Athletics
WORLD RECORD HOLDER, YOUNG RELISHING CURRENT ‘HISTORIC MOMENT’ IN 400M HURDLES
As Kevin Young prepares to watch the men’s 400m hurdles final this Monday night, he does so knowing that his days as the world record holder in the event are numbered. And after carrying that honour for more than 27 years, he’s excited about the prospect.
“Never in the history of the event have there been
three hurdlers at one time who have all run under 47.2,” Young said on the
morning of Zurich’s IAAF Diamond League final last month.
He didn’t know then that less than 12 hours later his point would be underscored by Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin after they joined Abderrahman Samba as members of the sub-47 club after one of the season’s most spectacular showdowns.
Warholm defeated Benjamin by 0.06 in 46.92 in a race that doubled to four the number of hurdlers who have smashed through the 47-second barrier. Three will be lining up in Khalifa Stadium in tomorrow night’s final.
“That’s the story,” Young said. “You have three hurdlers who haven’t reached their pinnacle. That’s the beauty of this event right now.”
Indeed, Young points out, the only component that’s missing for the youthful trio — Benjamin is 22, Warholm 23 and Samba just turned 24– is experience.
“They are all young hurdlers. And hurdling is a discipline which you develop over time. You get comfortable with the race. And you get comfortable with how you run the race. It’s discipline and strategy.”
Young said he spent much of his early career experimenting with a variety of approaches, running 13 strides between hurdles, sometimes 12, sometimes even 11. He studied Edwin Moses, whom he refers to as “the master” and a “well-oiled machine”.
“For many years I tried going 13 steps, and floundered. I tried it during the national championships in 1986 and ended up going 11 steps at one of the hurdles. All through my last collegiate season I was going 12 steps and chopping and trying to figure the race out. I just couldn’t get it together. But then I finally did.”
Young was 25 when he sped a seemingly impossible 46.78 to secure the 1992 Olympic gold medal, and his place in athletics’ history. He smashed the previous world record, Moses’ fourth by a massive 0.24 seconds. That could only come, he said, after a long period of studying the discipline, learning how to race the event and gaining experience.
“I was talking with Rai (Benjamin) and Karston (Warholm) and I asked, ‘how old are you guys? And they’re 22, 23 years old. I think, ‘Wow! Man!’ You guys are still developing, you guys will probably break it a few times.”
The world record’s ‘X factor’, as Young calls it, lies in the hurdler’s ability to control their speed.
“When I broke the world record I ran six seconds to the first hurdle. Between 5.8 and six seconds. I think it’s six seconds. Rai told me it was 5.8 seconds. And I asked him, ‘How fast are you getting to the first hurdle?’ He said 5.5. And I said, ‘You guys are running too damned fast.’ ”
“That is the holy grail of the event. It’s called speed maintenance. I know personally, when you get to that 200-metre phase you start opening up and you want to run fast. It’s the natural thing to do coming off that turn. But that’s when you want to be mindful and monitor your speed.”
That’s showing in the latter phases of the current big three’s races.
“They’re going 13 (steps) at least to (hurdle) nine. But they haven’t been able to negotiate that last hurdle. With fatigue and great competitors, that’s going to happen.”
His advice on how to correct that? Take full advantage of this historical moment in time and race each other. Often.
“If I was Samba, and Rai and Warholm, I would constantly want to race with one another. Just so we could see who would be first to break the record. And secondly, then let’s see who can break it a little bit more. Edwin (Moses) held the record from 1976 to 1992. And broke it several times in between. Can you imagine with the three guys now? We have that luxury.
“It’s just a matter of date and time,” he concludes. “You’ve got to get competitors to line up. You never know what’s going to happen once you get guys out there and running.”
Young has remained a hardcore fan of the sport, lean and athletic at 53. At the moment, his focus has shifted towards his Master’s studies in Sports and Ethics, which he began this month at Swansea University in Wales.
But this week, his eyes will be even more closely trained on what many consider the premiere event at this year’s World Championships, and the world record possibilities the race presents. He seems content, happy even, with those possibilities.
“I’ve seen that record get broken a few times in my head – thank god it hasn’t gotten broken yet! And when it is, I’ll look at the time in which I’ve held the world record, and I’m comfortable with the time period.”
Bob Ramsak for the 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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Ouahbi Steps Up Morocco’s World Cup Build-Up With Three Warm-Up Games
Free Soccer-Themed Condoms to Welcome World Cup Fans
Magic Johnson Leads Campaign to Showcase Los Angeles Ahead of World Cup
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup5 days ago
FIFA Plans Three Opening Ceremonies in All Host Nations for 2026 World Cup
- World Cup4 days ago
United States Unveils Hollywood-Style FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony
- World Cup4 days ago
Mexico president wavers on plan to cut school year by 40 days for the World Cup
- World Cup5 days ago
Burna Boy Joins Shakira for Official 2026 World Cup Song ‘Dai Dai’
- World Cup1 week ago
Despite 2026 Absence, Nigeria Still Leads Africa’s World Cup Winners’ Chart
- Premier League5 days ago
Man United’s Fernandes and City’s Shaw win FWA Footballer of the Year awards
- Nigerian Football5 days ago
Sporting Lagos Crowned 2026 NNL Champions After Dramatic Super Four Finale
- Premier League2 days ago
Arsenal survive huge scare to edge towards title