The men&rsquo;s mile lived up to its status as the most wide-open event of the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 as USA&rsquo;s 20-year-old Hobbs Kessler took a surprising victory in a world record of 3:56.13*.
In a close and frantic finish with the first nine men placing within two seconds of one another, Britain&rsquo;s Callum Elson took an equally surprising silver in a PB of 3:56.41, finishing just 0.02 ahead of former world record-holder Sam Prakel, who took bronze.
Kenya&rsquo;s world U20 mile record-holder Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot led during the early stages and reached the first turn before anyone else, but the teenager was soon caught by the rest of the field.
South Africa&rsquo;s Ryan Mphahlele and Kenya&rsquo;s Kyumbe Munguti then edged into the lead and passed the 1km marker in 2:29, but there were still about 20 runners in close contact, including Kessler, Elson and Prakel.
Mphahlele was first to reach the final turn and he continued to lead as the clock ticked over to 3:00, but more than a dozen men were still packed close behind, ready to strike. The South African eventually dropped into the pack as Kessler made a move on the side of the pack.
With about 20 seconds of running left, Munguti, Elson, Canada&rsquo;s Kieren Lumb and Eritrea&rsquo;s Yobiel Weldrufael were level with Kessler. But with the finish in sight, Kessler proved to have the better sprint finish as he broke the tape in 3:56.13.
Elson and Prakel, on either side of the lead pack, tried their best to catch the former high school phenomenon, but had to make do with silver (3:56.41) and bronze (3:56.43) respectively.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6516b4533a10607034090886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch Again &ndash; 5km and Road Mile</a>
<iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/6415670005001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6338197225112" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
"It's been a a really up and down year and I luckily got in really good shape at the end of the season," said Kessler. "The road mile is a very American event and we're quite experienced in them. I'm very proud of myself.&nbsp;
"Nick Willis texted me before it and said, 'draft as long as you can,' there was a big headwind in the last 800 metres, and about 150 metres out I struck for home, but immediately regretted it as I got hit with a big blast of wind. I didn't realise how close it was. I was waiting for them to run me down.&nbsp;
"I just bought a house two weeks ago so now I have some money for furniture, I guess."
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; height: 110px;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; height: 22px;" colspan="3">MEN'S MILE MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">Hobbs Kessler 🇺🇸 USA</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">3:56.13 WR</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">Callum Elson 🇬🇧 GBR</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">3:56.41 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">Sam Prakel 🇺🇸 USA</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">3:56.43 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left; height: 22px;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/results/men/road-mile/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

