Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS SUNDAY IN DOHA
This Sunday is day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, is the lightest day of competition to date, but it doesn’t lack for things to watch out for.
There’s the first appearance of young US sprint star Noah Lyles, the man many tip to be poised to assume the mantle of you-know-who (that’s Usain Bolt, in the unlikely event you don’t).
And after two days of historic road endurance events in the midnight hours, track has its moment of historical significance, too, with the final of the first-ever mixed 4x400m at an IAAF World Championships.
That, combined with a late start, and some high-quality finals, means the day still offers plenty.
THOMPSON, FRASER-PRYCE AND . . .
Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce sit at the top of the women’s 100m season lists, 0.15 seconds clear of the next fastest. Situation normal there: the pair have dominated world sprinting the past few years, after all.
But there is an air of instability this season. The two Jamaicans haven’t been as dominant as times suggest and other challengers have emerged. Dina Asher-Smith is a relatively fresh face, Marie Josée Ta Lou and Murielle Ahoure are showing late career consistency.
Teahna Daniels and defending champion Tori Bowie give the US a fresh face and known quality performer in the one team.
STEFANIDI LOOKS TO EXTEND REIGN
Seventeen women cleared the automatic qualifying height of 4.60m on day one, so this should be an epic final. The one to beat remains the hyper-consistent Katerina Stefanidi, who has won world and Olympic gold medals in recent years.
Her closest rivals appear to be the US trio Jenn Suhr (a list-topping 4.91m early this season), Sandi Morris and Katie Nageotte and authorised neutral athlete Anzhelika Sidorova. In an infamously flukey event, however, most of the field look capable of a medal if they can get the right first-time clearance at the right height.
…SO DOES TAYLOR
Christian Taylor in the men’s triple jump matches Stefanidi’s dominance. The personable US athlete has won the past two Olympic titles and three of the past four world titles, including the past two.
Taylor is going for a hat-trick here and looks the man to beat. His teammate Will Claye could do it – he has two 18-metre-plus jumps this year; so, too, could Pedro Pablo Pichardo, who leapt 17.38m with his only jump in qualifying.
Omar Craddock has leapt 17.68m this year and won the Pan-American title while Burkina Faso has a medal contender in Hugues Fabrice Zango, the only other jumper to get the automatic mark in qualifying. Zango has a best of 17.58m this year.
Given favourable jumping conditions, it could take something beyond 18 metres to win, or even to get second behind Christian Taylor.
ONE WILL DO FOR LYLES IN DOHA
Given many people see Noah Lyles as the next big sprint star, there was mild disappointment with his decision to contest just the 200m in Doha. Lyles did, however, throw out a tantalising hint that this would allow him to go for ‘something special’. He has run 19.50, so among the few special things remaining are gold medals and world records. Watch this space…
Competing in his first ever senior global championships, Lyles’ main goal for his first-round heat will be to safely advance to the semifinals.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
In a third night of competition on the Corniche, we have the women’s 20km race walk. Glenda Morejon of Ecuador tops the 2019 world list and could become the first senior world champion with a 2000 birth year. China’s Olympic champion Liu Hong and defending world champion Yang Jiayu may have something to say about that.
-IAAF
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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Nigeria has aligned with the global athletics community in supporting World Athletics’ decision to reject 11 applications for nationality transfer to Türkiye, a move that includes sprinter Favour Ofili and signals a broader clampdown on the recruitment of foreign athletes.
Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie
London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.
For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.
Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.
The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.
Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.
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A former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has commended World Athletics for rejecting the application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.
Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.
“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.
The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.
Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.
“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.
The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.
Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.
“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.
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