Champion</h3>
<img style="width: 160px; height: 240px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61YRcE+31oL._SL1499_.jpg" alt="book" align="right" />Nathan Flear
In 'Puddings to Podiums', follow the captivating story of an ordinary man's extraordinary quest to rise from a life of indulgence to the pinnacle of ultra running and his dream of running for his country.
Nathan embarks on an awe-inspiring adventure that takes him from his sedentary lifestyle to the world of ultra running. From tackling his first 10km run to conquering gruelling 24-hour races, Nathan's journey is as much about conquering his own doubts and limitations as it is about crossing finish lines.
<a href="https://amzn.eu/d/fBhYWBG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Amazon</a> 
&nbsp;
<hr />
<h2>Gear and kit </h2>
<h3>Metaspeed collection, Asics</h3>
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569a220ad5f2b1311192e3c.jpg" alt="Asics Metaspeed" /></div>
Each shoe in the Asics Metaspeed range is designed with a distinct type of running style in mind, helping athletes reach the top of their game and potentially reducing the number of steps a runner needs to take during a race.
<a href="https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/metaspeed/c/aa50124800/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available at Asics.com</a>
&nbsp;
<h3>Street Fighter collection, Onitsuka Tiger</h3>
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569a235ad5f2b1311192e3f.jpg" alt="Onitsuka Tiger Street Fighter collection" /></div>
You probably wouldn't run a marathon wearing any of this gear, but if you like your casual lounge wear to have a novel and gaming twist, then this range is perfect.
<a href="https://www.onitsukatiger.com/gb/en-gb/new-arrivals/onitsuka-tiger-x-street-fighter-6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available at OnitsukaTiger.com</a>
&nbsp;
<hr />
<h2>Games </h2>
<h3><img style="width: 200px; height: 248px; margin-left: 20px; align: right;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569a4fa164b0f6686e0f1fb.jpg" alt="Tokyo 2020" align="right" />Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games</h3>
There is an official Paris 2024 video game in the pipeline, but it won't be released until next year. So in the meantime, relive the joy and excitement of the most recent Olympics with the Tokyo 2020 video game. Engage in a wide variety of arcade-style sports as you compete to win the gold.
Available on the Playstation, X-Box, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
<a href="https://www.olympicvideogames.com/tokyo2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from various sellers</a>
&nbsp;
<hr />
<h2>Art </h2>
<h3>Like The Wind illustrations</h3>
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569a45bad5f2b1311192e46.jpg" alt="Like The Wind illustrations" /></div>
Like the Wind is a magazine that features a collection of running stories, from personal anecdotes to inspirational tales. A selection of illustrations used in LtW's storytelling is available to purchase from their online shop, along with back issues of the magazine itself, plus a whole range of other goodies.
<a href="https://www.likethewindmagazine.com/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Like The Wind</a>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Retro video game artwork</h3>
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569ab7a752c1c6f2def1173.jpg" alt="Retro illustrations" /></div>
Officially licensed by Konami, these pieces of artwork from Artovision 3D capture the essence of the classic Track &amp; Field arcade game.
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Artovision3D?search_query=track+field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Artovision 3D, via Etsy</a> 
<h3>Athletics track poster</h3>
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/5fcfaf8dc157b99a1fc12507.png" alt="" width="950" height="496" />
Understated and stylish. Is there anything more beautiful than an athletics track?!
<a href="https://swedishstamp.club/collections/sports/products/sport-running-poster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available from Swedish Stamp Club</a>
&nbsp;
<hr />
<h2>Stocking fillers</h2>
<h3> Art Of Your Success</h3>
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6569a253ad5f2b1311192e42.jpg" alt="Art of your Success cards" /></div>
A one-stop shop for all types of gifts, Art Of Your Success offers products that motivate, organise and celebrate training and racing - whether it&rsquo;s recording and reflecting on your training in a journal, drinking a post session coffee out of a mug, or wearing a marathon t shirt to collect your race number.
<a href="https://artofyoursuccess.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Available at Art Of Your Success</a>