World Athletics Road Running Championships

Hobbs Kessler clocks world record of 3:56.13

Kessler takes surprise mile victory in Riga with world record of 3:56.13

Ethiopia&rsquo;s Diribe Welteji turned the tables on Kenya&rsquo;s Faith Kipyegon to win the inaugural women's world mile title in a world record of 4:20.98* at the&nbsp;World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23&nbsp;on Sunday (1).
Kicking away from Kipyegon &ndash; the multiple world champion and world record-holder on the track &ndash; as they passed the Freedom Monument in the closing stages of the race, world 1500m silver medallist Welteji didn&rsquo;t look back. The 21-year-old strode to her first senior title, eventually leading an Ethiopian top two as Freweyni Hailu passed Kipyegon in the closing stages and got the silver &ndash; 4:23.06 to 4:24.13.
Kipyegon claimed the world 1500m title ahead of Welteji in Budapest in August, the Kenyan star gaining another honour in a sensational season that has included world 1500m, mile and 5000m records on the track and a world 5000m title to go with that 1500m win in Hungary.
As she took to streets of the Latvian capital for her first ever road race, Kipyegon looked focused as she went straight to the front and the field quickly strung out behind her.
But she was joined by Welteji, Hailu and her Kenyan compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir, and it soon became clear that those four athletes would be battling for the three places on the podium, and victory was not a foregone conclusion.
Kipyegon and Welteji had opened up a gap on Hailu and Chepchirchir after a kilometre of running and were two seconds ahead at that point, passing the 1km mark in 2:41.00.
As they raced towards the finish line in Riga&rsquo;s old town, Kipyegon was looking a little less comfortable. Glancing over her shoulder, she couldn&rsquo;t hold off the well-judged attack from Welteji, who passed her as they ran by the central landmark.
Breaking the tape, Welteji won her first senior world title in 4:20.98, improving on the inaugural road mile record of 4:27.97 set by Nikki Hiltz in Des Moines in April.&nbsp;
Welteji adds this win to the world U20 800m title she won as a 16-year-old at her first ever international competition in Tampere in 2018, while she also claimed world U20 1500m silver in Nairobi in 2021 before getting her first senior world medal in Budapest behind Kipyegon.
World indoor 800m silver medallist Hailu followed her teammate over the finish line in Riga to secure the silver, while Kipyegon got the bronze. Chepchirchir finished fourth in 4:31.18 and Australia&rsquo;s Jess Hull was fifth in 4:32.45. Hull has competed in all three World Athletics Series events in 2023, claiming mixed relay bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst and finishing seventh in the 1500m final at the World Championships in Budapest.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6516b4533a10607034090886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch Again &ndash; 5km and Road Mile</a>
<iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/6415670005001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6338197225112" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&ldquo;It was hard, the weather is not good for me,&rdquo; said Welteji. &ldquo;When I saw Faith in front, near the line, at that moment I decided to sprint. I could sense that she was tired, and I had it in my mind: 'I can beat her.'
&ldquo;I came here to win, to write history and to motivate the new generations of our athletes.&rdquo;
Hailu was also delighted with her performance. &ldquo;It is a big honour for me to be a part of this competition,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I am proud to have won a silver medal for Ethiopia.&rdquo;
At the end of a busy season, Kipyegon reflected: &ldquo;It was a very successful season, but unfortunately, I am a little bit tired today. It feels good to be part of these first World Road Running Championships, so I am glad I did it. This was my first road race, so I did well.&rdquo;
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; height: 110px;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; height: 22px; width: 100%;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S MILE MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">Diribe Welteji 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">4:20.98 WR</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">Freweyni Hailu 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">4:23.06 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 KEN</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">4:24.13 PB</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left; height: 22px; width: 100%;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/results/women/road-mile/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji turned the tables on Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon to win the inaugural women's world mile title in a world record of 4:20.98* at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on Sunday

