Five things to look forward to on day two in Kujawy Pomorze

The action comes thick and fast on day two of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, with 11 titles up for grabs on Saturday (21).

The morning session kicks off with the heptathlon 60m hurdles and ends with the fastest women in the world battling for 60m gold.

Here are five things to look forward to on day two in Toruń.

 

Mixed 4x400m makes debut

The first final on day two comes in the mixed 4x400m, an event that makes its World Indoor Championships debut in Kujawy Pomorze.

Relays powerhouse USA has won the mixed 4x400m at the past two World Championships outdoors, as well as at the past two editions of the World Relays, but this being a new discipline indoors makes it slightly harder to predict.

Netherlands won the Olympic title in Paris in 2024, while Poland clinched the crown in Tokyo in 2021 and will have the benefit of home advantage as well as a team featuring two members from that Olympic triumph: Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and Kajetan Duszynski.

 

Duplantis on hunt for fourth title

Mondo Duplantis returns to the scene of his first world record, on the hunt for a record-equalling fourth consecutive world indoor men’s pole vault title.

He set the 15th world record of his career – 6.31m – in Uppsala earlier this month and also cleared 6.06m in February.

But the Swedish star might not have things all his own way. During a season in which a record six men have surpassed six metres or more, Emmanouil Karalis soared over 6.17m to move to second on the world all-time list, while Sondre Guttormsen has cleared 6.06m, Zachery Bradford 6.01m and Kurtis Marschall 6.00m.

It could prove to be a final of record depth.

 

60m showdown

Julien Alfred and Zaynab Dosso share the women’s 60m world lead of 6.99 and both will want to add to their global medal haul in Kujawy Pomorze.

Saint Lucia’s Alfred has the chance to regain a world indoor title she won in Glasgow in 2024, while Italy’s Dosso will be looking to complete the medal set after silver in 2025 and bronze in 2024.

But there are several other contenders ready to challenge them. Patrizia van der Weken returns after her bronze behind Dosso in Nanjing, while Ewa Swoboda leads home hopes. Dina Asher-Smith, Jacious Sears and Jonielle Smith are also in action.

 

Fierce 15-lap clash

The men’s 3000m features the full men’s 1500m podium from the 2024 Olympics along with the world 3000m steeplechase champion in a stacked clash of medallists.

USA’s Cole Hocker, who already has Olympic 1500m and world 5000m titles to his name, targets his first world indoor title after 1500m silver in 2024, while Great Britain’s 2023 world 1500m champion Josh Kerr will want to regain the title, two years on from his victory in Glasgow.

They go up against USA’s Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, who got 3000m silver behind Kerr two years ago, plus New Zealand’s steeplechase ace Geordie Beamish, while Azeddine Habz, Yann Schrub and Andrew Coscoran could also be in the mix.

 

Rojas returns

The world record-holder, world champion and Olympic champion all come together in the women’s triple jump and it’s Yulimar Rojas who starts as the world leader.

The Venezuelan star – who has won four world titles outdoors, three world indoor titles and an Olympic gold – claimed bronze on her return to the global stage at last year’s World Championships and now she is back in World Indoor Championships action for the first time since 2022.

Rojas jumped a world record of 15.74m when winning that 2022 world indoor title. She has soared 14.95m from her sole outing so far this year, 20 centimetres farther than world champion Leyanis Pérez Hernández. Olympic champion Thea LaFond is another strong contender, along with Liadagmis Povea and Jasmine Moore.