Two days ahead of the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said that the Latvian capital will mark an important chapter for the sport on 1 October when it hosts the newest World Athletics Series event.
More than 300 of the world&rsquo;s best endurance runners &ndash; including Olympic gold medallists, world champions and world record-holders &ndash; will compete for global titles in the road mile, 5km and half marathon. Recreational runners from around the world, meanwhile, will be able to participate in the same distances on the same day.
The event will offer the first ever free global World Athletics live stream of a championships; fans across the world can watch the action live by <a style="color: #f48033; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/watch-riga-23?utm_source=Worldathleticsbanner&amp;utm_medium=Web&amp;utm_campaign=Riga-Livestream&amp;utm_content=Editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://worldathletics.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D3c4427c3b82ef23e5076f1ead%26id%3D2e492bbb32%26e%3D71a7ff184c&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1696071396879000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2RScejMk1cTTBN2GtwqNSG">signing up to Inside Track</a>. The road mile and 5km broadcasts will be open to all registered Inside Track users. Access to the live stream of the half marathon may be subject to broadcast rights restrictions in certain countries.
&ldquo;Riga, over the next few days, will make history,&rdquo; said Coe, speaking at the pre-championships press conference. &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t had a new World Athletics Series event since the inaugural World Relays in 2014. We&rsquo;re bringing a unique running festival to the market and we&rsquo;re delighted that Riga is the host of these new championships. We have been working with a great members federation and an exceptional organising committee.
&ldquo;I see Riga as not just a global festival of running and outstanding suffusion of middle-distance and distance runners; it&rsquo;s an important way of democratising our sport. There are very few sports in the world where recreational participants can compete in the same event as world and Olympic champions.
&ldquo;This is a celebration of running at its best, across different distances,&rdquo; added Coe. &ldquo;From a personal perspective, I&rsquo;m delighted that we&rsquo;ve been able to formally enshrine the mile in a world championships, melding it with the 5km and half marathon. It&rsquo;s an important way of saying that, at every level, running is the most accessible and practised sport on the planet.&rdquo;
For Aigars Nords, head of the local organising committee, the event has secured Riga&rsquo;s place on the world road running map. The Latvian capital already welcomes runners for the Rimi Riga Marathon and Half Marathon, both World Athletics Label road races, and now many more stars in the sport will be taking to the city&rsquo;s streets, joined by mass event runners from more than 100 countries.
&ldquo;In 2021, when we were bidding for the World Athletics Road Running Championships here in Riga, we had this one secret goal &ndash; a long-term goal &ndash; in our minds and that was to put Riga on the world road running map,&rdquo; said Nords. &ldquo;Here we are, two and a half years later, on the eve of this unique championship.
&ldquo;This championship marks several historic firsts. It is a first World Athletics Series event that has ever happened in the Baltic countries, it is the first World Road Running Championships, and it is the first World Road Running Championships where the mass race runners can run together with the elite. I am very happy that Riga has been entrusted with this very significant task, to write a new page in road running &ndash; that is how we see it.&rdquo;
Jelena Prokopcuka, the Latvian great who twice won the New York City Marathon, said the championships were a &ldquo;great event for Latvia&rdquo; and that she was &ldquo;very happy to be a part of it&rdquo; as an event ambassador.
However, Prokopcuka will be no bystander on Sunday, the 47-year-old lacing up her shoes to compete in the half marathon alongside the masses. A bronze medallist at the 2002 World Half Marathon Championships, she knows this will be a far more relaxed effort as she tours the streets of the Latvian capital.
&ldquo;This race is a very big challenge for me, the last time I ran a half marathon was five years ago,&rdquo; she smiled. &ldquo;I will run with people who love running, who will participate in the championships for the first time. Each runner has their goals, and I&rsquo;d like to wish everyone to achieve their goals. Good luck on Sunday.&rdquo;
Peres Jepchirchir has lofty goals this weekend. The Olympic marathon champion from Kenya is looking to become just the fourth woman in history to win three world titles at the half marathon.
&ldquo;I know it won&rsquo;t be easy and the level of competition is very high, but I&rsquo;m going to try to do my best,&rdquo; said Jepchirchir, who won the world half marathon title in 2016 and 2020. &ldquo;Defending a title is never easy, but it&rsquo;s not hard if you&rsquo;ve trained well. I&rsquo;ve been focusing more on the marathon this year, but I&rsquo;m still going to try my best on Sunday.
&ldquo;Last year I was injured,&rdquo; added Jepchirchir, who returned to action in April with a third-place finish at the London Marathon in 2:18:38. &ldquo;But now I&rsquo;m completely healed and injury-free. I won the Great North Run a few weeks ago and I&rsquo;m looking ahead to the New York Marathon.&rdquo;
Australia&rsquo;s Jess Hull is among a select group of athletes who have competed at all three World Athletics Series events in 2023. Her year started with the World Athletics Cross Country Championships on home soil in Bathurst in February, it continued at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August and now it comes to a close on the roads of Riga, where she will race the mile.
&ldquo;As distance runners, we&rsquo;re lucky that we can be so versatile and we do have three opportunities to run at a global level across this season,&rdquo; explained the Oceanian record-holder, who claimed mixed relay bronze in Bathurst and finished seventh in the 1500m final in Budapest.
&ldquo;It has been an incredible season and if I can be just as consistent as I have been and tie a bow on what has been a great year, it&rsquo;s going to be really fun. Being part of the excitement of a brand new event has made it something to look forward to at the end of the calendar.&rdquo;
Riga also gives Hull the chance to race against Kenya&rsquo;s multiple world record-breaker Faith Kipyegon again, as she makes her road race debut. Hull ran a 1500m PB of 3:57.29 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Florence in June, in a race that Kipyegon won in a world record of 3:49.11.
Of all the experiences she has had so far this year, that race is unsurprisingly one of Hull's highlights.
&ldquo;It was my PB, but being a part of the race when Faith broke the world record &ndash; and I think even surprised herself that night &ndash; was just incredible,&rdquo; she reflected. &ldquo;To be part of that field who celebrated her success and her journey to being the world record-holder &ndash; I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ll ever forget that moment.&rdquo;
USA&rsquo;s Sam Prakel comes into the championships as a marked man after his time of 4:01.21 to win the US Road Mile Championships in Des Moines in April was recently ratified as the inaugural world record. The 28-year-old said the mantle of world record holder is &ldquo;an honour&rdquo;, adding: &ldquo;The mile is something I&rsquo;ve been racing since a very young age. Everyone knows it&rsquo;s not the fastest record, but it&rsquo;s a testament to my consistency and always showing up to every race.
Prakel will be proud to don the USA vest again having narrowly missed out on this year&rsquo;s World Athletics Championships in Budapest. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the best track team in the world,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When they announced this event last year, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I even scheduled my wedding for a week later so I could be here for this.&rdquo;
Prakel admitted the road is his favourite surface and Sunday&rsquo;s race will be his 17th road mile. He knows it presents a very different tactical challenge to the track. &ldquo;The strategy is a little different, mentally,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;In a road mile, you&rsquo;re having to go off feel. I&rsquo;m good at knowing my body and gauging my effort. Knowing the course is important. Every road mile I do, I study the course.&rdquo;