Welteji breaks world mile record to pip Hailu and Kipyegon in Riga 

Ten years after winning the world U20 cross-country title, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Hagos Gebrhiwet earned his long-awaited first senior global title by winning the men&rsquo;s 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.
The 29-year-old crossed the line in 12:59 to lead an Ethiopian 1-2 finish from Yomif Kejelcha (13:02). Kenya&rsquo;s Nicholas Kipkorir earned his first global medal, taking bronze in 13:16.
Few were keen to make a move during the initial incline on Stone Bridge in the opening kilometre. South Africa&rsquo;s Maxime Chaumeton found himself the early leader of the large lead pack with Kejelcha tucked close behind.
The first kilometre was covered in 2:41, and after five minutes of running Kejelcha moved into the lead and started to push the pace, covering the second kilometre in 2:39. Kenya&rsquo;s Cornelius Kemboi was in second place at this stage with Gebrhiwet and Kipkorir close behind.
As the course headed over Vansu Bridge back towards Riga&rsquo;s old town, Kejelecha once again tried to ramp up the pace, the two-time world indoor champion bidding to win his first senior outdoor global crown. He reached 3km in 7:58, but had compatriot Gebrhiwet for company.
The Ethiopian duo stayed close together through the fourth kilometre, covered in 2:32, but roughly a minute later Gebrhiwet darted into the lead. Kejelcha tried to go with him, but once the finish line was in sight, there was no catching Gebrhiwet, who unleashed a superb finishing kick to charge through the finish in 12:59.
Kejelcha followed three seconds later, with Kipkorir crossing the line in 13:16. Eritrea&rsquo;s little-known Dawit Seare passed a fading Kemboi in the closing stages to finish fourth in a national record of 13:21, three seconds ahead of the Kenyan.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6516b4533a10607034090886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch Again &ndash; 5km and Road Mile</a>
<iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/6415670005001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6338197225112" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Gebrhiwet&rsquo;s victory capped a superb season for the 29-year-old. A decade ago, while still an U20 athlete, he took 5000m silver at the World Championships in Moscow, which he followed with 5000m bronze at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 World Championships.
He hadn&rsquo;t made a major championships podium since then, but he set a 5000m PB of 12:42.18 to win in Monaco earlier this year before going on to finish sixth over that distance in Budapest.
Here in Riga, though, it was once again his time to shine.
"Coming to this race, I was thinking about Budapest," said Gebrhiwet. "I was sick in Budapest and I could not perform well at the World Championships, so I am very proud of what I achieved right now. It is a historic moment for me and for my country to become the first road running world champion. One year ago, maybe I would not even think of running here but now, I am very glad I managed to come and take this victory.
"The biggest difference between Budapest and Riga is the weather," he added. "The conditions in Riga are very similar to ours in Ethiopia. In Budapest it was just too hot and I didn't feel well. It was a bit windy today, but the competition was of a very high level and the start was very fast. The home straight and the finish was very hard for me, but I am the world champion and that is the most important thing."
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; height: 110px;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; height: 22px;" colspan="3">MEN'S 5km MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">Hagos Gebrhiwet 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">12:59 CR</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">Yomif Kejelcha 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">13:02</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">Nicholas Kipkorir 🇰🇪 KEN</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">13:16 SB</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left; height: 22px;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/results/men/5-kilometres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Ethiopian wins in 12:59

