My Five Favourite Races from Paris 2024: Part One
The Paris Olympics have drawn to a close after two weeks of epic competition, and while every race had something to offer, five events really stood out. Check out part one of this two-part breakdown, featuring a world record, a fitting graduation for an all-time great, and an upset for the ages.
Women’s Marathon Preview
On the final day of the Games, one of the deepest marathon fields in Olympic history will take on one of the toughest courses ever designed. Kenya and Ethiopia have produced two incredible teams, and when you throw in Ethiopian-born Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) and Kenyan-born Lonah Salpeter (Israel), you get a group of East Africans capable of ripping apart this elite field. Can Peres Jepchirchir become the first woman to successfully defend an Olympic Marathon title? Will Hellen Obiri become the first woman to complete the most iconic medal haul in our sport? The final event of the Olympics is set to be a thrilling one.
Men’s Marathon Preview
A monster hill, a clash of the Titans, and the potential for a new Olympic champion: the 2024 men’s Olympic marathon has it all. Will aging greats like Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele taste glory one last time, or will young stars like Alexander Mutiso and Benson Kipruto defeat the legends?
Women’s Distance Preview
Predictions and previews for the women’s distance events at the Paris Olympics
Women’s Middle-Distance Preview
Predictions and previews for the women’s middle-distance events at the Paris Olympics
Men’s Distance Preview
Predictions and previews for the men’s distance events at the Paris Olympics
Men’s Middle-Distance Preview
Predictions and previews for the men’s middle-distance events at the Paris Olympics
Women’s Sprints Preview
Predictions and previews for the women’s sprints at the Paris Olympics
Men’s Sprints Preview
Predictions and previews for the men’s sprints at the Paris Olympics
Aerobic vs Anaerobic Training: Why Slowing Down Will Make You Faster
It’s the most counterintuitive idea in the sport, but it’s been proven time and time again: running slowly in training will help you run faster on race day. In this article, we break down why this is true.
The Lydiard Method
The Lydiard model was the most important development in running during the 20th century and is still highly relevant and influential today. Created by New Zealand athlete and coach, Arthur Lydiard, the system redefined the training methods of elite and recreational runners alike, as well as serving to popularise the sport throughout the world.
The Church of the Sunday Long Run
The Church of the Sunday Long Run, as it has come to be known, is a holy practice among runners. Read on to find out more about the sacred anvil on which distance running success is shaped.
Arthur Lydiard: The Most Influential Coach You’ve (potentially) Never Heard Of
Explore the life of Arthur Lydiard, history’s most influential athletics coach.
Four Big Results from the Monaco Diamond League: The Best Meet of the Year So Far
Jessica Hull breaking the 2000m world record. The big three coming together in the men’s 400m hurdles. Djamel Sedjati running another 1:41 to lower his own world lead. Jakob Ingebrigtsen becoming just the fourth man in history to break 3:27. The Monaco Diamond League exceeded expectations in every way imaginable and was the perfect meet just two weeks out from the Olympic opening ceremony.
Middle-Distance Magic: Sedjati and Kipyegon make History in Paris
The 2024 Paris Diamond League produced two of the best races of the year. Djamel Sedjati pipped Emmanuel Wanyonyi at the line in a historically fast men’s 800m that saw six athletes break 1:43. Not two hours later, Faith Kipyegon bettered her own world record in the women’s 1500m while towing Jessica Hull around her favourite European stadium.
Michael Johnson: The Saviour of Track and Field
Grand Slam Track is the most innovative competition since the inaugural World Athletics Championships almost half a century ago, but it’s not without its problems. Can Michael Johnson really save the sport he once dominated?
A First Look at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships (yes, that’s really what they’re calling it)
From 2026, the World Athletics Ultimate Championships will complement the regular global competition in the even years, ensuring the annual track and field calendar always has at least one premier meet on the international stage.
Four Big Results from the Prefontaine Classic
The Diamond League made its one and only American stop last weekend at the Prefontaine Classic. The second most anticipated meet of the year (behind only the Olympics) featured a long-awaited rematch between rivals, the breaking of a historic barrier, and the return of world champions. In this piece, we break down the four most notable storylines of the day and what they mean in the context of the Paris Olympics.
Josh Kerr vs Jakob Ingebrigtsen: Beef and the Bowerman Mile
The rematch between Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen is here. After Kerr beat his Norwegian counterpart to the 1500m global title last year, an ever-souring rivalry has become the focus of the running world. Who will win in their first race since the World Championships last year?
Nine Takeaways from the Asian Leg of the 2024 Diamond League
The Diamond League’s Asian leg, which consisted of three meets spread between China and Qatar, came to a close last weekend in Doha. Here are nine takeaways from the opening meets of this ever-important Olympic season.