World Athletics Road Running Championships

Highlights from the pre-event press conference

Coe: Riga set to make history with celebration of running at its best

World Athletics Heritage is delighted to honour the life and career of Juan Carlos Zabala, the 1932 Olympic marathon champion, with a World Athletics Heritage Plaque. Zabala, who at 20 years 301 days remains the youngest ever winner of an Olympic marathon, is the first Argentinian athlete to be recognised with the award.
The plaque was unveiled today at the &lsquo;Colonia Ricardo Gutierrez&rsquo; in Marcos Paz, 60km away&nbsp;from Buenos Aires, where the orphan Zabala spent his childhood.&nbsp;Among the distinguished&nbsp;guests assembled for the ceremony were members of Zabala's family, including his two daughters Magdalena and Ana Maria, and one of his grandsons.&nbsp;
The son of Delfo Cabrera, Argentinia's 1948 Olympic marathon champion who is also named Delfo, was also present. Both Zabala&rsquo;s and Cabrera&rsquo;s Olympic victories came on 7 August. Another very special guest at the ceremony was USA's Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon gold and 1976 silver medallist.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6517bce2402737ba567917c0.jpg" alt="Guests gather to celebrate Juan Carlos Zabala" />
Guests gather to celebrate Juan Carlos Zabala
</div>
&ldquo;On behalf of Atletismo Sudamericano, I am proud to salute the memory of Juan Carlos Zabala, South America&rsquo;s first Olympic athletics gold medallist,&rdquo; commented the president of the area federation Helio Marinho Gesta de Melo. &ldquo;As his biography &ndash; &lsquo;Zabala, el campe&oacute;n excepcional&rsquo;, written by Rub&eacute;n Aguilera, Eduardo Biscayart and Luis Vinker, and published by the Argentine Athletics Confederation &ndash; recounts, the life of the 1932 Olympic marathon champion was a complex one.
&ldquo;Zabala was a precocious talent who, to this day, is the youngest ever Olympic gold medallist at the classic distance of 26.2 miles. He rebounded from the loss of his parents to win the ultimate glory of the Olympic laurels. Yet his life largely remains a mystery.
&ldquo;Zabala is without doubt a &lsquo;Legend&rsquo; and I am delighted that he has been honoured by the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque in that category,&rdquo; added De Melo.
"It represents a great pride for the Colonia Guti&eacute;rrez, and its history, to be the chosen place to receive the plaque from World Athletics that remembers the life and sports achievements of Juan Carlos Zabala, who in this land and in this track built his way to the maximum honour that any athlete could dream of: the Olympic gold medal,&rdquo; said Juan Torga, Director of Espacio 'Colonia Ricardo Guti&eacute;rrez'.
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 and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking.
Present at the unveiling today were Juan Scarpin, Director of Development of South American Athletics, Argentina, Daniel Sotto, President of the Argentine Confederation; Julian Peralta, President of the Buenos Aires Province Federation, and Daniel Diaz, Director of the Enard (National Entity of Sports High Performance).
Representing the Municipality of Marcos Paz were Ricardo Curutchet, Major, Maria Isabel Dominguez, Secretary of Human Development, Maria Eugenia Hernandez, Director of the Subsecretary of Sports Development, Juan Francisco Achucarro, Director of Competitive Sports, and Dario Gomez, Director of Social Sports.
Also attending were German Lauro, Manager of the Argentine Confederation, shot finalist at the 2012 Olympic Games, and 2013 &amp; 2015 World Athletics Championships, and Ruben Aguilera, journalist, and co-author of Zabala's biography.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6517bd14402737ba567917c3.jpg" alt="The Heritage Plaque which honours the life and career of Juan Carlos Zabala" />
The Heritage Plaque which honours the life and career of Juan Carlos Zabala
</div>
<h2>Juan Carlos Zabala &ndash; the champion without glory</h2>
Zabala reached the glory of winning the first Olympic gold medal in athletics for South America. His life was filled with difficulties, portraying a powerful story of achievements and resilience. Yet, it seems that he was never able to fully enjoy his ultimate running triumph which he attained on the roads of Los Angeles.
The early years of his life are part of a mystery that, even now, remain unsolved. The date of his birth has never been certified, as well as certain information about his parents, who died when he was an infant. The documents known cite 21 September 1911 as the date and Buenos Aires as the city. However, other versions mention 11 October 1911 (or even 1912) and Rosario as the city.
Zabala ended up at the &lsquo;Colonia Guti&eacute;rrez&rsquo; brought by the Buenos Aires Police on 16 January 1921, according to the historical records of the Colonia. By then he was an orphan without any family or guardian, very likely living in the streets of the Argentine capital. Later, in his adult life, Zabala used to claim that he lived off and on with his godfather, Doctor Agust&iacute;n Cabal, a public defender of minors. Doctor Cabal&rsquo;s name is mentioned in those documents, but they don&rsquo;t specify that he was his guardian or his godfather.
Sandra Jaca, who worked at the &lsquo;Colonia&rsquo; from 1991 to 2015, as a teacher, coordinator of activities and therapist, from her experiences at the &lsquo;Colonia&rsquo;, gave her theories about Zabala&rsquo;s mysterious early years. &ldquo;Sometimes children or young adults who have been in vulnerable situations develop the tendency to imagine situations, or fantasise about their own stories, as a way to protect themselves,&rdquo; she says. That could have been the reason for Zabala&rsquo;s projection of Doctor Cabal as his guardian.
<h2>Sterling&rsquo;s pupil</h2>
At the Colonia, Zabala benefitted from the change produced by the director in the early 1920s, Jos&eacute; Amatuzzo, who decided to turn the place into a more human institution. Amatuzzo decided to change the Colonia, which was initially created as reformatory into a source of hope, education, and professional skills.
Sports were part of that change. A 400m track was built in 1925 and a physical education teacher was brought to work with the children on that year. That man was Austrian Alexander Stirling, a former high jump and pole vault specialist.
Stirling became Zabala&rsquo;s first coach in those years and formed him as a runner, even though his athletics knowledge came from jumping events. Zabala went on to win the national titles at 3000m and 5000m in 1929 and 1930.
<h2>30,000m world record</h2>
In 1931, at his second South American Championships, he won the gold at 10,000m, setting a South American record of 31:19.0 in Buenos Aires. That performance and Zabala&rsquo;s progression made Stirling think that his pupil was ready for something larger. The Austrian projected a European tour at the second part of the year that ended up being a great success.
Zabala arrived in Europe in September and, quickly after settling in, competed in a 10,000m race in Berlin against the great Paavo Nurmi, who won the event in 31:19.1. Zabala finished third in 31:44.8.
On 10 October, Zabala showed why Stirling had decided to bring him to Europe, setting a world record for 30,000m in Vienna (1:42:30.4). Eighteen days later he competed in his first marathon in Kosiče, winning in 2:33:19, the best time in the world that year.
In 1932, Zabala improved the South American record at 5000m (14:55.4/5) on 30 April in Buenos Aires. A couple of days later, Stirling and Zabala travelled to the US to prepare for the Olympics. After the boat trip to New York, Zabala competed in races in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
In the Californian city, Zabala even took part of the Los Angeles Times Marathon, 43 days prior to the Olympic race. The event became a negative experience, as Zabala set off at a fast pace and eventually pulled out after mile 20, exhausted and with severe blisters on his feet.
<h2>A wild fight to the finish</h2>
His Olympic triumph happened on 8 August. He won the Olympic laurels after a great fight with Great Britain&rsquo;s Duncan Wright and Samuel Ferris, Finns Lauri Virtanen and Armas Toivonen, Japan&rsquo;s Seiichiro Tsuda and Onbay Kin, and Albert &lsquo;Whitey&rsquo; Michelsen from the US.
Los Angeles Times&rsquo; Braven Dyer&rsquo;s described the race well.
&ldquo;At the end of nineteen miles, Virtanen was leading the field by a good 300 yards. Toivonen was striding along and had a slight edge on Wright. (Seiichiro) Tsuda (Japan), (Samuel) Ferris (Great Britain) and (Albert &lsquo;Whitey&rsquo;) Michelsen (USA) followed about half a mile to the rear.
&ldquo;Wright suddenly went wild and forged into first place at the twenty-mile mark. Zabala, however, had kept his hold on second place by passing Virtanen, who was slowing up. Toivonen was third, with Virtanen fourth.
&ldquo;From the rear of the race came a flash of white. Press cars waited to see who it was. Americans hoped for Michelsen. But it was Ferris, the pink cheeked Britisher, burning up the pavement with strides that would have made Ben Eastman proud.
&ldquo;Tsuda, the valiant little Japanese, was tiring but held his position at sixth. He even had enough stuff remaining to pass up Virtanen. A few minutes later he took fifth.
&ldquo;As the boys turned north off Slauson on to Normandie, Zabala passed Wright. It looked as if the finish in the stadium would be a wow for all four leaders were within seventy-five yards of each other &ndash; Toivonen was third with Ferris coming fast in fourth.
&ldquo;Tsuda was a good fifth with Kin and Michelsen battling for sixth. (Onbay) Kin, Korean boy competing for Japan, was running well, and appeared to have an edge on &lsquo;Whitey&rsquo;.
&ldquo;The last two miles into the stadium was a wild fight. Zabala fought to hold his lead, while the other three called upon every muscle to hold the terrific pace and even pass Juan. However, the Argentine held his place all the way and even added a few yards.&rdquo;
Zabala won in an Olympic record of 2:31:36, ahead of Ferris (2:31:55) and Toivonen (2:32:12), becoming the youngest man ever to win the distance at the Games at 20 years and 301 days of age.
<h2>A second world record</h2>
Upon his return to Argentina, Zabala became the centre of controversy. He was suspended in 1933. After completing the punishment, he competed briefly in 1933-4 in the US and Brazil. Then he was also suspended in 1934, only coming back to competition in 1935 after travelling to Germany. In 1933 he also split from Stirling.
Zabala seemed to regain his form in 1936, coached in Germany by Arthur Lambert. On 19 April, at Heinrich Zisch Stadion in Munich, Zabala captured his second world record, this time at 20,000m with 1:04:00.2, erasing the previous mark of 1:04.29.0 set by Nurmi in Stockholm six years prior.
On 21 May Zabala bettered the South American 10,000m mark in Stuttgart with 30:56.2. With his confidence restored, Zabala headed to the Olympic Games in Berlin with ambition.
He finished a distant sixth in the 10,000m (31:22.0) on 2 August, and a week later he started the marathon. But another quick pace (1:11:19 at the half) left Zabala in poor condition for the second half of the race and he withdrew after 31km when he was no longer the leader. Japan&rsquo;s Kitei Son won in an Olympic record of 2:29:12.9.
Zabala retired soon after Berlin, and in the early 1940s he married Magdalena Lafrancone (1913-1996). The couple had three children: Juan Carlos (born in 1943), Ana Mar&iacute;a (born in 1947) and Magdalena (born in 1952).
In 1948, also on 8 August, fellow Argentine Delfo Cabrera won the Olympic marathon at the London Games, following Zabala&rsquo;s feat. In 1952 another Argentine, Reinaldo Gorno, was second in the Olympic marathon in Helsinki, coached by Alexander Stirling. Along with the 1924 triple jump silver of Luis Brunetto, Noem&iacute; Simonetto&rsquo;s silver in the long jump in 1948, they are the only Olympic medals in athletics won by Argentinians.
Despite all that he achieved, Zabala never quite gained the recognition he truly deserved, especially after overcoming so many obstacles.
He died at the San Isidro Hospital on the morning of 24 January 1983, five months after the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his victory in Los Angeles. Reports from friends say that he had fallen from a ladder white trying to trim a tree.
Sandra Jaca reflected: &ldquo;Zabala&rsquo;s legacy remains a strong portrait of achievement, with worldwide recognition. His story is an example of how someone could, with desire and good guidance, reach great goals and find moments of deep happiness, despite coming from a difficult youth. Zabala represents a great example, without forgetting Stirling, the person who formed him.&rdquo;
Eduardo Biscayart for World Athletics
 In collaboration with Rub&eacute;n Aguilera (Argentina), Olaf Brockmann (Austria), Richard Hymans (UK), Sandra Jaca (Argentina), Glen McMiken (USA), Bosse Nilsson (Sweden), Jos&eacute; Carlos Oru&eacute; (Argentina), N&eacute;stor Saavedra (Argentina), Dr. C&eacute;sar R. Torres (USA/Argentina), Luis Vinker (Argentina).
Sources: Los Angeles Times 1932-33, XI Olympic Games, Berlin, 1936: Official Report, v.2, South American Track &amp; Field Handbook &ndash; Max Heilrath, Winfried Kramer, Luigi Mengoni (1978), Progression of IAAF World Records, 2015 Edition &ndash; Richard Hymans, Imre Matrahaz, ATFS World Lists - Richard Hymans, Evoluci&oacute;n de los R&eacute;cords Argentinos &ndash; Samuel Engel, &lsquo;Der Leichathlet&rsquo; Magazine, 1936, The Chicago Tribune, 1932-33, The New York Times, 1932-33, La Naci&oacute;n 1928-1983, La Prensa 1928-1983, Caras y Caretas, El Gr&aacute;fico, Neues Wiener Tagblatt.
The book (in Spanish) &lsquo;Zabala, el campe&oacute;n excepcional&rsquo;, written by Rub&eacute;n Aguilera, Eduardo Biscayart and Luis Vinker, published by the Argentine Athletics Confederation, was released in September 2022. It can be purchased by contacting Eduardo Biscayart at: <a href="mailto:Eduardo.g.biscayart@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eduardo.g.biscayart@gmail.com</a> and can be downloaded at: <a href="https://biblioteca.atletismosudamericano.org/producto/zabala-excepcional/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biblioteca.atletismosudamericano.org/producto/zabala-excepcional/</a>