Gebrhiwet takes long-awaited senior global title with 5km triumph in Riga

Kenya&rsquo;s Beatrice Chebet completed a 2023 world title double, claiming the first gold medal of the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on Sunday (1).
On a bright and breezy morning, the 23-year-old &ndash; who won the world cross country title in Bathurst in February &ndash; led a Kenyan top two in the women's 5km, clocking 14:35 for a time just six seconds off the women-only world record.
Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, the 2017 world cross country bronze medallist, finished four seconds behind her Kenyan teammate to secure the silver medal, holding off Ethiopia&rsquo;s Ejgayehu Taye, the world record-holder for the women's 5km in a mixed race, by one second &ndash; 14:39 to 14:40.
In the first elite race action of the championships in the Latvian capital, Uganda&rsquo;s Joy Cheptoyek and Peruth Chemutai placed themselves either side of a lead breakaway pack early on, flanking Chebet and Rengeruk, with Taye and her compatriot Medina Eisa just behind them.
Rengeruk and Cheptoyek led a group of nine athletes through the 1km mark in 2:55, the start of the race including a slight incline into a bit of a headwind as athletes crossed the Daugava River for the first time.
Burundi's Francine Niyomukunzi and Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Chemutai were unable to maintain the quick opening pace and were dropped by 2km, that point passed by a lead group of seven in 5:54. Taye was to the fore at that stage, followed by Chebet, Rengeruk, Cheptoyek, Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti, Eisa and USA&rsquo;s Weini Kelati.
The course then took athletes back over the river, with 3km reached in 8:53 &ndash; that seven-strong group still intact and all the podium places still to race for. As the group forged ahead, Kelati was dropped and Taye was at the front as 4km was reached in 11:47.
With the first world title of the day in sight, Taye kicked, but Chebet was right on her shoulder. As they ran back towards the river, ready to make a final left turn towards the finish line, the race was down to Taye, Chebet, Rengeruk and Eisa.
After they took that final corner, and with the finish line in view, it was Chebet's turn to kick &ndash; determined to complete a world podium treble this year. She did it in style, getting another gold after her win in Bathurst and her 5000m bronze medal win at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6516b4533a10607034090886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch Again &ndash; 5km and Road Mile</a>
<iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/6415670005001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6338197225112" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&ldquo;I had to be confident,&rdquo; said Chebet. &ldquo;It was not easy, but the last time I ran the 5000m in Oregon (at the Wanda Diamond League Final, where she finished second), I saw I could deliver and today I delivered. It was just an amazing race, something amazing.&rdquo;
Reflecting on her successful season, she added: &ldquo;Winning the World Cross Country, then running 14:05 for 5000m on the track, the third fastest time in history, then today, winning the 5km, it makes me so happy.&rdquo;
Following the medallists over the finish line was Eisa, who clocked 14:41, four seconds ahead of Battocletti, whose 14:45 improved the Italian record.
Cheptoyek was sixth in 14:50 and Kelati seventh in 15:10 &ndash; both marks also improving the respective national records. Britain&rsquo;s Verity Ockenden completed the top eight in a 15:18 PB.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; height: 110px;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; height: 22px;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S 5km MEDALLISTS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">Beatrice Chebet 🇰🇪 KEN</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968; height: 22px;">14:35</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">Lilian Kasait Rengeruk 🇰🇪 KEN</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9; height: 22px;">14:39</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center; height: 22px;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">Ejgayehu Taye 🇪🇹 ETH</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e; height: 22px;">14:40</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left; height: 22px;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-road-running-championships/riga23/results/women/5-kilometres/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet completed a 2023 world title double, claiming the first gold medal of the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on Sunday

