The 19th edition of Athletics World Indoors in Glasgow presentation... 2355
A few days before the World Indoor Athletics Championships, EME News, a specialized agency, presented the competition with the main protagonists athletes, event by event. Obviously the favorites are the athletes who dominated the winter season but obviously there will be surprise grabs like every edition.
Having been present at numerous editions of these championships, myself, believe me it is well worth the detour. The championships are scheduled for March 1 and 2, 2024...two days of intense competition.
Here is the full text as published by EME News.
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The 19th edition of World Indoors will be for first time in Glasgow, but for third in the UK. Despite beeing it an Olympic Year several stars of the sport will participate (Lyles, Duplantis, Holloway, Bol, Warholm). It is the equaled earliest date in the history of the event, also 2018 Birmingham edition was held on March 1-4. In total 651 athletes (331 women and 320 men) are entered slightly less than in Belgrade 2022 (680, 372 men and 308 women). Now it is 133 countries, two years ago it was 137. Record numbers are 705 athletes at World Indoors 1997 in Paris (but without technical events direct finals) and 171 countries at World Indoors 2012 in Istanbul. In total 13 reigning individual world champions and seven individual gold medallists from the Tokyo Olympics are among the entries. From Belgrade 2022 title defenders only missing are two men Marcell Jacobs (60 m), Damian Warner (heptathlon), but also 6 women Mujinga Kambundji (60 m), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (400 m), Ajee Wilson (800 m), Ivana Vuleta (long jump), Yulimar Rojas (triple jump) and Auriol Dongmo (shot put). Gudaf Tsegay who won the 1500 m two years ago runs the 3000 m this time. Not invited as in Belgrade Russian and Belarus athletes, all technical events are held as finals. Evenings sessions on Saturday and Sunday are practically sold out. New Mondo track was installed, legendary David Rudisha is the ambassador. There’s good prize money, too, for places 1-6: $40 000-20 000-10 000-8000-6000-4000, plus a $50,000 bonus for a world record.
Event by event short previews
Men
60 m: Will Coleman´s fast start be enough to beat Lyles? Blake and Omanyala for bronze.
400 m: Two questionmarks, what is the shape of Warholm and Richards, both coming without any racing experience this winter. Then it is very open.
800 m: This year fastest Tecuceanu and Crestan. Hoppel has its experience, Masalela was winning on the circuit and Garcia is the defender.
1500 m: Nader is unbeaten this eason, Kessler comes with fast time, Nordas is World medalist. And Ethiopians.
3000 m: This is the highlight. Nuguse vs Kerr is the talk, but Barega and Wale have better times.
60mH: Holloway against the clock, 60 indoor wins in a row. Big fight for other medals (Cunningham, Joseph, French, Simonelli, Szymanski).
HJ: Woo ruled during the season, Kerr comes from Down Under.
PV: Mondo in his own World, can he produce again a global mark at championships? Obiena vs Nilsen and Kendricks for the remainder of the podium.
LJ: Tentoglou by all books. Furlani ready for surprise.
TJ: Zango should manage, then wide open.
SP: Crouser question is how far. Fabbri, Walsh, Campbell for silver and bronze. Romani only one competition.
Hep: Ehammer gave this priority over long jump, Skotheim the other contender, Mullings did not compete since end of January.
4x400 m: US always strong, but remember what happened in Belgrade. Belgium, Netherlands and Czech with current quality there.
Women
60 m: Alfred vs Swoboda, top fight for gold. Hobbs and Dosso for bronze.
400 m: In case Femke and Lieke from the same coaching group will not be 1-2, we would say it was a surprise.
800 m: Alemu has the best time, but Reekie the spectators support. Or space for surprise name on top?
1500 m: This could be unique situation will full Ethiopian podium.
3000 m: Tsegay in her own class, Muir with crowd for silver, but Hull, St. Pierre, Meshesha not light opposition.
60mH: Charlton vs European force (Visser, Skrzyszowska).
HJ: Mahuchikh vs Olyslagers, how high they can go?
PV: Caudery, McCartney, Murto, Newman against US duo Moon and Morris.
LJ: Davis looks like a clear choice, after her several contenders for two medals.
TJ: 2 Cubans vs 2 US, and in between LaFond with Peleteiro.
SP: Jackson vs Mitton for gold, is Schilder still in shape?
Pen: Vicente should be the name, defender Vidts competed only individually this winter.
4x400 m: Netherlands followed by US followed by Jamaica or Poland or Britain. Czech dark horse.
FLASH-BACK
PORTLAND (USA): In the flash-back for Portland 2016 USA was the best country with 13-6-4 gold, silver and bronze medals ahead of Ethiopia 2-2-1, in total 29 countries got medals. In points also USA 249 ahead of Ethiopia 56 and Great Britain 39, here 53 countries got points. In total 10 world leads, 2 meet records and 7 area indoor records were registered, but no World Indoor record. From title defenders who competed only four defended (7 were not succesful). Paul Doyle was the agent with most individual gold medals from his athletes and total number of spectators was 39 283 for all sessions.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): In the Birmingham flash back to mention 32 countries won medals. Also 48 countries were in points rankings. There was 1 World indoor record in the men´s 4x400 m, 6 Area indoor records, 6 meet records and 14 World leads. Seven athletes sucesfully defended their titles from Portland. Six agents represented athletes with two individual gold medals.
BELGRADE (SRB): Three World Indoor records highlighted the Serbian edition of the championships after 4 years break due to COVID (Duplantis, Rojas, Holloway). 612 athletes took part from 129 different countries. Average age of participants: 25 years. Average age of medallists and winners was 26 years. more than 20,000 spectators attended across the three days, despite a reduced stadium capacity due to Covid restrictions with Sunday 2nd session 6800 the highest. 72 national records. In medals Ethiopia was better than USA and Belgium, in total 31 countries won medals. In total 56 countries achieved top 8 position. Best agent was Juan Pineda with 3 individual gold medals. Light tower was used for the first time in technical events to show the validity of attempts. In competition performance rankings Belgrade is the best ever World Indoors with 49 348 (since 2000) ahead of Budapest 2004 with 48 839 and third Birmingham 2018 with 48 861.
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EME NEWS is prepared daily with help from Steven Mills, James Rhodes and Robert Blaho with results from Carles Baronet.