Honouring the life and career of 1932 Olympic marathon champion Juan Carlos Zabala

South America’s first Olympic gold medallist Zabala honoured with World Athletics Heritage Plaque

Plaque name: Juan Carlos Zabala
Location: Colonia Hogar Ricardo Guti&eacute;rrez, Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Plaque awarded: 29/09/2023
Reason: Plaque Category &ndash; Legend
&nbsp;
Juan Carlos Zabala (1911-1983), the 1932 Olympic marathon champion, at 20 years 301 days remains the youngest ever winner of an Olympic marathon. He is also the first Argentinian athlete to be recognised with the award of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque.
Zabala, who was South America&rsquo;s first Olympic athletics gold medallist, was a precocious talent who rebounded from the loss of his parents to win the ultimate glory of the Olympic laurels. Yet his life largely remains a mystery.
Living at the orphanage, Colonia Hogar Ricardo Guti&eacute;rrez, Marcos Paz, in Buenos Aires Province, Zabala benefitted from the change produced by the Director in the early 1920&rsquo;s, Jos&eacute; Amatuzzo, who turned the place into a source of hope, education, and professional skills.
Sports were part of that change. A 400m track was built in 1925 and a physical education teacher was brought to work with the children on that year. That man was Austrian Alexander Stirling, a former high jump and pole vault specialist.
Stirling became Zabala&rsquo;s first coach in those years and formed him as a runner, even though his athletics knowledge came from jumping events. Zabala went on to win the national titles at 3000m and 5000m in 1929 and 1930.
As well as the Olympic title, Zabala set world records at 20,000m and 30,000m during his career.

Juan Carlos Zabala (1911-1983), the 1932 Olympic marathon champion, at 20 years 301 days remains the youngest ever winner of an Olympic marathon