Chebet wins world 5km title, claiming the first crown in Riga

Chinese athletes grabbed seven out of the 12 gold medals on offer during the opening two days of athletics action at the Asian Games in&nbsp;Hangzhou, while Ernest John Obiena from the Philippines improved the Games record by 20cm to take the spotlight in the men&rsquo;s pole vault.
Among China's winners were global medallists Gong Lijiao and&nbsp;Wang Zheng, plus Xie Zhenye, who claimed the men's 100m crown ahead of Thailand's Puripol Boonson, who equalled the world U18 best in the semifinals.
<h2 align="left">Games record for Obiena</h2>
In the men&rsquo;s pole vault on Saturday (30), the 27-year-old world silver medallist Obiena only needed three attempts to clinch the gold medal with a Games record of 5.75m. He went on to further improve it to 5.90m and then chose to attack his own Asian record of 6.00m, although his three brave attempts at 6.02m were in vain.
"I didn't want to stop at 5.90m. I'm excited to take this medal, put it on a shelf, but I would have liked to hit a record in front of an Asian crowd. That would have been amazing," he said. "Unfortunately, I didn't have it in me, but this is one of the biggest stadiums I've been in and one of the most amazing crowds. I felt so welcomed here.&rdquo;
China&rsquo;s Huang Bokai and Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Hussain Asim Al-Hizam both cleared 5.65m as the silver went to Huang on countback.
The three athletes on the podium all train with the same coach, Vitaly Petrov.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re happy to be on this podium together,&rdquo; said Obiena. &ldquo;We do this every day. We compete and push each other to the very best.&rdquo;
<h2 align="left">Yang edges Ma in a thrilling last-kilometre duel</h2>
The women&rsquo;s 20km race walk staged alongside the Qiantang River in Hangzhou on Friday (29) morning saw a dramatic last-lap battle between Chinese duo Yang Jiayu, gold medallist at the 2017 World Championships, and Ma Zhenxia, winner of the 2022 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65188c09066255401bf99c86.jpg" alt="Ma Zhenxia, Nanako Fujii and Yang Jiayu in the 20km race walk in Hangzhou" />
Ma Zhenxia, Nanako Fujii and Yang Jiayu in the 20km race walk in Hangzhou (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
</div>
The 27-year-old Yang, who set the world record of 1:23:49 two years ago in Huangshan, was slightly ahead of her teammate when they hit the bell. As they passed the last water station, Ma accidentally stepped on Yang&rsquo;s left foot, causing the latter&rsquo;s left heel to slip out of her shoe. After hesitation, Yang stopped to put the shoe back on, only to find Ma some 10 metres ahead when she stood up.
The determined Yang refused to throw in the towel. She kept pushing ahead and overtook Ma before the last turning point. And the 25-year-old Ma soon made her move, retaking the pole position with some 100 metres to go.
Then it was Yang&rsquo;s showtime as the defending champion overtook Ma once again ahead of the finish, hitting the line in 1:30:03.
Ma finished one second behind to take the silver and Japan&rsquo;s Nanako Fujii, who faded away from the three-woman leading group after 12km, finished third in 1:33:49.
&ldquo;When the shoe was stepped off my heel, I didn&rsquo;t want to stop at the first moment. But then I realised I could not walk like that for the home stretch. So, I had to stop to solve the problem,&rdquo; Yang said.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really a tough race for me because of the hot weather and the humidity. And I am not in a very good physical condition as well. I decided to follow the others in the early part of the race and see what will happen in the last two kilometres. I am really happy to win the race.&rdquo;
In the men&rsquo;s 20km race, the hosts also managed to wrap up a one-two finish. National Games champion Zhang Jun pulled clear from teammate Wang Zhaozhao after 15km to seal the deal in 1:23:00.
Wang took the silver in 1:24:08, followed by Japan&rsquo;s Yutaro Murayama at 1:24:41.
<h2 align="left">Overwhelming victories for Gong and Wang</h2>
Olympic and two-time world champion Gong captured a convincing victory on Friday night to win the women&rsquo;s shot put gold. The 34-year-old Chinese star surpassed 19 metres from five of her six attempts, grabbing the victory with a 19.58m throw.
That is Gong&rsquo;s third straight gold medal from four outings at the Asian Games and also the 12th win in a row for Chinese female shot putters at the quadrennial multi-sport event.
The silver also went to China as Song Jiayuan, the Universiade champion in Chengdu last month, finished at 18.92m. India's Kiran Baliyan was third at 17.36m.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65188ba7066255401bf99c83.jpg" alt="Gong Lijiao in action in Hangzhou" />
Gong Lijiao in action in Hangzhou (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
</div>
Like Gong, hammer thrower Wang of China was also competing in her fourth Asian Games. And after three consecutive runner-up finishes, the 35-year-old finally stepped on the top of the podium in Hangzhou.
The Olympic silver medallist seemed to be struggling to find her rhythm in the opening three rounds as the unexpected rain made the throwing circle wet and slippery. She achieved a mark of 69.83m from the fourth round to take the lead and kept on to improve it before finishing with a winning mark of 71.53m.
&ldquo;Finally, I took the gold medal in my fourth Asian Games. It might be the heaviest medal I have ever taken in my life,&rdquo; said Wang, who burst into tears of joy in the mixed zone.
Her teammate Zhao Jie finished second at 69.44m and Kim Taehui of Korea hurled a personal best of 64.14m to finish third.
China also won three other gold medals as Xie clocked a wind-assisted 9.97 (2.4m/s) to win the men&rsquo;s 100m, Ge Manqi took the women&rsquo;s 100m title in 11.23 and Wang Qi snatched the men&rsquo;s hammer gold at 72.97m.&nbsp;
Xie won the men's 100m ahead of&nbsp;17-year-old Boonson of Thailand, who clocked a wind-aided 10.02 to secure the silver medal, while his PB of 10.06 in the semifinals&nbsp;equalled the world U18 best and broke the national record.
Elsewhere, Birhanu Balew and Violah Jepchumba achieved a 10,000m double for Bahrain, while their compatriot Kemi Adekoya claimed the women&rsquo;s 400m title. Asian record-holder Youssef Ahmed Masrahi won the men&rsquo;s 400m gold for Saudi Arabia.
Vincent Wu for World Athletics

