KJT on top of the world
KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON took European indoor gold in Glasgow in March but it was her world outdoor title in Doha in October that really impressed.
The heptathlete beat Olympic and world champion Nafi Thiam of Belgium in style and set a British record of 6981 in the process.
“These whole two days have been so fast and because it has been at night, it’s actually felt like a dream,” said Johnson-Thompson. “Doing it under the lights and everything was unbelievable.
“I can’t believe this is the result. I have had so many attempts at this result so to perform on this stage makes me so happy.”
Sub-two spectacular
THIS performance divided opinion but Eliud Kipchoge nevertheless entered the history books with his 1:59:41 clocking for the marathon in Vienna in October.
The INEOS-sponsored time trial saw the Kenyan assisted by 41 elite athlete pacemakers who formed an inverse V-formation to shield him from the breeze as he cruised down the tree-lined Hauptalee Street through the Prater Park in the Austrian capital.
The 34-year-old was handed drinks on the way and wore the controversial Nike alphaFLY shoes on his feet – all of which caused the purists to squirm and the IAAF to ignore it for record purposes. But he broke the two-hour barrier seemingly with ease and left people wondering how much faster he might have gone if he’d really pushed himself.
My, my, Dalilah
AFTER setting a world 400m hurdles record of 52.20 at the US Championships in July, Dalilah Muhammad went even quicker with 52.16 at the World Championships in Doha, where she held off a challenge from fellow American and rising star Sydney McLaughlin.
This story is from the December 19, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
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This story is from the December 19, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
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EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.
Support network
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