Juan Carlos Zabala

Around 340 athletes &ndash; including Olympic and world champions &ndash; from some 56 teams will compete in the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on Sunday (1).
Global titles in the road mile, 5km and half marathon are up for grabs in the Latvian capital, as those three distances are contested together at one championships for the first time.
The elite action starts with the women's 5km at 11:50am local time (EEST) and ends with the men's half marathon from 2:15pm. You can keep up to date with the latest on the World Athletics website, its associated platforms, and via a <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/watch-riga-23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free live stream</a>.
Here's how you can follow it all. 
<h2>Inside Track // LIVE</h2>
The World Athletics live results platform offers an enhanced experience for fans looking to follow the action as it happens. Sign up for free and log in to access even more data including live leaderboards, live team standings, detailed results, race splits and other real-time updates.&nbsp;
<a href="https://identity.worldathletics.org/registration?source=riga-live&amp;tag=riga-live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Register</a>&nbsp;for Inside Track now.
<div><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/watch-riga-23?utm_source=Editorial&amp;utm_medium=Web&amp;utm_campaign=Riga-Livestream&amp;utm_content=Editorial&amp;_gl=1*15s6cdx*_ga*MTc2NjY5NTcwNy4xNjkyODg5NTM4*_ga_7FE9YV46NW*MTY5NTkwNTQxOC4xMjIuMS4xNjk1OTA2NzE3LjAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65116d27be242608a00e48cc.jpg" alt="Riga stream banner" /></a>
&nbsp;
</div>
<h2>Where to watch</h2>
Coverage of all three distances &ndash; the&nbsp;road mile, 5km and half marathon &ndash; will be available to watch for free on the World Athletics website.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/watch-riga-23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Registration</a> for Inside Track also gives you access to the live stream.
The road mile and 5km broadcasts will be open to all registered users. Access to the live stream of the half marathon may be subject to broadcast rights restrictions in certain countries.
The list below is subject to change, and some broadcasters may only show highlights coverage, while others will show the event live. Please check your local listings to find out more information. 
<table style="height: 198px; width: 100%;" border="1" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Territories</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Broadcasters</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Argentina and South America</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">TyC Sports</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Australia</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">beIN Sports</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Brazil</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Globo</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Hungary</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">MTVA</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Italy</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">RAI</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Latvia</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">LVLT</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Morocco</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">SNRT</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">New Zealand</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Sky Network NZ</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Pan Middle East</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">beIN Sports</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Switzerland</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">SRG / SSR</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">NBC Peacock</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The live stream will be geoblocked in the following territories: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Chad, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Macau, Mauritania, Morocco, New Zealand, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen 
<h2>Website coverage</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/timetable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable and results</a> Event-by-event previews: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/news/preview/wrrc-riga-23-preview-mile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mile</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/news/preview/wrrc-riga-23-preview-5km" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5km</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/news/preview/wrrc-riga-23-preview-half-marathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half marathon</a> 
<h2>Stats</h2>
<a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/65018de9d035e783b52d97ce.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by event</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/65018e00d035e783b52d97d1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by country</a> <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/courses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courses</a> 
<h2>Social media</h2>
World Athletics: <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldAthletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WorldAthletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldathletics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;| <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@worldathletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> Local organisers:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/wariga23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>&nbsp;| <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WARiga23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wariga23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@WARiga23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>

Catch all the action from the global competition in Riga

How to follow and watch the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23

It was probably just as well that Paul Tergat gave a few wary glances over his right shoulder after passing through the Brandenburg Gate on the morning of 28 September 2003. Had the great Kenyan king of cross country not seen Sammy Korir stealing up on the outside, he might not have claimed his place in the history books as the first man to break the 2:05 barrier in the marathon.
As it was, having lost two or three metres while momentarily veering off course at the iconic Berlin landmark, Tergat was able to resist a late charge by his compatriot and break the tape at the finish line in 2:04:55. Korir was just a second behind in 2:04:56, but it was Tergat who took the landmark honour.
Fittingly so.
On the country, the Kenyan Air Force sergeant might have reigned supreme, with his five successive world titles from 1995 to 1999, but on the track he could never quite escape the shadow of Haile Gebrselassie. Twice at the World Championships and twice at the Olympic Games, he had to settle for 10,000m silver behind his Ethiopian nemesis &ndash; missing out by a tantalising 0.09 in a titanic tussle at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Finally, in Berlin in 2003, it was Tergat&rsquo;s turn to secure a place among the all-time greats of the distance running game. At the age of 34, after five failed attempts to translate the world-beating road form he had produced in his world half marathon victories in Palermo in 1999 and Veracruz in 2000 into success at the full marathon distance, he had not just a major victory but a boundary-breaching one.
<h2>Staying focused</h2>
Fifty years after the English optician Jim Peters broke the 2:20 mark in a pair of Woolworth plimsolls, running 2:18:40.4 in the classic Polytechnic Harriers Marathon from Windsor to Chiswick in the western suburbs of London, Tergat had pushed the limit of speed endurance at the 26.2 mile/42km distance below 2:05. In doing so, the statuesque Kenyan averaged 4:46 per mile and 2:57 per kilometre.
&ldquo;I always said that my time in the marathon would come if I stay focused,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I knew that I would be able to break the marathon world record one day.&rdquo;
The previous record, 2:05:38, had been set in London in 2002 by Khalid Khannouchi of the USA &ndash; in a race in which Tergat managed to get the better of Gebrselassie. Tergat finished runner up in 2:05:48. Gebrselassie, in his debut marathon, was third in 2:06:35.
That was Tergat&rsquo;s third marathon, and third second-placing. He made his debut in London the previous year, in April 2001, finishing runner up to Moroccan Abdelkader El Mouaziz (2:07:11) in 2:08:15. Then, in Chicago six months later, he finished behind fellow Kenyan Ben Kimondiu (2:08:52) in 2:08:56.
His advance to 2:05:48 in London in April 2002 hinted at a major breakthrough but then followed two steps in a backward direction: fourth place in the 2002 Chicago race in 2:06:18, and fourth again in London in April 2003 in 2:07:59.
<h2>'We decided to go for the world record'</h2>
With his 35th birthday approaching, Tergat took advantage of perfect weather conditions (with the temperature between 9 and 16 degrees Celsius and no wind) to make his mark in Berlin. The pace making provided by his compatriots and training partners Sammy Korir and Titus Munji was vital, too.
All three Kenyans were coached and managed by the Italian marathon and sports physiology guru Gabriele Rosa. They reached halfway in 63:01 and were accompanied through 25km (1:14.42) by their compatriot Raymond Kipkoech, though the 2002 Berlin winner faded when Tergat hit the front and pushed the pace for the first time, eventually finishing fifth in 2:06:47.
Passing 30km in 1:29:24 and 35km in 1:43:59, Tergat, Korir and Munji were still together. Then, at 36km, Korir injected a surge that dropped Munji, who proceeded to finish a detached third in 2:06:15.
Tergat made his decisive move with 1km to go, keeping enough in reserve to resist Korir&rsquo;s late rally.
&ldquo;I have to thank Sammy and Titus,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They have helped me to achieve this world record.
&ldquo;In the morning, when it was clear we would have perfect weather conditions, we decided to go for the world record. Although they were the pacemakers, I expected that they would run the whole race.
&ldquo;I also want to thank my wife, my manager, and the organisers, who all supported me to make this possible. There was great support from the spectators too. That helped a lot.
&ldquo;I think today we got the maximum result that was possible for us. In the future, I might perhaps be able to run something like 2:04:30. But I don&rsquo;t expect to be able to run a 2:03 marathon.&rdquo;
<h2>Gebrselassie - friend and nemesis</h2>
It was not the first time that Paul Kibii Tergat had run his way into the world record book. In August 1997 he had the satisfaction of eclipsing Gebrselassie&rsquo;s six-week-old 10,000m record, becoming the first man to crack 26:30 with 26:27.85 at the Ivo Van Damme Memorial in Brussels. The following June, Gebrselassie regained the world record, clocking 26:22.75 at the Fanny Blankers Koen Games in Hengelo.
As on the track, it was Gebrselassie who eclipsed Tergat&rsquo;s global mark on the road.
After running 2:04:26 in Berlin in 2007, the Ethiopian could be overheard offering an apology while receiving a congratulatory telephone call. &ldquo;It was my friend Paul Tergat,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I am sorry to break his record. I am sorry because this record belonged to him.&rdquo;
Gebrselassie proceeded to run a 2:03 marathon, reducing the world record to 2:03:39 in Berlin in 2008.
Tergat never managed to improve on his 2:04:55. His last Marathon Majors victory came in New York in 2005, the five-time world cross country champion prevailing in 2:09:29.90 after a thrilling sprint finish though Central Park with defending champion Hendrik Ramaala of South Africa.
Now 54, Tergat runs a foundation to help disadvantaged sportspeople in his homeland. For the past decade he has continued to hold an influential role on the global sporting stage as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics Heritage

Running 2:04:55 in Berlin, Paul Tergat became the first to break the 2:05 barrier in the marathon