Gift guide for athletics fans

Britain&rsquo;s world 1500m champion Josh Kerr will headline the men&rsquo;s two mile field when he returns to the Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event, for the fifth time on 11 February.
Kerr, the Olympic bronze medallist, ran 3:48.87 for the mile in Boston in 2022 and sits fourth on the world indoor all-time list for the discipline. He will look to make a similar statement in the two-mile event when he races at The Armory in New York in February.
He won the 3000m at this year&rsquo;s Millrose Games, his season opener, in 7:33.47 and went on to take the world 1500m title in Budapest. Kerr was second in the Millrose Games mile in 2022, while he was also second and fourth in that discipline in New York in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The world indoor two-mile best is 8:03.40, set by Britain&rsquo;s Mo Farah in Birmingham in 2015.
&ldquo;There's going to be a fantastic field and it will be paced at the two-mile world record,&rdquo; Kerr told CitiusMag. &ldquo;Currently, I'm in fantastic shape. I'm having an amazing fall and dealing with everything new and everything that's exciting, amazing and also terrible about being a world champion. I'm very excited for it.&rdquo;
More than 50 meetings feature on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour calendar, including seven Gold level events, in a season that culminates with the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24.
Other athletes already confirmed for next year&rsquo;s Tour include world gold medallists Noah Lyles, Jake Wightman and Gabby Thomas, who will all compete at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on 4 February.

Britain’s world 1500m champion Josh Kerr will headline the men’s two mile field at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event

Kerr returns to New York targeting fast two miles

South Africa&rsquo;s Adriaan Wildschutt and USA&rsquo;s Katie Wasserman were victorious at the Cross Champs &ndash; this season&rsquo;s seventh World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Austin, Texas, on Thursday (30).
Wildschutt kicked away from defending champion Edwin Kurgat of Kenya to win the men&rsquo;s title, while Wasserman held off her compatriot Katie Izzo to claim the women&rsquo;s crown after racing over 8km on a rainy morning at Camp Mabry.
Wesley Kiptoo went out hard from the start of the men&rsquo;s race, forcing the field to string out. A breakaway group of six ran single file before regrouping, with Kiptoo to the fore as the first mile was covered in 4:25. David Ribich held on to the back of the pack but when he was dropped that lead group was down to five, with Kiptoo, Kurgat and Wildschutt joined by Charles Hicks and Ahmed Muhumed.
Racing on a mile loop course, the second circuit was covered in 4:26 before Kiptoo moved to the back of the pack midway through the third lap, with Wildschutt pushing the pace.
From there Wildschutt, the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships runner-up who placed 14th in Austin last year, maintained the momentum and led through the three-mile mark in 13:12 after a 4:20 lap. The group covered the penultimate mile in 4:22, with Wildschutt, Kurgat, Hicks and Kiptoo all still in contention.
Then Wildschutt and Kurgat made a break and they were engaged in battle as the clock showed 20 minutes, while Kiptoo overtook Hicks to move into third place.
Looking determined, Wildschutt kicked again and glanced over his shoulder but there was no major threat and he crossed the line unchallenged to win in 22:08, four seconds ahead of Kurgat.
Kenya&rsquo;s Kiptoo, who finished 12th on his marathon debut in Chicago last month, held on for third place in 22:15, finishing narrowly ahead of Britain&rsquo;s 2022 NCAA champion Hicks, who recorded the same time for fourth. USA&rsquo;s Muhumed was fifth in 22:27.
&ldquo;Our plan for the team was to go out pretty hard and keep it honest,&rdquo; Wildschutt told RunnerSpace after leading Hoka NAZ Elite to the team title. &ldquo;I was just trying to see how it felt running under 4:30 for the first mile, to see how the course was. It&rsquo;s rainy, but it&rsquo;s not terrible, so I just tucked in there to see how long I could go.
&ldquo;When the pace started to slow down in the middle of the race I made sure to push it a little bit to keep it up there, because I think that&rsquo;s my strength. Coming around for the last two laps I thought okay, this is my chance. It was tough because obviously the competitors are fierce,&rdquo;&nbsp;added the multiple national record-holder, who finished 14th in the 10,000m at the World Championships in Budapest.
Now targeting the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics, Wildschutt hopes to race over 5000m indoors before preparing for the outdoor season.
In the women&rsquo;s race, Wasserman was always to the fore and she ran alongside Dana Klein at the front of a large lead group that covered the first mile in 5:35.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6568d991293e30aeca2d46d9.JPG" alt="Katie Wasserman (82) leads at the Cross Champs in Austin" />
Katie Wasserman (82) leads at the Cross Champs in Austin (&copy; Kevin Morris)
</div>
With 10 minutes on the clock the lead group had reduced to 11, led by Kassie Parker, but Wasserman looked in control as she took the pack through the two-mile mark in 10:57.
That pick up in pace led to a seven-strong breakaway pack featuring Wasserman, Izzo, Parker, Klein, Marisa Howard, Abby Nichols and Mercy Chelangat, and they forged ahead to cover the third circuit in 5:20.
Chelangat was alongside Wasserman as they reached four miles in 21:33 after a 5:16 penultimate loop. A group of four &ndash; Wasserman, Izzo, Chelangat and Nichols &ndash; then broke away over the hay bale section of the course on the final circuit and when Nichols couldn&rsquo;t maintain the pace, the race was down to three.
Although Wasserman ran wide and had to cross back on to the course in the closing stages, she had built enough of a lead to ensure that she could cross the finish line clear, clocking 26:50 to win by two seconds ahead of Izzo.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never run an 8km before so I was like, I have to make sure I can make it to the final lap before I decide to push,&rdquo; said Wasserman, who also led Hoka NAZ Elite to the team win. &ldquo;Then I was feeling good, so I was like okay, it&rsquo;s time to go!&rdquo;
Chelangat, who recently ran 1:11:37 on her half marathon debut in Boston, was third in 26:55, while Nichols was fourth in 27:09 and Howard fifth in 27:11.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Katie Wasserman (USA) 26:50 2 Katie Izzo (USA) 26:52 3 Mercy Chelangat (KEN) 26:55 4 Abby Nichols (USA) 27:09 5 Marisa Howard (USA) 27:11 6 Dana Klein (USA) 27:12 7 Kassie Parker (USA) 27:30 8 Angelia Rafter (USA) 27:35
Men 1 Adriaan Wildschutt (RSA) 22:08 2 Edwin Kurgat (KEN) 22:12 3 Wesley Kiptoo (KEN) 22:15 4 Charles Hicks (GBR) 22:15 5 Ahmed Muhumed (USA) 22:27 6 Olin Hacker (USA) 22:59 7 Alec Basten (USA) 23:18 8 Casey Comber (USA) 23:20

