Athletics
Flo-Jo’s record in sight, says world champion Jefferson-Wooden
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden woke up as the world 100 metres champion and fourth-fastest woman in history after her incredible 10.61 second run in Sunday’s final, but she is already looking ahead and thinks 10.5 and beyond is possible.
Florence Griffith-Joyner’s much-questioned 10.49 from 1988 has been untouchable for decades, though Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah edged closer with her 10.54 in 2021.
Jefferson-Wooden, still only 24 and very much on an upward curve, thinks she is capable of reaching that level.
“You’ve certainly got no regrets after running 10.61,” she told Reuters in an interview at Nike’s Tokyo headquarters on Monday.
“But I definitely do think (the world record) is a possibility. Crazily enough, I thought yesterday I had the potential to run 10.5, which is why I say that about the record.
“I was happy with every aspect of the race but still wish I had been able to separate a little sooner. And then there’s no telling what I could have run. I’m grateful for what I did but I’m still hungry for much more because I know that it’s there.”
Jefferson-Wooden came into the world championships on a remarkable run of sub-11 second races – and wins – and said she knew if she was able to “focus on the process” then it could and should be her night.
Having won bronze at last year’s Olympics she was used to the pressure and noise around a big final and, true to plan, she delivered a beautifully smooth display to finish ahead of Jamaican Tina Clayton (10.76) and Olympic champion Julien Alfred (10.84).
“I wanted to just keep the main thing the main thing, and that is to focus on my execution because that’s what gets you the results you want,” she said.
“My coach has been telling me these last couple of weeks to just be yourself, don’t try to overdo it.”
‘STOP WHINING’
Jefferson-Wooden has come a long way from her first major final when she finished last at the Eugene 2022 worlds and, with something akin to impostor syndrome, came away delighted just to have lined up alongside some of her idols after a breakthrough year.
“That was a moment that definitely defined me, and then my drive ever since then has been shooting for the stars,” she said.
A bronze and a sprint relay gold at the Paris Olympics helped validate that self-belief.
“I had overcome so much to get to that Olympic final that the bronze in my eyes was a gold medal because I had started the year with a lingering physical issue,” she said.
“So coming into this year, it was like, ‘okay, how do you move on from a year where you were so happy with how you did?’
“I was proud of myself but I also knew I could have been better and so that’s how I approached this year.”
Now Jefferson-Wooden is bidding to become the first American winner of the 200m since Allyson Felix in 2009, and the first American woman to legally complete the sprint double after Kelli White was stripped of both golds she won in 2003 for doping.
Her coaches, however, needed convincing when she told them at the start of the year she wanted to take the event seriously.
“They looked at me and it was like, ‘wait a minute, did y’all hear what she said?’ But I told them I wanted to be a contender.
“I didn’t like to really focus on the extra 100 metres just because hurts, but eventually I said to myself, ‘if you stop whining and complaining, you can actually be really good at this.”
Turns out, she is really good at it.
And with Alfred now out injured, Jefferson-Wooden’s 21.84 makes her the fastest woman in the field this year.
“I’m actually very excited to go out in the 200 and just to see what I have in the tank,” she said. “I’m the 100m world champion but in the 200 it’s 0-0 and I start again.”
-Reuters
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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
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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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