Two decades since Tergat became the first to go sub 2:05

World Athletics is looking for a first and second line support engineer.
General overview of the position:
<ul>
<li>Support and operate the World Athletics Office 365 environment, as well as its underlying network infrastructure.</li>
<li>End user support for the HQ staff working on site and remotely.</li>
<li>Run processes and standards around security, IT operations, staff on boarding and off boarding.</li>
<li>Liaison with infrastructure vendors to ensure smooth and efficient service for users and business applications.</li>
</ul>
World Athletics is based in Monaco and has a staff of 97 representing 26 different nationalities.
Job description: <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=82d07d2e-22f7-4d8d-aa61-73ed75f4f2de.pdf&amp;urlSlug=first-and-second-line-support-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=ffbba89c-d9b0-44e4-b5f6-56205aed586e.pdf&amp;urlSlug=ingenieur-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fran&ccedil;ais</a>
To apply, candidates should send the following in English to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:emploi@worldathletics.org">emploi@worldathletics.org</a>&nbsp;before 27 October 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 looking for a support engineer

Job vacancy: First and second line support engineer

<a href="#FR" data-cke-saved-href="#FR">fran&ccedil;ais</a>
The World Athletics Council has awarded the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships &ndash; which will be held on 30 March &ndash; to Belgrade, Serbia.
After successfully hosting the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships, Belgrade will now host a second World Athletics Series event in two years.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;Belgrade is establishing itself as a reliable host of world class competitions. Following a memorable 2022 World Indoor Championships we are confident that the organisation of our 2024 World Cross Country Championships is in a safe pair of hands.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Belgrade has staged several major track and field events over the years &ndash; including the 1962 European Championships, 2013 European Cross Country Championships, 2017 European Indoor Championships and the 2017 Balkan Championships.&nbsp;
The 2024 World Cross Country Championships will be held in the Park of Friendship, next to the Danube River in the heart of Belgrade, which was also the site of the 2013 European Championships.&nbsp;
Additionally, the Council has approved the dates for the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, OR (USA), which will be held on 4-9 August 2026, and for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen (DEN), to be held on 19-20 September 2026.&nbsp;
World Athletics 
<a name="FR"></a>&nbsp;
<h2>Le Conseil de World Athletics attribue l&rsquo;&eacute;dition 2024 des Championnats du monde de cross-country &agrave; la Serbie</h2>
Le Conseil de World Athletics a choisi Belgrade, en Serbie, comme lieu d&rsquo;accueil des Championnats du monde de cross-country en 2024, pr&eacute;vus pour le 30 mars.
Apr&egrave;s avoir accueilli avec succ&egrave;s les Championnats du monde en salle 2022, Belgrade accueillera une deuxi&egrave;me comp&eacute;tition de la S&eacute;rie mondiale en deux ans.&nbsp;
Le pr&eacute;sident de World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, a d&eacute;clar&eacute; : &laquo;&thinsp;Belgrade est en train de s&rsquo;imposer comme un h&ocirc;te fiable de comp&eacute;titions de niveau mondial, comme en t&eacute;moigne le succ&egrave;s des Championnats du monde en salle de 2022. Nous sommes convaincus que l&rsquo;organisation des Championnats du monde de cross-country de 2024 est entre de bonnes mains.&thinsp;&raquo;
Belgrade a accueilli plusieurs grands &eacute;v&eacute;nements d&rsquo;athl&eacute;tisme au fil des ans, notamment les Championnats d&rsquo;Europe de 1962, les Championnats d&rsquo;Europe de cross-country de 2013, les Championnats d&rsquo;Europe en salle de 2017 et les Championnats des Balkans de 2017.
Les Championnats du monde de cross-country de 2024 se d&eacute;rouleront au c&oelig;ur de Belgrade, dans le Parc d&rsquo;amiti&eacute;, pr&egrave;s du Danube, qui avait d&eacute;j&agrave; accueilli les Championnats d&rsquo;Europe de cross-country en 2013.
En plus de cette annonce, le Conseil a &eacute;galement approuv&eacute; les dates des Championnats du monde U20 qui auront lieu &agrave; Eugene, Oregon, aux &Eacute;tats-Unis, du 4 au 9 ao&ucirc;t 2026, ainsi que les dates des Championnats du monde de course sur route &agrave; Copenhague, au Danemark, du 19 au 20 septembre 2026.
World Athletics

The World Athletics Council has awarded the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships – which will be held on 30 March – to Belgrade, Serbia

World Athletics awards 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships to Serbia

<h2>Women&rsquo;s half marathon</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/women/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list</a>&nbsp;| <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
When it comes to major road races, Peres Jepchirchir knows how to get the job done. The Kenyan star turns 30 this week and, at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, she will look to celebrate it in style by claiming her third world half marathon title.&nbsp;
Three women &ndash; Kenya&rsquo;s Tegla Loroupe, Britain&rsquo;s Paula Radcliffe and the Netherlands&rsquo; Lornah Kiplagat &ndash; have accomplished that before and on Sunday afternoon, Jepchirchir will look to complete the hat-trick after prior victories in 2016 and 2020.
Jepchirchir is the Olympic marathon champion and has taken major wins at that distance since then in New York (2021) and Boston (2022). Having struggled with injury through parts of last year, she bounced back to finish third at the London Marathon in April, clocking 2:18:38. She went on to win the Great North Run half marathon on 10 September, clocking 1:06:45, and given her renowned closing speed, the women-only half marathon world record-holder &ndash; who ran 1:05:16 to win her 2020 world title in Gdynia &ndash; will prove tough to beat if she&rsquo;s near her best.
She will be backed up by a slew of formidable teammates, led by Irine Jepchumba Kimais, the Kenyan 10,000m champion who finished a fine fourth at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The 24-year-old is the quickest in the field via her PB of 1:04:37, which she ran to claim victory at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February.
Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi should also feature, boasting a PB of 1:05:26, and she was a 10,000m bronze medallist at last year&rsquo;s World Athletics Championships, finishing fourth in the 5000m this year in Budapest. Catherine Relin is another Kenyan name to watch, the 21-year-old setting her PB of 1:05:39 to finish third in Barcelona in February.
Ethiopia has won the women&rsquo;s individual title just three times in the event&rsquo;s history, a relatively meagre return for such a distance-running superpower, but they have taken the last two team titles and will be keen to make it a third straight in Riga. Their team is led by Tsigie Gebreselama, who will be backed up by Ftaw Zeray, Yalemget Yaregal and Mestawut Fikir.
Gebreselama won silver at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst earlier this year and clocked her half marathon PB of 1:05:46 to finish second in Valencia last October. Zeray has a best of 1:06:04, run at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February, while Yaregal &ndash; who is just 19 &ndash; ran her PB of 1:06:27 in Berlin in April.
Britain&rsquo;s team will be led by Samantha Harrison, who ran her PB of 1:07:17 in Berlin this year, while Sweden&rsquo;s Sarah Lahti &ndash; a 1:08:19 performer at her best &ndash; will also be eyeing a strong finish.
Australia&rsquo;s Isobel Batt-Doyle, France&rsquo;s Mekdes Woldu, Italy&rsquo;s Sofiia Yaremchuk and South Africa&rsquo;s Glenrose Xaba are among the others to have gone under 1:10.
<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/watch-riga-23?utm_source=Editorial&amp;utm_medium=Web&amp;utm_campaign=Riga-Livestream&amp;utm_content=Editorial"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65116d42be242608a00e48cf.jpg" alt="Riga live stream" /></a>
<h2>Men&rsquo;s half marathon</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> |&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/half-marathon/outdoor/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
Kenya has won the men&rsquo;s individual half marathon title 13 times in 24 previous editions and they hold strong claims of taking that tally to 14 on Sunday. They have won the men's team title 16 times, with a 17th looking likely given the strength in their ranks.
They boast a trio of sub-59-minute men in Benard Kibet, Charles Kipkurui Langat and Sabastian Kimaru Sawe, while their next man, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, is a 59:04 performer.
Kibet smashed his PB to clock 58:45 when winning the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February and he went on to finish fifth in the 10,000m in Budapest last month, while Langat ran his PB of 58:53 to win in Barcelona in February.
Ethiopia is sure to produce a strong showing, with Jemal Yimer Mekonnen the quickest in their ranks. His PB of 58:33 dates back to 2018 though he was close to that in August, finishing second in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Northern Ireland in 58:38. He will be backed up by teammates Nibret Melak, Dinkalem Ayele and Tsegay Kidanu, who are all sub-60 men. Melak finished third at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon last month in 59:49 and ran his PB of 59:06 to win the Lisbon Half Marathon in March.&nbsp;
With the recent withdrawal of reigning champion Jacob Kiplimo, Uganda&rsquo;s charge will be led by Andrew Rotich Kwemoi, whose PB of 59:37 was run in Lille, France, last year. He took victory at the Milan Marathon in 2:07:14 earlier this year but failed to finish the marathon at the World Championships in Budapest.
South Africa&rsquo;s Stephen Mokoka is a 59:37 athlete at his best and he&rsquo;ll be in contention if he reproduces something similar here, as will Djibouti&rsquo;s Ibrahim Hassan, a 59:41 performer. Morocco&rsquo;s challenge is led by Mohamed Reda El Aaraby, who was 25th in this year's World Championships marathon and who has a half marathon PB of 59:54.
The European challenge is led by Jimmy Gressier, the French 26-year-old who clocked his PB of 59:55 to finish third in the Paris Half Marathon in March. He went on to finish ninth in the world 5000m final in Budapest last month.
Japan is a nation that continually produces a horde of world-class half marathoners, owing to its Ekiden traditions, and they boast two strong candidates in Riga in Tomoki Ota, a 1:00:08 performer, and Ryota Kondo, who has a best of 1:00:32.
The women&rsquo;s half marathon will set off at 1:30pm local time on Sunday, with the men to follow at 2:15pm, joined by the masses.
Each race will start at the Embankment and then cross the River Daugava to Pardaugava, before returning to Old Riga over Vansu Bridge, looping around the historic centre of the city before the finish, which is surrounded by the world-famous Art Nouveau architecture on Elizabeth Street.
With just 11 metres separating the highest and lowest points on the course, the stage looks set for some fast times, though in this, as at every championship, it's really all about the medals.
Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