Chinese athletes grabbed seven out of the 12 gold medals on offer during the opening two days of athletics action, while Ernest John Obiena improved the pole vault record by 20cm

Asian Games record for Obiena and seven gold medals for China after two days of action in Hangzhou

The second day of the Global Running Conference in Riga, held as part of the&nbsp;World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, is available to view.
After the conference kicked off on Friday with various road running workshops, the day two programme on Saturday (30) featured a series of sessions on topics including the Kenyan running ecosystem and culture, elite race strategies, the Label Road Races programme and building elite athletes&rsquo; public profiles.
"The&nbsp;Global Running Conference is not only important, it is a seismic part of the calendar that we have developed," said&nbsp;World Athletics President&nbsp;Sebastian Coe in his opening remarks. "The core message from me is a very simple one: road matters.
"I know that I am probably better known for shorter bursts on the track but actually, road matters for me both personally and given my role in World Athletics. It matters to me in World Athletics beacause road, trail, mountain, wherever you look, this is probably the most fertile space and probably has the greatest potential to help grow our sport. There are billions of people on the planet that do this. It is the most democratic and accessible sport.
"This is a growth area for us, and to work alongside all of you in partnership is very important."
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<h2>Programme</h2>
(Timings in local time, EEST)
9:15 Welcome to Riga,&nbsp;Aigars Nords, CEO of the Organising Committee World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23
9:25 Opening remarks,&nbsp;Sebastian Coe, World Athletics President
9:40&nbsp;The Kenyan running ecosystem and culture, with&nbsp;Jackson Tuwei, President, Athletics Kenya
10:05&nbsp;Elite race strategies: how to build an elite race that matters to your stakeholders, with&nbsp;Tracy Sundlun, World Athletics Road Running Championships San Diego 25; Founder, Rock &lsquo;n&rsquo; Roll Marathon Series
10:30&nbsp;The road ahead: How ASICS Apps and the latest race technologies can help your race thrive, with&nbsp;Pierre Duvelleroy, Founder,&nbsp;Njuko.com&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
11:35 Panel discussion.&nbsp;What elite athletes need. Engineering the best conditions for top performance, with&nbsp;Federica Romano, Elite Race team Rome Marathon;&nbsp;Samantha Hanson, Hawi Management;&nbsp;Davor Savija, Ikaika Sports.&nbsp;Moderated by&nbsp;Chris Robb
12:05&nbsp;Insights in the Japanese pro running scene, with&nbsp;Tsuyoshi Ugachi, Konica Minolta Pro Running Team, and&nbsp;Takahiro Nishida, Elite Race Coordinator, Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon
14:00&nbsp;Road Races Integrity&nbsp;Programme, with&nbsp;Brett Clothier, Head of the Athletics&nbsp;Integrity Unit
14:25&nbsp;The new Regulations for Athletes&rsquo; Representatives, with&nbsp;Laurent Boquillet, Head of Global Development, World Athletics
14:50&nbsp;Improving road runners&rsquo; safety: action plan from the World Athletics Health and Science department, with&nbsp;Stephane Bermon MD, PhD, Director&nbsp;
15:20&nbsp;How to maximise social media and athlete influencers for event promotion, with&nbsp;Jonny Murch, CEO, Redtorch
16:15 Label Road Races programme updates, with&nbsp;Alessio Punzi, Head of Running, World Athletics
16:30 Panel discussion.&nbsp;A global sport. Connecting elite and recreational runners in different running cultures across the world. With&nbsp;Jean-Pierre Ndacyayisenga, Kigali International Peace Marathon;&nbsp;Constantina Dita, Olympic marathon champion from Romania;&nbsp;Rut Jiroajvanichakorn, Bangsaen Race Series Thailand;&nbsp;Shoaib Nizami, Sport in Pakistan;&nbsp;Mario Peinado Garrido, Road Mile Guadalajara;&nbsp;Jose Adalberto Iriarte, Buenos Aires Marathon;&nbsp;Charlotte Melchert,&nbsp;Worldsmarathons.com. Moderated by&nbsp;Chris Robb
17:15 Successful strategies in building elite athletes&rsquo; public profiles. A conversation with&nbsp;Marleen Vink-Rennings,&nbsp;Marketing Manager at Global Sports Communication

The second day of the Global Running Conference in Riga, held as part of the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, is available to view

Replay: Global Running Conference in Riga

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;

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

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>
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<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. 
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<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Territories</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Broadcasters</td>
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<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>
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<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%">LTV</td>
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<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Morocco</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">SNRT</td>
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<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">New Zealand</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Sky Network NZ</td>
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<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Pan Middle East</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">beIN Sports</td>
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<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">Switzerland</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">SRG / SSR</td>
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<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">United Kingdom</td>
<td style="height: 22px;" width="50%">BBC Sport - Red Button, Online and iPlayer</td>
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<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>
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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> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6516892a3814c5687143b8ea.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6516892a3814c5687143b8ea.pdf">Facts and Figures</a>, edited by Mark Butler <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/651810a33057eb56f6272c6e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Athlete biographies</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

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Riga reflections – looking back on a superb inaugural championships, and hopes for what future editions could be

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Jepchirchir takes third global half marathon title in Riga