South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt and USA’s Katie Wasserman were victorious at this season’s seventh World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting

Wildschutt and Wasserman win cross country crowns in Austin

World Athletics is seeking a Brand Experience Coordinator to join its&nbsp;Marketing team.
The&nbsp;Brand Experience Coordinator will&nbsp;develop and deliver marketing campaigns, working with other departments to ensure that their marketing needs are delivered and all creative work, ideas and content are right for the organisation and brand.
Their key responsibilities will also include working with external agencies and partners on developing creative content, and supporting fan facing experiential activations.
Job description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=bf9af931-3bf6-440a-b461-85b400f229d2.pdf&amp;urlSlug=brand-experience-coordinator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=3a4d5ae5-d39c-4f98-883c-12274de9dacb.pdf&amp;urlSlug=coordinateur-de-lexperience-de-la-marque" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French</a>
To apply, candidates should send the following in English to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:emploi@worldathletics.org">emploi@worldathletics.org</a> before 22 December 2023:
&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 Brand Experience Coordinator to join its Marketing team

Job vacancy: Brand Experience Coordinator

At first, he appears quiet and mild-mannered off the track, in stark contrast to his fierce competitiveness on it. But don't be fooled by his gentle and unassuming nature; a strong sense of determination fuels him.
Meet Antonio Watson, the newly minted world 400m champion. His stunning victory on that beautiful evening in Budapest in August saw him join a distinguished group of Jamaican 400m runners who have won senior global titles. 
In 1983, Bertland Cameron won Jamaica's first 400m gold medal at the inaugural edition of the World Championships held in Helsinki, Finland. Cameron followed in the footsteps of Dr. Arthur Wint and George Rhoden, who won Olympic gold medals in the 400m in 1948 and 1952, respectively.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HS8o86U24Bs?si=Vnyc7WzkymCPnAOv" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h2>Early days</h2>
Watson hails from the Duncans community in Trelawny, a parish known for producing many of Jamaica's top athletes, such as Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Omar Brown, Warren Weir, Lerone Clarke, Marvin Anderson, Ricardo Chambers and Inez Turner.
Watson's prodigious talent came to light over a decade ago at the prestigious JPS Western U12 Primary Championships, when he was competing for Duncans All-Age School. After attending a coaching seminar in Montego Bay, Watson's primary school coach teamed up with Machel Woolery to create a roadmap for Watson's success.
This resulted in him travelling 90km to attend the Petersfield High School in Westmoreland. Despite limited resources, he became a top performer in Jamaica's high school system. He recalls excelling in football, briefly following in his father's footsteps before discovering his true calling in athletics.
Initially, he competed in strength and endurance events due to his natural athleticism and potential. &ldquo;I did the 800m and shot put at Western Champs and the 1500m at the Boys and Girls Championships,&rdquo; Watson says.
Despite his versatility, Watson realised early on that specialising in one or two events was needed to reach the pinnacle. He chose sprinting and identified with the 200m and 400m, earning several gold medals, including the 400m world U18 title in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2017.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65686c9b8c721d977b8002c2.jpg" alt="Antonio Watson at the 2017 World U18 Championships in Nairobi" />
Antonio Watson at the 2017 World U18 Championships in Nairobi (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Just as his stocks began to soar, Watson faced a few setbacks. He was frustrated by a hamstring injury in 2019, forcing him to miss the 200m and 400m finals at the Jamaican high school championships. The following year, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, leading to the cancellation of numerous global events.
<h2>Youthful exuberance</h2>