The expected highlights in the women's and men's half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23

WRRC Riga 23 preview: half marathon

Dafne Schippers, who won two world 200m titles and multiple other major medals during a highly successful sprinting and combined events career, has announced her retirement.
Along with her world crowns in 2015 and 2017, the Dutch 31-year-old claimed Olympic silver in 2016 and four other senior world medals &ndash; heptathlon bronze in 2013, 100m silver in 2015, indoor 60m silver in 2016 and 100m bronze in 2017.
&ldquo;The race stops here,&rdquo; Schippers wrote in a post on Instagram on Tuesday (26). &ldquo;As an athlete, you always know this day will come, that at one point, your career will be a moment in time &ndash; a collection of memories and hopefully medals.&rdquo;
Schippers started her athletics career in the heptathlon and won her first global gold medal in the seven-discipline event, scoring a personal best of 5967 points to claim the 2010 world U20 title in Moncton. That came a year after she finished fourth as a 17-year-old at the European U20 Championships in Novi Sad and she went on to win the U20 continental crown in Tallinn in 2011.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/651313ed6b63c3672764015f.jpg" alt="Dafne Schippers at the 2010 World U20 Championships" />
Dafne Schippers at the 2010 World U20 Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
She broke the Dutch 200m record for the first time at that year&rsquo;s World Championships in Daegu, clocking 22.69 in the heats, and made her Olympic debut in London a year later, finishing 10th in the heptathlon.
After finishing third in the Gotzis Hypomeeting in 2013, Schippers contested the 100m and long jump at the European U23 Championships in Tampere, winning gold and bronze, respectively. She then returned to combined events action and became a senior global medallist, claiming heptathlon bronze with a score of 6477 in Moscow after running a seven-second PB in the 800m.
The course of her career would change in 2014. En route to setting a Dutch heptathlon record of 6545 for third place in that year&rsquo;s Hypomeeting, she ran 22.35 for 200m.
&ldquo;After Gotzis, I competed in a couple of sprint events and during a relay sprint I felt an unbelievably strong acceleration, which I had never felt before,&rdquo; she <a href="https://worldathletics.org/spikes/news/dafne-schippers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in 2015</a>.
&ldquo;We decided that I could try out some sprint races and experience the feeling of a sprint race at a championship. It wasn&rsquo;t an easy decision, but my coach and I both believe that this was, and still is, the right thing to do.&rdquo;
The results speak for themselves. At the European Championships in Zurich in the August she achieved an impressive sprint double, winning the 100m in 11.12 and the 200m in 22.03 &ndash; the fastest time by a European since 1995. She was named European Athlete of the Year for the first time and was among the three women&rsquo;s finalists for the World Athlete of the Year honour.
With her focus on sprinting, she won European indoor 60m gold at the start of 2015 and then stormed to the first of her two world 200m titles, clocking 21.63 in Beijing for a championship and European record that still places her sixth on the world all-time list. Four days earlier she had claimed 100m silver in another national record of 10.81.
World indoor 60m and Olympic 200m silver medals followed in 2016, as well as European 100m and 4x100m titles.
Schippers retained her world 200m title in London the following year and added another world bronze to her CV in the 100m.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/651314330b2928645dc1f742.jpg" alt="Dafne Schippers retains her world 200m title in London" />
Dafne Schippers retains her world 200m title in London (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
She claimed a medal treble at the 2018 European Championships, getting 200m silver plus 100m and 4x100m bronze, and added a European indoor 60m silver to her list of successes in 2019.
Injury affected the latter stages of her career but she still managed to compete at the Tokyo Olympics and her last race was in July 2022.
&ldquo;Today, I have decided to take my life off track to pursue and embrace whatever comes next, but not without saying a massive thank you for all the endless support,&rdquo; Schippers added in her retirement announcement. &ldquo;It has been a journey without regret.&rdquo;
World Athletics

Dafne Schippers won two world 200m titles and multiple other major medals during a highly successful sprinting and combined events career

