Athletics
DOHA 2019 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS THROW UP NEW STARS
Some of the biggest names in the sport have cemented their legendary status by adding to their career medal haul at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.
But along with the established stars, several new names have emerged over the first five days of competition at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Having dominated the event on the international circuit over the past two years, USA’s Noah Lyles became the youngest ever winner of the men’s 200m at the World Championships, earning his maiden senior global title on Tuesday with a 19.83 run.
“Don’t say I’m the new Bolt,” said Lyles. “I’m me. If you like me, I’ll happily entertain you. It’s my time.”
Earlier that evening, Lyles’ teammate and fellow 22-year-old Donavan Brazier broke the championship and North American records to win the 800m in 1:42.34.
“I’ve said all season that my goal was to get the gold here and to break this record, and that’s what I did,” said Brazier, who had a winning margin of 1.13. “It means the world to me. To be world champion at 22 years old, I can’t believe it.”
The women’s 800m had a surprise winner in the form of Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi. The 24-year-old produced the performance of her life to pass the pre-race favourites on the home straight, winning in 1:58.04. Compatriot Winnie Nanyondo, the fourth-place finisher, joined Nakaayi on a lap of honour, stopping every now and again to perform a celebratory dance.
“They will be very happy back home in Uganda, especially in the central part,” said Nakaayi. “They are dancing now. It is a historic day.”
Nakaayi’s gold medal was as much of a surprise as Tajay Gayle’s victory in the men’s long jump. The Jamaican had only just scraped through the first round as the 12th and last qualifier, but he dominated the final to win with 8.69m.
In the women’s throws, USA’s DeAnna Price and Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber won maiden global titles, Price winning the hammer with 77.54m and Barber launching a last-round effort of 66.56m to take the javelin.
Other medallists have emerged as a future force, too. Ethiopia’s 5000m silver medallist Selemon Barega and Ukraine’s high jump runner-up Yaroslava Mahuchikh became the first athletes born this century to win senior global medals.
“There’s a really big difference between junior and senior global competitions,” observed Mahuchikh, who set a world U20 record of 2.04m. “I have competed with these girls all season, but to jump with them at the World Championships is a very special feeling.”
It’s not just the athletes breaking new ground; certain nations – such as Burkina Faso and The Gambia – have made it on to the medals and placings table for the first time in World Championships history. Already, with fewer than half of the finals having been contested, 28 nations have made it on to the medals table and 52 teams have had athletes achieve a top-eight finish.
The likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Christian Taylor may have achieved all-time great status here in Doha, but with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just 10 months way, there appears to be many up-and-coming athletes also on the brink of super stardom.
It would appear that the issue of women football league came into fore in the petition owing to claims that the SFA stated that it spent $50,000 to run the non-existing women’s football league.
The money is reportedly to be part of the FIFA Forward Program for Women’s Domestic Competition.
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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