In the 2021 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, held behind closed doors, Watson won his favourite event, the 200m. This cemented his legacy as one of the few athletes to achieve this feat across all age groups. &ldquo;I love the 200m because it&rsquo;s not just about raw speed; you have to combine speed and strength, and I appreciate that,&rdquo; says Watson.
There was controversy surrounding his victory celebration, but Watson learnt from the experience. Raising his left hand, Watson appeared to make a pointing and shooting gesture when crossing the finish line, but his sincere apology for the pre-planned quirk demonstrated responsibility and commitment to making things right. 
&ldquo;I learned a valuable lesson that not everything one thinks, they should do,&rdquo; he says.
He remained resolute in not letting the incident affect his morale and enthusiasm.
A few months later, he faced an important decision. Unlike many of his peers, Watson never considered training overseas and believed that staying home was his best option. &ldquo;I had received offers from abroad, but I was never a foreign-minded individual,&rdquo; Watson explains. &ldquo;After having a conversation with Coach Glen Mills earlier in the year, I felt he was the right person to take me to the next level.&rdquo;&nbsp;
After graduating high school in 2021, Watson joined the Racers Track Club under the guidance of Mills, who led the legendary Bolt to multiple Olympic and world titles. &ldquo;I got a good reception at the club,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Everyone was welcoming and fun to be around.&rdquo;
<h2>Winning formula</h2>
The partnership proved successful within two years, as Mills produced his first 400m world champion. During an impressive 2023 outdoor season, Watson won nine out of 10 400m races, setting multiple personal bests. He suffered his only defeat in early July during the Jamaica National Senior Championships.
&ldquo;I went to Budapest with the right mindset,&rdquo; explains Watson. &ldquo;After reaching the final of the World Championships, running 44.13 in the semis and becoming the third fastest Jamaican ever, I promised myself I would make it on to the podium no matter what.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65686e6d267b20cb67199477.jpg" alt="Antonio Watson celebrates his world 400m title win" />
Antonio Watson celebrates his world 400m title win (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
In the final, he ran 44.22 &ndash; the second-fastest time of his career behind his PB from the semifinals &ndash; to triumph ahead of Great Britain&rsquo;s Matthew Hudson-Smith and USA&rsquo;s Quincy Hall.
"I am really proud I am bringing gold to Jamaica," he said at the time. "This is an amazing season for me. After winning the world youth title in 2017, it is amazing to win the gold medal at my first senior World Championships. I believed in myself."
His motivation to succeed comes from his close-knit family, which includes his parents, grandparents and three younger sisters. They inspire him to be the best version of himself.
While preparing for major championships, Watson&rsquo;s unwavering steadfastness and unrelenting work ethic sets him apart. &ldquo;I always try to focus and execute the plans of my coach and avoid social media and other distractions,&rdquo; he says.
It is difficult for athletes to achieve their life goals without trusting their support staff. Watson acknowledges the value of his mentors, who have influenced him to understand his perspective. &ldquo;Thanks to my agent, Cubie Seegobin, I am now financially responsible and equipped with the necessary skills to prepare for life beyond sports,&rdquo; Watson adds.
During his free time, Watson enjoys playing FIFA and listening to music. Returning home following his world title win, Watson, who received the keys to the city of Savanna-la-Mar, the capital of Westmoreland, found ways to deal with his newfound fame. "Coping with international stardom has been hectic, but I&rsquo;m managing,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I remain grounded and humble. I&rsquo;m never letting fame get to my head.&rdquo;
With the Paris Olympics next on the horizon, Watson understands he can no longer fly under the radar.
&ldquo;Being world champion, I know I need to step up my game and work even harder,&rdquo; he acknowledges. &ldquo;The competition will be fierce, but I&rsquo;ll be heading back to the drawing board with my coach and coming up with a plan.&rdquo;
Noel Francis for World Athletics