Two-time world 200m champion Schippers retires

<h2>Men&rsquo;s 5km</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/road-running/5-kilometres/outdoor/men/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list</a>&nbsp;| <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/5-kilometres/outdoor/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
Three of the four fastest men in history clash in the 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.
Not only does Berihu Aregawi have the superior road PB, having broken the world record with his 12:49 run at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona in 2021, but he also has the quickest track PB among the entries &ndash; his 12:40.45 from Lausanne in June placing him fifth on the world 5000m all-time list.
Fast times are only half of the story, however, and making this contest even more compelling is the rematches it offers.
Yomif Kejelcha is the world leader and he was just one second off his Ethiopian compatriot&rsquo;s world 5km record when he clocked 12:50 in Lille in March. He&rsquo;s also just one place below Aregawi on the world 5000m all-time list thanks to his 12:41.73 performance from Oslo. When it comes to their career head-to-head, the tally stands 6-5 in Kejelcha&rsquo;s favour, considering performances achieved from 3000m up to 10,000m.
Aregawi is the world cross country silver medallist, who finished fourth in the world and Olympic 10,000m finals, while Kejelcha is a two-time world indoor 3000m gold medallist and world indoor mile record-holder, who secured 10,000m silver at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
Then there&rsquo;s Kenya&rsquo;s Nicholas Kipkorir, the fourth fastest 5km runner of all time. He ran 12:55 in Herzogenaurach last year, finishing second in a race won by Kejelcha in 12:53, and now they prepare to battle again.
Of the 11 5km performances in history that have been 13 minutes or faster, that trio &ndash; Aregawi, Kejelcha and Kipkorir &ndash; have recorded seven of them: three by Aregawi and two each by Kejelcha and Kipkorir.
When it comes to track PBs, however, one athlete splits those three at the top of the entry list: Ethiopia&rsquo;s Olympic and world medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet. The 29-year-old won the world U20 cross country title in 2013 and claimed his first senior medal that same year, securing 5000m silver in Moscow. He then gained world bronze in 2015 and an Olympic medal of the same colour in 2016. While he finished sixth in the world final this year, he proved he&rsquo;s top form by running a 12:42.18 lifetime best to win in Monaco. He also recorded a half marathon PB of 58:55 to win what was his third career half marathon in Granollers in February.
On the Kenyan squad, 2022 world 10,000m silver medallist Stanley Waithaka Mburu and Cornelius Kemboi are entered along with Kipkorir.
Burundi&rsquo;s Egide Ntakarutimana ran 13:03.61 in a 5000m in Vienna in June and makes his 5km debut after improving his 10km best to 27:45 in Brasov last year.
Spanish record-holder Ouassim Oumaiz, who ran 13:19 in 2020, will also want to make an impact, as will USA&rsquo;s 2022 NCAA champion Olin Hacker, Norway's Magnus Tuv Myhre and Canadian 5km and 10km record-holder Ben Flanagan.
Oceanian 3000m record-holder Stewart McSweyn forms part of the Australian team in Riga and as well as a high placing, he&rsquo;ll also be looking for an improvement on his 13:53 PB as he returns to race the distance on the roads for the first time since 2017. Since then, he has taken his 5000m best to 12:56.50.
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<h2>Women&rsquo;s 5km</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> |&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/road-running/5-kilometres/outdoor/women/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/5-kilometres/outdoor/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
There will be no easing in gently to the elite race programme in Riga, with the women&rsquo;s 5km featuring a stellar field of Olympic and world medallists on the hunt for the first of the six titles on offer in the Latvian capital.
Kenya&rsquo;s Beatrice Chebet has already claimed one global gold in 2023 and after becoming the world cross country champion in Bathurst in February, the 23-year-old now targets her second out-of-stadium title of the year.
That&rsquo;s not to say her track form is any less impressive. Chebet was second in her most recent race, but it took a world record to beat her &ndash; Gudaf Tsegay clocking 14:00.21 in the Wanda Diamond League final in Eugene to take almost five seconds off the 5000m mark that Faith Kipyegon set in Paris in June, and Chebet almost dipping underneath it too with 14:05.92 for the third-fastest performance of all time.
Prior to that, Chebet claimed her second world 5000m medal, adding bronze in Budapest to the silver she secured in Oregon.
Her 5km PB of 14:32, set when winning last year&rsquo;s Diamond League title on the streets of Zurich, also makes Chebet one of the quickest of all time. But in Riga, she&rsquo;ll be up against the fastest.
Cue Ethiopia&rsquo;s Ejgayehu Taye, the mixed race world record-holder who ran 14:19 in Barcelona on the final day of 2021, at the same event at which&nbsp;Berihu Aregawi set his world record. Unlike in Riga, where the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s races will be held separately, the event in Barcelona saw both fields start at the same time. Taye went on to take 24 seconds off the world record for the 5km in a mixed race and a year later she returned to run 14:21. The women-only world 5km record is 14:29, set by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Senbere Teferi in Herzogenaurach in 2021.
Since her world record performance, Taye has also become a world indoor and outdoor medallist &ndash; world indoor 3000m bronze in Belgrade followed by a world 10,000m medal of the same colour in Budapest &ndash; and she has also taken her 5000m PB to 14:12.98, making her the second fastest in the field when it comes to track times for the distance.
Taye is listed on the Ethiopian squad alongside Medina Eisa and Lemlem Hailu. World U20 cross country silver medallist Eisa ran 14:16.54 in London in July and has a 5km PB of 14:46 from April, while world indoor 3000m champion Hailu clocked 14:34.53 for 5000m in Paris in June and would be making her 5km debut.
For Kenya, Chebet will be joined by Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, the 2017 world cross country bronze medallist who won the 5000m at the Brussels Diamond League earlier this month and clocked a 14:23.05 PB when finishing fourth behind world record-breaker Kipyegon in Paris.
One of the intriguing things about road racing is that it can bring together athletes who might not usually go head to head. Uganda&rsquo;s Peruth Chemutai is better known for her exploits in the 3000m steeplechase, having won the Olympic title in the discipline in Tokyo, but she has raced Chebet once before &ndash; and beaten her.
The pair clashed in a cross country race in Hannut last year, when Chemutai pipped Chebet by 13 seconds. Now Chemutai gets ready to return to the roads, looking to build on the PB of 15:05 she set in the first of the two 5km races she has undertaken in her career so far.
Chemutai is joined in the Ugandan squad by Joy Cheptoyek and Prisca Chesang, who claimed 5000m bronze medals at the 2021 and 2022 editions of the World U20 Championships.
World and Olympic finalist Nozomi Tanaka is entered for both the 5km and the mile and she begins her campaign in Riga in the longer event, following the Japanese record of 14:29.18 she set to finish third in Brussels.
Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti &ndash; seventh in both the Olympic and European 5000m finals &ndash; will also be in action, along with USA&rsquo;s Emily Infeld and Burundi's Francine Niyomukunzi.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

The expected highlights in the men's and women's 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23

WRRC Riga 23 preview: 5km

In a year when Faith Kipyegon set three world records on the track &ndash; in the 1500m, mile, and the 5000m &ndash; it can be easy to overlook other performances.
But close behind the great Kenyan are a cadre of Ethiopian women who, despite not having gripped the event&rsquo;s attention, have accomplished some remarkable accolades while also displaying superb versatility.
Of the eight fastest women in the world this year at 1500m, five of them are Ethiopian. And three of those &ndash; Diribe Welteji, Freweyni Hailu and Hirut Meshesha &ndash; have been selected to represent Ethiopia in the road mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on 1 October.
Welteji, who earned 1500m silver behind Kipyegon at the World Championships in Budapest this year, began her career as an 800m runner. At her first ever international competition in 2018, Welteji struck gold over 800m at the World U20 Championships in Tampere.
She started to focus on the 1500m in 2021 but was chosen by the Ethiopian Athletics Federation to run the 800m at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, where she finished fourth, just missing out on a medal.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62dd1cffdd5814349c75d6ea.jpg" alt="Athing Mu and Diribe Welteji at theWorld Athletics Championships Oregon22 " />
Athing Mu and Diribe Welteji at theWorld Athletics Championships Oregon22 (&copy; Getty Images)
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In 2023, her focus transitioned to the 1500m, and Welteji delightfully snagged a silver medal in Budapest, running 3:55.69, behind Kipyegon. A few weeks later, at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene, she lowered her personal best, finishing second to Kipyegon again, but in a time of 3:53.93.
Just two places behind Welteji, Hailu also ended her 2023 track campaign on a high, clocking a personal best of 3:55.68. Having been selected for just the 5000m at the World Championships &ndash; an event she had contested just once before heading to Budapest &ndash; Hailu was delighted with her performance in Eugene.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/64a1e16bed689a7794e08bad.jpg" alt="Freweyni Hailu wins the 1500m in the rain in Stockholm" />
Freweyni Hailu wins the 1500m in the rain in Stockholm (&copy; Thomas Windestam / Diamond League AG)
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&ldquo;All of the training in the past year was with the 1500m in mind,&rdquo; Hailu said. &ldquo;That was what I wanted to do at the World Championships. Unfortunately the federation selected me for the 5000m, which is not my strong event (she eventually placed seventh).&rdquo;
Although she did not have a lot of time to sharpen up for the 1500m in Eugene, she felt as though her earlier training prepared her well for a late-season breakthrough.
Like all the Ethiopians selected for Riga, this will be Hailu&rsquo;s first road mile, but she isn&rsquo;t fazed. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not doing anything different and I think the training for the 1500m will set me up well for this race.&rdquo;
Meshesha, too, is growing into her own in the 1500m. Like Welteji, she started off as an 800m runner before moving up in distance; she earned world U18 bronze over 800m in 2017 and African U18 gold in 2018 before winning at the African Games in 2019.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/629d2259263094c40bc17504.jpg" alt="Hirut Meshesha wins the 1500m in Rabat" />
Hirut Meshesha wins the 1500m in Rabat (&copy; Diamond League / Matt Quine)
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But in 2021, her first year as a senior, she started to test the waters over 1500m and she won her first proper race at the distance at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Madrid. She went on to clock 3:59.43 outdoors that season, reducing it to 3:57.30 in 2022 and then to 3:54.87 earlier this year.
Despite her big PB in her specialist distance, she missed out on making the 1500m final in Budapest. She finished her track season well, though, with sub-four-minute clockings in Brussels and Eugene, and she hopes to end her year on a high in Riga before a potential move up to the 5000m in the near future.
As this will be her first mile and last race at the end of the year, she is mostly taking it to be a benchmark. &ldquo;This is the first time we&rsquo;re running this race so the main objective is to just see what I can do,&rdquo; Meshesha said. &ldquo;From there we can better adjust and plan for the future, road races and otherwise.&rdquo;
While Genzebe Dibaba and Gudaf Tsegay have won many medals and broken several records throughout the past decade, the Ethiopian women&rsquo;s middle distance team was strong at the top but without as much depth.
Now, the depth is growing. Many other Ethiopian women have made breakthroughs in the middle-distances in recent years, including Lemlem Hailu, Birke Haylom, Worknesh Mesele, Tigist Girma.
The three women heading to Riga, meanwhile, have already accomplished a lot in the distance, but are looking for more. It might not be until the indoor or outdoor track seasons. Or it could very well be in their new debut event &ndash; the road mile.
Hannah Borenstein for World Athletics
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Diribe Welteji, Freweyni Hailu and Hirut Meshesha look set to do great things for Ethiopia in the middle distances

