His leap of 6.28m in Stockholm represented world record No.12 so far. Cathal Dennehy delves into the method behind the multiple Olympic, world and European champion’s extraordinary rise Long before the Olympic golds, world titles and world records, Mondo Duplantis was a student of his sport – one with an insatiable appetite for improvement. If he wasn’t on the pole vault runway that his dad built in their back yard in Lafayette, Louisiana, he was often thinking about it, conjuring up ways to hoist his body ever higher. “I daydreamed about it at school all the time, about when I…
After Olympic heartache in Paris, Anna Hall has been learning to fall in love with the heptathlon again There was a delay of a couple of days but, as the dust settled, the tears came. After announcing that she was undoubtedly back to her best – producing the joint second-highest heptathlon score in history at the Hypomeeting in Götzis – Anna Hall couldn’t keep her emotions in check any longer. “Any time I’ve made a big breakthrough, it takes my brain a while to almost catch up to the level that I’m at,” she says. “But it did start to…
Faith Kipyegon, Mondo Duplantis, Julien Alfred, Beatrice Chebet, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Kishane Thompson, plus a number of Brits, are among those competing in Eugene on Saturday The Prefontaine Classic has pulled out all the stops for its 50th anniversary meeting on Saturday (July 5). The ninth meeting of this summer’s Diamond League series features 14 world record-holders and 48 Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists. This means fans will get to see full podium rematches from the Paris Games in the women’s 100m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase and long jump, together with the men’s 400m. Both 100m races at Hayward Field are…
The new Rocket X3 from HOKA delivers improvements for a faster feel with great control With a new upper, midsole foam configurations and generally better fit, the HOKA Rocket X3 has evolved significantly from the previous version. With a new dual-density PEBA-based foam midsole, the level of energy return feels significant from the very first step. Combine this was a revised ‘Active Foot Frame’ carbon plate, and the shoe wants to push you down the road with an incredibly energised feel. HOKA Rocket X3 Weighing in at just 219g (men’s UK 10), the shoe disappears on the foot, and while…
Having topped the table at the last edition in Chorzów, the Italians once again impressed in a hot and sultry Madrid Italy continued their dominance of European athletics by retaining their title at the European Team Championships (June 26-29). In a competition where each discipline victory garnered 16 points, the Italians smashed through the 400-point barrier with a grand total of 431.5 in the Spanish capital. Poland finished second with 405.5 points while Germany completed the top three with 381 points. Italy however were just too good for the rest and their supremacy continued on the final day of action.…
Masters record-breaker clocks 39:01 to beat all other females in the Berkshire race WARGRAVE 10km, Berkshire, June 29 It is not very often that an over-60-year-old wins an open road race but here, in extremely hot weather conditions, that honour fell to Sarah Gee. As temperature nudged 30C at the 10am start, the field were tentatively away and were eventually led home by local runner Matthew Kimpton who, according to Power of 10, only began running this year and posted 2:36:49 in the Manchester Marathon. Back at Easter, Gee had set a British masters W60 all-time best in the Maidenhead…
The Olympic Games are almost upon us – 32 sports and an estimated 10,000 athletes all competing over a 16-day period. Exciting? Yes. But it’s also hard to know where to start in such a huge pool of talent.All the athletes are immensely skilled, but there are a few standouts who you’ll want to keep a particularly close eye on at the 2024 games. Image: The Olympic Village in Paris. Pic: AP That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top athletes you’ll want to watch this summer – showcasing a mix of fresh talents, seasoned stars and certified legends.Starting…
Astros vs Athletics PredictionThe Houston Astros (52-46, 24-25 Away) face the Oakland Athletics (39-61, 24-25 Home) at the Oakland Coliseum on July 22, at 9:40 PM. The Astros are coming off a 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, while the Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-2 in the last game. Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.The Astros have been a strong team this season, despite some inconsistencies on the road. They boast a batting average of .261 and have scored 464 runs so far. Kyle Tucker leads the team with 19 home runs, while Jose Altuve…
Last week, Jake Wightman celebrated a milestone birthday with little fanfare, a common scenario when it falls amidst the busy outdoor athletics season. “It’s a tough number, so I can’t say I was eagerly anticipating it,” Wightman remarked with a chuckle. “It’s always tricky in July because you can’t really celebrate. I’ll plan something for the off-season when I can actually enjoy and relax.” While turning 30 might not seem extraordinary, it does highlight the relentless passage of time. Now recovered from an injury-ridden 2023, the former world champion is gearing up for his second Olympic Games, fully aware that…
A Long Island county law that bars transgender girls and women from competing in county-run girls’ and women’s sports facilities took effect Monday.The New York Civil Liberties Union, or NYCLU, and Attorney General Letitia James filed separate lawsuits against the measure on the same day, both arguing that it violates state anti-discrimination laws.The Nassau County Legislature passed the law last month in a 12-5 vote along party lines, and county executive Bruce Blakeman signed it Monday. “I am gratified that the Republican majority in the Legislature voted in favor of this common sense measure to protect the integrity of women’s sports…