Watson's victory in Budapest saw him join a distinguished group of Jamaican 400m runners who have won senior global titles

World champion Watson, no longer flying under the radar

Three-quarters (75%) of our sport&rsquo;s athletes perceive a direct negative impact on their health and performance due to climate change with 85% expressing that the sport of athletics has experienced adverse consequences, according to the third annual survey* conducted by World Athletics to gauge the attitudes of elite athletes about environmental and social issues.
These survey results, published to coincide with the start of the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference which gets under way tomorrow (30) in Dubai, mark a notable increase from <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/athletes-share-serious-concerns-about-climate-crisis-world-athletics-survey" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/athletes-share-serious-concerns-about-climate-crisis-world-athletics-survey">2022</a> when 72% believed climate change had negatively affected the sport and 66% reported a direct impact.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6567ce576959b11a8af8744d.jpg" alt="World Athletics climate change survey 2023" />
&nbsp;
</div>
The survey of nearly 400 athletes who competed at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 in August also found that 77% and 83%, respectively, said they were either extremely concerned or very concerned about the climate crisis and air pollution while 90% said that World Athletics has a role to play in building a more sustainable future.
Athletes&rsquo; increasing concern aligns with the current situation, as 2023 is poised to be the hottest year on record. A UN warning of a potential catastrophic 2.5&deg;C to 2.9&deg;C temperature increase signals a heightened likelihood of more frequent extreme weather events impacting the health of athletes and the sport of athletics in the coming years.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: "Our athletes continue to speak clearly about the impacts that the climate crisis is having on their lives and on their sport. Their concern is loud and clear. It's important for us to continue to act on those concerns and use the influence we have to help drive meaningful change."
Acting on those concerns, in 2022 World Athletics established its <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/champions-better-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/champions-better-world">&lsquo;Champions for a Better World&rsquo;</a>, a group of nine athletes representing each of its six continental areas who are lending their voices to sustainability campaigning within the sport, allowing athletes to collectively raise awareness about climate change. As the group enters its second year, Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley becomes its newest member, joining a distinguished lineup of athletes that includes Kelsey-Lee Barber (Australia, javelin), Ajla Del Ponte (Switzerland, sprints), Alison Dos Santos (Brazil, hurdles), Sam Mattis (USA, discus), Eliza McCartney (New Zealand, pole vault), Ernest John Obiena (Philippines, pole vault), Elena Vallortigara (Italy, high jump) and Hugues Fabrice Zango (Burkina Faso, triple jump).
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6567ce7c6959b11a8af8744e.jpg" alt="World Athletics climate change survey 2023" />
&nbsp;
</div>
In its inaugural year, Champions for a Better World athletes participated in meet-and-greet events in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/wch-budapest-23-green-zone" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/news/wch-budapest-23-green-zone">Green Zone</a> at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, contributed to an Earth Day video project and promoted workshops and individual initiatives with their fans and fellow athletes.
To mark the start of its second year and welcome Cowley, a two-time Olympian, the group has collaborated on a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0OzV8dMxqv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new video</a> spotlighting some of their own sustainable everyday habits to highlight, according to the survey, that 77% of athletes expressed a willingness to change their lifestyles to reduce their impact on the environment.
Over the last year, World Athletics concluded the second pilot year of its <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>, a certification developed to assess events' sustainability in alignment with the organisation's strategy. Scheduled for launch in January 2024, the standard has been introduced to organisers of nearly 300 events since its unveiling in December 2021. Budapest, hosting the 2023 World Championships, emerged as the first local organising committee to fully embrace and test the standard. The ABW Standard played a key role in World Athletics achieving ISO 20121 sustainable event certification in April, validating the effectiveness of its sustainability efforts.
World Athletics
*373 athletes participated in the survey, conducted between 20 August and 15 September 2023.