Welteji, Hailu and Meshesha lead new generation of Ethiopians to Riga and beyond

<h2>Women&rsquo;s mile</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middle-long/1500-metres/outdoor/women/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list (1500m)</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/1-mile-road/outdoor/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
Faith Kipyegon showed with her 5000m world record earlier this year that she doesn&rsquo;t fear the unknown.
She had raced just twice over the distance before that, some eight years prior. But she took on &ndash; and ran away from &ndash; a quality field to set her second of three track world records this year.
Now, despite having never raced on the roads, the Kenyan great turns her attention to the mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, where she is aiming to win her third global title of the year, following the 1500m and 5000m golds she earned in Budapest.
The 29-year-old has already shown versatility across different terrains, as well as distances. Back in 2011 she won her first global title in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships, which she successfully defended two years later.
The track has been her main focus in recent years, but she has often spoken of a potential move to the roads &ndash; and eventually the marathon &ndash; so her appearance in Riga marks the first significant step in that plan.
Her track mile world record of 4:07.64, set earlier this year in Monaco, is seven seconds faster than the PB of the next-fastest entrant. It&rsquo;s also 20 seconds faster than the newly ratified official road mile world record (4:27.97), which belongs to USA&rsquo;s Nikki Hiltz.
It&rsquo;s probably safe to assume that the winning time in Riga will fall somewhere between the existing world records for the track mile and the road mile. And while it would be brave to bet against Kipyegon, there is never a guarantee in sport &ndash; especially with a field as good as the one in Riga.
Ethiopia has selected three of its best middle-distance runners, all of whom have bettered 3:56 for 1500m this year.
Diribe Welteji was Kipyegon&rsquo;s closest challenger at the World Championships in Budapest, finishing within one second of the Kenyan to take silver in 3:55.69. She went on to set a PB of 3:53.93 at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene, once again finishing second to Kipyegon.
World indoor bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha enjoyed a breakthrough run at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia in July, clocking a PB of 3:54.87. She will be fired up to end her year on a high, having missed out on making the World Championships final in Budapest.
Fellow Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu has displayed remarkable range in recent years, clocking PBs of 1:57.57 for 800m, 3:55.68 for 1500m and 14:23.45 for 5000m. She took world indoor silver over 800m last year, and placed seventh in the 5000m in Budapest last month. Her 1500m PB was set just earlier this month at the Diamond League Final, so she&rsquo;ll carry strong form into Riga.
Kipyegon won&rsquo;t be alone in her quest to secure a medal for Kenya, as she&rsquo;ll have support from compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir. The 20-year-old has been a revelation this year, breaking 4:00 for 1500m on five occasions, placing fifth at the World Championships, and clocking a PB of 3:56.72.
Steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech had also been entered, but is a late withdrawal.
The fight for medals won&rsquo;t be an all Kenya-Ethiopia affair, though.
Australia&rsquo;s Jess Hull has had one of her best seasons to date, starting with mixed relay bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, and continuing with Oceanian records for 3000m and the mile. Her 1500m PB of 3:57.29 back in June also briefly stood as an area record, and she went on to place seventh in Budapest.
Japan&rsquo;s Nozomi Tanaka has also been in record-breaking form this year. The 24-year-old, who already held the Japanese 1500m record at 3:59.19, has twice broken the national 5000m record this year, reducing it to 14:29.18. She is entered for both the mile and 5km in Riga, despite them being scheduled just 70 minutes apart.
Teenager Addison Wiley displayed strong form at the end of the track season, clocking PBs of 1:57.64 and 3:59.17 in her final 800m and 1500m races of 2023. She leads a strong US squad alongside Emily Mackay and Helen Schlachtenhaufen.
Other contenders include Spain&rsquo;s Marta Perez, Britain&rsquo;s Sarah McDonald and Uganda&rsquo;s Winnie Nanyondo.
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<h2>Men&rsquo;s mile</h2>
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/middle-long/1500-metres/outdoor/men/senior/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 world list (1500m)</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/road-running/1-mile-road/outdoor/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a>
Despite still being an U20 athlete, Reynold Cheruiyot has used the 2023 season to test the waters of the senior international scene. He now aims to end the year by winning his first senior global title.
The 19-year-old Kenyan won the world U20 1500m title last year, which he followed with silver in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst back in February. He won the African U20 1500m title two months later, but has focused on senior competition since then.
He clocked a 1500m PB of 3:30.30, putting him fifth on the world U20 all-time list, and came close to matching that time when placing eighth in the World Championships final in 3:30.78. After the World Championships, he went on to set a world U20 best for 2000m (4:48.14) and a world U20 record for the mile (3:48.06).
Not only does he have the fastest 1500m season&rsquo;s best of all the Riga entrants, he also has the fastest track mile PB. But even so, there is no clear-cut favourite in this extremely open field.
Ethiopian duo Teddese Lemi and Melkeneh Azize are among the quicker entrants, based on 1500m form. Lemi was part of the victorious Ethiopian mixed relay team at the 2019 World Cross, and last year he placed fourth at the World Indoor Championships and eighth at the World Championships.
Eighteen-year-old Azize will be competing at his first senior global championships. After taking world U20 1500m bronze in 2021, he upgraded it to 3000m gold in 2022. As a measure of his talent, he set a 1500m PB of 3:33.74 in 2021 when he was just 16 years of age.
Sam Prakel heads to Riga off the back of having his road mile mark of 4:01.21 ratified as the inaugural world record for the discipline. The US indoor champion reached the 1500m final at last year&rsquo;s World Indoors and will be aiming to improve on his eighth-place finish from there.
Compatriot Hobbs Kessler will be making his global championships debut. The 20-year-old holds the North American U20 1500m record and the US high school indoor mile record, and earlier this year he set a 1500m PB of 3:32.61.
South Africa&rsquo;s Ryan Mphahlele has excelled on the roads, cross country and track this year. He ran a storming leg in the mixed relay at the World Cross in Bathurst, then followed it with a 1500m PB of 3:32.90 in mid-April. Less than two weeks later, he set a national record of 13:24 for the road 5km. He has also won two international track mile races this season, setting PBs of 3:55.59 and 3:54.48.
Other potential contenders include Kenya&rsquo;s world cross mixed relay champion Kyumbe Munguti, in-form Italian Mohad Abdikadar Sheik Ali and Australia&rsquo;s Matthew Ramsden.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

The expected highlights in the women's and men's mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23