World Athletics Championship is the IAAF’s flagship event, taking place every two years and usually a month and a half after the Olympics. It was started in 1976 after the IOC dropped the men’s 50 km walk from the Olympic programme for Montreal’s 1976 Summer Games, and in response to calls from the sport’s athletes for an international event separate from the Olympics.
During this year’s championships in Tokyo, a number of American athletes excelled and brought home medals, including sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who became only the second female to complete a sprint treble and save her dad’s life. Teammate Noah Lyles won a 200m and 4x100m gold to earn the Male Track Athlete of the Year award, while Cordell Tinch finished his stellar season with another 110m hurdles win.
In the marathon, Clayton Young stuck with the lead pack until the final 2km (1.25 miles), and pushed his way up to 3rd, just behind Amanal Petros (Germany) and Julia Paternain (Uruguay). In the women’s 10km, Beatrice Chebet unleashed her signature kick in the last 200m and won the title for Kenya, ahead of Nadia Battocletti (Italy) and Guduf Tsegay (Ethiopia).