Three-quarters (75%) of our sport’s athletes perceive a direct negative impact on their health and performance due to climate change

Three-quarters of athletes directly impacted by climate change, World Athletics survey finds

US cross-country champion Ednah Kurgat will look to improve upon her third-place finish from last year when she lines up for the Cross Champs &ndash; the only US-based Gold stage of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour &ndash; in Austin, Texas, on Thursday (30).
Meanwhile, the likes of Wesley Kiptoo, Olin Hacker and Adriaan Wildschutt will also return to Austin where they&rsquo;ll face the likes of Charles Hicks.
Kurgat&rsquo;s last cross-country race was at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, where she placed 18th in the senior women&rsquo;s race. She went on to enjoy a strong track campaign in 2023, setting PBs for 5000m and 10,000m, and taking bronze in the latter distance at the Pan-American Games.
She has also excelled on the roads, winning the US 6km title and picking up national medals over 10km and 20km. Kurgat placed third in Austin last year, finishing 12 seconds adrift of eventual winner Alicia Monson, but she&rsquo;ll feel confident in her chances of improving upon that on Thursday.
She&rsquo;ll face stiff opposition from Kenya&rsquo;s Mercy Chelangat and USA&rsquo;s Krissy Gear.
Chelangat has won NCAA titles over 10,000m (2022) and at cross country (2020). She recently made her half marathon debut, clocking 1:11:37 in Boston earlier this month.
Gear, meanwhile, won the US steeplechase title earlier this year, clocking a PB of 9:12.81. Thursday&rsquo;s race will be her first competitive outing since the World Championships in Budapest.
Katie Izzo joined Kurgat on the USA&rsquo;s team for the World Cross earlier this year, eventually placing 31st. She heads to Austin in good form, having set PBs this year for 10,000m and the half marathon.
Marisa Howard is another entrant who has represented the USA at a World Cross, having competed at the 2017 edition. The steeplechase specialist was a bronze medallist at the 2019 Pan-American Games.
Mahelet Mulugeta, who represented Ethiopia over 800m at the 2017 World Championships, has moved up in distance in recent years and should be competitive on Thursday. USA&rsquo;s Emily Venters, who finished second over 10,000m at this year&rsquo;s NCAA Championships, should also be in contention.
Wesley Kiptoo and Olin Hacker were separated by just two seconds in the men&rsquo;s race in Austin last year, finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Both will be targeting podium places on Thursday, having enjoyed strong seasons so far in 2023.
Kiptoo, the 2021 NCAA indoor 5000m champion, made his marathon debut in Chicago last month, finishing 12th in 2:10:28. Earlier this year, he clocked a PB of 1:00:35 when finishing second at the Houston Half Marathon.
Hacker, the 2022 NCAA 5000m champion, has this year set PBs for the 1500m, mile, 3000m and 5000m. More recently, he placed 14th over 5km at the World Road Running Championships in Riga.
Britain&rsquo;s Charles Hicks will likely be a tough opponent. He won the European U23 5000m title earlier this year, but he excels at cross country too, having won two European U23 titles on that surface, as well as the 2022 NCAA title.
South Africa&rsquo;s Adriaan Wildschutt will also be difficult to beat. This year he has set national records at 3000m (7:39.25), 5000m (13:02.46) and 10,000m (27:23.10), and placed 14th in the 10,000m at the World Championships in Budapest. He was runner-up at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships and placed 14th in Austin last year, but he&rsquo;d have gained confidence from his recent 10km victory in Cape Town, where he clocked 27:53 to win by more than a minute.
Other contenders include Tunisia&rsquo;s 2022 NCAA steeplechase champion Ahmed Jaziri, Kenya&rsquo;s 2018 NCAA 10,000m silver medallist Vincent Kiprop, and USA&rsquo;s Pan-American 1500m bronze medallist Casey Comber.

US cross-country champion Ednah Kurgat will look to improve upon her third-place finish from last year