CITIUS MAG

Shanghai Hopes 🇨🇳 "Women’s 200m: This could be the most fun event on the program. We’ve got a nice mix of DL circuit mainstays, up-and-comers, returning world medalists, and established stars looking to prove that they’ve got more in the tank. For America, you have Anavia Battle, McKenzie Long, Jenna Prandini, and Sha’Carri Richardson. Amy Hunt of Great Britain took silver in Tokyo, and just behind her in third was Shericka Jackson—they’ll both line up. Shaunae Miller-Uibo struck Olympic gold back in 2016, when Yujie Chen—just 17 now and the U18 Asian area record holder in the 200m—was a literal child. No matter what happens here, it feels like we’ll be spinning an entire 1,000-word essay out of it next week on the implications." 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: thelapcount.substack.com/i/197401501/sh…

The Inherent Problem With The 400m Hurdles For American Dudes 🙇‍♂️ "On the international stage, the American advantage is deteriorating quickly. While in 2008, eight of the top 12 times in the world were owned by an American, that dwindled to just four of the top 15 in 2025. Having a diversity of countries being competitive on the international stage is ultimately a good thing for the sport. And this 'issue' is one without any real blame to assign. Like all of us, athletes chase after opportunities where they can win and get paid." 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: thelapcount.substack.com/i/197401501/th…

The Collegiate 1500m Has Never Been Better 😎 "That’s eight guys who’ve never won a 1500m title but have a legitimate chance to. If they all make the final in Eugene in June (far from a guarantee), it’ll be anyone’s guess who comes out on top. No matter what, the results will be nothing less than epic. If you ascribe to the belief that predictability is anathema to excitement, the collegiate 1500m has never been better. And if you’re the kind of fan that wants to see a record in every race… well, all the fastest guys are running fast right now. There will only be one victor, but everybody wins." 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: thelapcount.substack.com/i/197401501/th…

Glad it survived after getting toppled during the regime change

The schedule is out for the 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships in New York City from July 23-26 at Icahn Stadium citiusmag.com/articles/2026-…

🇰🇪 Sabastian Sawe, the first man to break two hours in a competitive marathon, will race the Berlin Marathon on September 27th. Sawe ran 1:59:30 at last month's London Marathon, becoming the first man to break two hours under official race conditions. He is the defending champion after he ran 2:02:16 last September in hot conditions. The Berlin course record is 2:01:19 by Eliud Kipchoge's 2022 then-world record. Nine marathon world records have been set in Berlin since 1998, including five by Kenyan men in the last 15 years. Marathon world records set in Berlin since 2000: 🇰🇪 Paul Tergat — 2:04:55 (2003) 🇪🇹 Haile Gebrselassie — 2:04:26 (2007) 🇪🇹 Haile Gebrselassie — 2:03:59 (2008) 🇰🇪 Patrick Makau — 2:03:38 (2011) 🇰🇪 Wilson Kipsang — 2:03:23 (2013) 🇰🇪 Dennis Kimetto — 2:02:57 (2014) 🇰🇪 Eliud Kipchoge — 2:01:39 (2018) 🇰🇪 Eliud Kipchoge — 2:01:09 (2022) Now Sawe is coming...

Former half-marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie has been charged by the AIU for alleged tampering or attempted tampering with doping control procedures. He was already provisionally suspended in March 2025 for allegedly evading, refusing, or failing to submit to a doping sample collection. In 2020, he ran 57:32 at the Valencia Half for a world record, which still puts him at No. 3 on the all-time list behind Jacob Kiplimo and Yomif Kejelcha.

THE CLAYTON TWINS 🇯🇲 🔥 Tia Clayton goes 10.91 to win the women's 100m at the JAAA Meet at the National Stadium. Her sister Tina took 2nd in 10.98.

HURDLE COMEBACK FOR TARA DAVIS-WOODHALL The Olympic long jump champion goes 12.99 (-1.0 m/s wind) for her first 100m hurdles race since 2021

WATCH: Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell run an American record of 37.40 for the 300m at the Arkansas Twilight meet 🇺🇸 38.30 for Gianna Woodruff 🇵🇦 38.55 Dalilah Muhammad 🇺🇸

The IOC has confirmed that disciplines like trail running, cross-country running, cyclocross, and gravel cycling will not be added to the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, but stopped short of closing the door permanently on so-called “crossover” sports at future Winter Games. ❄️ 🏔️ IOC president Kirsty Coventry was clear about 2030 and said, “No summer sport and no all-season sport will be included. It will only be snow and ice.” However, Coventry suggested the 2034 Salt Lake City Games could potentially open the door to innovative non-traditional disciplines and added that the IOC needs to “figure out how we want potentially new sports, innovative sports and disciplines to come onto the programme.”

Back to writing about my two favorite things, running + data, for @CitiusMag! citiusmag.com/articles/bosto…

World Relays Is Still A Diamond In The Rough 💎 “All in all, this year’s World Relays did feel a bit like the unique medals themselves. Embedded at the center of this event is the spirit of something interesting, and perhaps truly special, but you’ve really gotta squint to see it. The challenge we haven’t quite figured out yet is the right placement and presentation to make this little gem really shine.” 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: open.substack.com/pub/thelapcoun…

What The New NCAA Rules Mean For Track And Field 🖐️ “Generally speaking, this could be the largest and most impactful change of the last decade for our sports specifically. And generally speaking, it’ll probably move things in a positive direction. The age factor aside, it should create a system where expectations are clear and the best coaches will be operating on a series of five-year plans to get the best out of the athletes... No single rule change will ‘fix’ NCAA track and field, and some would probably argue that track and field is a lot less broken than other college sports. But every action will have an equal and opposite reaction, and with the prospect of a brave new world of eligibility looking more likely by the day, coaches, teams, and athletes better be ready and plan accordingly.” 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: open.substack.com/pub/thelapcoun…

This Week’s Results You May Have Missed But Shouldn’t Sleep On 👀 “Hobbs Kessler: It probably won’t be enough to convince him to switch events, but it was cool to see the indoor world record holder at 2000m make his 5000m debut in Palo Alto. Kessler’s 13:13 was only good enough for sixth place in his race, but for a guy who rarely runs more than an hour at a time, it was proof that rock climbing ability converts. (Liam Murphy won the race in 13:12 despite likely possessing comparatively poor grip strength.) Until someone proves otherwise, it’s our belief that this is the fastest-ever 5000m debut by an American.” 📫 Read more via @TheLapCount: open.substack.com/pub/thelapcoun…

🚨 MONDO DUPLANTIS AT THE MET GALA 🚨 They look stunning. #MetGala

Pole vault Olympic champion, World champion and world record holder Mondo Duplantis hits the beige carpet at this year’s Met Gala alongside his fiancée Desiré Inglander ✨ #MetGala

Down to the wire! 😬 Team USA needed every step of the men’s 4x100m to go right to hold off Akani Simbine of South Africa on the anchor… and that’s just what happened, as the Americans take World Relays gold in a world-leading 37.43 as Pjai Austin just manages to hold off Simbine for the win by 0.06 seconds.

DOMINANCE 😤 Elaine Thompson-Herah reminds the world why she’s a double-double Olympic champion, as she gets the baton on the anchor of the women’s 4x100m well behind Canada’s anchor and puts a huge gap on the field, delivering a 42.00 gold-medal finish for Jamaica at World Relays. Canada takes second in a national record 42.17 with Spain third in 42.31. Team USA, who was scheduled to contest the repechage round after failing to make the final, did not field a team at all today.

THE FAIRYTALE ENDING 🇧🇼 The first World Relays in Gaborone ends in storybook fashion as Botswana delivers a THRILLER for the home crowd, winning the 4x400m in 2:54.47, the third fastest run of all time. Botswana, South Africa, and Australia were stride for stride with half a lap to go, but World champ Collen Kebinatshipi used his finishing kick to seal the victory in the final 30 meters, with Zathiki Nene delivering a South African national record of 2:55.07 in second.